The Benefit and Service of Showing UpBy Jamey Hinds I was glad when they said to me, Sunday! For a lot of people reading that word, they already knew they were going to be here today—it’s their developed habit, their pattern for living, their joy, and nothing short of illness or natural disaster is going to hold them back from being here with their spiritual family. Yes, there are a few who are reading these words who know they won’t be coming to worship on Sunday—there are clearly valid reasons for them to not attend worship on a given week, and we compassionately understand that God’s love for us does not waver when we’re sick or on maybe on the road or otherwise unable. The truth is that there are a host of those who are between these two categories. They are the ones who plan to worship on Sunday, but they won’t actually gather together with others to do it. Here’s the thing: they have every intention of going. As the weekend begins, they have every intention of showing up for worship, to be encouraged and to be an encouragement. By Saturday evening they still intend to go. If we call them up, they’ll say, with all honestly, that they’re planning to be there, of seeing us come Sunday morning. But one of the big problems is that they won’t have done much to prepare for it—to make the time to stop from their distracting activities, to remind the family to make sure they’ve got something to wear, to get to bed at a reasonable hour, to set an alarm. By the time Sunday morning rolls around and study or worship begins, they will be nowhere to be seen. It’s these to whom we want to speak the truth in love—the many who genuinely intend to get to worship every week, but who consistently fail to show. Some might call it a “ministry of presence”—of simply gathering with others of like precious faith in worship to our heavenly Father on Sunday (2 Peter 1:1). This may seem like such a little thing, an almost inconsequential thing, but it matters immensely and affects us eternally. It matters that much! It’s genuinely a service, a ministry (Ephesians 4:12–16) as every part does its share. It’s a clear way of Christians serving one another in love (Galatians 5:13; Hebrews 10:24–25). When we come together, it shouldn’t be a mere exercise of doing things that carry no actual meaning—a mere going through the motions. Our fellowship together is because of the direct connection we have with our heavenly Father: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7; also read 4:7–8). Are we committed to serving God and one another? It shows by whether or not we show up. It’s easy enough to intend to do this, but it takes loving effort and diligence in doing it. Remember what Jesus said about the wise and fool? “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:46–49). How else do we fulfill “one another” commands unless we’re together? (Hebrews 10:24–25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) Every congregation (including ours) needs more commitment from those who see their presence as a wonderful contribution and a superior benefit to themselves and their spiritual family. It’s not about having to, but wanting to be here and be a part. |