Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
July 10, 2002 Allen Webster
What Would It Take To Get You To Come Back Sunday Night?
Statistics don't lie. More people love God on Sunday morning than Sunday night. There will be, generally, one third fewer Christians lifting voices in praise at 6 p.m. than at 10 a.m. Shepherds pray about it, preachers preach about it, Christians are concerned about it, our children wonder about it, but it happens anyway.
The question is often posed in elders' meetings, "What would it take to get everybody back Sunday nights?" Some churches try the "entertainment route." This is the wrong approach. But what is the right approach? What would it take to get "Sunday Morning Christians" to come back and worship in the evening?
More love from God? If only God was more generous toward His children, they would feel more like expressing love for Him. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) We do not need more love FROM God, but more love FOR God.
More sacrifice from Christ? If Christ had given more, Christians would surely feel a debt to worship. "…and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified… And they stripped him…And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head…and mocked him…And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head…And they crucified him" (Matthew 27:26-35) We do not need more sacrifices FROM Christ; but more sacrifices FOR Christ.
A better God to worship? If only Christians had an object worthy of their worship, they would "get more out of Sunday nights." "Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works." (Psalms 86:8) "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One…Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding." (Isaiah 40:25,28) "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:9) We do not need a better God, but better Christians.
A better book to study? Surely, people would come back if they had a perfect book to study. "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple…The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver…O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day…How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!…Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path…The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple… my heart standeth in awe of thy word." (Psalms 19.7 and 119.72, 97, 103, 105, 130, 161) We do not need a better book to study, but a greater love for the best book of all.
A better group with which to fellowship? Since Christians are washed in the Lamb's book, called out of the world, and forgiven of sins, they are the best people in the world! They are not perfect, but they are better as a group than whoever one would spend his time with during the period when worship takes place. We do not need a better group, but more desire to encourage the group. Have these words been erased from our Bibles?: "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Hebrews 10.24,25) Do we no longer believe that transgression will cause one to be lost?
ALLEN WEBSTER
