二。因為基督徒是基督徒
種子向下紮根，煙往上冒，稻子生米，孩子長大，學生念書，狐狸吃雞，母親愛孩子，汽車滑下坡—都是理所當然的事情。因為是出於他們的天性，這些事情不會讓我們吃驚。事實上，如果種子不向下紮根，孩子不長大，狐狸對雞不感興趣，或汽車自己爬上坡，我們才會吃驚。基督徒敬拜天上的真神也是這個道理。基督徒參加星期天的敬拜聚會是理所當然的；如果基督徒對“敬拜”不感興趣的話，我們應該覺得很奇怪。
雖然我不參與任何黨派，但是我知道黨派時常開會。民主黨、共和黨、共產黨、國民黨等都有他們開會的時間。官員鼓勵黨員們要出席開會，而說，黨員參與會議是理所當然的。同樣，基督徒做禮拜也是理所當然的。
我煮白開水泡茶時，不小心燙傷手，說“哎喲”是理所當然的。孩子考第一名，父母心裡很高興，也是理所當然的。媳婦生小壯丁，全家歡天喜地，社會認為是理所當然的。基層工人離開家鄉前往大城下海開業，成功賺大錢後，回到故鄉建立學校、診所、醫院等，有人說是理所當然的。同樣的道理，基督徒每周跟別的基督徒一塊聚會敬拜、感謝那位祝福他們的真神，赦免他們罪孽的天父，也是理所當然的。
早上起床後，我右手的無名指時常僵直，我很難的使得他展開。因為是我的身體，我擔心我的無名指是理所當然的。如果我不顧慮自己身體上的毛病，誰都會覺得奇怪。
把剛才講的，應用在人性的另一方面吧。基督耶穌是我生命的一部分。身為基督徒的我相信耶穌天天與我同在；他是我隨時的朋友。我軟弱時，耶穌鼓勵我；面對挑戰時，耶穌幫助我；內心憂傷時，他安慰我。如果身為基督徒的我不參加教會活動，培養我屬靈的那一面，就等於把身體上，很重要的一部分，撇在一邊不管。這樣看來，去做禮拜是理所當然的，也是很重要的。
聖經也如此教導基督徒。新約使徒行傳告訴我們在第一世紀最早的基督徒“天天同心…恆切地聚集…”（2:46）。可惜，二三十年以後，他們當中有一些基督徒已經放棄了聚會的習慣。主耶穌給他們的責備，因為是新約聖經的一部分，就是我們今天的教誨。聖經勸他們說：“我們不可放棄聚會，好像有些人的習慣一樣；卻要互相勸勉…”（希伯來書10:25）。從此可知，早期的基督徒受教要聚會。每當聚會他們就要敬拜、稱頌、感謝天上的神。如那時候一樣，今天的基督徒參加敬拜聚會，做禮拜，是理所當然的，就好像種子向下紮根，煙往上冒，狐狸追雞一樣。
歡迎您每當星期日敬拜那位愛您的神。
Why Christians Worship Every Sunday
02: Because We Are Christians!
By Edward Short
Seeds sprout roots that grow down into the soil, smoke swirls upward toward the sky, rice seedlings produce rice, children grow up, students study, foxes eat chickens, mothers love their children, cars roll down hill—all of these are natural occurrences. Since they spring from the very nature of whom or what they are, none of these circumstances surprises us. The fact is, if seed doesn’t sprout roots that grow downward, if children don’t grow up, if foxes aren’t interested in chickens, or if a car rolls uphill by itself—those are the things that surprise us! The attendance of Christians at worship is based on the same principle. It’s natural for Christians to worship God on Sundays, and we should think it very strange if a Christian has no interest in worshiping God.
Although I’m not a member of any political party, I do know that sometimes political parties have meetings. Republicans, Democrats, Communists, Nationalists and other such political entities all have meetings. Those in charge of the parties encourage their members to attend the meetings, and it’s only natural for them to do so. In the same way, it’s natural for Christians to attend worship.
Sometimes when I boil water for tea, if I’m not careful, and scald my hand, it’s only normal for me to yell “Ouch!” When their child makes the highest score on an exam, it’s quite normal for parents to express joy. Especially in Asia, how excited the in-laws are when a young lady gives birth to a son! If a common laborer leaves home for the big city, successfully opens his own business and accumulates a great deal of wealth, some people would not be surprised if he were to return home and found a school or build a hospital. Similarly, we should find it entirely consistent with nature for a Christian to attend worship each week and express gratitude to the God who has blessed him and has forgiven his sins.
When I get out of bed in the mornings, the fourth finger on my right hand is bent closed and is very difficult to open or straighten out. Since this is my body, it’s only normal for me to be concerned about my finger. People will think me abnormal if I don’t show concern about my own body.
Applying these examples to another aspect of human nature, Jesus Christ is part of my life. As a Christian, I believe that Jesus is with me every day; he’s the friend who is constantly near me. When I’m weak, Jesus encourages me; when I face challenges, Jesus helps me; when I’m in pain, Jesus comforts me. If I don’t attend church worship—Christian that I am—and thus feed my spiritual needs, it means that I have tossed to the wind the most important part of my own nature. Hence, we can see how necessary and how natural it is for me to worship God.
The Bible teaches Christians about worshiping God. In the book of Acts in the New Testament, we read that in the first century, the earliest Christians, “Day by day, as they spent much time together…” (Acts 2:46 NRSV). Unfortunately, twenty or thirty years later, there were some Christians who had given up the habit of meeting together. The reprimand that the Lord Jesus gave those Christians became part of the Bible content, and it serves as our instruction today. The Bible encouraged them with these words, “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another…” (Hebrews 10:25 NRSV). From this we can see that the earliest Christians were instructed to assemble. Such assemblies included worship, praise and thanksgiving to God. Today, just as then, Christians attend worship assemblies. For Christians to worship God is just as natural as smoke rising, roots going down, and foxes chasing chickens!
I invite you to worship each Sunday the God who loves you.