The mission of the church is to win lost souls. Sadly, few Christians seem to realize this fact, failing to make it a top priority in their lives. Most drift along, apparently thinking that meeting for worship and Bible study is all that is necessary, never really accepting the responsibility of winning the lost.

    The early church went everywhere preaching and teaching the Gospel, but the church of today is moving further and further away from that pattern. No longer are we interested in evangelizing locally, but instead, our money and prayers are concentrated on evangelism overseas. We seem to have no interest in spreading the Gospel in our own community; but have convinced ourselves that our doors are always open to anyone who is interested. This is not working. We are fooling ourselves into believing that we are living up to God’s command to go teach. We simply must face up to the fact that the majority of conversions come as a result of personal one-on-one teaching and study.

"WEEPING WITH THOSE WHO WEEP"

Larry Yarber

            "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" (Romans 12:15).

            Sometimes we fail to recognize the above statement as a command from God. Jesus certainly had compassion on the bereaved. At the grave of Lazarus the Bible says, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). While this may be the shortest verse in the Bible, it is also one of the most profound. It stresses and illustrates true compassion for those who are emotionally upset and disturbed. It is a lesson we all need to take to heart.

            Those who grieve have an emotional need which we are to help supply. Paul referred to those at Thessalonica, who were mourning the loss of their loved ones, as being in need of comfort, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (1st Thessalonians 4:18). He acknowledges their sorrow, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope" (1st Thessalonians 4:13). Having told us to comfort "one another", He is instructing us to be mindful of and minister to those in grief. Paul again penned, "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fufil the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). While this verse isn’t speaking specifically of helping others mourn, it is still implied that we are to assist our brethren in any and all burdens, including grief. We have an obligation and duty to comfort those who are burdened by the loss of their loved ones. Nor should we think that this need is over and completed by attending the funeral alone.

            Sometimes, those who have lost loved ones have a monetary need also. The loss of another's contribution to someone's life-style can sometimes create a temporary, and at times, a pending financial burden for the surviving spouse or relative. The deceased may have left some unforeseen debt or expenditure that now has become the obligation of their guardian. The church was certainly charged with the care of the widows who could not care for themselves, "If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed" (1st Timothy 5:16). Furthermore, we are told, "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1st John 3:17-18). Again, we are required to help supply the financial burden that may fall upon our brethren, due to bereavement.

            Then there are times when an elder or handicapped brother or sister may have a minor chore they need performed in their behalf. It may be a light bulb which needs to be changed; a fire alarm battery needs to be replaced, or something similar to this. Money  

isn't the object; it's often hard to find someone free to perform what they perceive to be a trivial task. Yet, to the aged or disabled, this can be a monumental chore. We are told, "Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity" (1st Timothy 5:1-2). Surely, if someone in our physical family needed us to perform such a menial task, we would make ourselves available. Well then, we should be willing to do the same for our spiritual family too.

            In recent months several of our spiritual family has been saddled with grief from the loss of a loved one or family member. Therefore, we write this article, not as a means of criticism, but by way of encouragement. Let's try to make an extra effort to weep with those of our number who weep. May we recognize and consider this as an opportunity for us to serve and glorify God.