Hebrews 10:25 says: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching”.
It is very easy for us to absent ourselves from worship especially in the summertime. We may say I had a hard week and Sunday is my only day to sleep or some event takes place on Sunday morning and we say I will worship next week. Many things can interfere with worshiping God. We may have an opportunity to go to the beach for one or two weeks which is fine but then come back and say I need a Sunday to rest.
When we read our Bibles and pray God does convict us and comfort us in His word; however, this does not replace the preaching of the word from God’s pulpit. We gather together for the purpose of hearing the word of God proclaimed so that it may have an impact upon our life. We should look forward to worshiping God, sing His praises, pray to Him, sing the hymns, hear the word and walk out a different person than when we entered the sanctuary. We should look forward to a time of walking away from the world so to speak and into God’s sanctuary where we commune with Him and other believers. We need this!
As you know, I preach through books of the Bible. We are now in the book of Revelation which is an exciting book for us to study. In any series it is important that we come weekly (unless providentially hindered-a phrase Presbyterians love to use) to hear the flow of God’s message to us. The purpose of the sermon is for us to learn together the whole counsel of God to better equip us to understand the doctrine of God and thus face the world where we live every day.
Some say doctrine does not matter. I strongly disagree. Doctrine gives you your view of God and also of life. For example, if you believe that God gives you the choice whether or not to believe, then you can say that He is somewhat ambivalent to your salvation and to your life. If as the Bible says, we believe that God is sovereign over salvation and our life, this should give you great comfort in knowing that your life is as Paul said to the Colossians hid with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).
Before I was a pastor I longed for my worship on Sunday even though I was a student in college and then seminary and had the pressure of tests and deadlines. I did not let that keep me from worship.
The author of Hebrews says: “And so much more as you see the Day approaching.” This is in reference to Christ’s return. Worship also reminds us that one day we will face God as a friend or a judge so we are exhorted to give our life to Christ, please Him in all that we do, encourage each other in our common faith and leave the sanctuary better equipped to live our lives to the honor and glory of God.
See you Sunday.
Dick
Grace Presbyterian Church 