On This Sunday… Is Living for Jesus just a Sunday Morning Thing?

As I was out this week, I enjoyed a fun conversation with another man sitting on the same bench as I. I sat down to wait on someone. It took a few more minutes than I anticipated so I sat by this other man. Somewhere over the minutes, we began talking. As we did, he used some colorful language and referred to some less-than-godly opinions he shared. As the conversation continued, he asked me what I did for a living. I told him that I was a pastor in Ozark, Missouri. He laughed and responded, “So you’re a preacher?” I said, “Yes sir,” and the conversation continued.

I noticed a major shift in the conversation. His language, attitude, and demeanor changed as we talked. He actually told me about growing up in church, the church he attends now, and a little about his preacher. Still delayed and waiting, he left the bench before I did. However, as he got up, he said, “Preacher it was good to meet you and talk with you.” I said in return, “God bless you.” His reply: “I need it; that’s for sure.”

I have no reason to doubt this man’s sincerity or faith on any level. Instead, I take him at his word that he does attend church regularly, does enjoy his pastor, and has grown up in church. All these statements are true. Yet, I would have never known any of these details if I had not told him, when asked, that I was a pastor. If he had gotten off of the bench a bit earlier, I would have probably assumed otherwise related to his faith.

Every one of us who attend church on Sunday mornings and love Jesus Christ face the same challenge as this particular man. We live 24/7 but only attend church for about three hours total per week. In a typical week, only 1.7% of time is at church, on average – which leaves 98.3% of our time outside of church.

How do you live the other 98.3% of your time?

If you sleep an average of seven hours per night, than you can take 29% off for sleep.

1.7% of time at church.

29% of time for sleep.

What about the other 69.3% of your time? How does Jesus factor into your daily living?

Paul provides a great explanation and challenge:

⁶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7)

He challenges those who have received Jesus to walk in Him. Of course, you may ask, “What does it mean to walk in Him?” Great question.

This passage gives us some sense of what it means. We are to be rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith. In fact, not just established but abounding in the faith with thanksgiving.

Possibly you can consider your daily life under these three elements:

• Walking in Christ refers to our 24/7 living. If you walk with someone, you are on a path. You inhabit the same space together. To walk in the Lord means that we walk down the path of life aware of Jesus in our same space. If we go back to our story above, it would have been for that man and myself to realize that Jesus also sat on that bench with us. As the conversation unfolded, we would have been aware that all we said and did was with respect to the presence of Jesus.
• Rooted, Built Up, and Established emphasizes what we know. The foundation for our walk with Jesus is His Word. We live out of what we know of Him. Where do we learn the faith? From teaching. Where do we get that teaching then? From the preached, read, and studied Word of God. If our walk with Christ depends upon what we know of Christ, then we had better depend upon much more than just the 1.7% of our week that we spend at church. That’s total time. We do more at church than simply learn.
• Demonstrating Gratitude reminds us of the fruit of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The more we walk with Jesus, are aware of His presence, and live out of what we have learned about Him from the Bible, then we can demonstrate gratitude in daily living. As followers of Christ, we should not simply be grateful for when things go our way; but instead, we should be grateful for all things. Why? Because we are living out of our faith – aware of Jesus Christ, the Gospel, and understanding the significance of that relationship.

As you go to church today, let me encourage you to listen carefully, think deeply, and seek to grow in what you are taught.

Your 1.7% of time at church goes quickly, and then you have the rest of the week.

In that 98.3% of the rest of your week, consider doing these things:

1. Spend time reviewing what you learn in church on Sunday each day.
2. Take time to read the Bible every day with a goal of learning.
3. Take a verse each day and make it your “Verse of the Day.” Write it down, reread it, and think about it.
4. Pray regularly throughout your day in light of what you read, study, and have written down.
5. Remind yourself of Jesus’ presence with you as you walk down the path of life.

This is my prediction. If we do these things, our 98.3% of the rest of our week will better reflect our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Why put in the effort? Because living for Jesus is/should be much more than just a Sunday morning thing.