Bumby Bible Questions 10

Introduction

Well, as has already been indicated, this being the fourth Sunday morning of the month. This is our QA time. And we want to say a few things by way of introduction to this. Doesn’t need really much of an introduction, those who are members, but we want to continue to solicit the questions. If you haven’t submitted a question but thought that you wanted to or should, then by all means submit that question to us. You can do that a variety of ways. You can email us that question. You can put it in the suggestion or question box in the foyer. You can hand that to us personally. We make one request, and that is that it be in writing. And the only reason for that is because one of us will forget if it’s not in writing.

And so if you come up to us and say, do this question, we may or may not remember that. If you don’t write it down or you don’t watch us, write it down. So please put those questions in writing. As we’ve said before, and it’s been our practice throughout, uh however you submit that question, we’re not going to use your name attached to that question. We don’t want to embarrass anybody or anything, and so all the questions will be certainly presented in anonymous way. And if you’ve already submitted a question or a multitude of questions, keep coming.

And so she attached a pseudonym and kept writing hymns. And so attach a pseudonym, keep submitting the questions. We don’t care how many you’ve submitted, keep those coming. And I don’t know that we’ve made this appeal. If you’re watching this on the internet through our YouTube channel or on our website, and you have a question, then by all means submit that question to us. And I’m going to put Greg on the spot. And Greg, give them the email address that they can use. Bumby BibleQuestions at gmail.com. Bumby BibleQuestions at gmail.com. I knew that. I was just checking to see if you did. All right. So keep keep the questions coming. We certainly appreciate that, and we appreciate the good feedback that we’ve gotten from this session.

1. Responsibility Toward a Member Who Stops Attending

So one other note, just on writing your name, if you do write your name on the question, we will keep it anonymous publicly, but sometimes we get questions that either we don’t fully understand where the question is leading, uh the handwriting, if you write like I do, isn’t good. Uh and so it helps us follow up with you. So if you want your question specifically answered and you have your name on it, it helps us in following up with you privately so that we can publicly answer the exact question rather than the version we want to answer of your question, because otherwise we can and will do that instead. Exactly. So one first question uh we have we’re gonna study this morning is what responsibility do we have as a congregation towards a member who stops attending services?

What responsibility does a congregation have towards a member who stops attending services? And a good question, and a question that we don’t just academically or theoretically want the answer to. Uh it’s a question that we should practically want the answer to so that we can be practicing what we ought to be uh practicing toward our brethren who may be erring for the faith from the faith. So, what is our responsibility? Well, obviously, I would hope this would be obvious to all good Christians and Bible students, is that we do have a responsibility to one another. Let’s start with that basic premise that we have a responsibility really to all of our fellow men, but certainly in a particular and specific way to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

And even in a more particular and specific way, our brothers and sisters in Christ, with whom we regularly worship and attend and fellowship, that we do have an obligation to them. Let’s look at a couple passages of scripture to establish that. In the book of Galatians, chapter 6, both of these passages are going to be very familiar passages, but they need reading again and looking at again in light of this question. Galatians 6 verse 1 says, brethren, if a man is overtaken in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. So we have the obligation, if a brother’s been overtaken in a trespass, we have the obligation to go to that brother or that sister.

Now it might bear pausing here and making the point, reminding ourselves of when we talk about this from an individual approach or a congregational approach, that really the congregation or the local church is nothing more than individual Christians banded together. And so I don’t know that we can really make too much of a distinction between individual responsibility and group responsibility, a group of individuals who have this individual responsibility. And so we are to go to one who is overtaken in a trespass. James uses very similar language in James chapter 5. James chapter 5 and in verse 19 says, Brethren, if anyone among you wonders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and overcome or over cover a multitude of sins.

Now, if we’re going to make a distinction, Galatians 6 talks about someone who’s overcome in a trespass. James 5 talks about one who wanders away. And so there’s maybe two different categories that I would argue would cover any type of sin that might involve one of our brothers and sisters. And so we have a responsibility, the Bible teaches us, to go to that one who has wandered away, to go to that one who’s been overtaken in a trespass. And so we begin with that premise is that we have an obligation to one another, and that certainly includes those who are drifting away from their faith. I think we can see that that’s really the ideal setup, is that as brothers and sisters of a local family, if somebody is erring or has lost their way, that we would go to them because we have a concern for them, not just because Galatians 6 tells me to have a concern for them, but because I have a relationship and I want to reach out with them and want them to understand the truth.

