“Church is Boring”
Scripture: Hebrew 10: 25 Date: 18 April 2010
Purpose: To share that church is not a stuffy boring place but a place full of excitement and life.
Illustration: Rebecca D. on Christian Net posted this blog: Some churches are boring. They have a routine and they know what to do or sing and say by their schedule. If the Pastor preaches longer than he should, some get upset. I went to a Church one Sunday morning; my kids had bible school all week. While the speaker was teaching. It was about 15 till 10:00; she got up and rang a bell. He hurried up and at 10:00 she rang the bell twice. Then she just cut the man's sermon off, and told the people to turn to this page to sing a song.
It was boring. When they sang that song I shall not be moved, boy they weren’t kidding.
-What should we do when we find that church is boring? It’s time for a change! Now the question is, change what?
I can work to make my sermons more interesting, and I do try, the song leader can try to select more meaningful songs, and the one who leads in prayer can give more thought to what he says. However, when worship as God directed is boring, the main change that is needed is in the heart of the worshiper.
When we go to church, we should want to be in the presence of the Lord. We should want the Holy Ghost to come down and have his way with the church.
We seem to be in constant discussion about how to gain members in our church and how in the world do we keep them coming. The truth is, that when church becomes a bore, people stop coming.
This morning’s sermon is meant to be an encouragement to us all. I want to encourage you to not give up on church. Whether it is our church or another church, just don’t give up on church. Because God not only desires us to continue meeting with one another, he desires His church to be the direct opposite of boring. HIS CHURCH SHOULD BE FULL OF LIFE AND JOY!!
25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
*RELEASE CHILDREN FOR CHILDREN’S CHURCH*
This is exactly what my goal is this morning. I want t to encourage each of us to “not give up meeting together” It is so very easy for us to fall into a habitual habit, isn’t it?
Illustration: For example, I treated myself bowl of Breyers Rocky Road Ice Cream late one evening after getting the kids settled and into bed. I enjoyed that quiet time and I really enjoyed the Ice cream. Now I have a habit of eating Breyers Rocky Road Ice Cream every night.
Some time ago, Aaron Harms patted me on the belly and asked me, “So. When is she due?”
My habitual habit of eating Rocky Road Ice Cream every night has gotta stop! It’s not healthy for me.
- And you know what; I believe church is very healthy for us, healthy for our spiritual health. But if we are getting nothing out of church and if it’s just a boring dead place, what’s the point of even going anyway?
If we find ourselves getting nothing out of church, it’s time to ask: “What am I putting into the church?” It might just surprise you to learn that church doesn’t simply ask for your attendance. Church requires your participation.
I. First of all, we need to participate by Leaving.
A. Yep, I said it, by leaving! As soon as you sit down in your comfy pew that more than likely is YOUR spot and no one else’s, leave your burdens at the foot of the cross.
1. Name all your worries, stresses, concerns, and guilt. In your mind, wrap them up tight in a bundle and give the whole thing to Jesus.
Matthew 11: 28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
2. He has promised to take it no matter how heavy and no matter how full it may be. He will leave you with His peace.
Illustration: Think of it this way, when you have taken a trip somewhere and have flown, more than likely you have given you baggage to a baggage handler or maybe when you have checked into a hotel, you more than likely may have given your bags to a bellhop.
If you pack your bags anything like my girls, I am sure you beg for anyone to carry your bags. You hand them over because they‘re too heavy and they weighed you down. And once you have gotten rid of those heavy tiresome bags, you are thankful and you can enjoy your trip that much more. Perhaps as you are traveling to your destination, by getting rid of your bags you can concentrate more on the glories and wonders of your final destination. If you had those bags weighing you down, your trip would be miserable and you wouldn’t be able to focus on anything other than those bags.
3. Jesus is here to take your bags. All the things that you have packed away so very deep within your life. The things that are weighing you down an keeping you from moving forward and having happiness, Jesus wants to carry those for you and He wants your focus to be off of your baggage and on Him and on your final destination.
4. We all have baggage, don’t kid yourselves. Once we check them in with Jesus, were done. And unlike the bags we travel within the physical realm, we pray we never see them again and hope they get lost!
