HEB.10:22-31 "THE NEED FOR FAITHFULNESS IN CHURCH ATTENDANCE"
* If our dictionary is revised in the next few years, beside the entry for the word "faithfulness,"
* There could possibly be a note which reads: "a once prized characteristic of human character
which is now extinct." * You might think that is a bit ludicrous;
* But there is more truth to that statement than many realize!
* If faithfulness is not yet extinct in our culture, it is moving in that direction!
* It may not be dead, but it’s getting pretty sick!
A) The characteristic of faithfulness is certainly one element that is missing in our society today!
* Marriages break up because of a lack of faithfulness! * Business partnerships dissolves .......
* Friendships end in bitterness because of a lack of faithfulness!
* Churches suffer because of a lack of faithfulness!
B) Unfortunately, faithfulness and words related to it like, commitment, loyalty, reliability,
* And integrity are no longer considered as essential and important!
C) For us as believers, faithfulness is indispensable! * Without it, we’ll not be pleasing to God!
* Indeed, the one characteristic which should mark Christians is faithfulness!
* It should mark us because it marks God! * God is faithful! 2 Tim.2:13 "If we believe not ....."
* That word "faithful" means: to rely upon, have confidence in.
* The opposite of faithful is unfaithful! Pr.25:19 "Confidence in an unfaithful man in time ....."
D) Because God is faithful, we learn to be faithful! * Faithfulness is one characteristic which
should never become extinct among true believers! * World book Dict. "doing one’s duty,"
* "Keeping one’s promise, loyal." * "The faithful" - Christians, true believers
E) The scriptures call the Christian to be faithful in many areas, but today we are going to see,
* That we are called to be faithful to church! * Let’s read our text - Heb.10:22-31
* How are we to be faithful to the church? * I’ll tell you how!
(1) BY ATTENDING THE SERVICES! * Note v.25 * "Forsaking" - to desert, leave behind.
* Listen! A Christian has a biblical obligation to be faithful to attend church!
* People take this verse lightly! * There is great danger in forsaking the assembly!
A) The Bible teaches that Christians are to meet together for public worship & fellowship!
* In 2 Thes.2:1 Paul referred to it as a "gathering." * I got saved in the church, a deacon .......
* I was called to preach in the church, I pastor a church, my salary comes from the church,
* I love the church! * Look at Ps.27:4 and Ps.84:1-4;10
B) You don’t just come to church to get a message from the Lord!
* You come to church to meet with Jesus! * There is a sense in which the Lord is present,
when His people gather that He’s not present in another way! Matt.18:20 "For where two ..."
C) Another phrase in v.25 is this: "as ye see the day ......." * What day is referred to here?
* The coming of Christ! * As we look and see that the Lord’s coming is nearing,
* Faithfulness is going to be more necessary than ever!
D) This is the time for people to stay in church, not get out! * I am a victor today because;
* I’ve stayed in church! * There are two reasons why people get out of church:
* They fall out of love with God! Mt.24:12-13 "And because iniquity...But he that shall ..."
* "Endure" - to stay under, i.e. remain, persevere, abide. * Out of church, out of love with God!
E) They fall out of love with their brother! * Text - "exhorting" means to urge strongly,
* Advise or warn earnestly, to give earnest advise or warning.
F) May I remind you that the book of Hebrews is a book of warnings!
* When a person starts missing church, things start happening!
* Let me tell you what will happen to you when you miss a lot of church!
* All of these will be taken out of the book of Hebrews:
(2) FIRST, YOU’LL BEGIN TO DRIFT! * Heb.2:1 "Therefore we ought to give ......."
* Slip - to flow by, i.e. carelessly pass. * You’ll always drift downstream, not upstream!
* In 1 Cor.10:12, Paul says: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed ......."
A) I can’t stand to hear someone say, "I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian."
* You don’t have to live in the water to be a fish either! * Boat to Europe .........
* That is a lie that the devil has got you believing! * That is open rebellion against God!
* When people start missing a lot of church, they will drift on God, ...on their way out!
(3) YOU WILL DOUBT! * Heb.3:12-13 "Take heed, brethren, lest there be any ......."
