The church used to occupy a central place in the life of our country and culture. Sometimes, as in colonial days, the church was literally the center of the town. Life revolved around the gathering of the saints to worship their Lord. Sadly, though, decade by decade, generation by generation, we have seen the church put to the periphery of society, and even to the outskirts, to the point where in our day we can publicly express our devotion to God, as long as it's not too public. We lament this ongoing trend, and rightfully so. But there is an even deeper tragedy, a more disturbing trend in our day regarding the worship of our God. Not only has society in general pushed church life to the periphery and beyond, but we as God's people have done the same. Our text proclaims to us the utter necessity and beauty of worshiping our God together as well as the danger and sinfulness of neglecting that worship. |