And if I can go to them and show scriptures and we can all do what God says together, how great. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way, though, but God has a plan for each and every circumstance. And one thing we have to understand, certainly from a congregational standpoint in reaching out to somebody who’s lost their way spiritually, is that shepherds have a very special responsibility. If you look at 1 Peter chapter 5, this isn’t really a passage many people would think of as frightening, but I admire elders here and across our world because this is a frightening level of responsibility that’s outlined here. First Peter chapter 5 and verse 1. So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed, to shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly.

Not domineering over those in your charge, but by being examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Verse 4 is wonderful and a powerful motivation, you might say, and realization of the special work that elders do. But that special prize, you might say, comes with a very heavy responsibility. And by definition, the shepherds are looking out for their sheep. And when you notice the specification in verse 2, to shepherd the flock of God that is among you, that implies inherently there is a unique responsibility between elders and their flock, their sheep. It was Paul who wrote in Acts chapter 20 to the Ephesus elders, that they were to be on guard, shepherding the flock to watch out for wolves, because the wolves would come in and take away or devour some of the sheep.

And so elders have a particular obligation, not just as individual members, part of the collective, but as a unique part of their God given role and responsibility to reach out and to care for the souls of those who are uh have lost their way. And so one of the grand purposes for God putting us together in a body such as this is so that we could watch out for one another. And it’s a shame when we don’t fulfill that God given really privilege that we have to watch for one another, to help and to encourage and even go to one another, and to put us under the oversight of shepherds who would watch for our souls. And so certainly we have that responsibility, and that responsibility would even include discipline.

Up until this time we’ve been talking about, as Greg said, maybe that best case scenario that we would go to someone, encourage them. But what if one goes and we can’t draw them back? Well, then we have further responsibility to both the body as well as to that erring soul. In 1 Thessalonians, or 2 Thessalonians chapter 3, and in verse 6, the Thessalonian brethren, some of them at least, had been involved in idleness, just laziness. And Paul is saying you have a responsibility to work, you have a responsibility, others to help them, to encourage them in that, to show them the right way. But when that fails, we have a further responsibility. 2 Thessalonians 3, verse 6, we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That adds the weight to this commandment, as well as Jesus’ joint participation in it. That you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which we’ve received from us. Now we have several passages in the New Testament. We’ve just selected one, but several passages in the New Testament that tell us that not only do we have a responsibility to encourage while someone is with us, not only do we have a responsibility to go to one who’s been overtaken or go to one who’s wandered away, but then we have also a further responsibility to exercise discipline. Not discipline for discipline’s sake, and certainly not just for the joy of getting somebody God, but so that their soul might be one. And so that we might, 1 Corinthians 5, maintain the moral purity of a congregation.

And so we have a responsibility to those who have wandered away, including quitting attending the services of the church, that we should reach out to those people, encourage those people, always motivated by love. I think that’s a critical component here is the idea that any discipline, we’ve talked about at other QA sessions now. Here’s a test for you. Do you remember when that was? Yes. You’ll just have to go back and watch all of them, I think. If you go back and watch all our QA’s, we address discipline at some point. And if you notice there’s different forms of discipline, sometimes as a congregation, when we hear the idea of discipline, we think of the negative, or we think of withdrawal only. But regardless of the discipline method outlined in the New Testament, and there are at least two or three different kinds of discipline offered to local congregations, as you consider the motivations of each is the exact same.

And it’s that which is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 5, to restore the soul of the one who’s erring. And that approach and the idea behind the approach are both to be done in love. If you look at Luke chapter 15, perhaps no greater example of the joy of restoring that which is lost is found in Luke chapter 15. We know it for the parable of the prodigal son, but even the parable of the lost sheep and parable of the lost coin before it stand out in a discussion like this. In Luke 15 and verse 3 and 4, so he told them this parable. What man of you having a hundred sheep if he has lost one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open country and go after the one that is lost until he finds it.

