At the conclusion of most lessons presented on a Sunday morning or evening worship, there is the common practice of the invitation. This invitation encourages those who have questions, special needs or concerns to publicly share them, many times in light of the message that was just presented. The response is not to any person or the church herself, but instead to God and His Word.
This phrase taken from the end of the 11^th^ Chapter of Matthew is a great promise to all who are “weary and heavy-laden” (Mat. 11:28, NASU). This phrase, however, has been greatly misunderstood and taken out of context by many Bible readers. Some have taken this phrase to imply that the Christian life will be “light” and free from labor – this is not the intention of Jesus’ words.
One of the characteristics of established civilization is the creature comforts that established culture brings. Even in ancient times, the civilizations that became dominant were known for their own comforts and “conveniences.” One such example was the earliest use of indoor plumbing which existed during the Roman Empire!
This is the time of year when the largest number of people considers the person of Jesus Christ. While Easter is also a common time of such reflection, the Christmas season is still the time when many in the world, who normally give little thought to God or “religious” things, choose to return to the account of the birth of Jesus Christ.