It is Sunday morning, and for me, that has always been a time to get up and get ready to go to church. It was not a time to catch up on sleep missed during the week; it was not a time to visit relatives or take day trips. I was taught from an early age that Sunday is the Lord’s day. In the Old Testament, Saturday was the Sabbath. It was when those who worshiped God set aside everything else to worship and honor Him. They did this on Saturday. It was the last day of the week. In the beginning, God established this day as a day of rest after He had created everything and said it was very good. This was the day the Old Testament saints stopped everything and spent the day worshiping and honoring God.
Genesis 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”
When Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins, a new day was established when He rose from the dead. His resurrection was a symbol of victory over sin and death. It solidified our hope for the promise of eternal life. New Testament Christians then began to worship on the first day of the week, which is Sunday. They were celebrating His resurrection. In Acts 20:7, they come together on the first day of the week to have church. Paul was preaching to them, and he preached until midnight! They genuinely set aside this day to worship.
Act 20:7 “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”
This was not the only time they worshiped. They worshiped daily in one another’s homes. In Acts 2:46, we find them worshiping in the temple and their homes, sharing what they had with one another and worshiping. The highlight of their day was to come together to worship. They loved one another the way we are to love one another. They worked and had responsibilities for the family as we do, but their joy and focus were on meeting together to worship. In Acts 2:47, their testimony was so good that they had “favor with all people.” Because of their actions, people were saved daily.
Acts 2:46-47 “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
We have lost much of what God intended us to have as a body of believers in the modern church. Many today go to church out of habit. It is part of their “checking the box” mentality. It is not something they love to do. It is not a desire of their hearts to come together and worship. They have done their duty if they put in an hour on Sunday morning. Most do not believe what the preacher is telling them. They usually can’t remember what he has said until they get in the car. How do I know this? Because their actions do not change. When we believe something at the core of who we are, our actions will show that to the world. If we love God, we will want to be with His people in His house as often as possible. If we are saved, there will be evidence by what we do, what we say, and where we go. You can shout to the rooftop how much you love Jesus, but James 2:17 teaches us, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” A dead faith can do nothing for you eternally. You are deceived if you believe you can say a prayer and then live as you choose, giving God an hour or so a week and doing as you please the rest of the week.
In Hebrews 10:23-25, we are taught to be constant and steadfast in our faith. We are to exhort one another to good works and to be faithful to attend church. When it speaks of attending church, it says that we should be doing more of it, not less, as we get closer to the return of Christ.
Hebrews 10:23-25 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
So, what will you do this Lord’s Day? Will you joyfully attend church, even Sunday School, to learn, grow, fellowship, and worship our Lord? Will you lay aside everything that distracts your attention from the message as the preacher preaches and listen to what God is saying to you? Will you truly make this a day about Him?
One day, as Christians, we will all stand before Him to give an account of how we have lived our lives. At best, I am sure I will be ashamed of not doing more to see people saved. At that time, all that will matter is how you lived your life so that others can see Christ, with the intent to win them to Him.
If you are not saved, you have another opportunity. If you continue to go your own path, you will stand before Him in judgment of your eternal soul. You will then be cast into Hell forever.
On this Good Sunday morning what will you do?