Why? Well, because the shepherd cares for a sheep. In verse 5, what happens when he finds it? He rejoices. And most importantly, what happens in verse 7? When we see in verse 6 and 7, when a sinner rejoices, not only is there rejoicing in a physical way, but even the angels in heaven are rejoicing over that which is restored. That which was lost has been brought back. And that approach is done in love in the sense of I’m reaching out because I have a love for souls. And how I approach the person with love is to be done in a kind and gentle way as well. So this entire process is love. I’m motivated by love because I love that who is lost. And also my approach is going to be completely enveloped in kindness and love, the very kind that Timothy is written to about by Paul in 1 Timothy chapter 2.

2. What Is Wrong with Dancing?

And let’s admit this is awkward. It’s difficult. It’s easier to just let somebody go and not have that uncomfortable conversation with them. But if we’re motivated by love, if we understand why God has put us together to truly concerned for the souls of our brothers and sisters, we’ll do this, considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted. So I hope that answers the question. Hope this helps us to that end to be better at helping and guarding one another’s souls and being those good shepherds who love the sheep. Alright. We’re done with the difficult questions and controversial ones. We’ll go to an easy one. Question number two is what is wrong with dancing? Is dancing forbidden? Should a Christian be involved in dancing in any way? Question number two, Greg.

Thanks for the easy one. When you break down a question like this, our approach at this QA and all of them will be just to say, what does the Bible say? And we understand there’s an intent behind some of the questions, but to start with the question itself, does the Bible say anything about dancing? Is there anything inherently wrong with dancing? We start with pointing out that dancing is not expressly forbidden in Scripture. In fact, there’s examples of what you might call positive dancing or positive experiences related to dancing. Let’s look at just one in the 149th Psalm. In the 149th Psalm, as we look at verse 3, just as one example. Speaking of verse 1, to praise the Lord, sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly.

Let Israel be glad in his maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king, and here’s verse 3. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. Now, there’s no form of dancing you’d want to see from Ken and I, but even the dancing found in Psalm 149 in verse 3 is not anything close to what you were probably imagining a 21st century concept of dancing is. This was a particular type of celebration. If you notice in verse 3, it is linked to what act? Praising and worshiping God. Now, that is not the type of dancing that is probably behind the question. However, if we’re going to be fair-minded and rightly divide the word of truth, we have to see that at least under one set of laws, there was a time for dancing of a certain kind with a certain purpose.

The Jews understood this, the psalmist understood this, and Psalm 149, verse 3 properly illustrates that fact. So there may be those things that we could technically classify under the dictionary definition of dancing that wouldn’t be forbidden, certainly not overtly forbidden in Scripture. But as Greg said, that’s probably not what the question was talking about. And we get to what was probably at the heart of the question. I would approach it by simply saying this, let’s be honest. If we’re being honest about some of the movements, some of the proximity involved in some forms of dancing.

There’s numerous quotes, even from worldly people, people who aren’t approaching this from a biblical or a godly standpoint, that speak of the really the sexual nature of some kinds of dancing. But in looking at those quotes and thinking about putting those on the PowerPoint, I really thought we don’t need that. Because anybody who’s honest understands what’s going on. Maybe the best way to illustrate that is take it out of the dance floor, turn the music off, and do those things. You might get arrested on the city streets. But we understand that certain types of movement when someone of the opposite sex with whom we’re not married, those types of things are obviously overtly sexual in nature, overtly sexualized, and those types of things, and really, when we most of the time think of dancing, we’re probably thinking of that type of movement in action.

Those things are forbidden in Scripture. Let’s look at a couple passages here in Galatians chapter 5. You know, sometimes we read these lists, and Paul has a few of these lists, including the list here that’s referred to as the works of the flesh. And we read through these lists, but it does us good sometimes to pause and look at these words. And many times their words we’re not really familiar with. Translated into big words that would be almost impossible for us to even spell, much less have a really good grasp. But let’s pause sometimes and look at the individual words. Galatians 5 began in verse 19. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are, and let’s just again pause there and say they’re evident, they’re obvious.

