The First Sunday-service

Sunday: one of the most nerve-racking, the busiest, if not the deadliest day of the week for many Christians. But have we ever thought of the reason why we have our Sunday Service at all? Sure it is to worship God. But the Bible tells us that “taking our everyday, ordinary life—our sleeping, eating, going-to-work/school, and walking-around life—and placing it before God as an offering” is our true kind of worship.

It says that “embracing what God does for us is the best thing we can do for him.” (Romans 12:1-2, The Message).

How about celebrating the Holy Sabbath? I hope this is true. But many find their Sundays more hectic than any other day. No wonder our pastors and ministry workers have their Sabbath every Monday.

Alvin and Nash D.G. courtesy of Mikee Nazal perksofbeingasunflower.wordpress.com

For fellowship, or discipleship; meeting with our small-group to eat, talk, cry, laugh, and eat again? It’s deeply crazy but it seems that our Sundays are lacking without these ‘Christian-elements’. To be comforted physically, emotionally, as well as egoistically sad to say, are some of the purposes why a Christian goes to church every Sunday. The problem is most of the time we miss the central focus of the Sunday service.

This is one of the dangerous results of not knowing the reason behind doing things.

No need to be a theologian. We can probably trace back the history of Sunday-service in the thirteenth chapter of the gospel of John. It goes like this:

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God … began to wash his disciples’ feet,..”

The account of the Last Supper with Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. It’s interesting how Jesus illustrates this great paradox of servitude. The time he identifies that “all things in heaven and earth are under His power” was the same time He washed His disciple’s feet. It is interesting what Eric Ludy says that “the bigger you get in the Kingdom of Heaven, the lower the position you take.” The early church understands this clearly.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer.

A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” Acts 2: 42 -47

This is the “Sunday service” we are talking about. And again in the fourth chapter of Acts:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.” (v.32-34)

So are we to give everything we have to the church to imitate what the early Christians do in their service? Without doubt. They do it not figuratively, but literally. “But I don’t have enough possessions!”

Sure we don’t. Most of us are not acting the way we should be, in the church and out.

Yet do you know how to hold a rug, a brush? Do you know how to stack-pile chairs? Can you teach? Can you sing? You know about computers? You know how to write? Do you even have a hand? An eye? A foot?

If most of our answer to those is yes, then we are a billionaire!

We say “I need to be prayed for this week.” How about “Who can I pray for this week?” It’s not what this church can do for you but what you can do for His church. Think of that attitude shift. (Eric Ludy, on Intercession)

The answer to our question “why we do have a Sunday-service” is in the question itself. …Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

I wonder what happen to our church nowadays. Or what happened to us nowadays.

What happened to the heart of early believers possessed.? The heart of God?

Speaking of which, “Sunday-service” happens day after day during our church ancestors era.

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.

Every day, one heart. Every day, one mind. Every day, singing. Everyday eating together. Everyday encouragement. As a church, this is what it should be. This is how we ought to live.