Can I Be Saved And Not Attend Church?

This is a very foolish question but it is often asked by those who do not know the scriptures.

In this sermon I want to deal with this question in two ways:

(1) With Common Sense

(2) With The Scriptures

Let me deal with this question first with…

I. COMMON SENSE

This question CAN I BE SAVED AND NOT ATTEND CHURCH is asked by folks who are totally IGNORANT OF GOD’S WORD?

If they knew the Word of God they would not ask such a question.

Illus: There ignorance reminds me of the tv commercial on television encouraging young African America young people to attend college. They would state when it comes to education, “The brain is a terrible thing to waste”.

And it is, but we see so much ignorance in today’s church.

Illus: When it comes to ignorance it reminds me of 747 that was flying halfway across the Atlantic …

• When the captain got on the loud speaker. "Attention, passengers. We have lost one of our engines, but we can certainly reach London with the three we have left. Unfortunately, we’ll arrive an hour late as a result."

• An hour later the captain made another announcement: "Sorry, but we lost another engine. Still, we can travel on two. I’m afraid we will now arrive two hours late."

• Shortly thereafter, the passengers heard the captain’s voice again, "Guess what, folks, we just lost our 3rd engine, but please be assured we can fly with only one. We will now arrive in London three hours late."

• At this point, one passenger became furious! He said "For Peat’s sake, he shouted. "If we lose another engine, we’ll be up here all night."

The brain is a terrible thing to waste!!!

I frequently have the opportunity to talk to folks about attending church.

When I invite people to attend I get different responses.

But one response I get sometime is this -"CAN I BE SAVED AND NOT ATTEND CHURCH?"

My immediate thought has to do with common sense. Such as:

• Can I be a fireman but never fight any fires?

• Can I be a doctor but never see a sick patient?

• Can I be a hunter and never go hunting?

• Can I be a golfer and never play golf?

• Can I be a devoted husband and never go home to my wife?

• Can I be a preacher and never preach!

The answer to all these question common sense tells me I cannot be any of these things unless I participate in them.

But let me state that question again, “Can I be a Christian and not attend church?”

Let me ask that question in a different way, if I am a BORN AGAIN Christian WHY WOULDN’T I WANT TO ATTEND CHURCH AND BE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD?

Church is a very special place with a special promise from the Lord Jesus.

Look at Matt.18:20 "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the MIDST"

Now I take God for His Word and I believe that the Lord Jesus is in the midst of us who have come to worship Him today.

Now if He is not in the MIDST OF US why are we here?

This promise is made to God’s church and nowhere else in the scripture is this promise made.

Now God is Omnipresent but He has promised His church in a special way He is in our midst.

If I did not think He was in our midst I would get in my car and go home because there is no reason for me to be here.

Church is a very special place where God has promised HE IS IN THE MIDST OF HIS PEOPLE.

Today He is in the midst of us…

• He sees those who are showing disrespect to Him playing with their cell phones instead of concentrating on the Word of God.

• He sees those who are cutting their finger nails instead of concentrating on the Word of God.

• He sees those who cannot wait for the benediction and they will do some things they really want to do.

• But He also sees those who are attentively listening to the Word of God.

• He sees those who are taking notes on the sermon.

• He sees those who are soaking His Word like a sponge.

God’s church is a very special place because He promised to be IN THE MIDST OF THOSE WHO CAME TO WORSHIP HIM!!!

Is there anything better than being in the presence of God?

Illus: Listen, I spend many hours in my office each day of the week. And I look forward to going home and seeing my wife. I felt that way before I married her and many decades later I still love to be in her presence.