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Clint Davison's avatar

While I agree with a GREAT DEAL of what you're saying here - I'm not sure about this: "The sermon’s purpose is to remind the saints of God’s blessings and commands, not convert the lost." I feel like that's a little "this-or-that." Paul, in Acts 17, certainly used a "sermon" to attempt to convert the lost. If we have visitors and we're not at least introducing them to what God's plan of salvation through Jesus is WHILE THEY'RE IN OUR PEWS...I think we're risking missing an opportunity we may not have again. I guess I don't see how that negates our "reverence and awe" factor. The sermon's purpose is to address the hearts of the listeners - whoever they are. I get it - the worship assembly is for us to worship. But, in my opinion, we're missing it if we're not explaining God's offer of salvation as often as we can.

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David Nestor's avatar

I would remind us that Paul's sermon in Acts 17 was not in a "Lord's Day Assembly" and therefore not subject to the considerations we have about the conversion element of the sermon. The assembly in totality is for Disciples. Anything that might result in conversion is probably because of someone in the assembly who has already being studied with, or as in 1 Corinthians 14, an outsider comes into the assembly and will end up saying that "God is with you". I also believe that we need to do a thorough study on what "worship" is. The assembly is not THE worship of the church, and is nowhere implied or inferred in the NT that it is. The assembled worship is only one part of worship and not the most important part -- merely the assembled part. All of our worship to God is important. But the assembly should have a special value for the saints in that it is for their instruction, encouragement, edification, admonishment, etc., and joining together to glorify God and praise Him.

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