1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,840 Last year, it was a privilege to visit on your behalf in Europe and to see what God 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:13,840 is doing in a little part of Europe that we were able to visit. 3 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:19,340 But in going there, we were visiting the roots of our own culture, basically. 4 00:00:19,340 --> 00:00:26,800 And so it was not as fully a cross-cultural experience as this last trip was, which took 5 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:34,440 us into the Far East to Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Indonesia. 6 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,920 There were many enjoyable aspects of that. 7 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:41,920 A couple that weren't exactly as fully enjoyable. 8 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:48,800 We flew a number of times on the national airline of Indonesia called Garuda. 9 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:57,240 And on the smaller planes, they served us a box snack. 10 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:58,240 It was more than peanuts. 11 00:00:58,240 --> 00:00:59,560 I'll give them that much credit. 12 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:06,560 It was more than peanuts, but it was a box snack that included a piece of sweet bread 13 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,720 and a rice roll. 14 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,760 I don't know how many of you have ever had a rice roll? 15 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,200 Well, some of you have. 16 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:21,720 It is cold, sticky rice that is rolled with something in the middle of it. 17 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,320 And you don't ask what the something is. 18 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:24,640 It is something there. 19 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,520 And it's wrapped in a banana leaf. 20 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,120 And it's really not very good. 21 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,720 In fact, I couldn't even get it down. 22 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:42,960 But Wendell, who grew up in Indonesia, just wolfed them down, so that was fine. 23 00:01:42,960 --> 00:01:45,800 He had my share. 24 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:51,600 And then I learned that there is an advantage in the Far East to their shower system. 25 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,120 Actually, they don't have showers over there as we do. 26 00:01:55,120 --> 00:02:01,080 They have what I call pours, because you pour the water over you. 27 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:09,520 There are some showers in westernized hotels and homes, but the typical home in, I would 28 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:16,360 guess, in Manila from what I saw, as well as in Indonesia for sure, would be to have 29 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:25,860 a ceramic or perhaps plastic container in the home that would be filled with water. 30 00:02:25,860 --> 00:02:32,200 And then to bathe, you would take a dipper and put it into the water and then pour it 31 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,360 over yourself. 32 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,440 Quite stimulating, let me tell you, at 5.30 in the morning, because you don't have to 33 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:40,120 wait on the hot water there. 34 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:41,120 There is none. 35 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:46,600 You just go like this and, hello, morning. 36 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:51,360 So there were a lot of cross-cultural experiences that were interesting and we're eager to 37 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:56,440 share with some slides some of the things that we saw and experienced. 38 00:02:56,440 --> 00:03:01,920 And we'll do that, I think, on Monday night of the Missions Festival, the way it sounds, 39 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:02,920 perhaps at another time. 40 00:03:02,920 --> 00:03:03,920 But we'll see. 41 00:03:03,920 --> 00:03:06,840 Do you enjoy cross-cultural experiences? 42 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,800 They're good for us. 43 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:09,800 They really are. 44 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:16,240 We learned a lot about ourselves and we learned a lot about the world that God has created. 45 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:23,000 I suppose that many of you have sat down at ethnic restaurants, Mexican, Chinese, Afghan. 46 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,600 There is one here in St. Paul. 47 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:30,040 Japanese, McDonald's. 48 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,680 Quite a few of you have traveled to foreign countries as well and you've seen firsthand 49 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:34,960 the different customs. 50 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:39,320 You've heard the language that seems strange to your ear. 51 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,280 Some of you have invited international students into your home and you've learned that way 52 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,640 about cross-cultural kinds of things. 53 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,400 Well, they're good instructors for us, these cross-cultural experiences. 54 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,480 Have you ever considered the fact that this one that we have invited into our homes for 55 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,720 our fall spiritual adventure is a Palestinian Jew? 56 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,520 Have you ever considered that? 57 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:11,240 There's something cross-cultural that is to be learned from that fact also. 58 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:18,120 And really our thoughts today more or less focus upon that cross-cultural truth regarding 59 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,720 our Savior that He was a Jew. 60 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:27,720 Because you see to the Jews there was nothing that was more sacred than the Sabbath. 61 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:33,400 The Sabbath was the sign between Israel and her God. 62 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:45,080 I'd like you to turn with me in your Bible to the book of Exodus and the 31st chapter. 63 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,720 Exodus 31, beginning in verse 12, where it says, 64 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:52,280 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, 65 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:57,520 saying, You shall surely observe my Sabbaths. 66 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:03,360 For this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I 67 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,040 am the Lord who sanctifies you. 68 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:11,840 Therefore, you are to observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. 69 00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:14,440 Notice how seriously God takes it. 70 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:18,880 Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death. 71 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:24,960 For whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. 