Everyone needs a break. Workers need breaks, teachers need a break, the President needs a break, preachers need breaks, and even Jesus needed breaks (Matthew 14:22-23). Lunch breaks, summer breaks, winter breaks, or vacation breaks are essential. When such are vacant in people’s lives, mental and emotional stress builds. Breaks are needed, but have you ever heard of anyone taking a break from Jesus?
Breaks are for the purpose of reprieve, release, and rekindling. Breaks are purposed to leave work, stress, and business behind for inward renewal. Spiritually and to their detriment, some leave Jesus behind, and take breaks from Him. Some even do this on a weekly basis! Specifically, how do Christians take a break from Jesus?
By skipping worship for unexcused excuses. Christians know excuses don’t work with God (cf. Luke 14:16-24), yet they seem to use them often. While there are four allowances for absence from worship (sick, helping the sick, called in to work either in the morning or evening, or reconciliation [Matthew 5:22-26]), some like to give “reasons,” for their absence, when these are just excuses.
· “I stayed up late last night and need to rest.”
· “We are on vacation.”
· “Our family is in town and they don’t want to go.”
· “We will just stay home and watch online.”
Not one of the above arguments would stand trial in God’s court. Worship is the most important thing a Christian will do during the week and its sad to see God’s own children conjure try to “get out” of something their heavenly Father deserves. The Hebrews writer commanded, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
By Belittling Bible Classes or Sunday Night Worship.
While no such example of a Wednesday night Bible class or extra worship service is shown in the Bible, does that mean Christians are liberated from attending such times? If one truly loves Jesus, will he not want to attend such times? What could be more important than a mid-week Bible study for recharging, a in depth study of a Bible book before worship on Sunday, or an extra worship service to glorify the God who saved them? Truly, “For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21). Do you have your heart set on activities rather than assembly? Gus Nichols wrote the following poem,
I love the church that Jesus built,
And know that it is right.I go there every Sunday morn,But not on Sunday night.I love to sing the songs of God;Such
worship must be right.And this I do on
Sunday morn,But not on Sunday night.I
love to hear the Gospel too,It gives me pure delight.I hear it every Sunday
morn,But not on Sunday night.And may
God bless our preacher too,And give
him power and might,And put a sinner in my placeAt worship Sunday night.It’s
true, the church can save the world,If
good light shines bright;I help it every
Sunday morn,But not on Sunday
night.Yes, all of us must one day die,I
hope I’ll be doing right;So may I die on
Sunday morn,But not on Sunday night!
Do you take a break from Jesus on Sunday and Wednesday evenings? Do the elders establish times to meet, but you fail to attend (cf. Hebrews 13:17)? David would have attended: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1).
By making an appearance only.
Worship is bilateral; spirit and truth worship is expected (John 4:24). Some take a break from Jesus even while appearing on site. They “draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Examples may include:
· Napping during the sermon.
· Wondering mind during the songs.
· Thinking about sports rather than the Lord’s Supper.
Worship is not an outlet for rest, a time for relaxation, or an opportunity to disengage. Since the word “worship” is a verb and it means to “kiss toward,” all Christians ought to appear before the King ready to do obeisance. How often are you engaged in worship?
We have no time to take breaks from Jesus, we’ve got to much work to do (cf. John 4:34-35; John 9:4). So, how many breaks have you taken from Jesus?
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