Ironworks

          One of my hobbies is watching sports, both collegiate and professional. On occasion, I enjoy watching an event in person. One thing that I have always noticed is that at times there are empty seats. If a team is not playing well their fans do not fill the stadium or arena. If their team is winning by a large margin they may leave early to try and beat the traffic. Regardless, empty seats teach us one thing, the person who should be occupying it is missing. An Empty Seat At Home This time of year when families gather, there might be an empty seat because a family member has died. We are comforted, if our loved one was in Christ, that we can see them again (cf. 2 Sam 12:22-23). When a loved one passes away, we can remember the assurance that Christ is victorious over death. Paul recorded, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).  An empty seat at home may persist throughout the year for good reas...

 “Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15            There is a Bible study that happens every week, twice a week. These studies are held in a location you frequent. It is comprised of your family and your brothers and sisters in Christ. The Bible is the textbook, and it is supported by book, chapter, and verse. It sounds like something that all Christians would seek to be present for. It is our weekly Bible studies at 9:45 AM and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM. If this sounds so good, why do our attendance numbers for the hour of worship differ from our Bible Study times? Why do we attend Bible study anyway?   Christians Study the Bible  We are commanded to study the Bible. Paul wrote,  “Till I come, give heed to reading, to exhortation, to teaching.” 1 Tim 4:13. When we meet together for Bible study it provides a great supplemen...

          When we worship by singing (Ephesians 5:19) we are also teaching each other (Colossians 3:16). By engaging in this act of worship, we are singing our commitment. Our commitment to God, to the church, and to the work. Why do we sing? Because we love the Lord and we are committed to the thing we sing. In recent weeks we have dwelt on being happy, the perfect law of the Lord, and trusting God to make things beautiful in His time. So how can we commit further? Let’s consider a few songs that we sing.  More About Jesus  “More about Jesus would I know, More of His Grace to others show, More of His saving fullness see, More of His love who died for me.” Singing more about Jesus is an amazing song. The words are rich with reminders of how our songs, sermons, prayers, and lives could benefit from more Jesus. Can we have too much Jesus? I know I cannot. John wrote about how great Jesus was. Many other signs, therefore, did Jesus in the presenc...