June/July 2008

"Let's Exercise Our Freedom!"

In my high school and early college years I used to run incessantly. It was rare that I would miss putting in three to five miles a day. After a while, though, I thought I was in good enough shape to cut back my running to every other day, and then every third day, and then once a week. Those weeks turned into months and months into years. Even the thought of going running became difficult. I soon found other things occupying my time - and dare I say it - I allowed those things to become my excuses. Consequently I have quit.

With the arrival of Independence Day we are reminded that we are a nation blessed with many freedoms - among those the freedom of religion. We have the freedom to gather in public worship. We have the freedom to study God's Word. We have the freedom to have Bibles in our homes and to carry them in our hands. Yet, how easy it is for us to quit exercising those freedoms.

The writer to the Hebrew says: "let us not give up (forsake) meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25.) What was causing some of those people to "forsake" meeting together? Some simply feared the authorities and avoided public worship for fear of being recognized as Christians. Thank the Lord we do not have to worry about governmental repercussions when we gather for worship! Some thought they could secure all the blessings of Christianity and then withdraw from the worshipping community; like thinking they were in good enough shape to cut back on gathering in worship. Some, I'm sure, just got lazy. And weeks of "forsaking meeting together" turned into months and months even into years. Others likely felt they did not need to be with the fellowship of believers anymore and found other ("more important"?) things to occupy their time. I wonder how many quit.

When we hear the words of the Hebrews we can be reminded to exercise our freedom to gather together in worship. The root cause of "forsaking meeting together" is sin - be it the sin of spiritual self-sufficiency, or the sin of laziness, or the sin of misplaced priorities. Sin has a way of leading to the forsaking. That of course is most evident on the cross (Matthew 27:46) where Jesus was forsaken (same word) of His Father for a time for our sin - yes, even the sin that induces away from meeting together. It is the forsakenness of Jesus, through which we live in the forgiveness of sins and that encourages us to exercise our freedom. It moves us to encourage one another to gather together with the Christian fellowship and around God's gifts of Word and Sacrament. Let's exercise our freedom.

If you are gathering regularly, be encouraged to keep it up. If you have become sporadic, be encouraged to reclaim the routine of "meeting together". If you have found other things monopolizing your time, be encouraged to set aside time to worship knowing that you are the Living Jesus' number one priority.

Pastor John

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