Whether you have the opportunity to worship today in person or online, anticipating Sunday morning worship matters. As you prepare for the time you will spend in the Word of God through preaching and singing with brothers and sisters in Christ, let me encourage you to keep two fellow followers on Christ in mind as you prepare. Let me tell you their story.
Anticipating Sunday Morning Worship
Long ago on the first Sunday after Jesus’ death, two followers of His walked down the road to the village called Emmaus. One was named Cleopas and the other unnamed. This journey was a seven mile journey from Jerusalem. As they walked, they talked about the events of the weekend. Just three days earlier, the chief priests and others had killed Jesus by crucifying Him on a Roman cross. These two men discussed the crazy events of the day which included the women finding the tomb empty. As they walked, they were sad.
Along the way, Jesus began to walk with them. They were kept from recognizing Him. As they began their conversation, Jesus asked why they were so sad. They told Him what had happened. Jesus then began from the Old Testament and explained all that had happened. As they continued on the journey toward Emmaus, Jesus talked with them, reasoned with them through the Scriptures, and helped them understand what the Bible teaches.
As they arrived in Emmaus, they compelled Jesus to eat dinner with them. Jesus did. He took bread, blessed, and broke it. Their eyes were open. They knew him and He vanished.
Their testimony: “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with u son the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32).
They got up and headed straight back to Jerusalem to find the eleven to tell them all about it.
Here are a few observations about your Sunday…
1. Go to church and be ready to hear God’s Word.
These men were not ready to see Jesus. They were downtrodden. Their hearts were burdened as they walked down the road. As Jesus walked with them, they failed to hear the significance of what said. Thankfully, Jesus opened their eyes.
2. Pray for God to open your eyes to hear the significance of His Word.
As you go to church, ask God to help you catch the significance of the truth taught from the Word. Even as Paul did in Ephesians, ask God to grant you the wisdom of His Word as those who have opened spiritual eyes. Pray and ask God to help you be sensitive to truth and to clearly consider the implications of that truth.
3. Rejoice in that truth together with others.
As you hear and enjoy the Word of God, consider its implications for your life, and contemplate the benefits of it, be sure to rejoice in truth with others around you. Take a moment to discuss what you have heard and how it applies to your life. Ask others where they were impacted in their thinking and how it might apply to their lives as well. Have good conversations about the worship you have experienced.
4. Intentionally seek to apply what you hear.
When the service is over, take something that you heard with its implication and try to apply it to your life today, tomorrow, and this week. The last thing you want to do is gain insight in your church service without applying it to your life. As Paul Tripp often has said, “Change does not take place until change takes place.” You must do something.
The Sum Effect
Our prayer together should be that God would grant us a beautiful day together in His presence with His people – whether online or in person. Be ready to hear the Word of God. Pray that God would open your eyes and heart to the significance of its meaning. Rejoice in the truth with others. And, intentionally seek to apply what you hear to your life today and this week.
Friends, you will be blessed if you seek to do these things this week on your own road to Emmaus.
Image Credit Nils Stahl
KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
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