And again, I think any spiritually minded person would say, okay, if I’m being honest, that’s evident. That’s obvious. The works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revel revelries, and the like. He goes on to say that those who participate in these things have no part in God’s kingdom. When we look at words such as possibly even revelries, but certainly the idea of licentiousness, lasciviousness is another one of those words that we probably can’t spell. But those words that describe activities, not fornication and adultery, because they’re already listed in that. But other forms of sexual activity, of sexualized activity that Paul says by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, these are works of the flesh.

And they’re not to be practiced among God’s people. And again, I think if we’re honest, when we see those types of activities, whether it’s on the dance floor to music, or whether it is in some other kind of setting, we’d realize that’s not appropriate. That’s not what a child of God ought to be doing. We won’t turn over there, but in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 18, again, the inspired advice was to flee sexual immorality. To flee that sexual immorality. Applying that principle, it would seem to me that the Holy Spirit is telling us to avoid that, not get as close as you can to it and still being dressed or half dressed, and not trying to stir up emotions such that we get almost to the point of no return, we would think, from some kind of moral and ethical standpoint.

That’s not fulfilling the commandment to flee fornication. That’s certainly not fulfilling the commandment to avoid licentiousness and lasciviousness, those activities that would lead someone to either immoral thoughts, impure actions, or to the next step of fornication or adultery. And so it seems to me that yes, dancing, is there a type of dancing that I could point to and say, I don’t think the Bible condemns that, or that may be in what David was doing in the Old Testament? But can I also point to a form and say, that’s just not right? That doesn’t pass the test of the works of the flesh, of the other sins that are mentioned in the New Testament scriptures. Well, and just to undermine, underline, excuse me, one of the most important factors there, if you are to look at one concept of answering the question, should I be involved in dancing?

The phrase in 1 Corinthians 6, or even 2 Timothy 2 22, flee also youthful lust. The question is, is it even close? Because the scripture answers that too. If it’s close, what does the scripture say? Flee. Another word we don’t use a lot, but we would say, get as far away as possible from. That is the scriptural wisdom. Are there exceptions to the rule? Yes. Did the Jews praise God with dance? Yes. But that is not what is happening in most cases of people who are trying to figure out is this God’s will here in America in 2019. So just keep in mind what are we actually looking at? And notice that the scriptures give an answer for the clearly wrong and even that which is on the borderline of wrong.

3. What Is Wrong with a Potluck or Fellowship Hall?

That leads us to one other question, just because we’re going to do easy ones. What is wrong with having a potluck at the church building? And along the same lines, what would be wrong with having that potluck in a fellowship hall? And when we address these questions, we want to always bring our focus back to what does the Bible say? What does God want? It’s not what do Greg and Ken think would be a good idea, or what do even the shepherds at South Bumbi or South Bumbi, South Bumbi as a congregation taking a popular vote. It’s really what does God want? And when you think about that, we have to address the scriptures. What do the scriptures say that the church is authorized to do?

And we look at that, that list is really fairly short and singularly focused. We have the authority to engage in evangelism. We won’t look at these two passages of scripture, but they talk about the idea of sharing the gospel to the lost. That’s normally what we think of as of evangelism as sharing the gospel to those who are without. We have the authority, not only the authority, we have the mandate to be engaged in that, into that spiritually focused goal of reaching the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. As part of 1 Timothy 3.15, that the church is the pillar and ground of truth. Not only would that truth beckon out of these walls, so to speak, but it would also be maintained inside in what we call edification.

I wonder sometimes if we use that word and we never otherwise use the phrase edification or edifying, but it’s the idea of building up. And certainly, shouldn’t we be building up one another? Well, yes, our theme verse for the year. We’ll look just quickly at Ephesians chapter 4, just because it is part of our congregational theme this year. In Ephesians chapter 4, notice why verse 11 says the church was given apostles and prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers, verse 12, to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building up the body of Christ. Certainly, verses 13 through 16 are powerful and show the need for maturity, the need for building up. But who is involved in that work? Well, the church.

