Quite often in church nowadays I get the impression that those in charge of planning the service forget that more than a few of their parishioners sinned since the last time they came together.
Some lost their temper. Others lied. More than a few fell prey to sexual temptations. Students cheated on tests. Jealousy marked many, as did profanity, greed and pride.
Was the congregation gossip-free? Probably not. Did anyone take something that didn’t belong to him or her? Was someone drunk? Did harsh words wound anyone?
The list of possibilities is quite long.
So, when the confessional prayer was said by everyone, or when the time of Communion was gone through, was the sin problem adequately dealt with, or were these elements just a formality that was as surface-deep?
I have a feeling that sin and the toll it takes on people’s lives needs to be taken far more seriously in our churches. Sin—how it could be forgiven and overcome—was why Jesus went to the cross!
Sin … I’m aware that it can be made worse than what it should be by the church. That’s occasionally been a problem. But to me it seems more likely that just the opposite is the case today. Pastors and church leaders view sin as less a problem than it really is!
Let these short paragraphs be a check in your heart as to which side you fall on.
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Please click here to visit David Mains’ Sermon-Coach.com website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Please click here.
