Introduction

No one disputes that church attendance has been in decline in America for the last number of years. But it’s not as straightforward as it seems. According to Thom Rainer, the former CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, “The number one reason for the decline in church attendance is that members attend with less frequency than they did just a few years ago.” He said, “About twenty years ago, a church member was considered active in the church if he or she attended three times a week. Today, a church member is considered active in the church if he or she attends three times a month.” So, a large part of the change isn’t fewer believers as much as it is less-consistent worship.

Pastor Carey Nieuwhof gives a number of reasons this trend is continuing to increase. He says that families are putting a higher focus on kids’ activities. For example, when I was a kid, schools didn’t hold events on Sundays and very few kids were on traveling teams. More regularly the commitment cuts into church. He also suggests that blended and single-parent families often must split the amount of time families can spend at church. Nieuwhof also points out that online options for spiritual growth resources have changed worship habits. Finally, he suggests that people just don’t feel guilty about missing church anymore. I’m glad about the last one. Conviction is from God, but guilt isn’t. So while the Holy Spirit may convict you and urge you to get to church for your own good and growth, guilt isn’t a great reason to be here. But there are some really good reasons!

Many pastors are concerned about these trends and are disgusted and frustrated with these changes in culture. I have to admit these trends don’t help with my feelings of job security. But I’m not afraid. I’m not worried. I’m certainly not disgusted. These are the times that you and I have been given. God could have made me a pastor at any time in the history of His Church, and He could have placed you in His Church at any of those times as well. But He put us here.

1 Chronicles 12 lists the mighty men and warriors who came to fight with and help King David. In verse 32, it mentions, “From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.” Maybe this verse simply means these men understood the times in such a way that they knew David was a better choice than Saul. Perhaps it means that these men had a deep understanding of fighting, human nature, or even politics.

Either way, I think this verse shows us two options. Option 1) We can ignore the times around us and watch them pass by. Option 2) We can understand the times in which God has placed us and respond to them with wisdom.

Just as the men from Issachar put their lot in with David’s success, I can tell you that I am putting my lot in with the local church for this time in history. I don’t know if there’s ever been a time in history when God’s Church has been so relevant and so desperately needed. Speaking of job security, has there ever been a time when the Church has had so much work to do?

Just as the men from Issachar put their lot in with David’s success, I can tell you that I am putting my lot in with the local church for this time in history.

Main Teaching

One of the reasons I have such great hope for the Church is that Jesus established it and promised that it would prevail no matter the times or circumstances it faces. When Peter rightly identified Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus responded by saying, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:17–18).

In this passage, where Jesus established the Christian Church, the Greek word translated as “church” is ekklesia, which is a local assembly or gathering. It’s interesting to note that the word church in the Bible never refers to a building—it’s always a gathering of people. So this building we are in is not the church. You and I are the ekklesia—we are the local gathering in the name of Jesus.

The Greek word for “Peter” is Petros. The Greek word for “rock” is petra. So Jesus was using Peter’s name as a play on words. It would be like if your name was Rocky and Jesus said to you, “You are Rocky and on this rock I will build My Church.”

Jesus is the foundation of everything the Church does. The Church is built on the platform and foundation of Christ. And Peter is the first stone used in the building. Peter declared, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (verse 16). What a distinction! Because, we have made that same declaration, we know that we are also part of Jesus’s Church.

What tremendous power and responsibility Jesus gave the church! In verse 19, Jesus said, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Now we know that only God can forgive sins and only God can save people. So this isn’t the power to go down a line and say, “You’re saved. Saved. You’re not saved. Nope. Yep. Definitely not.” So, what does it mean that we as the local church have the power to bind and loose things on earth and in heaven?

Let’s say that the Gospel is a loaded 2020 Mustang Shelby GT350. It has all the power it needs to do the work it’s going to do. You can’t make this car go faster or perform better by opening up the door and pushing along the street with one foot. It has the power. Now imagine Jesus comes up to you and says, “Here are the keys, My child. Where are you going to take it?”

That’s what I think this passage is saying ... View this full sermon with PRO Premium