Dear ones, how would you answer this question concerning Sunday School attendance if posed to you personally? How often do you attend Sunday School?  I attend Sunday School regularly; sometimes; not at all.  It is to the “sometimes” and “not at all” segments of our church family that I address this appeal.  Let me begin with a startling statistic.  Here at Friendship, only eleven percent of our members attend Sunday School on a regular basis.  That we may know Him!  That is the very essence of the Sunday School:

(1)           That we have the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus

(2)           That we know the exceeding greatness of God’s power toward the believers when He raised Christ from the dead.

(3)           We need to know that if we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with Him.

The Sunday School is an important component of the overall worship experience.  If you are not attending Sunday School on a regular basis, there is a void in your spiritual growth.  God’s eternal, unfailing purpose for each of us is that we be conformed to the image of His dear Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren.  The Sunday School helps us to achieve God’s purpose for our lives, thereby, allowing us to fulfill our purpose in life.  “But,” Brother Pastor, “how do I move from “sometimes” or “not at all”, to a Sunday School disciple”?  you ask.  It is a matter of your will.  If you really want to come to Sunday School, it requires an act of your will.  To make it happen, you have to will it to happen.

My question to the eighty-nine percent of the membership that do not attend Sunday School on a regular basis:  “Wilt thou come to Sunday School?”

Pastor J. Amos Jones

Forty years of God’s amazing grace.  Throughout my forty years of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, God has ceaselessly worked through grace to impart to this pastor/preacher and perfect in him corresponding graces.  Grace is the methodology of divine dealing in salvation and in the believer’s life and service.  Grace, therefore stands connected with service.  It has been the singular desire of this pastor to serve his Lord and His Kingdom.  To serve the Lord’s Kingdom is to serve humanity.  The Holy Writ tells us in Matthew 25:40b:  “In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto Me.”  A constant in our society is there will always be hurting people.  Whether they are “the down and out” or “the up and out”, there is always a need.  A hallmark of this ministry has always been: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”  God has entrusted to this pastor/preacher, as He has to all preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the word of reconciliation, the wondrous gospel of Christ.  For forty years this pastor has had a passion for the lost.  “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

In a summary fashion, the desire of this pastor/preacher has been to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now (and has always been) and forever.  Forty years is a Biblical generation and this pastor praises’ God for His dwelling place through-out his generation.

Pastor J. Amos Jones

The position in life of the child of God is, and must always be, found in their union with Christ.  Jesus came that we may have life and that we might have it more abundantly.  Characteristically in the abundantly.  Characteristically in the abundant life, there are Biblical “Put Offs” and “Put Ons”.  In Col. 3:8, there is a listing of character traits that are incompatible with the lifestyle of a Christian and must be put off.  The Apostle begins with the destructive trait of anger.  The Bible tells us to:  “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath, fret not thyself in any wise to do evil” (Ps. 37:8).  Wrath or rage is physiologically destructive.  Heart problems, high blood pressure, ulcers can certainly be associated with rage.  The Apostle continues with the listing of “Put Offs”.  Malice or Malicious behavior is borne out of a heart of unbelief.  “Put off” blasphemy or slander.  Jesus in Matthew 15:19, equates blasphemy with other symptoms of spiritual heart disease.  Slander is absolutely destructive to the cohesive fiber of the body of Christ.

Lastly, “Put Off” filthy communications (dirty language) out of your mouth.  Enough said!  “Put Off” the old man with his deeds and “Put On” the new man that is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.  “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation:  old things are passed away; behold all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).  Beginning in verse twelve, we have a listing of “Put Ons”.  Here is that listing:

As holy people of God, put on tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Forbearing one another and forgiveness for the person who offends you.

Remember, the Lord forgave you, therefore you must forgive others.  And (drum roll) most importantly, put on love.  It will lead you into full development and produce the growth into the maturity of godliness.

Be blessed as you “Pull Off” and “Put On”.

Pastor J. Amos Jones