Some people don’t worship in church on Sunday because they worship – they say – by watching religious programs on television. For them, that fulfills their obligation for Sunday worship. Now, there are many things wrong with the electronic church, but I shall mention only one. If there is anything in the New Testament which is in the nature of a command from the Lord Jesus, it is that we receive the Eucharist regularly. And this we cannot do without going to church.
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:53-54)
How about the excuse that Sunday worship takes too much time. Consider how a life of 70 years spends its time:
-three years would be spent in education;
-eight years in amusement;
-six years at the dinner table;
-five years in transportation;
-four years in conversation;
-fourteen years in work;
-three years in reading;
-twenty-four years in sleeping;
-three years in convalescence
How much of all this time does a person give to God? If a person worshipped every Sunday for forty-five minutes and prayed for five minutes every morning and evening, he would be giving five months to God – five months out of seventy years. Is five months of time in a life of 70 years too much to give to God? How can a person claim he is interest in spending eternity with God if he finds it difficult to spend ten minutes each day and an hour each Sunday in his presence?
Did you ever hear of the person who said that he never came to church because the church had never done anything but disturb his life. “The first time they threw water on me. The second time they tied me to a woman I’ve had to support ever since.” “Yes, I understand,” interrupted the pastor, “ and next time you come they’ll throw dirt on you.”
When you were born, your mother brought you to church.
When you were married, your wife brought you to church.
When you die, your friends will bring you to church.
Why not try coming to church on your own sometime?
But, some say, the Liturgy is so tedious. But isn’t so much that is crucial to human living tedious? Education? Scientific research? Coronary bypasses? Earning a living? Learning to play the piano? Even eating three times a day – isn’t all of this tedious? Yet how can we live without them? Real love is more that a rub and a tickle. Real love makes demands. It costs. It leads to a cross. It is not like the love letter Oscar sent to Annabelle:
“Dearest Annabelle, I could swim the mighty ocean for one look at your lovely eyes. I could walk through a wall of flame for one touch of your little hand. I would leap the widest stream for a word from your warm lips.
-As always, your own Oscar.
P.S. I’ll be over to see you Sunday night, if it doesn’t rain!”
