by Pastor David Nuottila
“I am a Christian, but I don’t have to go to church to have
a relationship with God.” This is the phrase that all too often changes the
course of conversation once people find out that I am a pastor. Each time I
hear this phrase, I wonder if people really believe they can be faithful
Christians on their own. Usually it means that this person does not feel the
necessity to attend worship services on Sunday morning. Other times, it serves
as an indicator of a past or present issue a person has within his/her
congregation. In either case, the statement cannot be anymore false. To be a Christian
means living within a relationship, not simply with God, but with other faithful
Christians as well.
The Communion of Saints Just as families grow larger with
the birth of each new child, so also God’s family of faith grows with the
baptism of each new Christian. Through baptism, God gathers people into community
with one another, living together as members of the body of Christ. This is not
simply a relationship we share with members of our congregation. It isn’t just
a relationship we have with Christians of our time. This relationship is one
that is shared with all of God’s people for all time. As we express in our liturgy,
“God has made us his people through our baptism into Christ.” God calls us to
live together in faithfulness. Through times of prosperity and through times of
great difficulty, Christians enjoy a kinship unlike any other, one filled with
God’s unfailing love.
Being a Christian is also a way of life. Christians worship
together, pray together, study God’s Word together and share fellowship
together. When church family members fall short (and we all do), others come to
their aid and support them with the love and compassion of Christ. God does not
intend for his people to live in isolation; the Christian life cannot be lived
out alone. Each member of the body depends on the others to live and thrive as
God’s people of faith. Denying this relationship means denying the One who
calls and institutes the relationship also.
Keeping the Sabbath Holy We often read in the gospels that
Jesus had the custom of reading and teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath
day. Jesus did not set this pattern for worship, and he did not set this
pattern for people to learn of the ways of God. This pattern was established
for us by the very hand of God with the third commandment. God said, “Remember
the Sabbath to keep it holy.” Notice that Jesus’ Sabbath custom did not include
spending the day alone. He went to the synagogue and joined God’s gathered
family for worship. In worship, God speaks to his people through liturgy, song
and sermon. We share stories of our faith, share the peace of Christ, and are strengthened
as we receive our living Lord in Holy Communion. For Christians, keeping the
Sabbath holy; therefore, also means immersing one’s self in the community
gathered by God for worship.
Christ at the Center of Life Finally, to be a Christian, that
is a follower of Jesus Christ, one must always keep Christ at the center of
his/her life. To do this, one must strive to live as Jesus lived and obey his
two great commandments. Jesus teaches that we are to love God with all our
heart, mind and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. God gathers us,
God feeds us, and God sends us in mission to the world; not to live in
isolation, but to be living examples of faithful people living in the community
of Christ Jesus. Dismissing God’s call to gather with other Christians and be a
fellow worker for the sake of the gospel replaces Christ and puts the self at
the center of life. Those with the false notion of being Christian on their own
do so with an unrealized intention of being in control of the relationship. They
end up serving their interests before God’s interest, and eventually fall even
farther away from the church and their relationship with God and his people. Living
for the sake of the world and its empty promises brings false hope. Those who
seek only to live as Christians on their terms live in denial of the promises
of God and the fellowship of God’s people.
So why this article now? Well, as I look around and see
those vacant seats in our church each week, and hear other pastors tell of the
same emptiness, I pray for those who are not with us, especially those who
profess to be Christians on their own. And what about those of us who attend
worship each week and participate regularly in the life of the church? Are we
inviting friends and neighbors to join us in this relationship? We all know
people who say they are Christian, but don’t feel the need to go to church. Such
a statement is our invitation to be inviting. The next time someone tells you
they don’t need to attend worship in order to express their love for God,
invite them anyway. Worship is not hardship; it is a Christian’s pleasure, a
right and good thing to do. Invite them to come and see what they are missing.
Grace to you and peace, Pastor David Nuottila
