Where art thou?

In the beginning days of human history, God went looking for Adam, calling out "Where art thou?" (Genesis 3.9, KJV). Has the questioned changed much over the course of human history?

This past Sunday I referenced Mark 1.21-22 in my sermon: "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching..."

"They went into the synagogue…" They went to the place where God’s people were meeting. We approach church attendance so lightly these days, but I believe Jesus still has the same habit and pattern: he goes to church on Sunday!

"The people were amazed at his teaching..." Who was amazed? It was the people "in church" on the Sabbath! Now, I know that the church service is not the only place we will find Jesus. But, our casual approach to the services of the church belies an underlying sentiment that missing church is not such a big deal. We won't miss much.

That is troubling on a couple levels. First, it is an indictment against the leaders of the church. It should cause pause to pastors, board members, Sunday school teachers, praise team members. Those of us who pray, plan, and present the services of the gathered Church must feel the sting of rebuke.

But, it is also an indication of spiritual hunger and thirst on the part of this generation. It seems we don't care if we miss Jesus! We know that Jesus said that when even just two or three gather together in his name he is there in the midst of them. But we - for some reason - choose to limp along in our spiritual lives… It’s because we are not serious or we’re not hungry enough to go where Jesus said he would be…

Oh Church! We want to be amazed, but where are we when our Amazing Lord shows up? Like an old preacher friend of mine used to say, “I don’t want to miss. I’m afraid they will ‘cut the cake!’”

They say it’s a generational thing or a post-modern thing… But, I say it has more to do with our spiritual appetites! The early believers “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching… But within a generation the church had to be chided: Do not forsake assembling together as some are in the habit of doing…

You want God to bless your house? Sundays ought to find you in his house! You want to be amazed at Jesus? You need to be where he is! With the Church!

Where art thou?