WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THE CHURCH ALIVE
Matthew 16:1-5 3 you can’t read the obvious signs of the times!” “Why can’t you read the signs of the times?”
It has been reported that in Briton every week there are 53,000 people who leave churches never to return again. Do you think there is something that the churches are missing? The people of Jesus’ time he said could not read the sign of the times. Could He have meant that in our day we need to see what is needed to help people come to Christ? How long has it been since you have seen someone confess to a belief in Jesus Christ? There are far too many people who are coming to churches today wanting, “What will I get out of this service?” Those who are the people of God should be saying and thinking, “What can I give to God and to others that will make a difference.”
I want us to hear some reasons from a survey that answer the question, “Why don’t you attend church?” I hope then as we listen we will become aware of how we can make this church one that people will want to come to.
#1 Reason, “THERE IS NO VALUE IN ATTENDING. These people feel that they cannot connect with God in the church building as well as on a golf course. They say that church does not do anything for them and t hey would not get anything out of the church so why should they attend. They would agree that they are interested in spiritual things but that they would not find anything in church to help them spiritually. Now I ask you “what is the value you find in coming to this church.” What makes you want to come? I also would question anyone placing a value on something that they do not even go to.
#2 Reason, “CHURCHES HAVE TOO MANY PROBLEMS.” I found it interesting to hear them say that in the church you only find people who are inflexible, stubborn, hypocritical, insincere, negative, judgmental and just plain mean. I would say they have not been to the Harlowton Wesleyan Church. They would also report in the church there is more division and friction than they would find in other groups. One man even said this, “I have enough problems of my own. Why should I go to church to find more?” Remember these are people who say they do not attend church.
#3 reason, “I DO NOT HAVE THE TIME.” They claim that they do not have time to attend. I wonder if they waste an hour a week in things have no meaning. I find as you have found people find the time for the things that matter to them. We have come to a time in our history that there are many who only have Sunday morning only church because people will not or do not come to the other services that churches can offer. Back in the last century when I came into the church we had preaching services on Sunday morning, Sunday School, preaching on Sunday evening with singing and we also had Wednesday evening services. I never even gave it a thought that I should not be in every service. Now to get people out for other than Sunday morning it has to be a special service with a great speaker or well known singer. I have recently visited some big churches that are much bigger than we are and they are putting all their energies into Sunday morning. If you were to go to them you would not have the choice to worship in the church except Sunday morning. We are still open on Sunday night and Wednesday for worship. If you take the time you can come and worship here more than just Sunday morning but it is a freedom you have.
#4 Reason, “I AM SIMPLY NOT INTERESTED.” There is a report from George Barna that says that 75% of adults say it would be very desirable to have a close relationship with God. Why would I be interested if I have never attended church to find out what it is about?
THE TOP REASONS TO GO TO CHURCH
It is my only day off.” “There are too many hypocrites.” “It is my favorite team’s game day.” “Church is boring.” “I have no interest.” “All they talk about is money.” “They make me feel guilty.” “I’ve had bad experiences.” Do any of these statements sound familiar to you? Maybe you have thought one of these statements yourself, or have had a family member or friend says something similar to you. Here are some reasons that answer the question, “Why I should go to church?”
1. IT IS A BIBLICAL REQUIREMENT. Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.” Isaiah 56:7 I will bring them also to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my House will be called a house of prayer for all nations. Luke 19:46 He told them, "The Scriptures declare, ’My House will be a place of prayer,’ The Bible over and over tells us that those who love God and want to worship Him met together for worship. God gave Moses the pattern for a place of worship in the wilderness that was portable and it was good for many years. When Solomon became king they built a permanent place in Jerusalem. If God felt we could worship on the golf course or on a camping trip or out under the stars He would have left off having a place built that was to be for the gathering of His people for the purpose of worship. Life in Pakistan.
2. IT CAN AND I BELIEVE WILL PREVENT BACKSLIDING OR TO GO BACK TO YOUR OLD WAYS. When a person gives his heart to Jesus he wants to be in the house of God to hear God’s word so it will cleanse his mind. It helps him find a message to help him in life. He finds strength in being with others who also are trying to stand up when this world is telling you to sit down. He sings and hears songs that lift his soul out of the darkness of the world. He finds a place where prayer can be made to his loving God. This is also a place where he can talk with God about what is going on in his life and find forgiveness and mercy. This is not a guarantee, but a person is more prone to stay faithful when they are with the faithful at and in church.
3. IT PROVIDES SPIRITUAL ENCOURAGEMENT. Acts 2:42 “They joined with the other believers and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, sharing in the Lord’s Supper and in prayer.” These are all communal activities. I have been to other places for meetings and no encouragement is given for a Christian and in fact there is much discouragement because they are not there to worship Jesus who has the answer to all our problems. You come to church and hear God’s word like you heard last week, “What makes God happy” and you leave with a new feeling in your heart that will help you live a contented life.
4. IT OBEYS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT. MT. 12:30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with your entire mind and with all your strength.” How can you love God when you do not obey Him, and you don’t want to be with those He loves? How can you love someone of whose house is set apart just to meet with Him if you refuse to go? Where in this world can you go to worship that is set apart for the worship of Him only? Some like to think that TV can bring fulfillment in worship if you listen to a certain preacher but when the show is over there is no personal touch with the preacher or anyone in that church and you are left alone. I am not saying that you can not find help from messages given but when it is over there is no more. In church you love God with others and it does something that you can not get in your chair at home. When you enter church your mindset changes for this is God’s house. We should enter with“Awe” because we are coming into His presence. When you come to church you use your strength to come into his presence in singing, praising, listening and serving.
THE TEN MOST WANTED MEN Author Unknown
The FBI periodically issues a list of the ten most wanted men. These men are criminals and a menace to society. We also have a list of the ten most wanted men for the work of the Lord. Here they are:
1. The man who puts God’s business above all other business.
2. The man who brings his children to church, rather than sending them.
3. The man who is willing to be the right example to every boy he meets.
4. The man who thinks more of his Sunday School class than his Sunday sleep.
5. The man who measures his giving by what he has left, rather than by the amount he gives.
6. The man who goes to church for Christ’s sake, rather than for himself or for someone else.
7. The man who has a willing mind, rather than a brilliant mind.
8. The man who has a passion to help, rather than a passion to be helped.
9. The man who can see his own faults before he sees the faults of others.
10. The man who is more concerned about winning others for Christ, than he is about winning worldly honor."
5. IT FOLLOWS JESUS’ OWN EXAMPLE. Luke 4:16 If anybody had a reason not to go to church, it would have been Jesus Christ! Why would He need to go He already was filled with the Holy Spirit and He was God in the flesh? He knew the thoughts of men and did not need that anyone teach Him anything about the Bible. He wrote it. He had been in heaven and had seen worship I am sure was way above what we do here on the earth. Yet, even so, we see a pattern of going to the place of public worship in Christ’s life.
Christian means to be Christ like and if He went to church should not we?