72 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,960 For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a Sabbath of complete 73 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,760 rest, holy to the Lord. 74 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,680 Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death. 75 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:40,520 So the sons of Israel shall observe the Sabbath to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their 76 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:44,240 generations as a perpetual covenant. 77 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:49,200 It is a sign between me and the sons of Israel forever. 78 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:54,200 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he ceased from labor 79 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,760 and was refreshed. 80 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:02,400 The Sabbath was always the high point of the week to the Jews. 81 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:10,760 It was not a day of busy activity, but it was rather a day of enforced rest. 82 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:19,660 From our Jewish roots and our Jewish Christ, we should observe that for us the day of worship 83 00:06:19,660 --> 00:06:24,080 likewise should be made the high point of our week. 84 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:30,960 The day of worship for the church is not the Jewish Sabbath. 85 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,240 It is not even the Christian Sabbath. 86 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,360 Our day of worship is the first day of the week. 87 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:42,240 The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. 88 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:48,560 The Sabbath, or seventh-day observance, was a part of the law of God given through Moses, 89 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:50,320 as we have read. 90 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:54,000 It was given to Israel. 91 00:06:54,000 --> 00:07:01,120 The law regarding the Sabbath was based upon God's rest after his creative activity, a 92 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:06,880 rest that came not because he was fatigued, for he is all-powerful and cannot become weary, 93 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:13,600 but rather a rest that was based upon his complete satisfaction with the perfection 94 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,120 of his work in creation. 95 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:26,120 Now, typically or symbolically, the Old Testament Sabbath pictured the rest from works which 96 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,220 Christ brings the one who trusts in him. 97 00:07:30,220 --> 00:07:37,540 As it says in Hebrews 4.3, we who have believed enter that rest. 98 00:07:37,540 --> 00:07:44,440 We have believed on him who died and rose again on our behalf, and have ceased from 99 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,760 our own righteous works. 100 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:56,420 We have believed on him and have entered rest from our own works for salvation. 101 00:07:56,420 --> 00:08:02,240 The law, including the observance of the Sabbath, was for the Jews and was not for the Gentiles 102 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:03,620 at all. 103 00:08:03,620 --> 00:08:09,360 In the work of Jesus Christ at the cross, our Lord fully dealt with the law, with its 104 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,840 ceremonies and its regulations. 105 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,440 The law was completely fulfilled in what he did there. 106 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:23,800 As he himself said in Matthew 5.17, I am come not to abolish the law and the prophets, but 107 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:27,280 to fulfill them. 108 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:38,120 And then Paul writes about this in Colossians 2, beginning in verse 13. 109 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:45,360 He says, And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God 110 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:54,040 made you alive together with him, with Christ, having forgiven us all our transgressions. 111 00:08:54,040 --> 00:09:03,480 Notice verse 14, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, 112 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:06,040 and which was hostile to us. 113 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:11,080 That phrase is simply a phrase that means the law of God. 114 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,920 It was hostile to us, though it was holy in itself. 115 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:18,880 Its decrees were against us, not because they were wrong, but because we were wrong. 116 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:20,920 We are sinners. 117 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,520 But it says that Jesus canceled out that certificate of debt. 118 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:31,720 It goes on to say, And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it, the law, to 119 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:33,600 the cross. 120 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:38,200 When he had disarmed the rulers and authorities, he made a public display of them, having triumphed 121 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,080 over them through him. 122 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:46,260 Therefore, let no one act as your judge in regard to food or drink, or in respect to 123 00:09:46,260 --> 00:09:50,600 a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. 124 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:56,320 All of those things in verse 16 pertain to aspects of the law. 125 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,120 Paul has said it has been taken out of the way. 126 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:02,080 Christ has nailed it to the cross. 127 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,920 He says, Don't let anyone anymore judge you in respect to those things. 128 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,360 They are no longer valid for you. 129 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:14,040 He goes on to say in verse 17, Things which are a mere shadow of what is to come, but 130 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,960 the substance belongs to Christ. 131 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:22,120 You see, Christ has fulfilled the law on our behalf. 132 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:28,160 The early church recognized this change, and they practiced worship on the first day of 133 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:31,780 the week, commemorating Christ's resurrection. 134 00:10:31,780 --> 00:10:36,480 We see that pattern established in the Book of Acts as you read through that progressive 135 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,120 history of the church. 136 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:45,280 It began to meet on Sunday, the first day of the week, to break bread together, to share 137 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,720 together, to worship together. 138 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:54,300 Now I point this out because I don't want you to be confused by Sabbath keepers. 