Right from the start let me personally say that very little in this life compares with a Sunday Morning when the Spirit of God is present and my heart is in tune, or to use a Bible word, in ‘fellowship.’ For me, it most often starts early in the week and by Saturday night I can accurately say, I’m a little amped. I love seeing people come in for Sunday School with smiles on their faces. It just adds to the atmosphere. When the worship begins with singing that has been prayed over and practiced, the atmosphere has excitement. We get to see people we haven’t seen in a few days, and we are all here for the purpose of exalting the Lord and sharing the gospel with the lost. For those that have the Spirit of God in their souls, they like it.
Personally, I believe the most important public hour of the week for a Christian is Sunday morning. I know every day we are to walk with the Lord. We are to search the Bible daily for our spiritual bread. We are to commune with the Lord in prayer daily seeking that sweet fellowship. Why do I think the Sunday morning hour is the most important? There are several reasons.
- It starts the week off right. The coming Sunday is especially important. Not only does it start the week off right, but the church’s corporate worship is the most important thing we do as a church family. I Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” There is no better way to begin a week than to start it with God’s people.
- God’s grace is most often found in church and around God’s people. That’s why it’s important to invite the lost to come with you. Daily you can read the Bible and you should, but there is something special about hearing the ‘preaching of the Word.’ Preaching and reading aren’t the same. There is a uniqueness about hearing a man with a heart for God preach while we sit, ears open and mouths closed. I have been praising the Lord for the past month because of the number of guests we are starting to have attend. Let’s keep inviting the unchurched to be with us.
- Praying together in church shapes our minds, hearts, and lives toward the will of God. While one of our family members is praying at church, the rest of us should be whispering ‘Amen’ and nodding in agreement as we desire the Lord’s will in all things.
- It demonstrates our priorities to our children and neighbors. One elderly man had fallen off a roof and was badly injured. Upon returning to church earlier than he should have, he was asked, “Why in the world did you come back to church this quickly?” His response, “I just wanted everybody to know whose side I was on.” That’s a humorous answer he gave and most likely he shouldn’t have pushed his return, but you must admire his commitment to the most important public hour of the week. We get to help pass the story of Jesus along in our lives and a huge part of that is attending Sunday worship. Psalm 78 is a beautiful song by Asaph. It is all about remembering and telling the next generation about God and His deliverances for the congregation of Israel.
- When we come to church we testify by our attendance about God. About being saved, answer to prayer, friends that helped us in times of crisis, and how our souls got mended. Others hear us, see us, and are encouraged, which in turn encourages us also.
God has been so good to our church. Shouldn’t we be excited about being in Sunday services? It is Prime Time. Sunday was the time when the early church worshipped the Lord. That early church is our pattern and example. How we live for Jesus and our faithfulness, like that early church, should set the pace for those watching us. When we arrive, we ought to have certain items with us. We ought to have a praying heart. We ought to have kind words for each other. We ought to have a Bible we are going to use. We ought to sing when it is time and read when it is time. We also ought to come with gratitude for what the Lord has done for us. We show that gratitude by giving generously to the Lord’s house. Each of us ought to be tithing and giving to missions each Sunday, it is Prime Time. See you Sunday!