It’s Paul in Ephesians chapter 1 who said the church is the body of Christ. That’s not only something that’s a good idea that the church should be involved in, but it is what the church must be involved in. We would argue that these are the two primary works of the church that we’re authorized to do, that both have a very spiritual focus, and both involve the Word of God. The Word of God teaching it to those that are lost, the Word of God encouraging and edifying, as Greg said, those who are a part of that body. But then we look further in the scriptures, we have the authority to be engaged in another type of work, and we call that benevolence, the really the physical help of those in our charge.

Let’s look at 1 Timothy chapter 5 at this idea that we have to support one another, as we saw in our first question is to support one another spiritually, but also to support one another physically or even financially if that need arises. In 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 3, he says, honor widows who are really widows. So we have the responsibility to honor these widows. We’re going to see in this context that honor doesn’t mean just give them a plaque or pat them on the back, but it means honor in the sense of supporting them in some financial, uh physical way. But there’s limits to that. Verse 4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents.

For this is good and acceptable before God. And so even in this idea of benevolence, there’s limit to that. That here is someone who might otherwise be in need, but they have family members who can see to that need. And the purpose of that, he says, verse 9, beginning, do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works. She’s brought up children, she’s lodged strangers, she’s washed the saints’ feet, if she’s relieved the afflicted, if she diligently followed every good work, but refuse the younger widows, for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry, having condemnation against uh because they have cast off their faith.

And besides, they learn to be idle, wandering from house to house, not only idle, but also gossips in busy bodies, saying things which they ought not. Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bury children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully. And so here were some that were to be taken and helped, some that were not. And so, even in regard to the things for which we have authority, there is limit to those needs that need to be met by the local congregation. But we have that authority to engage in evangelism, edification of the saints, and even benevolence for those among us who are needy. And so the question is not what else does the church have authority for. The problem with fellowships halls is there is no found authority for them.

There is no passage we can turn to that would show that there was such a construction. That there was a group of people who paid for a fellowship hall to be constructed and used for social purposes. And when you look at the concept truly of a fellowship hall, regardless of how it’s repurposed, the central identity of it is social in nature. And certainly throughout the New Testament, there’s examples of Christians eating together, spending time together, but not necessarily from the church’s contribution. The idea that the church is 1 Timothy 3.15 the pillar and ground of truth. It has a spiritual function. And while benevolence is something the church is authorized to take part in, the work of the church is to teach the gospel message, teach to the lost, and to grow and build up the saints so that they can also be teaching others and standing strong at the same time.

And when we lose track, that creates a problem. God has placed limits on us in every arena of life. But we have a limited focus when it comes to the work of the church. And we understand practically speaking, we have limited resources. And when we look at passages such as, if you’re still in 1 Timothy chapter 5, Paul was saying, here are certain widows that should be helped, and here are some that maybe should not be. Maybe there are others who can marry, maybe they have family members that can help them. And the reasoning behind that was important in 1 Timothy 5, verse 16. If any believing man or woman has widows, I think in the context, back to what he said earlier, as a family member, a mother or a grandmother who’s a widow, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.

And so here are some who need help, but they can be helped otherwise, so that the church is not burdened by that, so that it can focus on helping those who are truly widows and the other work that we’re engaged in. I think that principle applies here. There’s other ways in which we can have those social activities, even as Christians together. But it’s improper to burden the church with a work and a responsibility that God has not authorized us to do. And let’s keep our focus upon those spiritual matters for which God has intended his body to fulfill. Sometimes, to answer that charge, though, the phrase is illustrated that, well, we need to have fellowship. And fellowship is certainly all throughout the New Testament.

We hear people say this phrase of we need to have fellowship together. That’s true. The question is, are we using it in the New Testament sense of fellowship, or have we authored some new form or definition of the word? When you look at the word fellowship in the New Testament, it is always used spiritually. It is not used in the sense of we need to have fellowship at our favorite hot dog place. You can tell that was a me and Ken type of thing, there, a hot dog place. But when it comes to fellowship being used in the New Testament, we’re going to look at just two examples quickly. Look in Philippians chapter 2. There is a spiritual focus. In Philippians chapter 2, we’ll look just here because we can look at two examples quickly.

