WORTHY OF MORE THAN CONVENIENT
Worthy of More Than What Is Convenient
There are many things in life that receive our time simply because we have decided they are worth it. We rearrange our schedules for ball games, appointments, family gatherings, vacations, work responsibilities, and any number of other things that are important to us. We leave early, stay late, drive farther than we normally would, and sometimes inconvenience ourselves because we have already decided that something is worth the effort. There is certainly nothing wrong with many of those things, but it does raise a question that I believe every Christian ought to ask from time to time: What does the way I use my life say about what I believe is truly worthy?
Paul pleaded with the Christians at Ephesus, “that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (Ephesians 4:1). He gave a similar instruction to the Colossians when he prayed that they might “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing” (Colossians 1:10). Neither passage suggests that we can somehow live well enough to earn the grace of God. We could never deserve the cross, earn the blood of Christ, or place God in our debt. Rather, because we have received such extraordinary mercy, our lives ought to reflect the worth of the One who has called us. This is the same thought behind Paul's appeal in Romans 12:1 that we present our bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.”
In a couple of weeks, we will begin our Gospel Meeting centered around the theme “Worthy Living.” We will consider A Hope Worth Having, A Life Worth Living, A Prayer Worth Praying, A Walk Worth Taking, A Character Worth Sharing, and A Uniform Worth Bearing. I am looking forward to these lessons because this is about much more than attending six sermons. It is about examining what happens when the Gospel we believe actually becomes the life we live.
I want to encourage every member of this congregation to make a real effort to attend this meeting well. I realize that work schedules, sickness, family responsibilities, and circumstances beyond our control are real, and not everyone will necessarily be able to attend every service. But when we can be here, I hope we will make being here a priority. Bring your Bible. Pray for the meeting before it begins. Pray for the one who will be preaching. Invite someone to come with you. Bring your children. Encourage one another to be present. Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us that assembling together is not only about what we receive, but also about provoking one another “unto love and to good works” and encouraging one another in our faith.
More than anything else, come prepared to listen to the Word of God with an honest heart. When something challenges us, instead of immediately thinking about someone else who needs to hear it, perhaps we should continue asking the question we recently considered together: “What if it's me?” When the Word exposes something that needs to change, may we have the humility to change it. When it shows us something we need to be doing, may we have the courage to begin.
We have also recently considered those wonderful words, “Come and see” (John 1:46). But once we come and see Jesus for who He truly is, we eventually have to decide what He is worth to us. Heaven has already answered the question concerning Him: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain” (Revelation 5:12).
If He is worthy, then His Word is worth hearing. His church is worth encouraging. His Gospel is worth sharing. Following Him is worth whatever sacrifice it requires.
He is worthy. May the lives we live show that we believe it.
~ Casey Clement
>PS. Let's see how many people we can get to worship with us next week!