John MacArthur recently said in one of his sermons that we often start our days asking ourselves how we can increase our satisfaction or what we can accomplish to feel fulfilled. But that shouldn’t be. Our perspective should rather be on how we can die to ourselves everyday. That was the perspective of Paul and the Apostles. It is sobering to think that we may find ourselves waking even on Sundays with no thought on how we can work on attaining that spiritual goal.
Christian blogger Tim Challies provided a timely, helpful exhortation in his post today:
Since tomorrow is Sunday, a day when the majority of the readers of this blog will head to their local church, it seems like a good time to reflect on a few of these things. Is there anything that should be added to the list?
Before the Service
- Read the passage in advance
- Pray for the gathering
- Greet newcomers (act like you are the host)
- Think strategically about who you should sit with
- Arrive Early
During the Service
- Sing with gusto (even if you can’t sing)
- Help with logistics (if there’s a problem, help fix it)
- Don’t be distracted
- Listen carefully
- Be aware of your facial expressions (you may affect others and discourage preachers)
After the Service
- Connect newcomers with others
- Get newcomers information
- Start a conversation about the sermon
- Ask someone how they became a Christian
- Stay late
Tonight is Daylight Savings and so 1) turn back your clocks one hour; and 2) let’s use this as an opportunity to “fall back” to our duties as members of this body to encourage, exhort and minister to one another; not forsaking our assembling–let’s die to self!