The Priority of the 1st Day

“In order to say YES to your priorities,

you have to be willing to say NO to something else.”

The one word that characterizes most of us is “busy.” When we’re busy, we look at our schedules and begin to cut items we feel are unnecessary.

  Imagine this conversation with a friend. They look exhausted. You’re concerned and begin to probe. They admit that because they’re so busy, they decided to cut out sleep once a week, so they can accomplish more. How would you respond? Or, how about this conversation with a friend? They look emaciated. You’re concerned and begin to probe. They admit that because they’re so busy, they’ve decided to cut out eating so they can accomplish more. How would you respond? One more…you’re having lunch with a friend. They complain about everything. They’re petty and short with the server. They admit that they’re angry and depressed. You’re concerned and begin to probe. They confess that because they’re so busy, they’ve decided to cut out attending church so they can accomplish more.

  So, how would you respond? While most would be very concerned about the first two, even most Christians would overlook the vital importance of the third one. We realize the importance of prioritizing the physical, yet often ignore the spiritual. But the spiritual has far greater consequences. It not only affects this life, but it also has ramifications for eternity. When Jesus was tempted by Satan to prioritize physical needs over spiritual ones, He responded, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

  What are some reasons why we miss attending a worship service?

  Work. Sometimes we have no choice. We have mandatory overtime or a rotating work schedule that requires us to work on Sunday. The early church faced that. Many of them were slaves. Essentially, they worked 24/7. It’s why they’d worship either early in the morning or late at night. While sometimes there’s no negotiation, many employers will work it out so you can attend church, especially if you’re a good employee.

  Sports. Many parents fret that their child will miss out, so they sign them up for seemingly endless sports leagues. With the growing secularization of culture, more practices and games are scheduled for Sunday morning. We must realize what our goal is. Many Christian parents are satisfied with good kids, but you can be a good atheist. Parents with a biblical worldview aim for a godly child. The difference can be an eternal one.

  Sickness. If you’re sick, please do stay home. Yet frequently, if one member of the family is sick, the whole family stays home. We wouldn’t do that with work or school. So, why do that with worship?

  Tired. As more have to work six days, Sunday becomes a day to sleep in. Then, many stay up late watching TV or surfing the Net. We need rest, yet instead of crashing on Sunday morning, schedule an afternoon nap. You’ll rest better on a spiritually full stomach and be better prepared for the week.

  So, why should Christians make Sunday worship a priority?

  It shows that we love God. Attending the worship service is a public expression of our love for God. It shows our priorities to family and friends. It publicly identifies what “team” we’re on. It’s our one time in the week where we can together bring our awesome God offerings of praise, thanks, and honor that are pleasing to Him. As the psalmist wrote, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you” (Ps. 22:22). Many are motivated to attend church for how it will bless them. The Bible teaches that the primary purpose of the corporate gathering is to bring “service” to the Lord as a blessing to Him.

  It shows that we love God’s family. Gathering together shows that we value our spiritual family. Scripture is clear that a right relationship with God requires both a vertical and horizontal alignment. God didn’t save us alone. We have a Forever Family. It’s impossible to love God and refuse to love the other believers. As we come together, we have opportunities to be a blessing, to share love with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray for and encourage them. Keeping ourselves in loving harmony with other believers helps keep us humble before the Lord.

  Faithfully attending worship follows Jesus’ example. Weekly worship was Jesus’ life pattern and priority. If anyone could have made excuses for not going to worship, it was Jesus. He could have said, “I don’t need organized religion to worship; I can have a relationship with God on My own.” And it was true. Jesus had a perfect relationship with His Father. Yet, if Jesus knew that meeting together once a week for worship with God’s people was a spiritual necessity for Him, isn’t it necessary for us?

  Worshiping together helps protect us spiritually. Why do we often see Christians getting picked off by Satan? It’s because many have neglected this simple principle that you can’t survive as a Christian alone. It’s a spiritually dangerous world. Commitment to a church family is important. Being under the teaching of God’s Word increases our faith and builds us up spiritually. We need to be fed spiritually so that we can have victory over temptation. There’s multiplied strength in the combined faith of God's people. Greater spiritual gains can be realized through corporate prayer and worship. D.L. Moody wisely said, “Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.”  

  Even worshiping when we’re on vacation helps us to see how big God’s Kingdom is. When you’re on vacation, look for a Bible-believing church to worship with. It highlights how big God’s family is, what we have in common – our shared faith. Christianity is so much bigger than our church.

  I’ll always remember worshiping at a church in Minnesota. The Lord touched my heart and tears streamed down my face. Another time was seeing the love of fellow believers for each other and us in Taiwan. While we didn’t understand Chinese, we all spoke the same language of Christ’s love. As you worship with other believers in another setting, you’re understanding of God grows and it increases your love for His Church.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.