Meet on Sunday

We must reject all fears and meet in person to worship on Sunday.  After having said this let me assure the reader that I encourage those who are even the least little bit disinclined to come, to feel more than free in their decision! We will see each other soon Beloved!  I look forward to talking with you over the phone or online or in person in a different setting. You are constantly in my prayers. Remember no matter what happens, we are one in the Lord Jesus!  But after having said this, let's keep the services going and the doors open on Sunday! What's my thinking here? It was Jesus' cross that brought the disciples together on the first day of the week and then he came among them confirming his work on the cross and comforting them, breathing on them, giving them the Holy Spirit, empowering them. As the Israelites were gathered together on the near side of the Red Sea in fear and anguish, so were the disciples brought together. Just as the Israelites were brought through the water together and believed and worshipped and rejoiced on the far side of the Red Sea so the disciples worshipped the Lord when he came among them.  It was always risky to gather on Sunday both for the disciples and for their friends and families.  They must have known and agreed that following Jesus might very well bring down the wrath of the Roman Empire on Israel.  When they followed Jesus they were indeed risking the destruction of the nation, a nation which was and is the light of the world.  But empowered by Jesus, Jesus who seeks and saves the lost, they were obedient.  Today persecuted Christians meet openly and in secret on the first day of the week. Certainly this is a risk to themselves but much more harrowingly this meeting, this obedience is a terrible risk to family, friends and tribe, many of whom are not even believers.  But they have learned that they must obey Jesus without counting the cost.  They must overcome even these fears and stand.  This is not to say that those who do not want to come to church should not feel free not to come.  When this situation has passed we will run to welcome them back to church and "the spoil of those who stayed behind will be the same as those who went into battle." But we must keep the churches open on Sunday for worship, obedient even in the face of the most harrowing fear.  With the help of the Holy Spirit we will soon find the answer to the powers that be that seek to cheat, mistreat and control us.