AP

Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church

By James Jeffery

Author: Paul David Tripp

Publisher: Crossway

Year: 2023

In our modern times, a rekindled grasp of true worship stands as a vital need. Worship, at its essence, is the rightful honouring of God according to His Word. In many ways, the heart of worship is the Lord’s Day, which serves as the axis around which the Christian week revolves. It is the day on which God’s people gather together to worship Him in spirit and truth.

J.C. Ryle underscored the importance of the Lord’s Day in Knots Untied (1885):

It is not too much to say that the prosperity or decay of English Christianity depends on the maintenance of the Christian Sabbath. Break down the fence which now surrounds the Sunday, and our Sunday schools will soon come to an end. Let in the flood of worldliness and dissipation on the Lord’s Day, without check or hindrance, and our congregations will soon dwindle away.

Yet, merely allocating Sunday as a day for the Lord is not enough. We must approach Sunday with ears ready to listen, and hearts prepared to worship. In Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church, Paul Tripp offers counsel and guidance as we approach the day which God consecrated for our good and His glory.

Tripp asserts “The conscious and intentional worship of God is the highest calling and most wonderful thing a human being could ever do…” (p. 2). Hence, Sunday Worship isn’t a chore, but a blessing, not a burden, but a delight. Worshipping Jesus Christ and experiencing true joy are two sides of the same coin. It is God’s desire that our joy be complete (1 John 5:13).

Sunday Matterscontains 52 devotionals — one for each week of the year — all addressing a different component or aspect of Sunday worship. The last two (Week 51 and 52) are topical devotions intended to be read at Easter and Christmas.

These devotions address misconceptions, common struggles, and theological truths about Sunday worship. Unlike many devotionals on the market, Tripp manages to communicate rich theological truths in a relevant and pastoral way. Tripp certainly achieves his ministry vision of connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.

While Sunday Matterscan be read by individuals, it is most profitable to read it in a small group, or during family worship. This is because it is designed to be read out loud, and the ‘Family Discussion’ questions at the end of each devotion are intended to stimulate and encourage discussion (My family are hoping to use it each Saturday evening in preparation for Sunday morning).

While the placement of Scripture readings at the start would enhance the devotional, most entries are richly interwoven with biblical references, often echoing the provided text at each week’s conclusion.

The Bottom Line

Irrespective of one’s background, Sunday Mattersproves a beneficial devotional for all Christians. The gospel truths contained within shift our perspective, transforming the Lord’s Day from a mere obligation into an opportunity for rejoicing in, and worshipping, our Redeemer.

Trippdraws us to trust in the Lord’s Day as it is presented in God’s Word. Ultimately, the devotional reminds us that Sundays are a powerful means of grace given to us by our gracious God. God has chosen to use this consecrated day to both glorify His name and delight in Him forever.

When Sundays are restored to their proper place, the rest of the Christian life is consequently blessed. Tripp shares the goal of Sunday Matters:

“May this devotional cause that weekly formal corporate worship to spill over into your daily life, so that your life becomes a hymn of worship to the Savior who rescued you, adopted you, and daily works to draw you near” (p. 4).

Amen!