* departing - to remove, withdraw self, desert.
A) Preacher let me down, Deacon let me down, Teacher let me down, etc.
* People get out of church and blame others!
* It’s your doubt and unbelief that gets you out, because you’ve missed too much church!
(4) YOU BECOME DULL OF HEARING! * Heb.5:11 "Of whom we have many things ....."
* I throw it out, you’ve got to eat it! * People don’t listen to the preacher anymore!
* They have become dull of hearing because they have missed too much church!
(5) YOU WILL BACKSLIDE! * Heb.6:4-6 "For it is impossible for those ......."
* Let me call your attention back to our text! * Note v.26 "For if we sin willfully ......."
* Notice the word willfully. * It means: by choice, voluntarily, intentionally,
* And even stronger words, stubbornly, in spite of! * Now turn to Ps.19:13
A) Presumptuous - arrogant, boldly rude, intentionally disregarding the feeling of others,
* Acting without permission or right, be proud, deal proudly.
B) Willfully sin * Presumptuous sins will get you in the graveyard!
* David lied, adultery, murder, Amnon’s sister, Tamar, was raped by him and Absalom had
Amnon killed for it, David lost his child because of his presumptuous sin!
C) Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard & Jezebel had Naboth killed ........!
* Turn to Ex.21:12-14 * Do you see the word? * Num.15:27-31 * See the word?
* Backsliding begins by missing too much church! * David - great transgression!
* Turn to Mt.24:44-51 * Stay away from presumptuous sins - Go To Church!!!!!!!
D) One cannot live a victorious Christian life with poor church attendance;
* No more than a fish can live out of water! * You can’t live a godly life w/o the church!
* You need the church like a fish needs the water, to survive in this godless world!
E) Before I move from this point, let me point out what the Bible says about Jesus and His
attendance to the house of God! * I want you to turn to Luke 4:16.
* "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he
went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read."
* The word custom means: a long established habit!
F) An action that a person has repeated so often that he does it naturally and without thinking!
* That describes Jesus and I want to be more like Jesus!
G) Many times we lose sight of Jesus or lose consciousness of His presence!
* Like Joseph & Mary in Lk.2:43. * Where did they find Him? * In the Temple!
* In Jn.6 after the feeding of the 5,000 they went seeking for Jesus in v.24.
* Where did they find Him? * That’s right! In the synagogue! v.59
H) If Jesus thought it very important to go to church, so much more for us!
* If you love Jesus like you should, then it will also be your custom (habit) to go to church!
* It wont even cross your mind not to show up at the house of God on Sun. morning,
* Sunday night or Wednesday night if you love Jesus! * That’s a good habit!
* A couple more ways how to be faithful to the church and I’ll close:
(6) SECOND:YOU SHOULD BE FAITHFUL TO DEFEND YOUR CHURCH!
* I am convinced that the devil doesn’t like the fact that Faith FWB Church exists!
* Satan, if he could, would love to destroy this church!
A) This church has been a thorn in his side! * It has been a blockade to his progress!
* Our church has been, and will be from now on, against all that the devil is for,
* And he would love to see this house of God forsaken!
* Friend, we must be faithful! * Faithful to attend our church, and faithful to defend our church.
(7) THIRD:YOU SHOULD BE FAITHFUL TO EXTEND YOUR CHURCH!
* We are to go out and bring others in! * Jesus tells us in Luke 14:23 ...............
* "And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel
them to come in, that my house may be filled."
* May I ask you, are you going out and compelling people to come to the house of God?
* Or do you come & sit down and sit here & think you’ve done God Almighty a favor?
(8) LAST:YOU SHOULD BE FAITHFUL TO COMMEND YOUR CHURCH!
* Don’t criticize your church, love your church! * The church is not perfect!
* As a matter of fact, it’s a group of sinners who finally realized that they are nothing without
Jesus, and who have decided to do something about it!
* We should be faithful to attend our church, we should be faithful to defend our church,
* We should be faithful to extend our church, we should be faithful to commend our church!
* Faithfulness is needed today in our attendance to the house of God!
* How faithful are you to your church? * How many services do you miss a month?
* Are you faithful or are you unfaithful? * Come to Jesus!