5. By leaving all of our worries, hurts, pains, concerns, and negative feelings, we are able to focus more clearly on the things that God has for us in church and boredom will be the furthest thing from our minds.
II. Second, to realize that church is not meant to be boring, we need to participate by Listening.
A. With your mind fully engaged, listen to the reading of Scripture and to the message in which God has planned for the day. Listen to the words as you sing.
1. The Holy Spirit works through all that is said and through all that is done in the church.
2. Come into the church ready to receive the Good Word by opening not only your ears but your heart. I firmly believe that God has a message for each person every time we gather.
3. God has a message for you today and everyday you meet Him in His house. You may be here with your presence but are you really here?
VIDEO: “Are You Here?”
4. As a pastor, I pray that each of you hear from God as we gather. I have often told people that I wish they could see what I see each week as I stand before God’s people. I do wish that each of you could see the blank stares and glazed over looks that I often see as I present God’s Word each week. Sometimes I truly do wonder if anyone is listening at all.
5. It happens to all of us at some point in time. One moment you are listening to a reading of Psalms and the next you are mentally composing a shopping list. By the time you tune back in, you have no idea what was said. Listening is a mental process that requires you to think rather than just hear.
B. Let me share with you a couple of Suggestions that may help us listen better in church.
1. Take notes on the bulletin. Fill in the blanks. This will help you stay with me as we go through the message. You naturally listen as you write. After church, review your notes. You may find that you remember more of what was said.
2. Look up scriptures at home. You can get distracted from listening when you try to find each scripture mentioned. Write the scripture down in your notes and continue listening. As you review your notes, you can look up the scriptures that were referenced and read them in their full context.
3. God desires to have your attention because He has a message for you but you can only receive it if you are listening.
4. I agree, church would be a boring place if we came here with no intention of listening to God’s Word. I suppose I for one would simply drift off into dreamland.
5. To get anything out of church we need to focus our attention and open our ears and hearts to what God has in store for us.
III. Lastly, we need to participate by Meeting Others.
A. Get to know the people with whom you worship God with.
1. You might just be the one God sent to offer a much needed compliment to a person that may have had a horrible and trying week in the world.
2. Someone else might be the one through whom God will give you the blessing of friendship. You’ll never know unless you’re willing to smile, shake hands, and share a few good words with the people around you.
Ecclesiastes 4: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
3. It’s okay to let your walls down in God’s House. He knows your heart, your desires, and your needs. God wants to give you so much more than you realize.
Illustration: Who in here remembers the T.V. show “Cheers”? It was a show that was about a local bar in which regulars would attend. We got to know each character for 11 seasons. Each week we would tune in and watch how this tight knit group would come together and solve one another’s problems. It was a friendly place, a place to get away and take a break from the struggles of everyday life. A place filled with guidance, a place to get recharged, and a place where everyone knows you name!
VIDEO: “Cheers”
- The church is just that! A place to get away and to be recharged. A place full of friends. We are a family here and we support one another and see each other through difficult times. But I am afraid to say, I cannot honestly say that we are a place where everyone knows your name. Can you name each person in here? Do you know each person that attends our friendly church?
4. God wants to give us so much more than many realize. This is His house and it was never meant to be a boring place.
5. Why would He want you to come here week after week, bored stiff, day dreaming about the end of the service, and to receive nothing at all that will help your life that he has blessed us with?
6. God wants to give you an abundant rich life and I guarantee you that He desires to give it to you in Church over any other group setting in the world.
7. Sure you can become a regular attender at the bar and yes you can meet some lifelong friends that you would feel very close to but ask yourself just one simple question this morning:
8. Is that what God wants for you? Do you think God desires you to be part of the cheers crowd, hanging out, giving God no glory at all or do you believe He wishes that we are a part of His crowd, meeting on a regular basis in His house, giving Him Glory and meeting with His people?
Conclusion: When we go to church we need to meditate on the awesome mystery of the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. We need to think deeply. He willingly and actively gave His life for you. We need to actively participate in giving thanks, praise and worship in the presence of our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Doing these things will not get us bored in church but rather keep us focused and excited.