139 00:10:54,300 --> 00:11:00,040 That is, those who seek to bring you under the yoke of the law. 140 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:05,080 When I am thinking of those cults that are seventh day kind of cults, seventh day Adventists, 141 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:11,040 for example, or other denominations that insist that its adherents worship on the seventh 142 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,120 day. 143 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:19,980 You see, the worship on the seventh day had to do with Israel, and we are not Israel, 144 00:11:19,980 --> 00:11:28,040 and it had to do with the law, and we are not under law but under grace. 145 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:35,200 Here should we make Sunday a Christian Sabbath by creating regulations on how it should be 146 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,920 observed. 147 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:43,320 Now there was a time a few decades ago when that was more prominent in the United States, 148 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:45,800 in our society. 149 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:51,500 It is still observed, especially in some parts of the South today. 150 00:11:51,500 --> 00:11:57,060 One church where I pastored had regulations for its leaders and teachers, and on Sunday 151 00:11:57,060 --> 00:12:02,900 they could not do certain things because that was Sunday. 152 00:12:02,900 --> 00:12:06,960 We see the establishing of those kinds of regulations tends to make the first day of 153 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:12,040 the week a so-called Christian Sabbath, and Sunday is not intended to be that. 154 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:17,520 It is a day when we celebrate our liberty in Jesus Christ from regulations and from 155 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,120 the law. 156 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:26,360 But having said those things, I do, I do want you to make Sunday a special day. 157 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,640 I believe God wants that. 158 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:35,080 Sunday is our day of worship, and just as the Sabbath was the high point of the week 159 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:41,680 for the Jews, so Sunday ought to be the high point of the week for us who are part of the 160 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:45,260 church through faith in Jesus Christ. 161 00:12:45,260 --> 00:12:50,340 The public worship of the church claims priority in our lives. 162 00:12:50,340 --> 00:12:54,280 We see this, for example, in Hebrews 10. 163 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,740 We have read part of this in our scripture reading this morning, but I want you to look 164 00:12:57,740 --> 00:12:59,160 at it more fully. 165 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:03,000 Hebrews 10. 166 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:04,000 Let me repeat. 167 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:11,200 The public worship of the church claims priority in our lives. 168 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:16,120 As it says beginning in verse 24, let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good 169 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:27,080 deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one 170 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:32,240 another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 171 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:39,240 Notice he is talking about our assembling together, the public worship of the church. 172 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:44,400 I think we learned at least three things here in our text, the broader text, regarding the 173 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,360 public worship of the church and its priority in our lives. 174 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:55,000 In the first place, the public worship of a congregation is the result of our spiritual 175 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:56,000 privileges. 176 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:00,640 Now, I want you to notice how that fits into what he says. 177 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:10,440 Back up to verse 19 where it says, since therefore, brethren, and again in verse 21, and since, 178 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:16,600 you notice he is building an argument here, actually verses 19 and 21 are the second step. 179 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,120 So let's go back to the first step. 180 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:24,880 He is pointing us back to what he says earlier in chapter 10 when he talks about the once-for-all 181 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,960 sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 182 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:33,160 I have been asked, why do we not have Mass on Sunday in our church? 183 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:38,600 Why do we not celebrate Mass and offer up the body and blood of Jesus Christ for sins? 184 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,360 There's a very simple answer to that. 185 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:45,000 It's unbiblical. 186 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,320 Jesus Christ does not need to be offered up every Sunday. 187 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:50,400 In fact, he cannot be. 188 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:54,240 It's a fallacy to think that he is. 189 00:14:54,240 --> 00:15:00,440 Because you see, he once and for all, by his sacrifice at Calvary 2,000 years ago, fully 190 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,320 dealt with sins. 191 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:10,040 As it says, for example, in verse 10, by this will of God, we have been sanctified through 192 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:15,680 the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 193 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:22,760 Verse 12, but he having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. 194 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:24,240 Notice that. 195 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:28,480 The Roman church has forgotten this chapter is in the Bible, I think. 196 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:37,800 Then again, in verse 14, for by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are 197 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:38,800 sanctified. 198 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,440 Jesus Christ has been offered once and for all. 199 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:49,160 Now because of that, brethren, verse 19, we have confidence to enter the holy place, that 200 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:56,040 is the presence of God, by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he inaugurated 201 00:15:56,040 --> 00:16:00,120 for us through the veil, that is, his flesh. 202 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:06,200 And since we have a great priest over the house of God, now he started out with the 203 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:12,640 sacrifice of Jesus Christ, now he shows our spiritual privileges in the light of what 204 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,560 Christ has done for us. 205 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,520 We can come directly to the presence of God. 206 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:23,160 We have a great priest who is over us, Jesus Christ. 207 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:30,760 Now he says because of that, let us draw near with a sincere heart, verse 22. 208 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:35,840 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope, verse 23. 209 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,960 And let us consider, verse 24. 