You have an important seat on Sunday!
A United States congress member makes $174,000.00 a year. There are many (too many?) benefits that come with a place in congress besides the money.
Where I’m from we’d call that “good money.”
A representative that regularly skipped the congressional assembly or skipped votes should raise some eyebrows. The seat and office he occupies should be treated with respect. The responsibilities of the office should be taken seriously.
Most representatives take this seriously. There are a few that miss 20-35% of their votes. The people need to find someone who will take that job more seriously.
The embassy of Heaven, the local church, is suffering from greater negligence in our day. Men and women called to represent the King of Heaven and Earth have made a habit of missing the assembly.
The assembly of Spirit filled saints, the Church, is not made for casual commitment. Gathering under the Word and around the ordinances is eternally important business! The worship of the church is more important than congress.
Christians should make the opportunity their joyful priority. Nothing else should matter more on Sunday morning.
The question might be raised, “What do you expect me to be doing?” If you’re not the nursery director or scheduled in the band–what’s the difference?
These questions completely miss the spiritual and eternal responsibilities of the whole church–the assembly of Spirit-filled saints.
You should show up when you’re scheduled for nursery, yes. But there are many important responsibilities that require your faithfulness as a member of the heavenly embassy.
Let me highlight 3 of the many…
1. The assembly takes responsibility for the Gospel.
Paul commands the Galatian church to make sure the Gospel is preached faithfully. In other places Paul charges Timothy with faithfulness. Here, he calls the congregation to take responsibility for what they are hearing. You have a responsibility in protecting the Gospel and passing it on to the future generations!
8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
Galatians 1:8–9
2. The assembly takes responsibility for current and future leaders.
Pastors are charged with serious responsibilities and real authority in the life of the church. It is crucial that men of character lead the congregation. Character will be proven during real life with real people. The congregation must embrace a healthy standard of maturity for their leaders that will then empower those leaders to lead well.
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
1 Timothy 3:1–7
3. The assembly takes responsibility to hold her members accountable and keep Christ’s congregation holy.
Paul charges the Corinthians with the importance of removing boldly sinful “professing Christians” in 1 Corinthians 5 because sin is contagious and destructive. Paul wants the congregation to live as Christ’s set apart people and He expects their accountability in each other’s lives to be part of that process. It’s rather ironic to see how preoccupied many Christians are with the degradation of the world around them in time as meaningful membership in churches is ignored. Our zeal for the Lord must begin at home. Changing the world starts with a commitment to each other that starts on Sunday.
12 What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13 God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”
1 Corinthians 5:12
There are many other responsibilities in the Christian life and specific callings connected to Sunday. I’m pointing to these three to remind you that Sunday is not a spectator sport. Christ called you to listen to what is preached with care. Christ called you to look to and after your leaders. Christ called us to watch over each other.
Rest up Saturday night. You’ve got a job to do Sunday!