Who Are You on Monday?

It’s interesting to me how the Church went from “meeting from house to house” (Acts 2:42-47) to “keeping it in the church house.” Seriously. I think, however, this is a deeper issue than merely how we got from one place to another, and it is, indeed, a more ancient issue than the modern problems seemingly plaguing the body of Christ. I think the same problems that plagued Ephesus, Colossae, Corinth, Philippi, Sardis, Laodicea, and the rest of the New Testament Churches we see plague us today, just in repackaged and rebranded ways. When we gather on Sundays, or even on Wednesdays or whenever else we meet, are we putting on a show? Do we check off Spiritual boxes to make sure we’re good for the week? Do we use “I go to church” as an excuse not to live the life Jesus modeled for us? We go to church on Sunday, but who are we on Monday?

Loved ones, we’re not called to be Sunday Christians, but we’re called to follow Christ Monday through Saturday as well. We’re called to follow Christ in mind, body and spirit. We’re called to Holiness and Righteousness through obedience to Jesus. We’re called to love one another, and look after one another. We’re called to be witnesses of the Good News of Jesus Christ, regardless of the personal risks and outcomes, knowing that God has all things in hand. We are called to Victory in Christ Jesus.

So, who are you on Monday? Who are you in the secret place, or in public, or among your friends and family? Are you being led by the Spirit through God’s word, taking every thought captive, and submitting all your actions to Christ? Who you are on Monday, and every other day of the week is more important than who you are on Sunday, because it reveals your attitude toward Christ: do you live a life of worship, or are you worshipping yourself?

1 Corinthians 10

I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

Look at what is before your eyes. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, let him remind himself that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we. For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. I do not want to appear to be frightening you with my letters. For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach you. For we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged, so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you, without boasting of work already done in another’s area of influence. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.