Pastor Keith Williams,
High Prairie Bethel Baptist Church
A while back I had a great conversation with a man about Christians and their faith.

Bill [not his real name] said, “I went to church as a child and it seemed [as he could remember] that it was just a way to get him and others to be better people and not cause trouble, be nicer to our neighbours, don’t lie, cheat, steel, chew or go with girls that do, that type of thing.”

Bill went on to say that, “Christians are always talking about how they feel and how Jesus makes you feel better, to try and get me and others to buy in so to speak. Aren’t feelings subjective?”

Bill continued.

“Why should I get out of bed Sunday morning to go to church to be told how to have a better marriage or better behaved kids or be better off financially? I can get all that from TV or the Internet.”

I said I had to agree with him 100 per cent. I have absolutely no right to tell you or anyone else that if you become a Christian you can have a better life, or your life will turn around. You might become a Christian and two weeks latter be diagnosed with cancer for all I know.

Then I asked Bill a question.

“Bill, what if the basis for my belief in Christianity, my faith, has nothing to do with how I feel or what gets me out of bed in the morning, or even helps me get along with others?
“What if Christianity is based on historical facts that can be proven? If I told you that it is a proven recorded fact that Jesus was born, lived and was put to death and this happened publicly and was not done in a corner or behind closed doors, the fact that Christianity is based on facts that can be proven or disproven, this is the reason that I believe.”

He said, “Well, that’s different, one would have to look at the facts and decide.”

Then he said, “But that’s not what Christians usually do.”

Some people who are not Christians watch those of us who are. When we stumble and sin as we often do they might think, “I want nothing to do with that, they are no better off than we are.”

That last statement is true. We are no better off than anyone else and shouldn’t claim to be.

There is one main difference; however, and that difference is that those of us who call Jesus Christ our Saviour we are forgiven, we are forgiven of our wrongdoings which are called sins.

So, as we gather each Sunday we are a bunch of people who struggle, fall, fail and sin. We are led by a pastor who struggles and sins and is tempted like everyone else.

What if on Sunday morning you get out of bed and go to church and find forgiveness and not judgment?

What if Christianity is not about dos and don’ts, and rule keeping?

What if you come to church and find it’s about restoration and forgiveness?

Isn’t that worth getting out of bed for Sunday morning?