*This post is part of a series of posts emphasizing the importance of the Lord’s Day in the life of the Christian. If you missed part 1, click here to read: The Biblical Basis for the Lord’s Day
If you missed part 2, click here to read: The Neglect of the Lord’s Day
If you missed part 3, click here to read: Why We Need the Lord’s Day
The most important event of the week is connected with the most important event of history- the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Every week, the redeemed saints of God gather on the Lord’s Day (Sunday) to commemorate the fact that Jesus rose again on the first day of the week. We gather to worship the Risen Savior Jesus Christ!
For the Christian, the Lord’s Day ought to be the most important day of the week! It ought to be a day that is anticipated, prepared for, and prioritized. Why is it so important? Consider the following:
On the Lord’s Day…We gather to participate in the most important activity (worship)…Our worship is directed to the most important Person (Jesus)…We worship Jesus in light of the most important doctrine (His Death & Resurrection)…We gather in the most important place (the local church)…And we strive to worship Christ in accordance with the most important Book (the Bible)!
So how can a Christian make the most of the Lord’s Day and reflect its importance in their life?
Consider some practical suggestions:
Prepare your heart ahead of time
*Come with a prayerful heart. Ask God to prepare your heart, your mind, and your will to respond to God in worship
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“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” (Psalm 27:8)
*Come with a clean heart. Take time to deal with unconfessed sin in your life. One of the greatest hindrances to worshipping God is unconfessed sin. Learn to keep short accounts with God. Deal with sin quickly and thoroughly.
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:3-4)
*Come with a teachable heart. Come with your Bible and a notepad. Resist prideful thoughts (“I’ve heard all this before” or “I already know the Bible”). Instead come with humility before God’s Word. You may be surprised at what you can learn (even from passages you’ve heard preached on many times) if you will come with the right attitude.
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)
*Come with a moldable heart. Come expecting God to work in your life and change you. Ask God to renew your mind, change your heart, and transform your life.
“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” (Psalm 86:11)
*Come with a servant’s heart. Resist a consumeristic mindset of church- “What’s in it for me?” or “What will I get out of church?” Instead come with a heart to serve and to give. Ask- “Who can I be an encouragement to?”; “How can I use my spiritual gifts to serve others today?” Don’t come merely to receive a blessing, come to be a blessing.
“Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” (Phil. 2:4)
*Come with a reverent heart. You are not only entering the presence of a king, but the very King of Kings! Come prepared for a ‘meeting with the King’! Biblical worship should not be marked by a flippant or casual approach to God.
“God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” (Psalm 89:7)
*In the next post, we will look at some more ways to make the most of the Lord’s Day…
~Pastor Aaron Francis
