Last Sunday, as we sat with a large group of Christians for worship, a young boy and his family were sitting on the row of chairs just in front of us. There was a mother, father, a young boy, and two little girls. There was also a couple, which I assume were grandparents.
The father and mother were talking, the little boy sitting between them. They must have said something about someone leaving early, and the little boy said, “I wish I could go right now”. He made this remark to no one in particular. The parents had to hear it, but neither of them said a word.
Do you ever feel like that at worship? Do you ever think, I wish I could go now? If you answered yes to this question, you should ask yourself why you feel this way.
I would guess you are not alone in thinking those thoughts. Many people come into the worship service not wanting to be there and trying to figure out a way to leave early.
I have a particular couple in mind that comes on Wednesday evenings; but as soon as the devotional is over, they sneak out the back door instead of going to class. I have also seen them do this on Sunday mornings.
There are two reasons I feel sorry for people such as this. Number one, they don’t understand why they are at worship. Number two, they are deceiving themselves into thinking that just being there for a few minutes will fulfill some obligation for church attendance.
So, what is going to be the result of this kind of thinking when it comes to church attendance? The little boy will grow up thinking worship is not important. He’ll likely become like the man and woman that sneak out after devotional on Wednesday and worship on Sunday.
“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24 ESV). Jesus spoke these words to the Samaritan woman when she questioned Him about where they should worship. He wanted her to understand that one must have the truth to worship, but one also must have the right attitude or spirit.
In the two families I mentioned, neither has the right spirit. They are there because they feel an obligation, but they have missed the point of worship.
It’s like someone deciding he doesn’t like the preacher or thinks the preacher is dull and boring. They start out like the families I mentioned, then they miss Sunday nights or Wednesday nights, and then they rarely attend.
There are many reasons to attend worship, the most important of which is to respect and honor God, remember Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection on the first day of the week, and to study from God’s Word.
We have an example of this in Acts 20:7. “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.”
We have the example of the Christians meeting together to worship. Paul, the apostle, preached to them.
There is a beautiful passage in the book of Revelation, the words of an angel. “And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water’” (Revelation 14:7).
This was certainly written to these seven churches of Asia, but it emphasizes the importance of the one to whom Christians should direct their worship. Idols did not create our world and everything in it, so we owe respect and worship to the one true God who did make everything.
Fellowship with other Christians is also important. In the first century, the new Christians found fellowship to be very important. “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
John, in talking with the Christians, told them, “…our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (First John 1:3). Fellowship among Christians brings about fellowship with the Father and with Jesus.
The two families I mentioned are missing out on a relationship with other Christians; and more importantly, they are missing out on a fellowship with the Father and His Son.
We would all do well to consider this when we start looking for an excuse to stay home from worship or from fellowships with other Christians. The reason is found a few verses later in John’s writing. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (First John 1:7).
Sandra Oliver