Welcome

A Sign That Means Nothing

Introduction: For anyone weary of traveling and looking for a good place to eat, the experience can be heart breaking, Illus: Kids “Are we there yet?”

I. Signs: On the highways and streets of this nation, there are perhaps thousands of signs reading, “CHURCH of CHRIST” which in essence are saying the saints meet here.

Have we contemplated the fact that in erecting signs for all to see that we are making a statement about ourselves. Illus: Not just wood, metal and a few lettering.

What is the statement? We are declaring that we belong to Christ; we strive to imitate His love, concern, and compassion for all those who are struggling against sin, despair, hopelessness and pain.

Matthew 9:35-38 KJV 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

We declare that our faith brings us peace and joy and that we have a genuine affection for one another.

John 13:34-35 KJV 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Ephesians 4: KJV 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Those signs we construct announce to the world we preach and teach a simple doctrine, uncluttered with the traditions of men,

Matthew 15:9 KJV 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

2 Corinthians 11:1-3 KJV 1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

These signs which contains these words, “Church of Christ meets here” mean that each and everyone is Welcome.

Romans 6:1-10 KJV 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

Galatians 3:26-28 KJV 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

In short, the signs identifying us as the saints meeting at a certain place are signs of promising the hungry to be fed with the truth.

Matthew 5:6 KJV 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

John 5:9-15 KJV 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

2 Peter 1:3-11 KJV 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Revelation 2:10 KJV 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

More than anything else, those signs say we have a sure foundation.

1 Corinthians 3:11 KJV 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Conclusion: Do we Identify with that on the Roadside which reads “Church of Christ meets here”? Are we doing all we can to insure that when a visitor, neighbor, relative or friend steps into the worship service, they’re not disappointed because the sign promised something special, but we gave nothing?

If we put those signs up, let’s make sure we offer exactly what Christ would offer; we are His church. Ephesians 1:22-23 KJV 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Romans 16:16 KJV 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

What Must I Do To Be Saved? Live Faithfully