YOU MISSED IT, BUT DID YOU MISS IT?

Victor M. Eskew

 

          There are individuals who miss a lot of things that the church offers.  Some miss a lot of sermons because they fail to attend the worship services.  These same individuals miss singing psalms of praise to God, prayers offered before the throne of God by the congregation, assembling around the Lord’s Table to remember the death of our precious Lord, and the opportunity to give as they have been prospered.  There are others who miss a lot of Bible classes.  These classes impart Biblical knowledge that enables one to grow, to overcome sin, and to become more like Jesus Christ.  Some miss workdays.  Some miss fellowships of the church.  Some miss gospel meetings.  Others miss seminars.  Quite a few miss singing nights.  They also miss opportunities to serve the congregation in a multitude of positions.  They miss involvement in the lives of their brothers and sisters in Christ by failing to be at weddings, anniversaries, and funerals. 

          Yes, there are several Christians who miss a lot of things the church offers.  They question that we ask is:  “You missed these things, but did you miss them?”  Does your heart hurt because you were not part of them?  Does your conscience inflict regret because you failed to be in attendance?  Does your spiritual man feel the fatigue of malnourishment because you did not feed your soul?  Does your mind have any concern that you failed to please your heavenly Father by your absence?  Do you worry that you might have to give an account of your delinquency on the day of judgment?  Again, we ask:  “You missed these things, but did you really miss them?

          There are many who would answer that they did not really miss what they missed.  Apparently, they see little, if any, value in these things to their spiritual lives.  We wonder how they actually view the activities they miss.  Are they just optional matters?  Are they pointless activities designed to take up the time of members?  Are they simply things that are designed to make individuals feel guilty for not attending?  If the answer to these questions is not, “No,” then how do you view the worship services, the Bible classes, the activities that you miss?  What purpose are they supposed to serve?  Too, if they do serve an important purpose, is that purpose supposed to include you?

          Attending the programs of the church involves a mindset.  Failing to attend the programs of the church also involves a mindset.  Do you yearn for the things of the world?  or, do you long for things above?  Are you more concerned about your individual matters?  or, are you more concerned about the body of Christ, the church?  Do you believe that the here-and-now is the most important consideration?  or, is the most important consideration the world to come?  Is your focus on pleasing other human beings?  or, is your focus upon pleasing the Christ? 

 

Christians MUST focus on Jesus Christ. 

Christians wear His name.

Christians yearn to possess the mind of Christ. 

Christians seek to develop His character. 

Christians desire to obey His words.

Christians follow in His footsteps.

Christians sacrifice self for the good of their Master.

Christians willingly fight for His cause.

Christians surrender heart, soul, mind, and strength to their Savior. 

Christians know they are vital members of Christ’s body. 

Christians truly believe that the soul is their most important possession.

Christians realize that to be with Christ, they must zealously live for Christ.

 

Dear Christians, we sing a multitude of hymns to these ends?  “O to Be Like Thee,” “All to Jesus I Surrender,” “None of Self and All of Thee,” “Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” “I Am Resolved,” “I Am Thine, O Lord,” “I Want to Be A Worker for the Lord,” “Jesus Is All the World to Me,” “Let Him Have His Way with Thee,” “Let Me Live Close to Thee,” “Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen,” “Living for Jesus,” “More about Jesus,” “Take My Life, and Let It Be,” “This World Is Not My Home,” “To the Work,” “We’ll Work Till Jesus Comes,” “Where He Leads, I’ll Follow,” “Without Him,” “Worthy Art Thou,” “Work, for the Night Is Coming,” “He Is My Everything,” “I Am Crucified with Christ,” “Seek Ye First,” and “I Am Mine No More” are all songs we sing on a regular basis.  Do we mean the words of these songs when we sing them?  Or, do we simply mouth the words?

          When individuals read an article like this, they will shout out, saying:  “Love, grace, and mercy.”  In essence, they seem to believe that God’s love, mercy, and grace will cover their intentional lack of service to the Master.  Those who shout these things do not understand love, mercy, or grace.  Let’s consider grace for a moment.  It is true that the purpose of grace is to cover sin (Rom. 5:20).  However, this grace is not supposed to be used as a license to transgress God’s Word.  “What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid.  How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Rom. 6:1-2).  According to Jude, it is possible for an individual to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness” (Jude 4).  Grace was not intended to cover those who want to do less.  Grace was intended to motivate Christians to do more.  We learn this from the example of Paul.  In 1 Corinthians 15;10, he reveals his response to God’s grace.  “But by the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all:  yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”  Love and mercy are similar in nature.  They are not simply escape routes for the unfaithful.  They are motivators given to God’s children to help ensure that they continue to walk in the light. 

          2026 is here.  This is the first Sunday of this New Year.  May each of us examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).  Let’s renew our hearts for the Lord.  Let’s fill them with love and thanksgiving that motivates us to obey, worship, and serve our Lord with fervor.  Let’s divorce ourselves from the world.  Let’s commit to living for Jesus to the utmost of our ability.  Let’s be like Paul and commit to this simple statement:  “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).