Saturday Night to Sunday Morning

Have you ever contemplated going to church on a Sunday morning and came to the conclusion that your Saturday night, or last week, or whatever, leaves you unworthy?  “I don’t have any business going to church after what I’ve done.”

Paul wants us to know that is precisely the opposite of God’s attitude toward us!  “The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the foremost.”  (1 Tim 1:15, click here for the full passage)  Jesus came not to pat the backs of the worthy but to save sinners!  There is no Saturday night, no bad week, not even a misspent life that renders us unworthy to come to Jesus!  None of us is truly worthy, and that’s the point!

If you were in church last Sunday, you may recall that in the sermon I mentioned that I came to a point in my own life, over thirty five years ago now, where I could no longer face the hypocrisy of the Friday and Saturday night activities of a young, single guy in the city, then showing up at church on Sunday.  In my case, that drove me to Jesus, and eventually to different Saturday night habits.  That’s what God intends!

So next time you find yourself wondering if you are worthy, wondering if God could really love you, remember that the answer is “YES!”, then get yourself out of bed and come to church!

This column appeared in the September 15, 2019 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.

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