二。因为基督徒是基督徒
种子向下扎根，烟往上冒，稻子生米，孩子长大，学生念书，狐狸吃鸡，母亲爱孩子，汽车滑下坡—都是理所当然的事情。因为是出于他们的天性，这些事情不会让我们吃惊。事实上，如果种子不向下扎根，孩子不长大，狐狸对鸡不感兴趣，或汽车自己爬上坡，我们才会吃惊。基督徒敬拜天上的真神也是这个道理。基督徒参加星期天的敬拜聚会是理所当然的；如果基督徒对“敬拜”不感兴趣的话，我们应该觉得很奇怪。
虽然我不参与任何党派，但是我知道党派时常开会。民主党、共和党、共产党、国民党等都有他们开会的时间。官员鼓励党员们要出席开会，而说，党员参与会议是理所当然的。同样，基督徒做礼拜也是理所当然的。
我煮白开水泡茶时，不小心烫伤手，说“哎哟”是理所当然的。孩子考第一名，父母心里很高兴，也是理所当然的。媳妇生小壮丁，全家欢天喜地，社会认为是理所当然的。基层工人离开家乡前往大城下海开业，成功赚大钱后，回到故乡建立学校、诊所、医院等，有人说是理所当然的。同样的道理，基督徒每周跟别的基督徒一块聚会敬拜、感谢那位祝福他们的真神，赦免他们罪孽的天父，也是理所当然的。
早上起床后，我右手的无名指时常僵直，我很难的使得他展开。因为是我的身体，我担心我的无名指是理所当然的。如果我不顾虑自己身体上的毛病，谁都会觉得奇怪。
把刚才讲的，应用在人性的另一方面吧。基督耶稣是我生命的一部分。身为基督徒的我相信耶稣天天与我同在；他是我随时的朋友。我软弱时，耶稣鼓励我；面对挑战时，耶稣帮助我；内心忧伤时，他安慰我。如果身为基督徒的我不参加教会活动，培养我属灵的那一面，就等于把身体上，很重要的一部分，撇在一边不管。这样看来，去做礼拜是理所当然的，也是很重要的。
圣经也如此教导基督徒。新约使徒行传告诉我们在第一世纪最早的基督徒“天天同心…恒切地聚集…”（2:46）。可惜，二三十年以后，他们当中有一些基督徒已经放弃了聚会的习惯。主耶稣给他们的责备，因为是新约圣经的一部分，就是我们今天的教诲。圣经劝他们说：“我们不可放弃聚会，好像有些人的习惯一样；却要互相劝勉…”（希伯来书10:25）。从此可知，早期的基督徒受教要聚会。每当聚会他们就要敬拜、称颂、感谢天上的神。如那时候一样，今天的基督徒参加敬拜聚会，做礼拜，是理所当然的，就好像种子向下扎根，烟往上冒，狐狸追鸡一样。
欢迎您每当星期日敬拜那位爱您的神。
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.