210 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:46,080 Now do you see how that last part of the text fits in with the rest? 211 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:52,680 The point is this, that the public worship of a church, it's assembling together, is 212 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,840 the result of its spiritual privileges. 213 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,480 Those two cannot be unlinked. 214 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,520 They are put together by the Holy Spirit. 215 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:09,720 He says because of what Christ has done for us, because of what you can do now through 216 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:15,520 Jesus Christ, that is come to the very presence of God through the high priest, therefore 217 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:20,600 do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together. 218 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:26,720 How so closely tied are those thoughts that he goes on in verse 26 and following to warn 219 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:32,680 about defecting, to warn about apostatizing. 220 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:40,200 His suggestion is this, that if a person is following the habit of some, verse 25, he 221 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:46,700 may well be in danger of defecting from the faith altogether. 222 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:52,280 The writer is saying that coming together, assembling together with other believers in 223 00:17:52,280 --> 00:18:02,520 public worship is so important to God that it is the sign that one has fully entered 224 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:08,680 into the spiritual privileges that Christ purchased for us at the cross. 225 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,880 How do you know if a person is saved? 226 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:19,680 The writer of Hebrews in Hebrews chapter 10 seems to be saying to us that one indication 227 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:23,720 is his attitude toward the public worship of the church. 228 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:29,920 Now that's pretty serious. 229 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:35,280 Now the second thing that we learn is this, that public worship is purpose to provide 230 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,180 mutual encouragement which all of us need. 231 00:18:39,180 --> 00:18:41,960 He says we are to consider how to stimulate. 232 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:45,160 Boy, that's a strong word. 233 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:49,320 Negatively it was used at times of provoking people to anger. 234 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:52,080 It means to shake them up. 235 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:58,560 He says we are to consider how we can shake up other Christians so that they will perform 236 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:08,520 love and good deeds, so that out of their heart will flow selfless acts of kindness. 237 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:13,440 He seems to be saying here that the emphasis when we gather for public worship ought not 238 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:19,080 to be on what we get out of it, but rather what we can give to other people so that they 239 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:25,040 will be encouraged to go on in their Christian life. 240 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:29,600 If our attitude is that I come to church so that I can get something, or we go away saying 241 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:36,040 I didn't get anything out of it this morning, we've come with the wrong spirit altogether. 242 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:40,600 The emphasis is that we publicly assemble together so that we can decide how we can 243 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:51,100 encourage others and stimulate them in their Christian maturity and Christian service. 244 00:19:51,100 --> 00:19:57,720 The third thing I notice is this, that public worship is to be a priority until the day. 245 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,120 What day is that? 246 00:19:59,120 --> 00:20:01,000 Verse 25. 247 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,520 What day is drawing near? 248 00:20:03,520 --> 00:20:07,000 Well it seems to refer to the day that we will be with Christ. 249 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:13,800 It's interesting to note that this word assembling together is used only one other 250 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,160 time in the New Testament, and that's 2 Thessalonians 2.1. 251 00:20:18,160 --> 00:20:24,680 And there it is used of the rapture of the church, where he talks about our gathering 252 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:29,980 together under Christ. 253 00:20:29,980 --> 00:20:35,440 The day that he has in mind here is the rapture, and he is saying this to us, we are to take 254 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:42,460 heed to be in public worship so we can encourage other people. 255 00:20:42,460 --> 00:20:47,560 And we are to make that a priority in our week until that day when we will have our 256 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,440 final worship service. 257 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:55,300 And we will gather together in the very presence of Jesus Christ. 258 00:20:55,300 --> 00:21:00,280 And that day is drawing near. 259 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:06,400 There is no law telling us how Sunday should be observed, but there is a clear command 260 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:14,240 in our text today that we should, as a body, make Sunday the high point of the week, for 261 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:18,560 that is our time of assembling together. 262 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:23,640 Whenever the body meets, we are expected to participate. 263 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:31,160 There is a lack of specific commands in the Scriptures as to the frequency of services, 264 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:37,760 or how long they should be, or really what the content of them should be. 265 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:43,720 Isn't it interesting that God doesn't tell us those things? 266 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:46,320 I believe there is a reason for that. 267 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:52,240 The command is that we are to assemble together with the Lord's people. 268 00:21:52,240 --> 00:22:00,560 It seems to me that these other areas of concern represent liberty that God gives to us as 269 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,840 a congregation. 270 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:03,920 How often should we meet? 271 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,160 I think a congregation has the right to determine that. 272 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:08,480 How long should the services be? 273 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:12,640 I think each congregation has the right to determine that. 274 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,320 What should be the flow of the service? 275 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:15,760 What should be included in it? 276 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,880 I think each congregation has a right to determine that. 277 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:22,940 God doesn't tell us in His word. 278 00:22:22,940 --> 00:22:26,240 Each congregation is at liberty to make its own decisions. 