Mark Twain in chapter five of his book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, wrote of Tom at a church service: The service began with a list of announcements which he thought would go on “to the crack of doom.” He talked about the prayer which was generous in its detail and he resented it whenever anything new was added in. The preacher’s sermon “droned along [so] monotonously… and was so prosy that many a head began to nod.
This reminds us of what happens when we come together to worship. The announcements are a little long, the songs aren’t to our liking, the preacher is a little boring. Some of us even do things to keep ourselves awake. We are at a different time. Forty years ago people didn’t ask, why do I have to go to church (worship)? Things have changed, culturally and intellectually so that we look at life a little differently. Sunday morning is now seen as a time to relax. If we don’t like the way things are where we presently worship, we will look for a place where things are the way we want them to be. Most people when they think about worship do not think about it as essential or the most critical thing they will do during the week.
We come together every Lord’s Day to be in the presence of God. Even though it may not look like much, and even when we don’t leave with a feeling of excitement, what happens during worship is of great importance because this is where we approach Mount Zion and we offer our praise to the One who is worthy of all praise. May we never as Christians take this opportunity in a light manner!
Do you believe that God exist? Do you believe that He is eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing and ever present? You may be saying, "of course I believe." Please know that there…
You and I are a part of Christ’s body, His church. His desire is that we grow and mature and become more like Him. He has put everything in place,…
Those of us who are Christians enjoy a special privilege. When we put Christ on in baptism, the Lord added us to those who were being saved. This saved group…
If we live only for ourselves and our pleasures with no regard for His glory, justice requires that we be cut down and removed. However, because God is “rich in…
Have you ever been around a friend who was carrying a heavy burden? You knew them well enough to tell that something was wrong, but you couldn’t put your finger…
There is a powerful truth which is repeated over and over again in the New Testament. It is the fact that Jesus is coming back a second time. Three hundred…
How many of you have worried recently about where your next meal is coming from? (Not which restaurant, but whether you will have anything to eat?) How many of you…
No sooner is a loved one buried than family members begin arguing about who gets what. Greed is always ugly. Covetousness can destroy any semblance of family unity.
"Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy..."
There is a question which must be answered by each of us this morning. It comes from another hymn we often sing:
Who is on the Lord’s side, standing for the right
Lifting up His banner in the thickest fight,
Listening for His orders, ready to obey,
Who is on the Lord’s side, serving Him today?
Are you a friend of Jesus? Are you on the Lord’s side?
Why do people not obey the gospel? An Unwillingness to Believe and Obey. The gospel message about Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection is all that we need to believe.…
