by Jason Lankford
Synopsis: One of the worst characteristics of contemporary culture is the casual attitude many manifest toward worship; Jason calls us back to the biblical pattern.
One mark of Jesus' earthly life was the great compassion that led Him to heal all who came to Him. He opened the eyes of the blind man, made the lame to walk, and even raised people from the dead. Some had been disabled from birth, but Jesus gave them life that they had never known. They never knew what it was to be well, yet this Man gave them complete restoration. Having been healed, it is no wonder why they sought to follow Jesus like the two blind men whose eyes were opened (Matt. 20:34). After all, why wouldn't you stick as closely as possible to One who opened your eyes to see all the things that you could never see before?
Throughout the Bible, we read stories of God saving people, but they turned their backs against Him. The cycle of salvation and rebellion that permeates the book of Judges causes us to stand in disgust toward a people who were seemingly blind to God's goodness. We can't help but be angry when we read of how Jesus healed ten lepers, yet only one returned to Him in thankfulness.
The problem that we often face is our ability to forget things so easy. When we forget, we lose sight of who we are. God saved us; He sent His Son to redeem us because we were lost. We were held captive in our sins, and death was our only expectation until Jesus stepped in and by his blood bridged the gap between God and us. Brothers and sisters, that is the greatest salvation story that has ever been known. Yet, so often we forget.
An obvious indicator of a people who have forgotten their story is a casual attitude toward coming together to worship. Our coming together is a staple of who we are as the adopted children of God. How great a blessing it is for us to have opportunities to assemble with our brethren. Such occasions allow us to encourage one another, and also to honor the God who redeemed us.
We are introduced to the early church at the beginning of Acts. They were committed to being with one another (Acts 2:42-47). In the book of Hebrews, the author writes to a group of people who are being heavily persecuted for their faith. They endured hard struggles with sufferings, were publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, were put in prison, and had their property plundered (Heb. 10:32-34). This group of people experienced the tests of faith to degrees you and I have never known. Can you imagine being in the early church, and when you woke up each morning, wondering what you would have to endure for your faith that day? Yet in this difficult context, the author says, "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25). In such difficult and trying circumstances, there was to be a continual commitment to assembling with the saints. It puts us to shame and gives occasion for embarrassment when we forsake the assembling of our brethren for the sake of a kid's ball game, hobbies, work that doesn't have to be performed, a job schedule over which we have a degree of control, etc. In light of the commitment of those early disciples, we start sounding pretty pathetic.
God speaks this same message through the prophet Isaiah regarding the Sabbath:
If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken (Isa. 58:13–14, ESV).
Isaiah exposes the real problem that leads to a casual approach to worship. It is not that the church is bogged down in tradition, or that it is filled with legalists who think that it is a sin to miss a church service. The problem is having a heart that does not desire to worship or be with God's people. The problem is with people who have forgotten what has been done for them in Christ. The problem is people who don't remember the domain of darkness and doom in which they once walked and that they've been transferred from that into the kingdom of light (Col. 1:13-14). The problem is that I have chosen not to give any thought to how I can stir up my brethren to love and good works and to thus encourage them. The problem is not someone else's—it's mine. I'm doing the things I want to do and putting myself and my desires above all else and everyone else.
The answer to the problem of casualness toward worship is nothing short of a change of heart and attitude. May we remind ourselves who we are and from where we've come. God is to be praised in all of life's moments, because He has healed us in a way that is completely life-altering. He gives us hope of eternity in heaven when what we deserved was far from that. Additionally, God has given us a community that He saved and joined us to one another as a body in Christ. When we come together, we remind each other that the world in which we live is not the one to which we belong. With all of the distractions of the day-to-day, it is easy to forget such truths. Yet, when we come to worship, we are uplifted and reminded by our Father of our heavenly belonging.
When we forsake those precious moments, we show a similarity to the nine lepers who didn't turn back with thankful hearts to their Healer. Whatever our excuse, I imagine they will sound pretty hollow in front of the Judge who gave His life blood on our behalf. Surrounded by witnesses who have endured persecution like those experienced in the early church, I would be ashamed to offer any excuse at all.
Worship is a gift from God. Our greatest distraction is always ourselves. Once we cease focusing on ourselves, we start to see worship for what it is: a blessed opportunity to praise our Redeemer and love our brethren. When we make the Lord our delight and raise Him to the highest place, we will find ourselves blessed. A casual approach to an eternally enthroned Father who paid the highest price for our salvation simply does not make sense. Rather, let us stand in absolute awe of who He is and what He has done, and worship Him with reverence (Heb. 12:28-29).
Author Bio: Jason has worked with the Prince Street church of Christ in Conway, AR for two years. He and his wife, Magen, have two children. The church website is princestreet.org. He can be reached at lankford.jason@yahoo.com.