279 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,060 Listen to the point. 280 00:22:29,060 --> 00:22:33,680 The point is that however often that congregation decides to meet, however long the services 281 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:42,200 are, or whatever the content should be of the service, whenever it meets, we are to 282 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:48,640 be together and not to forsake it. 283 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:54,980 That means in our culture, for our congregation, our public assembling together for worship 284 00:22:54,980 --> 00:22:56,640 is two times on Sunday. 285 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:01,440 Not just Sunday morning, but Sunday night as well. 286 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:06,280 Will you notice that there is no word here that says, forsaking not our own assembling 287 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:13,580 together on Sunday morning. 288 00:23:13,580 --> 00:23:19,600 Facing not our own assembling together, however often we do it, however long we do it, and 289 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,360 whatever we do, we are not to forsake it. 290 00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:27,120 In our context as a church, that means Sunday morning and Sunday night. 291 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,240 There are some churches that have only Sunday morning. 292 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:35,120 Apparently they feel that they can do their whole thing in one shot. 293 00:23:35,120 --> 00:23:38,280 There are some churches that have Wednesday night worship. 294 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:44,680 In addition, if a congregation chooses to do that, then I think every member of the 295 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:50,720 congregation has an obligation to assemble together on Wednesday night as well. 296 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:56,000 You see a church is at liberty to make its own decisions about that. 297 00:23:56,000 --> 00:24:02,360 In our case, public worship, our assembling together is twice on Sunday. 298 00:24:02,360 --> 00:24:10,440 And each of these services is different. 299 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,620 The final question I want to talk about this morning is what can we do to make Sunday worship 300 00:24:14,620 --> 00:24:18,640 a meaningful high point of our week. 301 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:22,960 I'd like to make several practical suggestions, and in doing this I will probably make some 302 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:25,640 enemies. 303 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,760 That is not my intention, but that may be the byproduct of it. 304 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:37,240 But I hope you'll hear me out, and that however provoked you get by the stimulation I'm about 305 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:47,800 to get you, give you, that you will consider before God what I have to say. 306 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:53,200 In the first place, I believe that we need to mentally determine that Sunday is the Lord's 307 00:24:53,200 --> 00:24:59,040 day, and set that day aside in advance and plan for it. 308 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:04,640 We ought not to come to the weekend and say, well, what have we got this weekend? 309 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:11,600 Well, we need to use Saturday for this, and well, we'll use Sunday for that. 310 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,000 Or if we have time, we'll get the church too. 311 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:16,500 No? 312 00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:20,160 Our attitude needs to be in advance. 313 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,880 Sunday is the Lord's day. 314 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:29,760 And that is a day that we as a family set apart because we have invited Jesus Christ 315 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:35,280 into our home as King. 316 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:41,920 I think also we need to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for Sunday by getting 317 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:46,420 sufficient rest on Saturday night. 318 00:25:46,420 --> 00:25:53,360 When we stay up late partying, even if it's a group of Christians who are together for 319 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:59,000 a small church party, or we stay up late watching that movie on television that we've wanted 320 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:07,240 to see for years, or even if we stay up late just talking, it's going to take a price 321 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,120 on Sunday. 322 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:13,640 That's one reason that as a family we do not get involved in a lot of Saturday evening 323 00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:21,160 things because we have a whole lot to do to get ready for Sunday, and we need to get to 324 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:26,240 bed at a reasonable hour. 325 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:31,960 If you were up so late last night that you're having a hard time staying awake in this service, 326 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:40,120 the bottom line is that this day has not been a priority in your life. 327 00:26:40,120 --> 00:26:47,200 It wasn't as important as whatever it was that fatigued you last night. 328 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:52,000 We need to prepare ourselves mentally and physically for being in church on Sunday, 329 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:58,160 and we can do that by watching what time we get to bed on Saturday night. 330 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:03,320 I think we need to plan our Sundays so that they will be as little rushed and pressured 331 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:04,320 as possible. 332 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:10,400 There's always stress on Sunday. 333 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:14,440 The devil makes sure of that. 334 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:18,120 So often our families are running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to 335 00:27:18,120 --> 00:27:23,600 decide what they can get done before they have to leave for church, and still they're 336 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,160 late for church. 337 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:30,720 We need to plan ahead of time what clothes we're going to wear, for example, and I'll 338 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:37,440 be concerned when it's time to leave if that dress or that shirt happens to be pressed. 339 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,400 We should decide ahead of time what our meals are going to be, if we're going to eat out 340 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:46,600 at some ethnic restaurant, as I mentioned, that we do that, but not be concerned at the 341 00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:52,200 last moment about the meal of the day because that creates pressure, especially on the wife. 342 00:27:52,200 --> 00:28:02,360 We need to plan Sundays so that we reduce as little cause for stress as possible. 