Evening Worship Because of Our Need

The final reason from Rev. David McCullough’s leaflet “Why Evening Worship?” plus his  practical advice

7. Because of our Need

God has designed that the people of God will be built up in their faith through the preaching of the Word of God.  We are commanded to let the Word of Christ dwell richly within you (Colossians 3:16).  We are told to be as new born babies that crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (I Peter 2:2). Remember that when these commands were given people had no personal Bible to take home for daily devotions.  It was the Word publicly preached that was food for their souls.

Imagine a mother who each day provides two good meals for her family.  Would she not be concerned that some of the children were skipping meals?  Would the evidence of skipping meals not soon appear in their lives? Christ desires that we will be set apart for His service in our homes, work places and communities.  He has prescribed the means for our sanctification.  Sanctify them by the truth, Your word is truth. (John 17:17)

Practical Help

1. Prepare for the Sabbath day by ensuring that you are in bed early on a Saturday evening.  Children will need particular help with this.

2. Plan your visiting of family and friends for a Saturday evening and not a Sabbath evening.

3. If you are having friends or family for hospitality ensure that you are organised before hand and have worked out your timing to enable a return for evening worship.

4. Some with children can say that the children are too small to be present in the evening.  This may be so for some.  But if we are happy to have them out late at the cinema, or on a visit to friends late in the evening can evening worship be too late? It is a matter of priorities.

5. For some who are elderly and find the travelling on a winter’s night too demanding – you should consider speaking with the minister asking if a lift can be arranged.  We would be delighted to arrange this.

“If men wish the knowledge of Jesus’ resurrection to die out, let them neglect to keep holy the first day of the week, if they desire that event to be everywhere known and remembered let them consecrate that day  to the worship of the risen Saviour.”

Charles Hodge

Part 1- Because of the Glory of God

Part 2- Because Jesus is There

Part 3- Because It’s the Lord’s Day

Part 4- Because of Each Other

Part 5- Because of Our Witness

Part 6- Because of Your Elders

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Evening Worship Because of Our Witness

Part 5 in Rev.David McCullough’s series nicked from a church leaflet entitled “Why Evening Worship?”

5. Because of our Witness to the World

The message of the Scripture is that our lives are to display to men and women the glorious light of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). When we are present at worship we are making an important statement to visitors – the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most important thing in my life. When we are absent visitors note and conclude – there mustn’t be much of importance that is happening here. Our presence at worship says to the world that the proclamation of the Word of God is vital.

There is a secondary dimension to this, in that, as we come under the Word Christ deals with us and uses His Word to make us more like Him and the more like Him we are the more useful we will be in reaching the lost.

Part 1- Because of the Glory of God

Part 2- Because Jesus is There

Part 3- Because It’s the Lord’s Day

Part 4- Because of Each Other

Evening Worship Because of Each Other

Rev. David McCullough’s 4th reason as part of his answer to the question “Why Evening Worship?”

4. Because of our Responsibility to each other

When someone becomes a Christian they are united to the Lord Jesus Christ.  That union with Christ means that we are united to other believers. “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” (I John 1:3&4) That union with other believers is to be particularly evidenced in our local church. The many one another exhortations call us to love one another and encourage one another.  One of the ways that we can do that is by being present at the services for public worship.  The writer to the Hebrews makes the direct link between encouraging one another and being present when the church meets. And let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another. (Hebrews 10:24&25)  The presence of other believers at public worship is a support to one another as we remind ourselves what is important in our lives.  Likewise our absence sends a serious message to other believers, particularly young ones – that we can get along fine without the preaching of God’s Word and the company of the saints.

Part 1- Because of the Glory of God

Part 2- Because Jesus is There

Part 3- Because It’s the Lord’s Day

Evening Worship Because It’s the Lord’s Day

Reason number 3 from Rev. David McCullough’s series “Why Evening Worship?”

3. Because of the Nature of the Lord’s Day

The Lord’s day is for rest.  That rest is not the rest of inactivity but the rest of worship and service.  We are commanded to keep the whole day in a holy manner – i.e. set aside for the Lord.  We are not to use the Sabbath just as a time to rest our bodies physically.  Our primary rest is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, learning of Him and His Word.  Through the prophet Isaiah God told His people about the blessing of putting God first. “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honourable, and if you honour it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord” (Isaiah 58:13& 13a).

Another purpose of the Sabbath is to point us to Christ’s return and the rest that is yet to come.  That rest of heaven will be unbroken and worshipping God publicly throughout the Sabbath day as we have opportunity is good practice for the life that is ahead.

The argument that worshipping twice will leave me too tired for my work simply does not stand – we are not to do as we please.  When we put Him first He has promised to add to our lives all that we need.

Part 1- Because of the Glory of God

Part 2- Because Jesus is There

Evening Worship Because Jesus is There

Second reason from Rev. David McCullough’s leaflet answering the question “Why Evening Worship?”.

2. Because of the Presence of Christ

The psalmist writes I love the house where you live, O Lord.  The place where Your glory dwells. (Psalm 26:8)   God does not live in any building made by the hands of men.  He does reside by His Spirit amongst His people.  Where Christ’s people are, He is in the midst of them.  When we gather for public worship we enjoy the presence of Christ with His people in a way that we cannot enjoy when we are on our own.  One way to express our love for Christ is to delight in being where He is in this special way.  No right thinking believer would want to snub their Lord and Saviour by absenting themselves without due cause from public worship.

Part 1 – Because of the Glory of God

Church Too Girly for Men

Dad has written some short comments on an article from the Times which reported the findings of a charity that 70% of church attenders are women.

“Think of the torture a man would have to go through to sing song 912 in Mission Praise, Oh I was made for this to know your tender kiss…my feet were made to dance…or 943 There is none like you none else can touch my heart like you…or 980 Draw me close to you…never let me go….to feel your warm embrace. What man in his right mind would sing that even if he wasn’t an exclusive psalm singer!  So what will bring men back to church? Proper preaching, proper worship, real men and most of all the Spirit of God.”

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Challenges concerning Prayer

A boy was visiting his Auntie in England for a week over the Summer, they had a good relationship, talking regularly about many things and enjoyed good laughs together. One night, when the Aunt was tucking her nephew into bed, she asked him, “Now I hope you are saying your prayers every night?” The boy replied, “Not every night Auntie”. “Well why not?” asked the Aunt. “Because there are some times when I don’t need any thing” replied the boy.

Just want to leave a few very simple challenges out to every one concerning prayer. As most of us are back into the swing of things, be it school, college, university, placements or work, i’m sure every one will have felt a few more pressures here and there on their time.

I was challenged recently, during these times, how committed to prayer are we? Are we still keeping regular times throughout the day of well managed prayer, or has it all got a bit messy? Perhaps saying a prayer before our meals is the only sort of prayer we can squeeze in these days.

Hopefully your prayers have not become like that in the story above, where we just fit in five minutes of asking our Father in Heaven of needs and wants for our lives. I would challenge you to consider the masterclass of prayer that Christ gives us in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:5-13), here we see a perfect example of how to lay out our prayers before God.

First we are to be thinking upward, praying to God in Heaven, and giving Him the praise and glory he deserves. Then thinking outward, praying for the work of His Kingdom, for evangelism and for the unsaved. Finally thinking inward, asking our great provider for our needs but also asking for help against the evil one.

Think on the description of prayer that Psalm 25:1 leaves us with, ‘To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul’. Let prayer become the cement of your life.

I’ll leave you with a quote from one of John Newton’s many hymns:

Thou art coming to a king.

Large petitions with thee bring.

His grace and powers are such,

None can ever ask too much.