Dealing with Today’s Church
Hebrews 10:24-25;13:7,17
1 Timothy 4:13
Acts 2:42
INTRODUCTION: The New Testament repeatedly emphasizes the importance of local assemblies – ie: local churches. The pattern of the Apostle Paul was to establish local churches in every community he went to. Yet, as prolific as the church was in the days of Paul, it suffers today. Either people do not come, or people come for the wrong reasons. The church is abundantly immersed in paradoxes. Older people are more likely to attend church than younger people, yet at the same time are more resistant to the gospel. Teens, once very faithful in church attendance drop off sharply, sighting that it is difficult to find a place. Even those securely in the church have lost the sense of direction as to purpose and meaning.
Whether verbalized, or thought, the operative question of the day is, “Why should I attend church?” It is a question that deserves an answer and an attitude that deserves a challenge!
So, in our time together this morning, I would like to deal with why we should come to church, why we don’t come to church, and what kind of church should we be coming to.
I WHY SHOULD I ATTEND CHURCH
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 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.
A The first reason to attend church is to spur or stimulate each other to good deeds
1 We are to consider this -- What an exhortation to believers!
a Give attention to one another.
b Fix your attention upon one another.
c Give continuous care to one another.
d Watch over one another.
THE ATTENTION WE ARE TO GIVE IS TO SEE THAT EACH OF US IS STIRRED UP AND LIVING FOR CHRIST!
ü It is possible to worship God individually, but it is not possible to fulfill this mandate to the church apart from being in church
ü Can’t do a one another thing ALONE!
2 We are to watch over each other to make sure none of us is slacking.
a When you’re here it is possible to observe when others are not.
b When others are not here for a period of time – guess what? You need to start considerin’!
B The second reason we are to attend church is that the church provides encouragement against the day
1 We are not to “give up” meeting together
2 Churches are meant to be encouraging places
a Each of us has a responsibility to be an encourager
The book of Hebrews continues with additional reasons to be here in the pew week after week …
Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
C The third reason we are to attend church is that the church provides good role models.
1 Leaders who proclaim the Word of God faithfully are worthy of being followed
2 Leaders are those who are concerned for your very being
3 Leaders know their accountability.
4 Leaders can be hurt when we do not follow biblical instruction
D The fourth reason we are to attend church is that church attendance is the established biblical pattern
ILLUSTRATION: From the Local News -- Paris Hilton Not Welcome In Jersey Middle School
BUENA BOROUGHN.J. - Parents in an Atlantic County, N.J., community say Paris Hilton has no place in their classrooms.
They are upset that the hotel heiress may tape a segment of her reality show, "The Simple Life," at Cleary Junior High School.
Officials say the possibility of the show coming to the school is still in the talking stage and nothing has been agreed on. But some parents who have children at Cleary are furious and say that, under no circumstances, do they want any part of Paris Hilton or Nicole Richie.
"I think it’s crazy," said Linda Burch, a parent.
"I’m hurt. I’m disgusted," said Cecilia Bachinsky, a grandmother of one of the students.
"One word -- livid," said John Krokos, a student’s uncle.
Parents and other angry residents have started a grassroots effort to keep "The Simple Life" away from Cleary Junior High School.
"I think it’s a very detrimental thing happening to our children," Bachinsky said.
"I can say there’s probably a possibility, but we don’t know anything definite. That’s why I really can’t comment," said Tom Kearny, the school district’s business administrator.
Officially, administrators with the Buena Regional School District will confirm very little, but sources say the district was approached by people connected with "The Simple Life" last month about the possibility of a segment starring the often provacatively-dressed Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie being recorded at the school.
"It’s like selling your soul. Selling your children to the devil," Bachinsky said.
The Fox series features the wealthy young women traveling the country, immersing themselves in the lives of more simple folk.
The parents, who complained that the school district has kept them in the dark, said that a visit to the school would be highly inappropriate and would have nothing to do with learning.
"I just don’t feel that our children, our community, should be made a joke of," said Sue Barber, a parent and a township committee member.
Barber said that a crew from the show even came to one her son’s classes recently without her knowing.
NBC 10’s calls to the Fox network for comment were not returned. There should be plenty of comments made at the next school board meeting on Tuesday night.
1 Tim. 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
1 Notice the words public and they.
a “Public” tells us where – in the public view
b “They” tells us who – Christians in groups
It is impossible to fulfill these things alone!
But, you know, there is always an excuse not to come to church, or there is a legitimate reason. So in order to deal with why we should come to church we must first deal with the excuses and reason we do not come to church. So……….
II WHY WE DO NOT ATTEND CHURCH
A Dealing with the excuses
1 Cots will be placed in the hallways beside t he sanctuary for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in".
2 There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard.
3 Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night.
4 We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in if I ever came to church."
5 Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot.
6 Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.
7 Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can’t go to church and cook dinner, too.
8 We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money.
9 One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature.
10 Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday.
11 The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them.
12 We will provide hearing aids for those who can’t hear the preacher and cotton for those who can!!
NOW HOW IS THAT! DID WE GET EVERY EXCUSE?