343 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:07,480 I would also suggest that you determine in advance what your offering will be. 344 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:13,000 If you really want to make Sunday a high point, rather than coming into the service and pulling 345 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:17,120 out the billfold as the prayer is being said and fumbling through the bills trying to decide 346 00:28:17,120 --> 00:28:22,080 which one is small enough to give and yet big enough that you bought God off, determine 347 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:28,600 ahead of time what you believe God wants you to give and come prepared. 348 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:31,800 So there's not that last minute fumbling with the billfold, but you can simply reach 349 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:37,480 in your pocket and pull out and lay into the plate what God has laid in your heart to give 350 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:41,920 for His work that week. 351 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:46,440 Another idea, make it a point to invite someone to come with you. 352 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,400 For you see, if Sunday is really the high point of the week, it means there's not 353 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:54,560 another time of the week that you enjoy as much as Sunday and you surely want someone 354 00:28:54,560 --> 00:29:00,120 to enjoy it with you. 355 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:04,400 Now just pick up your feet off the floor and put them in the back of the chair so we don't 356 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:08,800 stomp too hard down the rows and hit your toes. 357 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:13,920 I want to encourage you to be on time to worship. 358 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:20,360 To be on time so that you can quiet yourself and be ready to worship when the service begins. 359 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:26,760 Now I recognize that there are all kinds of reasons that we think that we're late, and 360 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,320 there are sometimes good reasons. 361 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,640 We can't always predict the car is going to break down. 362 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:37,200 We can't always tell ahead of time that the roads are as slippery as they are. 363 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:41,040 We can't help it if a child gets sick and we have to go in and change clothes at the 364 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,480 last minute before leaving the house as has happened to us. 365 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:45,960 I don't know how many times. 366 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,720 It happens to you as well. 367 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,720 There are reasons. 368 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,080 But you know what? 369 00:29:54,080 --> 00:30:01,320 If a person is habitually late to worship, it's evidence that that worship service is 370 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:06,360 not a priority in his life, in the family. 371 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:11,760 When you say this is the second service and I have a hard time getting out of small church, 372 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,040 have a hard time getting out of my elective, you let me know which elective it is and I'll 373 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:17,480 take care of it. 374 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:20,520 Those who are teaching the electives know that you're going to be through in time to 375 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:25,520 have an opportunity to get here and be quiet. 376 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:28,680 There may be those who say, well, you know, I have to stand in line at the nursery. 377 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,720 And I understand that that's the case. 378 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:34,080 We have a lot of babies that use the nursery. 379 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:38,760 But if you know ahead of time you're going to have to stand in line there, don't come 380 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:43,720 at 1158 thinking you're going to dump your child and then rush in here. 381 00:30:43,720 --> 00:30:46,400 Realize that you're going to have to stand there a while. 382 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:52,600 Plan for that and still plan for time to come and sit and prepare yourself. 383 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:57,960 Now I noticed this morning there was quite a number that came into this service after 384 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,760 it had already begun. 385 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:06,600 You have already lost something that you will never be able to reclaim by being late into 386 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,160 this service. 387 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:10,960 You cannot go back and recoup that. 388 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,120 It is a loss to you forever. 389 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:23,440 It is important that each of us make Sunday a priority and that we evidence it's a priority 390 00:31:23,440 --> 00:31:28,560 by being here in time for the worship service at its very beginning. 391 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:34,600 Indeed, time to prepare ourselves so that we can look through the hymns or read any 392 00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:38,120 scripture that may be involved. 393 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:41,360 Maybe even look into the newsletter to see if there are some high points of the service 394 00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:42,520 that we need to be aware of. 395 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:46,440 In fact, in the second column on the front side there is often a note or two about the 396 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:54,720 music that helps me appreciate more what's being done here on the platform. 397 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:58,360 Then I want to say this, and I want to say it tenderly, but I want to say it clearly 398 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:05,520 too, that we need to be thoughtful not to distract others in worship. 399 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,560 We have a nursery for a reason. 400 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,680 We have a nursery to take care of babies. 401 00:32:11,680 --> 00:32:16,400 It is a very beautiful nursery and there are fine people who take care of it, and that's 402 00:32:16,400 --> 00:32:19,600 where babies belong. 403 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:26,120 We've had four children and we had to learn early with the first one that babies belong 404 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,840 in the nursery and not with us in church. 405 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,520 There are exceptions to that. 406 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:36,240 Sometimes babies for one reason or another have to be with the parents, but not regularly. 407 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,960 It's true that babies may get sick in the nursery, but I'll tell you what, they're 408 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,880 going to get sick at home in your crib as well. 409 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,800 So you can't worry about protecting them from disease. 410 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:51,480 By the way, in the first service when I was talking about this, would you believe a baby 411 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:54,880 started crying in the back right at this point? 