Philippians chapter 2. And as you look at verse 1, and some translations have this differently. If there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any fellowship or participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Paul is wishing for their unity. And he goes on to use Christ as the ultimate example of humility, who humbled himself on behalf of others. But we’re to be of the same mind on what? Who we root for? Well, that’s impossible. Ken roots for the evil empire. But as we think about fellowship that Paul’s talking about, it is spiritual in focus. Look in chapter 3, even, again, certainly, as he’s illustrating how wonderful and powerful it is to become Christ’s focus.

You look at verse 80, I count everything as lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and may share his sufferings is an appropriate translation. Becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Again, that root of fellowship that we can share with what? Christ’s death, Christ’s resurrection. The oneness with our Lord.

It is spiritual in focus and design. And so when you think about a fellowship hall on the basis of we’re supposed to be having fellowship, well, then that fellowship would be a spiritual hall. It wouldn’t be for social or recreational purposes. It would be part of those earlier activities, evangelism, edification, the spiritual focuses of a spiritual body. If I wanted to be cute, I could argue that this is our fellowship hall. This is where that spiritual fellowship that we read about in the New Testament takes place, where we come together to read and study the scriptures, to pray, to sing songs, to gather around the Lord’s table. That’s the fellowship that we’re to be engaged in. We also realize when we read the New Testament that again, that the church has this spiritual focus.

It is not to be some social center or the center for our social activities. In the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, we understand and remember they were abusing the Lord’s Supper. They did so in at least two ways. Number one is they saw it as a source of division. Some were partaking and preventing others from partaking of it. But there was another problem that existed there. Look in 1 Corinthians 11. Begin with me in verse 20. It says, Therefore, when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. Now, some of them at least were eating something, but Paul is saying it has ceased to be the Lord’s supper. For in eating, verse 21, each one takes his own supper ahead of others, and one is hungry and another’s drunk.

So here’s problem number one. You’re not letting everybody participate. This isn’t true fellowship because not everybody’s involved. You’re dividing the congregation. But look at the second problem, verse 22. What? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Are you do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. When you let those words, I think, echo in our ears. Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? What Paul was saying here is that this is not a meal. It’s a memorial. A meal is intended to fill the belly, to satisfy our physical needs. This is not a meal, the Lord’s Supper. It’s a memorial.

It is a spiritual focus. Are there physical elements of food and drink involved? Yes. But they are there and used because they have a spiritual emblem to them. And so we realize that this is just simply not the work of the New Testament church. We haven’t been authorized to do that. And so we limit ourselves to the simplicity of the New Testament pattern, to the simplicity of New Testament scriptural fellowship. And there’s the reason why we don’t have what’s traditionally known as a kitchen or a fellowship hall, because our focus is where God has placed the focus, and that’s on spiritual matters. When you look at this type of question, it’s always important to look back at that 1 Timothy 5 16 passage. It’s not just an authority question, which it is.

Conclusion

It’s not just matching the simplicity of the gospel call, which it must be. It’s also when we start doing anything that is off of God’s plan, we’re distracting and taking away from what surely is God’s plan as well. So going and coming, we’re messing up God’s plan for us when it’s so simple in its delivery and perfect in its execution when we trust His ways and His plan. We’re thankful for all the questions that we were able to cover this morning. We ask that you continue to submit them in the various formats. And at this time, before we’re dismissed, Ken, will you lead us in a word of prayer? Yes. Bow with me, please. Our dear God and Father in heaven, we’re so thankful that you’ve loved us and given us your word.

And we have the opportunity to open it and study it. And we pray, Father, that we’ll always be drawn to you in your word. That we’ll seek the answers for our spiritual questions, the answers for our life in your word and in you. Humble us, Father, always in our study that we might seek to find out what your will for our life is, and that we might live by it. Bless us in this, Father. Bless us as we leave this place and go out into a world that cares little for thee. That we will take your word with us. Continue to love us and bless us as you see fit. This is our simple prayer in Christ’s name. Amen.