Sunday Bible study starts at 9:30 AM with worship following at 10:30 AM. Wednesday night Bible study begins at 7:00 PM. There are approximately three hours every week for most Christians to meet as a body. Some congregations do not meet on Sunday night or mid-week, but the church gathers at least once every week to remember Christ’s sacrifice he made for us, worship God, edify one another, study God’s word, and give of our means of which we have been blessed. Christians have the opportunity to meet at least one to three hours a week out of the 168 hours that have been given to us. Is this time something to complain about, or is it something to be thankful for?
It is very easy to get busy with life. As different opportunities come, it is often hard to say the dreaded two letter word, “No.” We take on extra hours at work, sports, television shows, sleep, home improvement projects, etc. and neglect those few hours out of the 168 to meet with the saints. One thing about time is that everyone is given the same amount every week. The difference is how each person uses that allotted amount. Do you use your time to glorify God or to gratify self? The post-modern culture in which we live tells us to satisfy self at all times and do not consider others in your pursuit of happiness. This is not the model Jesus had in mind with his children.
The song Greatest Commands has strong scriptural basis that goes well with the church’s model. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7). Love…“bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). “…love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind” (Luke 10:27). How can we do the very basic things Jesus told us if we do not have the church? If we do not attend worship services, how can we say we love one another and want God’s love when we cannot show him just a little love? The answer is: we cannot. The truth is straight, with no church there will be no heaven.
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