Friday 11 August - This Is Important : Really Rest With Your Church Family

Introduction

Reading: Mark 2:23-28.

“I don’t need a church to be a Christian”! Have you ever heard anyone say that?

Jesus Spent Time in the Synagogue

It is a popular opinion that you can be a Christian without going to church. That your Christianity is between you and God and no one else. But that’s not what Jesus showed us. He spent the Sabbath in the synagogue. It’s not what the Early Church showed us. They worshipped regularly together in the temple.

The Early Church Worshipped Together as a Church Family

Why did they do that? Why is getting together with other Christians on the Sabbath so important? Because your church helps you to centre your life on God. Committing to worshipping with your church family once a week for an hour or so helps you focus and centre your life on God. It’s part of the rhythm of work, rest and worship that God designed for you.

Don't Neglect Your Church Family

It’s easy to find excuses not to do it. You can worship God anywhere, after all, so you don’t need to be in church to do it. It might be inconvenient to have to commit to a particular time and place to worship with others each week. Other activities might crowd in at that time. It might be easier to simply catch up with the worship meeting online when you have a moment, or to watch another church’s meeting online because the timing is better for you.

Being with Your Church Family Can Be Restful

But not committing to worship with a particular church family at a particular time and in a particular place each week often means your life rhythm will get out of order. You’ll feel restless and lost. Out of kilter. Commit to being in worship with your church family this Sabbath and discover again just how restful that can be.

Think It Over

Think about the following:

How can worshipping with our church family benefit our spiritual lives?