What do you do when you're sick on Sundays?

[Mr. Bultitude]

I'm lying on the couch today, staying home from church because I'm sick. I've Googled Presbyterian churches with live streams but I wonder if any of you have other procedures. Do you sing hymns? Listen to sermon recordings? Spend a lot of time in prayer? I think the thing that bothers me most is that I'm neglecting a sacrament (today is a Communion Sunday) and neglecting meeting with a fellowship of believers by staying home. Any thoughts?

 

[bookslover]

In God's providence, you're home sick today. Obviously, He's not going to hold that against you. You should do what you can do within the limits of your illness: read the Bible, pray, listen or watch a sermon or two (go here for John MacArthur's sermons, if he appeals to you: www.gty.org).

You're glorifying God merely by being smart enough to not go to church and get other people sick.

Spend the day healing and bringing God glory in non-corporate ways.

 

[KeithW]

Sometimes a church will have a live feed on their website. The only way to find those is to visit the sites of several churches. SermonAudio.Com has several churches around the world which have live feeds. The live feeds are available from both the website and from the SermonAudio app.

If you don't mind materials by confessional Baptists, and are looking for a sermon series to listen to I highly recommend Pastor Jeff Pollard of Mount Zion Bible Church, which is a confessional Baptist Church in Florida. His series are available here on SermonAudio. On that page find "Filter", select "Series", then in the next drop box select a series. Here is a sampling.

• Doctrine Of Grace - excellent series, thorough and understandable
• The Godly Man - Scriptural explanation of the role of men
• Virtuous Woman - Scriptural explanation of the role of women
• Christian Modesty And Purity - Pollard also wrote a book on this subject
• Repentence - excellent walking through of how Scripture explains what this is

Mount Zion Bible Church also has a ministry called Chapel Library. They have literature from many Puritan writers. And they have the "Free Grace Broadcaster" which is a quarterly publication containing Puritan writings on a different subject in each publication. They also have a large collection of "Studies In The Scriptures" by Arthur W. Pink. Pink was a prolific writer from 1930 to 1950 who wrote monthly on different topics. (Pink's most famous books are "The Sovereignty Of God" and "The Attributes Of God", both highly recommended.) And they also have an audio archive of sermons by C. H. Spurgeon.

 

[TheOldCourse]

As others have suggested, live sermon feeds are a great option and, while certainly not a substitute for being there, are a great way to continue to center your Lord's Day observance around public worship even while not being there. I highly recommend Greenville Presbyterian's (FCoSC) live feed as they include the whole service (with singing of Psalms and prayers) and put the words to the Psalms directly on the feed to assist you in singing along at home: http://www.greenvillepresbyterian.com/. Many services I've come across either include only the sermon or, if they do include the singing, give no direction for singing along which is unfortunate. GPC has services at 11am and 2pm EST.

My wife and I often watch and sing along with Greenville's feed as part of our private, family worship even when we attend public worship locally.

Other than that, do not neglect private worship. Prayer, reading of scriptures, reading of godly books, catechizing, singing of psalms, etc. The directory for family worship promulgated by the Church of Scotland after the Westminster Assembly is a good resource: http://www.reformed.org/documents/w...ts/wcf_standards/p417-direct_fam_worship.html

 

[Edward]

Sometimes a church will have a live feed on their website. The only way to find those is to visit the sites of several churches.

Or search Puritan Board
http://www.puritanboard.com/showthr...-and-Reformed-Live-Streaming-Worship-Services

and find this:
http://wasdin.net/jake/reformed/livestreaming.html

 

[StephenG]

Any of the brethren are welcome to our livestream at Highlands anytime. I am in charge of running it along with a few youth group members with whom I rotate.

Access the stream here.

 

[jwithnell]

With children, sometimes I've been fine but home with sick little ones. I generally "go" to either 1st church in Columbia SC or 10th in Philly via live feed. The churches make PDFs of their bulletins available and we use the Trinity Hymnal in our home anyway, so it's easy to follow along with the service. Not only does this bring worship to God, but it is a spiritual benefit to me, and I think it further demonstrates to my children that this is a day set apart.

 

[Deleted member 6112]

and find this:
http://wasdin.net/jake/reformed/livestreaming.html

Jake's list is particularly helpful. When we have to be away from worship for any reason, we usually make recourse to it. A few months ago, we were out for a few weeks in a row, and I think we settled on the early service at Heritage Netherlands Reformed Church (9:15 AM), both services at Greenville Presbyterian Church (11 AM and 2 PM), and then the evening service at HNRC (6 PM).

In fact, Jake's list is at the top of my bookmarked sites.

 

[MW]

The old way before internet and live feeds started to invade the sanctity of the Sabbath was to engage in devotions at home with one's heart desirous to be in the house of the Lord; and being present at the house of the Lord in spirit, it would often be the case that the gracious Lord would extend the blessing of His house to the worshipper. Perhaps those days are gone; I hope not.

 

[Timmay]

I was home sick today too. I listened to Alistair Begg, read some Psalms, some Tabletalk, and discussed the sermon given at church when my wife returned home.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[C. M. Sheffield]

I think the thing that bothers me most is that I'm neglecting a sacrament (today is a Communion Sunday) and neglecting meeting with a fellowship of believers by staying home.

You are not neglecting the public means of grace, you are providentially hindered from participating in them. That is an important distinction. In fact, attending the public worship could potentially spread illness which certainly isn't a charitable thing to do. You must resign yourself to God's dealings with you in this sickness and be thankful while endeavoring to be in the Spirit on the Lord's day.

 

[Cymro]

Maybe the Lord would set you apart for a while to speak directly to you, and have you speak directly to him. Perhaps we have lost that individual correspondence with God, and look for others to fill the enforced gap. In the midst of affliction He may be saying, "be still, and know that I am God."