412 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:57,880 Right now. 413 00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:02,080 Bless his heart, the father got up and was walking at long distance from that side to 414 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:03,600 that side. 415 00:33:03,600 --> 00:33:08,800 I felt so sorry for him, but I commended him because he was doing exactly the right thing. 416 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:12,600 Perhaps the baby needed to be with them this morning, but they were immediately taking 417 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:13,600 the baby out. 418 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:18,600 We've had babies stay in here when they should have been taken out. 419 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,800 I hope the parents are not offended when an usher or some kind lady in our church comes 420 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:25,440 and says, can I help you with your baby? 421 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:28,400 Can I show you where the nursery is? 422 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:32,560 That is a very gracious thing to do because you see one baby can disrupt the worship of 423 00:33:32,560 --> 00:33:35,960 500 people that fast. 424 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:43,040 Let's talk about necessary stops. 425 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,560 Have you ever noticed how children have to go to the bathroom the minute they sit down 426 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,040 in a service? 427 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:52,960 Now they train themselves for that. 428 00:33:52,960 --> 00:34:02,560 And we have to untrain them by saying in advance, do you have to, and if you do, go now. 429 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:04,200 And let them go. 430 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:08,960 And let them know that once they've come in here, they don't leave. 431 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,680 Now please, there are exceptions to that. 432 00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:17,400 I don't have to clean it up, but somebody does, so there are exceptions to that. 433 00:34:17,400 --> 00:34:22,520 There may be a little discomfort, a little wiggling for a time, but children will learn 434 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:26,960 that they can take care of those things ahead of time, and so can adults, by the way. 435 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:31,660 We need to be thoughtful not to distract others in worship. 436 00:34:31,660 --> 00:34:35,520 We can prepare for Sunday by utilizing the fifth discipline in our journal. 437 00:34:35,520 --> 00:34:39,800 I'm sure some of you have done that, but in that center section, it's so beautifully 438 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:40,800 laid out. 439 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:45,680 Jesus, I'll make this Sunday special for you by—and we write it in. 440 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:49,480 Maybe spending extra time in prayer Sunday morning, or coming to church with a clean 441 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:54,500 heart, or maybe it is getting there on time. 442 00:34:54,500 --> 00:35:00,480 And then the next three days, Jesus, this last Sunday, provided this for me, and we 443 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,080 look back upon Sunday and we reflect on it. 444 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:06,120 Because of Sunday, I'm going to do this. 445 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:10,640 We can make Sunday special in so many ways by coming eager to hear, determining ahead 446 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,920 of time to obey what God tells us to do. 447 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:19,260 As the hymn writer said, Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee, hushed my 448 00:35:19,260 --> 00:35:23,000 heart to listen in expectancy. 449 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:28,960 And then I believe that because our custom is to have a public gathering together Sunday 450 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:33,400 morning and Sunday night, that if we in Grace Church of Roseville are going to make Sunday 451 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:39,100 the high point of our week, it means being present Sunday morning and Sunday night. 452 00:35:39,100 --> 00:35:43,520 Because only then is one able to get a balanced appreciation for the public services of our 453 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:44,520 church, for one thing. 454 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:50,040 But secondly, that's just simple obedience to the Word of God. 455 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:55,580 Now recognize that for some of you that means a great change in your Sunday routine. 456 00:35:55,580 --> 00:35:58,000 But how important is Sunday? 457 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:03,320 I think we need to see Sunday as a delight and as a privilege. 458 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:09,280 As one Jewish scholar wrote about the Sabbath, just as one prepares for a bride with the 459 00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:15,160 utmost care and meticulous detail, so the Sabbath is preceded by careful preparation. 460 00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:21,040 Just as one yearns for the arrival of the bride, so is the Sabbath met and welcomed. 461 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:25,640 Just as the presence of the bride elicits tender concern, so does the Sabbath evoke 462 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:27,720 love and devotion. 463 00:36:27,720 --> 00:36:33,600 Now if a Jew feels that way about the Sabbath, how ought we to feel about the day commemorating 464 00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:37,840 our Lord's resurrection from the grave? 465 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:43,360 Yet I'm afraid that Sunday has degenerated into a day when we courteously give God a 466 00:36:43,360 --> 00:36:49,640 tip of our hats by saying we've been to a service, and then we go off to use the day 467 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:52,440 as we please. 468 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:58,920 We think it's just another day off, or we call it our family day. 469 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:02,080 But would you notice that in the Word of God it's not called family day, it's called 470 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:07,080 the Lord's Day. 471 00:37:07,080 --> 00:37:15,760 It is not a legalistic day, but then neither is it a day to be used to please ourselves. 472 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:19,800 It is not a time for us to select the neatest thing that's happening in town and go visit 473 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:21,800 that church. 474 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:25,640 I have a little bit of an aversion to the Saturday religion page and to some of the 475 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:30,480 announcements over Christian radio because it gives kind of the menu approach to local 476 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:31,480 Christians. 477 00:37:31,480 --> 00:37:32,920 Well, there's a neat thing happening over there tonight. 478 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:33,920 I think I'll go there. 479 00:37:33,920 --> 00:37:35,760 Oh, there's a film over here. 480 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,400 Let's go there this week. 481 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:42,280 That's so contrary to the Word of God. 482 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:48,660 We need to be publicly worshiping where we belong. 