Pastor Sam Crosby
San Saba’s First Baptist Church
January 21, 2020
My daughter once posted a video of her son “baptizing” other kids in the water while they swam together. The scene demonstrated that he listens carefully to what is said when people are baptized. Children pick up more than we know even if it seems they are not listening. The habit of weekly worship made a tremendous impression on me through my growing up years, as it also did for my children. With so many reasons why people say they don’t attend worship, here are some reasons you should.
Attending worship keeps us focused on God. Cars require maintenance. Instruments get out of tune. Knives get dull. Tires lose air. People drift from God. No one accidentally drifts toward God – we drift away. Seeking after God is intentional and requires habits that nourish our soul. The habit of weekly worship helps those who attend stay spiritually alert and looking up. There is a reason the Lord set apart one day of week to gather with other people for worship. Coming together for prayer, worship and fellowship helps us walk with God. Paul wrote, “When you come together” and not “If you come together” (I Cor. 14:26).
Attending worship sends a message to the world – this is important to my family and me. Every time your car leaves the garage on Sunday morning at the same time with the family dressed in “church clothes”, you have just testified to your neighbors where your priorities lie. Sunday is not just another day. It is the Lord’s day. It is the day Jesus rose from the dead. It is a holy day, set apart for God and His people. Attending worship is a simple testimony of your devotion to God. David wrote, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalms 122:1).
Attending worship encourages other worshippers. The Bible declares, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another,…” (Hebrews 10:25, NLT). It is always encouraging to see a full house rather than a sparse crowd. Avoiding worship is actually a selfish act since you are not just there for yourself, but also for others. Staying home on Sunday morning is not an option for those who want to help others live for Christ.
Attending worship honors the Lord. The early church “…continued daily…in the temple…” (Acts 2:47, NKJ). It was the habit of Jesus to gather every week with others in worship (Luke 4:16). The fourth commandment is to keep the Sabbath holy. Christians in the New Testament gathered on Sunday because that is when Jesus rose from the dead. The prophet Malachi, speaking for God, said, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, where is My honor?” (Malachi 1:6). Attending worship honors God by recognizing He is Lord of your life.