A Plea to Sunday Morning Only Christians
"Have you fallen out of love with Jesus?"
First, let me be clear about who this plea is not for.
It’s not for the Christian whose health prevents them from assembling.
It’s not for Christians who cannot come because they are caring for a sick family member or family member with failing health.
It’s not for Christians whose job kept them away from the assembly, despite their best efforts to be there.
It’s not for the Christian who had something unexpected happen that prevented them from being with their brethren.
There may be other scenarios I’m overlooking, but hopefully, you get where I’m coming from.
This is a plea to Christians who decide not to assemble with their brothers and sisters in Christ outside of Sunday. They make other plans, or they decide they want to do something else instead.
This is a plea for you if that describes you.
Do you know that we miss you?
Maybe no one lets you know - but did you know we miss you when you aren’t with us?
We miss getting to worship with you, to study God’s Word alongside you, and to stand around after worship ends and talk with you. You encourage us - and we need your encouragement.
You may not think you are very important or that no one will miss you if you aren’t there - but that’s not the case. Every member of the Lord’s body - His church (Ephesians 1:22-23) - matters a great deal (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
You mean so much to us, and we miss you tremendously when you decide not to be together with us.
Are you only giving your bare minimum to God?
Since I’m not the Lord and don’t know everything in your mind (John 2:24-25), I don’t know for certain if you are only offering God the bare minimum.
It’s possible for a Christian to “be at church every time the doors are open” and still only give God the bare minimum. I know that, and I’ve seen it before. I’ve been guilty of that myself at times.
Is it possible that your decision to skip out on being with your brethren other than Sunday morning is a symptom of a significant spiritual problem in your life? Is it possible that you have become like Israel in treating the worship of God like a “weariness” and a burden and offer only your leftovers to Him (Malachi 1:6-14)?
Are you examining yourself “to see whether you are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5)?
Have you fallen out of love with Jesus?
As I’ve grown as a child of God, I’ve come to realize that all I do for Him should be motivated - in part - by my love for Him.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Jesus rebuked the church in Ephesus and commanded them to repent because they had “abandoned the love” they had at first (Revelation 2:4).
I know it’s possible to “be at church every time the doors are open” and still have fallen out of love with the Lord. But is it possible that your decision to do other things than to be with your brothers and sisters shows that you have fallen out of love with your Savior? Our love for each other is motivated by our love for God and obedience to His commands (1 John 5:2-3).
Is the love for Jesus Christ still there, or are you only going through the motions?
I never really know what to say to Christians who choose not to be with their brothers and sisters in Christ.
I do understand that it’s not always easy.
I hope what I’ve said encourages you to think about the decision you’ve been making. Is this really the decision that lines up with who you are? Is this the kind of decision you want to make a lifetime impact on your children?
We’ll always be thrilled to see you and be with you because you mean that much to us.