How do you… Get more participation? Get more involvement on everyone’s part? More interest, care, concern, enthusiasm? Get more people supporting Gospel Meetings (including their own)? More people wanting to teach? More men developing into elders?

Some things are a “by-product” of something else. Happiness: Proverbs 29:18: Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law. Lk. 11:28: But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" John 13:17: If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Some things are a “by-product” of something else. Peace: Phil.4: ---Prayer v.6 ---Thoughts v.8 ---These things do v.9 Results: “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (v.7)

How is greater participation, involvement, produced? GROWTHConsider the GROWTH God expects: Eph. 4:14-16: “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

How is greater participation, involvement, produced? LIVING SACRIFICEThis grows out of being a LIVING SACRIFICE Rom. 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

The Key: Greater Focus on Christ: His Lordship; His deity Hebrew ChristiansHebrew Christians were “in a lull.” Not active, not participating, not growing (5:12- 14). What was the answer for them? “But we see Jesus” 2:9 “Consider the Apostle and High Priest … Jesus Christ” 3:1; 4:14-16; 7:25 “But we have such a High Priest” 8:1 “Looking unto Jesus” 12:2 “For consider Him” 12:3

The Key: Having the Mind of Christ Consider His will toward doing the Father’s will: John 4:34: Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to accomplish his work. John 8:29: for I do always the things that are pleasing to him. John 9:4: We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

The Key: Whole-hearted Commitment Matt. 22:37: “ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” If we get this right, other desirable results will follow. Choose the “one thing that is needful” (Lk. 10:41-42).

Warning: Note the Emphasis in Jesus’ Judgment Parables Matt. 25:1-13: The wise and foolish virgins. Matt. 25:14-30: Why the one-talent servant was lost.