At the Lim Ah Pin Road Church of Christ, after the worship service ends, you will see different Bible classes going on in various parts of the building. You will see a class for infants and toddlers, a class for pre-schoolers, classes for those in primary and secondary school, classes for adults, and classes for visitors. The congregation puts in a lot effort into curriculum-planning and scheduling teachers. Teachers put in much toil and sweat into preparing their lessons. This is done because the elders have the conviction that there is value in organizing these Bible classes. Seeing that so much effort has been put into planning and preparing for these classes, we should also consider whether it is valuable for us to attend the Bible class. Here are some reasons why attending the Bible classes is valuable.
#1 – It is an opportunity to learn about God’s word.
Luke 2:41-52 records an incident where the young Jesus, when He was 12 years of age, was “lost” in Jerusalem. When Joseph and Mary finally found Him, He was sitting in the temple in the midst of the teachers of the law, “both hearing them, and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46). Here was the Son of God Himself taking the opportunity to learn through hearing and asking questions! Brethren, if the Saviour of the world saw that it was valuable to attend a “Bible class”, that is a good enough reason for us to invest the time to attend a Bible class.
#2 – It is an opportunity to ask questions and correct misconceptions.
In Acts 8:26-40, the Ethiopian eunuch was engaging in some “self-study” of the book of Isaiah, specifically Isaiah 53:7-8. When Philip the evangelist joined the eunuch, he ascertained that the eunuch “did not understand what he read” because the eunuch’s question showed that he did not know whether the passage was referring to Isaiah or some other man. Philip then taught him that the passage was a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. Had they not studied together in that one-on-one “Bible class”, the eunuch might never have learnt enough to a point where he understood that baptism into Christ was essential for salvation. In another instance, in Acts 18:24-28, we learn of Apollos, who though he was eloquent and well-versed in the Scriptures, had a misconception for he knew only of the baptism of John. We see Aquila and Priscila taking Apollos aside for a personal “Bible class”, and how Apollos learnt enough to eventually be able to “show by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ” (Acts 18:28). Bible classes are an opportunity for us to ask questions and have our misconceptions corrected.
#3 – It is an opportunity to encourage each other with our presence.
In Hebrews 10:24-25, we learn that when we assemble together, it is an opportunity to stir each other up to love and to do good works. A Bible class that is packed with learners is an encouraging sight for both the teacher and students. It signals that there are plenty of like-minded individuals who are desirous to learn more about God, and to do His will. Conversely, a poorly—attended class can discourage those few who are present, for they may begin to wonder why there is even a need to attend and study in the first place. We should see Bible classes as an opportunity for the body of Christ, that is, the church, to be edified (encouraged, built up), and build up a united faith (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Brethren, I am deeply appreciative of every single one of you who attends the Bible classes. It shows that you value God’s word and that you are seeking opportunities to learn more about Him. I hope that you will continue to see value in attending the Bible classes. May God bless us as we continually learn about Him and do His will.