Sunday Shorts: Where Would Jesus Go? - Mark 1:21

Mark 1:21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. (NRSV)

Occasionally, I see a post or a meme on Facebook that states something like: “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.” It’s a common understanding among some people that church is no longer relevant, so we should all just follow our own individual spiritual path to get closer to God. Unfortunately, most folks think that this means they can believe anything, go anywhere, and do everything they want, and somehow God will understand. That’s exactly what the forces in opposition to God want us to believe; that’s a blind spiritual path that leads to nowhere.

            So, what would Jesus have us do to be Christians and what example did He show us to follow?

            Today’s verse provides the answer: Jesus attended weekly worship and taught in the synagogue. Now, out of all people on the Earth, Jesus could have stayed away from weekly worship because He knew God intimately and obeyed God completely. He could have been given a first-class exemption from weekly worship to go and pursue His own spiritual path, but instead, Jesus chooses to worship with the people of God in their local holy place. We can make as many excuses as we like, but if we claim to be Christians and to follow Jesus, then weekly worship with the people of God needs to be a priority.

            For some folks this can be hard because of infirmity, illness, or issues. For others, they may have been burned out by the church or broken by church folks. But here’s the thing: there are millions of Christian congregations throughout the world, and in our local communities, there are different worshiping centers. There are also many more congregations who provide online services, either live or pre-recorded, for those who cannot leave their homes. In other words, there are plenty of places where we can follow Christ into Christian worship, so what’s keeping us back? It’s certainly not Jesus because He is providing us with many holy places to join Him in worship, fellowship, and discipleship.

            So, if we want to, or even believe that we do follow Jesus, then which church are we going to attend on Sundays?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to overcome our indifference or reluctance to worship You with Your people. Open our hearts and minds to the blessings of faith that we can encounter and receive together. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish pastor living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Super Bowl devotion - Team Spirit - Zechariah 4:6

Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. (NIV)

            Sunday’s Super Bowl is an annual gladiatorial contest between two mighty teams whose players become warriors on the football field. Both sides use all of their strengths and skills to overcome the other, and the outcome is usually decided by either some clever point-winning strategy or an element of luck. Whatever the final result, the football athletes on the gridiron will have given their best for their team.

            As Christians, we are also meant to give the same commitment and devotion to the local congregation that we have joined. Our gifts and talents, as well as our faith and support, enable the whole church to continue the ministry and mission God has appointed. When we worship and work together, we are also given the added bonus of having the Holy Spirit in our midst. The Spirit’s powerful presence directs our ways and gives us the focus we require to be effective and purposeful in the church, across the congregation, and throughout the community. Without the Spirit, we are just a religious club; with the Spirit, we become disciples of Christ and servants of God’s Kingdom.

            In the Great Game of Life, the victory has already been won by Christ; all we have to do is to align our lives with His, so that more people can be brought into this important commission that Jesus has asked to undertake and fulfill.

            So, whatever plans you have for this weekend, which may or may not include the Super Bowl, plan also to be in church with God’s people to thank Him for Christ’s victory and also to be ready to serve His Son, Jesus our Lord.

Point to ponder

How do I share my gifts and talents with Christ’s church?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have called us to serve You in the world through the Church that You established. Encourage us to joyfully take up the opportunities of faith and fellowship, worship and service that You offer us each week. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to offer feedback on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Celtic Cross drawings called ‘Son Light.’ If you would like to view a larger version, click this link: Cross.