Daily Religion 1 WS234
An Everyday Religion*
by Wesley Simons
Introduction
1. In our world we hear much about the expressions “Sunday clothes” and
“everyday clothes”
2. There are some people who have a sort of a “Sunday religion,” and not an
“everyday religion”.
3. They merely put their religion on and off with their Sunday clothes.
4. With some people Christianity is a social thing only; to them the church is
no more than a “Sunday club”, just a place to go on Sunday.
5. The religion of Jesus Christ is more than a “Sunday go to meeting religion”
6. Under the law of Moses they had daily services and sacrifices: Exodus
29:38-39 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of
the first year day by day continually. 39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the
morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: Exodus 30:7-8 7 And
Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the
lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps
at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD
throughout your generations.
7. These things were written for our edification: Romans 15:4 For whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
8. We who are Christians constitute a priesthood: 1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively
stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
9. We, too, are to offer daily sacrifices unto God: Romans 12:1-2 I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable,
and perfect, will of God.
10. A Daily religion involves:
I. Daily Prayer.
1. Under Judaism incense was offered to the Lord daily. ( See Ex. 30:7-8 in
the introduction ).
2. Incense was a type of prayer: Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the
book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the
Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours,
which are the prayers of saints.
3. Daily needs mean daily prayer to the faithful Christians: Philippians 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
4. Thus Jesus taught his disciples to pray: Luke 11:3 Give us day by day our
daily bread.
5. David prayed daily to the Lord: Psalm 55:17 Evening, and morning, and
at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Psalm
88:9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called
daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.
6. We, too, must have a daily prayer life.
II. Daily Bible Study.
1. Jesus said, John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
2. Paul said, 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
3. How often should we do these things?
4. The noble Bereans serve as a good example: Acts 17:11 These were more
noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all
readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things
were so.
5. Our children attend school five days during the week for nine months out
of the year to learn arithmetic, grammar and geography. Yet we seem to
think that we can go to Bible school one hour a week and learn enough
Bible to keep us faithful.
6. We cannot “grow in grace, and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus
Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18) without a daily study of God’s word.
III. Daily Evangelism.
1. Jesus said, Matthew 26:55 55 In that same hour said Jesus to the
multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for
to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no
hold on me.
2. The church grew bountifully because of it’s aggressive and daily
evangelism: Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the
temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with
gladness and singleness of heart, Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and
in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
3. One might say but I have to make a living. We should try to teach those
with whom we work. Some of the apostles were called while they were
working: Matthew 4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will
make you fishers of men.
4. Hand someone a good tract.
5. Paul said, Acts 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space
of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
6. This is a noble example for us to be involved in daily evangelism.
IV. Daily Exhortation
1. Christians are to exhort one another: Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one
another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
2. We are to exhort those who have been overtaken in a fault: Galatians 6:1
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also
be tempted.
3. We need to help the weak: Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to
bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
4. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are
unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
men.
5. It is too often the case that those who are weak in the faith are left to sink
are swim, yet we are our brother’s keeper.
V. Daily Ministration.
1. The first disturbance in the church arose over the Hebrew widows being
neglected in the daily ministration: Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the
number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the
Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in
the daily ministration.
2. You and I need groceries, clothing and shelter every day; the widows and
the orphans need them just as often. James 1:27 Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
3. Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of
Christ. Galatians 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the
poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
4. 1 John 3:17-18 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how
dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in
word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
5. We should know for our benevolence.
VI. Daily Cross-Bearing.
1. Jesus said, Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
2. Jesus was made to be the perfect sacrifice for us through suffering:
Hebrews 5:8-9 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the
things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the
author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
3. We love to sing “The Old Rugged Cross”, but do we like to bear it?
4. Many wear a cross around their necks, or place one on the steeple of their
church buildings, but when that becomes an emblem of suffering or
sacrifice, they are not too eager to bear it.
5. Jesus said, Matthew 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth
after me, is not worthy of me.
VII. Daily Results
1. Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the
Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
2. Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and
increased in number daily.
3. We should strive to have daily additions.
Conclusion
1. Our religion ought not be so flimsy that it couldn’t stand everyday wear
and tear.
2. We need to make sure that our religion is an everyday practice.
3. If you not a Christian, then you need to start your daily cross bearing by:
(1) hearing, Rom.10:17; (2) believing, John 8:24; (3) Repenting, Lk. 13:3;
(4) Confessing, Matt. 10:32-33; (5) and being baptized, Acts 2:38.
4. Then one is to be faithful daily to God.
* Outline borrowed from Melvin Wise