For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:30)

Sleeping In Church

The early church experienced phenomenal growth in the first days of the kingdom. Three thousand souls were added to the church on the day of Pentecost; later, the number of men came to be about five thousand. The first converts devoted themselves to the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, and worship. Fear came upon every soul as the apostles showed the power of God with miracles. If anyone lacked the basic necessities of life, the saints helped other saints, praising God and having favor with all the people. Men like Barnabas sold land and brought the proceeds to the church. The first days of the church were filled with unity and love. But that would not last.

Luke describes the early church as united, but trouble was brewing, and Satan was beginning to work his evil in the hearts of the saints. Problems with members of the church brought division. In the church of God at Corinth, the body of Christ was plagued by many problems, such as allegiance to certain preachers, carnality, sectarianism, open sexual immorality, brethren suing one another, questions of marriage, refusal to abide by cultural norms, mockery of the Lord’s Supper, division over spiritual gifts leading to chaos in the worship services, and teachers denying the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What was the reason for such problems? The answer Paul gave pointed to those who were asleep in church.

Jesus died to build His church. The Holy Spirit warned of the apostasy that would come as men left the teachings of Christ for their own doctrines. When Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for abusing the Lord’s Supper, he gave a reason why the brethren had failed in their worship. The Lord’s Supper is a hinge-pin to the problems that plague the local church. Instead of the reverent communion of discerning the body of Jesus Christ, the Corinthian Christians were creating an unworthy atmosphere of worship. This was caused by brethren who were spiritually weak and sick among them. Many of the saints were spiritually dead. Paul was not talking about physical weakness, sickness, or death. He reproved the brethren for the weakness of their faith. The worship service at Corinth had become a three-ring circus by brethren who failed to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. They were spiritually asleep and nearing spiritual death.

Sleeping in church has always been a problem when the members doze off (some even snoring). A greater problem is the unseen number of people sitting in the pew with their eyes wide open who are spiritually weak and asleep. They have little or no interest in the things of God. Their lives are empty shells of materialism, pleasure, and recreation. When the Lord’s Supper is passed, they have no feelings of guilt or remorse over the death of God’s Son. They take some bread, drink some juice, and go about their lives like always. Paul warned the Corinthian church about those who were sleeping in their faith. God will bring judgment upon those who sleep.

When people sleep in church, they fail to realize how close the judgment of God draws near each day. It is time for brethren to awaken from their spiritual slumber and grow in Christ. Sleeping in church comes from not knowing God in the heart. Righteousness is a learned character that comes from study and application. Paul would use the sleeping metaphor to arouse the saints from their spiritual lethargy to “arise from the dead.” If someone sleeps too much, they will die (spiritually). When the Lord returns, do not be found sleeping. Spiritual slumber will lead to the wrath of God. Wake up. Be alert. Watch and pray. And again, watch.