483 00:37:48,660 --> 00:37:54,880 In Isaiah 58, and I want to close with this thought, in Isaiah chapter 58, God gives a 484 00:37:54,880 --> 00:38:02,160 special word of blessing to the Jews regarding the Sabbath. 485 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:07,240 Now if it's true of them regarding the Sabbath, I think that there's an application at least 486 00:38:07,240 --> 00:38:08,240 to us. 487 00:38:08,240 --> 00:38:10,720 Notice what he says. 488 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:17,800 Chapter 58 of Isaiah verse 13, if because of the Sabbath you turn your foot from doing 489 00:38:17,800 --> 00:38:25,000 your own pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the 490 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:32,720 Lord, honorable, and shall honor it, desisting from your own ways and seeking your own pleasure 491 00:38:32,720 --> 00:38:39,120 and speaking your own word, then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make 492 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:44,280 you ride on the heights of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob 493 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:49,280 your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. 494 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:55,120 What is it going to mean to some of us to make Sunday a delight and to honor it as the 495 00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:56,120 day of the Lord? 496 00:38:56,120 --> 00:39:02,200 Well, it's going to mean for some changing our work hours, if possible. 497 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:08,380 Perhaps even quitting that extra job that we have so that we can give the Lord His day 498 00:39:08,380 --> 00:39:10,480 and be in worship regularly. 499 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,880 I recognize that there are exceptions to that, and there are people who have to work certain 500 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:19,560 shifts so that they miss Sunday occasionally, but my friend, if you miss Sunday every week, 501 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:21,180 something's wrong somewhere. 502 00:39:21,180 --> 00:39:26,120 You need to ask God for relief from that situation. 503 00:39:26,120 --> 00:39:31,800 I heard of a lady who just a few weeks ago went to her boss, somewhat trembling, asking 504 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:35,720 for Sunday off regularly. 505 00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:40,520 She had to work every other week, and she was asking him now to be off regularly on 506 00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,200 Sunday so that she could be in worship. 507 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:44,040 You know what her boss did? 508 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:48,440 He said, I'm going to give you a raise. 509 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:52,560 We need more people like you around here, and you can have Sunday off. 510 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:57,640 Now, I can't guarantee you your boss will respond the same way. 511 00:39:57,640 --> 00:40:01,640 I wish I could. 512 00:40:01,640 --> 00:40:07,200 Our society has certainly lost something in this regard in the last generation, and it's 513 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:08,200 sad. 514 00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:12,240 I think that there are some parents who need to talk to their teenagers about working on 515 00:40:12,240 --> 00:40:15,800 Sunday. 516 00:40:15,800 --> 00:40:19,720 You see, if you allow your child to make Sunday a work day, what are you teaching your child 517 00:40:19,720 --> 00:40:27,280 about Sunday as a priority in your family and the day of the Lord? 518 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:33,480 For some of us, it may mean changing our cabin habits. 519 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:36,600 You know what I mean. 520 00:40:36,600 --> 00:40:41,400 If going to the cabin means that I am too far away from church to worship anywhere, 521 00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:47,120 then I need to find another cabin. 522 00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:51,200 It may not be that a person can drive all the way back to the Twin Cities to be in church, 523 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:56,440 but somewhere there ought to be a church to fellowship in. 524 00:40:56,440 --> 00:41:00,100 For others, it's going to mean changing the whole Sunday routine so drastically that they 525 00:41:00,100 --> 00:41:04,420 have to be back on Sunday night and want to be. 526 00:41:04,420 --> 00:41:11,020 It means putting away the playoff game or the Vikings game and saying, God's word is 527 00:41:11,020 --> 00:41:15,160 more important to me and I need to assemble with His people. 528 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:21,120 For others, it may mean deciding that fish, deer, or duck are not as important as obedience 529 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:30,160 to God's word, which says, and not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the 530 00:41:30,160 --> 00:41:33,860 manner of some is. 531 00:41:33,860 --> 00:41:38,880 Would you bow together with me, please? 532 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:45,840 I wonder if in the quietness of these moments you would talk to the Lord. 533 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:49,540 Maybe you've been provoked in a negative way by some of the things I've said this 534 00:41:49,540 --> 00:41:50,780 morning. 535 00:41:50,780 --> 00:41:55,400 I hope that God would turn that around and make it a stimulation for good. 536 00:41:55,400 --> 00:41:57,000 But would you listen to His voice? 537 00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:00,440 Would you ponder what I've said? 538 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:05,600 In the quietness of just a few seconds, would you tell the Lord what you intend to do to 539 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:14,080 make Sunday the high point of your week? 540 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:30,520 Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way. 541 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:39,960 Thou art the potter, I am the clay. 542 00:42:39,960 --> 00:43:02,040 Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still. 543 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:09,320 Lord as you mold us and make us after your will, show us precisely what your will is 544 00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:13,560 regarding our use of your day. 545 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:15,940 All of us have repenting to do. 546 00:43:15,940 --> 00:43:19,080 We have changes to make. 547 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:24,520 I pray that you will give us not only the conviction of doing it, but the courage and 548 00:43:24,520 --> 00:43:30,400 the strength to follow through and establish the new patterns, the new way of thinking, 549 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:39,640 so that we come to the Lord's day prepared and on time and enter into it fully, that 550 00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:45,120 we might delight in it and honor you and thus know the blessing that you will bring to our 551 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:46,120 lives. 552 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:55,240 Lord, show us what this holy day means to you, how important it is to you, and then 553 00:43:55,240 --> 00:44:02,680 write that on the pages of our lives in the way that we live. 554 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:07,680 In Jesus' name, amen. 555 00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:31,420 God bless you.