{"id":32097,"date":"2022-09-10T15:56:15","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-reasons-christians-gather-on-the-lords-day\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:56:15","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:56:15","slug":"3-reasons-christians-gather-on-the-lords-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-reasons-christians-gather-on-the-lords-day\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons Christians Gather on The Lord\u2019s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Juan Sanchez<\/em><\/p>\n

Some members don\u2019t need much of an excuse to miss church on Sundays.<\/p>\n

Thom Rainer suggests there are nine common low-attendance occasions in churches: spring break, holiday weekends, bad weather, good weather, sporting events, summer, time change (two of these), a pastor\u2019s vacation, and the period from Christmas to New Years.<\/p>\n

As a pastor, it\u2019s easy to be frustrated by these trends. But, let\u2019s look at this from a different, more helpful perspective.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re the pastor and you\u2019re called to shepherd God\u2019s sheep. So, rather than just wish everyone did what they\u2019re supposed to, why not pastor your flock to understand why they should gather with the church every Lord\u2019s Day?<\/p>\n

Our Calling<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We need to shepherd and lead God\u2019s sheep from where they are currently to Christlike maturity in order to present everyone complete in Christ.<\/p>\n

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Let\u2019s shepherd God\u2019s sheep, then, to understand why Christians gather together every Sunday\u2014not just on some Sundays. When our congregations truly understand who Jesus is and what the resurrection means, every Sunday will be Easter Sunday.<\/p>\n

For the Christian, every Sunday is Easter because from its beginnings, the church gathered on Sundays\u2014the first day of the week\u2014to remember Jesus\u2019 resurrection.<\/p>\n

Consider the historical record as laid out by New Testament theologian Richard Bauckham in the book From Sabbath to Lord\u2019s Day<\/em>. At the risk of oversimplification, I want to summarize Bauckham\u2019s three reasons Christians should gather together each Sunday.<\/p>\n

1. Because Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The early church met on the Lord\u2019s Day to commemorate Jesus\u2019 resurrection. All four gospels emphasize Jesus\u2019 resurrection on the first day of the week.<\/p>\n

Though we can\u2019t prove this was the reason Sunday worship was established, early Christians did connect gathering on the first day of the week with the Lord\u2019s resurrection.<\/p>\n

Early church history attests to this as well.<\/p>\n

2. Because Sunday was set aside by early Christians as the Lord\u2019s Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By the end of the first century, the \u201cLord\u2019s Day\u201d had already become a technical term that referenced to the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Christian gathering day. John used the term in Revelation 1:10.<\/p>\n

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3. Because Sunday was the day the early church gathered for distinctly Christian worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By the middle of the second century, Lord\u2019s Day worship gatherings had become the universal practice of the church. This is the day Christians gathered to remember Jesus\u2019 death and to take part in the Lord\u2019s Supper.<\/p>\n

Both the historical and biblical record reveal the Lord\u2019s Day was the chosen gathering day for distinctly Christian worship because it was the day Jesus rose from the dead.<\/p>\n

Every Sunday the church gathers, then, it remembers and celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. When Christians understand who Jesus is and what the resurrection means\u2013every Sunday is Easter Sunday.<\/em><\/p>\n

Celebrate the Resurrection Weekly<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Because of this, we should help our people approach each Sunday with the same mindset and investment we put into Easter Sunday. Encourage your people to gather with the church this Sunday as you confess together that Jesus Christ is risen and has been granted all authority in heaven and on earth.<\/p>\n

Encourage your people to gather with the church this Sunday as you humbly submit to Jesus\u2019 authoritative Word. Challenge your people to gather with the church this Sunday as you hear testimonies of God\u2019s grace.<\/p>\n

Encourage your people to gather with the church this Sunday as you remind one another of the good news that Jesus is alive, is with His people, and will return.<\/p>\n

When the church body gather together on the Lord\u2019s Day, they await Jesus\u2019 return to consummate the promised kingdom of righteousness, justice, and peace.<\/p>\n

So, encourage your people to gather together every Sunday as you celebrate Easter all over again!<\/p>\n

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Juan Sanchez<\/h2>\n

@manorjuan<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Juan is husband to Jeanine, father to five\u00a0daughters, senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, Texas, and author of Seven Dangers Facing Your Church<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n