B Dealing with the reasons – These are a little more difficult, but not impossible
1 People in churches are hypocrites. (Or: You wouldn’t believe what a “Christian” did to me!)
a Your right, some people in church ARE hypocrites
b Nobody in church is perfect in loving, or obedience, or doing everything right everyday
c That’s why we are in church – because we are hypocritical
d Church does not stamp out hypocrisy, it exposes it!
e If we were perfect, we would not need a Savior! That’s why Jesus said this ……..
Matthew 9:12-13 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: ’I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
2 I don’t have time. Sunday morning is the only day I can sleep late.
a I will be the first one to agree with anyone who says they have busy lives.
b God also knows you have busy lives
c God knows you need your rest
d God knows you need money to live on, food to eat, and clothes to wear.
e God also promises to multiply back to us what we give to him
1) Go ask a tither if the money they have doesn’t to go farther than when they had the whole amount when they tithe.
2) When we give God our time, we get more done with what is left than we ever did when we kept it all to ourselves.
f That’s why Jesus says ………..
Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
3 I don’t have nice clothes to wear to church
a Now. Lets think for a moment, ……… which would God rather have – you in church dressed in what you have to wear, or not in church.
b This should really be a no brainer.
c The biggest cause of this issue is the rest of us in church who get our noses bent out of shape because we think that we know what we should be wearing to come to church.
1) This is an individual issue
2) This is not necessarily a spiritual issue
a) Rebellion would be the exception
d This is why God write …….
1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
4 I don’t really need to go to church; I can worship God, even when I am fishing (or anything else you want to insert here).
a True!
b We are to live for God every day – place is not the issue when we are living for God
c But how do you get to know God? If it were possible to get everything you need to know about God from nature, God would never have given us a Bible, and God never would have established the church!
d Many people have the wrong idea about God – this comes from using a lesser source of information
1) Bible tells us that natural revelation is sufficient enough to reveal the existence of God and the realization
Romans 1:18-21 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
2) Look at what this results in
a) What man can know about God from nature he is able to and does suppress
b) What can be known of God leaves man with no excuse for not responding to God
c) What can be known of God in nature, and denied by man only brings man judgment
e Church is where we get what we need to live the victorious life, not the condemned life!
f One of the MAIN functions of the church is to help us correctly understand God through His word
g This is why Paul would write in the Scriptures, ……….
Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
5 Church is not important anymore
a If by this you mean that church is not important for salvation – you are right!
1) Church attendance does not make us a Christian
2) Church membership does not make us a Christian
One of my favorite sayings is, Coming to church makes you a Christian about as much as going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger.”
b Salvation is not gained by acts, or work, rules.
c Salvation is a gift of God
Ephes. 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
d The question is, how should we respond to a great gift like salvation?
1) By ignoring or rejecting the giver
2) Church is the place and time to thank God
3) Church is the place to understand what God has done for us
4) Church is important in that it helps keep us on track and close to God the rest of the week
e Church attendance is something we should want to do, not feel we have to do.
Psalm 122:1 A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
6 Church is only for “good” people who haven’t messed up. You do not know what I have done.
a Lets see, ……… did you know that
1) Moses was a murderer
2) David stole another man’s wife, and then had him killed
3) Peter, a CLOSE friend of Jesus, lied about his association with the Lord
4) The apostle Paul killed Christians
b The Bible says, ……..
Romans 3:10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
c Don’t know what you have done, and you don’t know what ANYBODY else has done!
1) When you come to church you sit next to sinners
a) Alcoholics
b) Drug-abusers
c) Ex-convicts
d) Liars, cheaters, thieves
d What we fail to realize is that to God sin is sin – Jesus died for each of them!
e Everybody who is a sinner needs a savior, and we are all sinners!
James 2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.
EVERY SAINT HAS A PAST AND EVERY SINNER HAS A FUTURE!
7 There are so many churches! Which one do I go to?
a We all learn differently
b We respond to people differently
c The important thing is not to give up, but to find a church that is true to God’s Word AND meets your particular bent.
d You will never find the PERFECT church, so strive to find one that values God Word, seeks to support each other, learn, and grow
e The church is really a bunch f ordinary people trying to know God better. That’s the primary purpose – knowing God. Here is what the Scripture says, …….
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
8 There are so many denominations, even Christians can’t agree among themselves about what the Bible means.
a Man, are you right. Christians argue a lot at times
b Then again – Republicans and Democrats argue about how to run the country
c When you get right down to it – both political parties love the United States, and Christians love Jesus!
d The real issue is what is a Christian
1) Christians may disagree on the application of certain scriptures, but they do agree on two very important fundamentals
a) Jesus Christ is the Son of God
b) The only way to get to heaven is through faith in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection!
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
9 I don’t believe in God. Christians are fanatics, always trying to shove their beliefs on others. Just look how unpopular they are.
a Yep, right again.
b Some Christians really give Christianity a bad name.
c Could say that about every other institution
d Now, if you really do not believe in God, or Jesus and His work on the cross, or in anything else that would keep you out of church – Consider this:
1) If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it?
I hope in our time together, we have been able to accomplish two things:
First, that being in church is important. And second, that the reasons we might give, or others might give us are not all that hard to answer.
IN fact, you might want to consider giving a copy of this message to that special friend or relative, who you know needs to be here, and has a “good reason” for not coming.
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at the kind of church we should be coming to!
A Powerpoint Presentation is available for this sermon. Please email for file.
