Could You Share in the Ministry on Sundays?
1. What can we learn from the actions of Paul and his companions in Philippi?
1 It was the Sabbath, a day when most Jews in Philippi rested. Paul and his companions were visiting the city during one of their missionary tours. No one would have criticized them for taking a well-deserved rest from their ministry on that day too. They, however, knew that Jews gathered outside the city to pray, so they took advantage of the opportunity to preach to them. How happy Paul and his companions must have been when Lydia listened and her entire household got baptized! (Acts 16:13-15) Since many today rest on Sunday, why not use part of this day to preach to them?
2. What challenges have Jehovah’s people overcome in order to preach on Sunday without harassment?
2 The Battle for Sunday Preaching: During 1927, Jehovah’s people were encouraged to spend a portion of every Sunday in the ministry. This resulted in immediate opposition. Many were arrested in the United States for violating Sunday Sabbath laws, disturbing the peace, and selling without a license. But Jehovah’s people did not give up. In the 1930’s, they organized “divisional campaigns,” whereby publishers from surrounding congregations would converge to cover a territory. On occasions when publishers were arrested, there were so many of them that the authorities were overwhelmed. Do you truly appreciate the sacrifices those brothers made so that we can preach on Sunday without harassment?
3. What makes Sunday a good day to share in the ministry?
3 An Excellent Day to Preach: Many people are home from work on Sunday. They are usually more relaxed. Some churchgoers may be more inclined to talk about God on this day. If we have our meeting on Sunday, we are already dressed as we would be for the ministry, so why not plan field service activity before or after the meeting? If needed, prepare a light meal to take with you.
4. What joy can we experience if we spend a portion of Sunday in the ministry?
4 If we use a portion of Sunday for the ministry, we will still have time to get the rest that we need. And our rest will be accompanied with the satisfaction that results from engaging in sacred service. (Prov. 19:23) We may even experience the joy of finding someone like Lydia!