It's the Lord's Day!"

"It's the Lord's Day!"

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:23-25)

It's Sunday! Are you going to church this morning? I don't know a single pastor who is not concerned about the flippancy (and I don't think that's too strong a word) with which church people ignore the importance of being in church on the Lord's Day. Too many of us think nothing of skipping church for a ball game, a fishing trip or some project that needs to get done at home.

A reading of Hebrews 10:23-25 doesn't seem to give us that freedom. We live in a difficult world. Our brothers and sisters in church need us, and we need them. The instruction of this section of the Bible tells us that we must consider more than our own desires when making decisions about church. We're to consider those who worship with us before making a decision to absent ourselves from fellowship on the Lord's Day.

Let me suggest three insights you need to consider before you choose to skip church for some family occasion or non-required work or repair project. First, remember that we still call it "The Lord's Day." It's NOT just another day. The Old and New Testament principle is that one day of the week should be reserved for worship, reflection and rest. Do we really want to tell the Lord that our own plans are more important than worshiping with our brothers and sisters?

The second insight to think about is what your absence says to those who are in church. One can wonder if a lot of us are ever going to learn that "it's not about us!" We live so selfishly that we don't think about others. Faithful attendance in the Lord's house is faithful ministry to those in our faith community. Less than faithful attendance tells our brothers and sisters that our agendas are more important than encouraging them in their walk with the Lord.

Finally, let me share a third insight that warrants your attention. The world isn't getting better; it's getting worse. And, it will continue to get worse. The increasing degeneration of our world demands that we intensify our commitment to one another in the Body of Christ, the local church. To do otherwise is to put the whole Body in danger of further seduction by the wicked one.

I invite you to think about your commitment to "The Lord's Day" in light of the clear teaching of Scripture. -- John Strain is Senior Pastor of First Baptist Toms River

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 12; Isaiah 39-40; Colossians 4

A Quote Worth Pondering: If a house should be taken for us by a friend, and we were told it was ready, and that the lease and all the necessary papers were duly attested and signed, we should not ask how we could get into it. We should just pack up and move in .... God says that He is our dwelling place, and the Bible contains all the necessary papers, duly attested and signed. And our Lord invites us, nay more, commands us to enter in and abide there. In effect He says, God is your dwelling place, and you must see to it that you take up your abode there. You must move in. -- Hannah Whitall Smith


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