I dare say that when John [Phillis] started preaching here, if he had talked to you, brethren, and said, “Now you brethren need to know that on Sunday afternoon, when my favorite team is playing during the NFL season, that if the game’s not over by 5:00 P.M., you’ll have to get somebody else to preach that Sunday night because I’m gonna watch the rest of that game!” Would John be your preacher? Hope not. He wouldn’t deserve to be.

Why is it we expect these things of people who we know must be spiritual leaders, but we don’t expect these things of ourselves often times? Where is that double standard ever found in the New Testament that, Christian “A” doesn’t have to pay attention to what the Bible says about such matters as faithfully assembling with the saints, but Christian “B,” “C” and “D” gotta be there?!? It’s not in the Bible I’ve studied all my life. Don’t think it’s in yours.

What about the children who are watching us? Children are great observers. And they take more into that little mind than sometimes we think. Only those who have never been parents would disagree with that. Sometimes they take in what they see in daddy and mommy that we didn’t want them to take in, and they give it back to us!

But what about the children? They see a brother who maybe is never here on Sunday morning for Bible class. They know he could be. He’s physically able to be here on Sunday night, but he never comes on Sunday night. And yet, he’s called on to lead a prayer before the assembly. What’s that teaching our children? Maybe he’s asked to serve at the Lord’s table. What’s that saying to those children? It’s saying, “Well, I guess it’s not too very important to be here every time the doors are open. One can get up and lead in worship whether he’s here, or whether he’s not—it doesn’t make that much difference. Why should I bother?”

You see, our example and influence is very important. And we ought to be very conscience of it. Jesus said, in Matthew, chapter 18, concerning the little children who were brought to Him, that “if one causes one of those little ones to stumble, it would be better for him that a millstone be hanged about his neck and he be drowned in the depths of the sea!” Now, some of you’ve not lived long enough to know what a millstone is, unless you’ve visited one of the old restored mills back on the Eastern seaboard, or back in one of the southern states. But the millstone was the upper stone that would grind the wheat or the corn against the lower stationary stone. The upper stone, the millstone, would be turned—a very, very heavy stone. The Lord’s saying, “It would be better for you not to be born than to cause a little one, by your influence or your example, to not follow Me.” It’s serious business, brethren.

IT IS GOOD FOR US TO BE HERE BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT EXAMPLE FOR US TO BE HERE when we are physically able. I know and the Lord knows and faithful brethren know that there are some who cannot come because of physical reasons beyond their control every time the doors are open. We’re not talking about you, brethren. We’re talking about the able-bodied, who choose to be somewhere else when the saints are worshipping God! It is GOOD for us to be here.

Our Lord came for one principle purpose to this earth. It’s summarized in a very brief statement in Luke 19, verse 10: “…for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Everything else Jesus did, all of His miracles and everything else, they ALL come into this one focal point—they ALL have to do with establishing this one purpose and carrying it out. He came to save the world from sin. That’s EVANGELISM! That’s EVANGELISM!

Now, when we meet together, brethren, evangelism takes place. The Word of God is declared. Usually, the invitation of the Lord is offered, encouraging people who have not obeyed the Gospel to do so, encouraging those who have strayed from the Truth or from faithfulness to come back to the Lord. It’s evangelism. It is good for us to be here because of evangelism, if there were no other reason. We are saying by our very presence that we’re concerned not only about our own souls, but about the souls of others that will be there. Is there anything more precious to a devoted child of God than to be in an assembly like this, and when the invitation song is being sung, someone or ones make(s) their way to the front saying, “I’m ready to confess the Name of my Lord, and I want to be baptized into Christ for remission of my sins”? Now, where would you rather be when that’s taking place? In that assembly? Or out on the hill somewhere doing your own thing? Or maybe it’s a brother or sister who’s been away from the Lord for maybe years. Maybe you have talked to them; maybe you prayed for them; maybe you’ve tried to encourage them, and nothing you’ve done has helped. But, in this particular assembly, or just before it sometimes, something has been said or done, the right word or the right deed. And here comes that brother or sister with tears streaming down their cheeks, coming back to the Lord, just like the prodigal. Where would you rather be when that happens? Here, rejoicing in all of that and participating in the evangelism by being here? Or out somewhere doing what you want to do? Brethren, IT IS GOOD FOR US TO BE HERE BECAUSE OF EVANGELISM.

And in case you didn’t get it, I had five points in this lesson. And to help you remember them, each one of them starts with the letter “E”: Exaltation, Edification, Encouragement, Example, Evangelism.

Now, we’ve met here for all of those purposes today, and surely we can say, “It has been GOOD for us to be here.” The only thing that could make it better would be if, when we sing this song of invitation in a few moments, someone, or more, would make their way to the front and let their spiritual needs be known, whether it be to come to the Lord upon repenting of their sins, turning away from all others, wanting to serve Christ alone, ready now to confess the most precious Name of all, and ready to put their Lord on in baptism wherein the blood of Christ cleanses them from their sins, or coming to say, “I’ve wandered away and I’m coming home; I’m coming back; I’m coming back to my Father’s house from which I had strayed. Pray for me that the Lord will forgive me.” Oh, He will forgive the penitent sinner. Or maybe there is someone here who simply needs prayers for some other reason. How wonderful it would be to see this be the day that you make your move toward God and toward serving Him, becoming His child if you’re not one, becoming His faithful child if you’ve become unfaithful. Oh, it is good for us to be here. Let us stand; let us sing; let us invite you to come now as we stand together.