-Written By Larry Grine (Member and Community Group Host)-
What are you doing this weekend? This is a common question. Friends ask about our plans. Each week we consider our agenda of upcoming activities and juggle various commitments. We allow variables to play a part in what we do on any given weekend. Weather comes into play, as well as visitors, our to-do lists and even current constricting COVID regulations.
I’m writing on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I’ll admit that this morning I didn’t want to go to church. Not at all. We had just returned from a long-anticipated 2-week trip to Morocco to visit our son and daughter in law, who live in Dar Bouazza. We were in airports and planes for 24 hours and we had gotten home and to bed at 1:30 am. I had not slept much or well and my jet-lag left me disorientated and incoherent. I didn’t feel capable of getting it together. I wanted to stay home.
After deliberating about our decision to get up and go worship with the body of Christ at Mission, I finally found myself saying, “We have never been the kind of family who wakes up and decides if we’re going to church on any given weekend; we made that choice a long time ago - we attend whenever we can.” So, although I was the one who least wanted to get in the car, we did. And I was very glad we did.
I think I watched 6 movies on the flights home. Of course, the movies airlines feature on flights are edited so there is no profanity or nudity, but even without overtly sketchy scenes, none of the movies were particularly edifying. It was just empty, mindless fluff to pass the time. As I worshipped God in song and listened to what I was hearing in the service I was awestruck with the contrast! There is nothing in the world like what we experience in a worship service. I wasn’t wasting time being entertained, I was investing time in being fed.
Having preached for more than half my life, it is hard for me to turn off my evaluation meter, though I try. I usually listen to speakers inadvertently noticing many details about what they are saying and constantly consider other ways they could have made, illustrated and applied their points. But this weekend I couldn’t come up with even any constructive criticism. Hans was so clear, compassionate, compelling, and convicting. I was proud of his boldness and bravery. People in public positions are especially vulnerable to the temptation to be people pleasers. Some pastors feel bound by a pressure to keep everyone happy and not rock the boat with controversial statements. While Hans has said that he can relate, messages like the one we just heard show that he is winning the fight and seeking to please God alone.
There was only one thing I didn’t like about the message this morning and that was the rows of empty seats in front of me. While I was happy about the many dozens of people in our service receiving such solid biblical content, I couldn’t help but think how much more could happen in our community if many hundreds were present.
I chose to study Hebrews on our trip, not only because it has the same number of chapters as the days we spent in Morocco, but also because it so beautifully depicts Jesus as superior to any system of belief and as the only way to experience fellowship with our Father in Heaven. It was meaningful to discuss what I was reading with my son as we traveled around that Islamic nation, observing the ways in which people were hoping to please their god. Chapter 10 has always been a favorite for me, especially vs 19ff, because it speaks of how we can confidently enter into God’s presence through what Jesus has done. In the same context, verse 25 says we should not forsake our assembling together as some are in the habit of doing. Since God allows us in, let’s make it a habit of entering into worship regularly together.
If you missed the message this weekend, then decide today that you will commit yourself to gather for worship whenever you can. Plan ahead what you are going to do every weekend. Don’t wait and decide based on the weather. Decide ahead of time. When I was a pastor here in Oregon, we saw our attendance temporarily slump by hundreds when the weather turned nice every summer. In California we didn’t see the same trend because the weather was great all the time! We are all free to take a week off but we’re also free to prioritize attendance as a consistent habit. Let’s plan on it.
If you, like me, participated in one of the services this weekend, ask yourself who else needs to hear messages like that. Who do you know who could use the clarity of that sermon, the Biblical content, the Spirit’s conviction, and stimulating challenge. Please prayerfully consider inviting a friend each weekend.