SECRETLY MEETING

SECRETLY MEETING!

Rom 11:2-4

2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

John 19:38

38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

           It is Sunday and some of you are already negotiating with yourself as to whether you will attend church. You will check the weather and your general health and then you will evaluate your night’s sleep. Next you will check your calendar and see if anything truly important shows up like a significant televised sporting event. Once all the indicators are favorable, you will check the closet to see if you have anything decent to wear. Ultimately you may decide to go to church.

           What if you had to attend worship secretly? What if you were in danger of prison, punishment, or death if you openly attended a Christian meeting? This was the situation in the days of Elias in the verse above. The Old Testament tells us that he felt very alone. He complained that he was the “only one” who faithfully followed God only to be sharply reprimanded when God told him that there were another seven thousand secretly meeting in worship.

           If worship were a commodity would we waste it? When things are plentiful and free we waste and trash it. We throw away more food in our culture than others in foreign nations eat. Where abundance dwells it dwells with extravagance and waste. What if it were not easily or freely available. What if water, food, or open worship were not easily obtained? What then?

John 16:1-2

16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Dear Lord, I am able to worship you freely and openly. Let me not waste this great treasure. AMEN