Why Attend Every Service Of The Church We realize that many in the world dismiss a lesson of this subject without any further investigation. We hope you are not of that disposition. There are members of the church that question their responsibility to being present whenever the saints assemble for worship and study. Others are simple Sunday morning attendants, and nothing more. Sunday Bible study, other opportunities such as Wednesday evening, a gospel meeting, Sunday evening, etc. are never attended, or seldom at most. We want to appeal to those who say they love the Lord more than anyone or anything else in the world and make that appeal with reasonable evidence. If each of us will consider these things, we will never be among those who ask, Do I have to attend? Must I? We will not be found searching for excuses for not being present. Love We should attend to prove our gratitude and love for the Lord. We are so indebted to 1-urn. So boundless was the love of Christ, He gave His life for us that make up the church. We read in secular history of a man named Estulus that was brought before an Athenian court accused and convicted of a crime, but released because his brother had lost both hands in the defense of the city of Athens. On the basis of the merit of the action of the brother, Estulus was set free. Friend, in similar fashion, on the merit of the sacrifice of Christ, we who are Christians have been delivered from the power of darkness. Does this not impress us with the love the Lord has demonstrated? And if I be a true disciple of Christ, I will want to show my love also. To show my appreciation, I should want to do everything I can to stand by His truth and His church. I will want to praise His name and bring honor and glory to Him. By my attendance at the periods of worship, I can show my gratitude. And if we show our gratitude by our presence, what do we show by our absence? Strength We should attend because we are made stronger spiritually when we do so. There is power to be gained through public worship. The fellowship with brethren is a source of encouragement and strength. We have fellowship not only with brethren, but more importantly with Deity. By the studies, prayers, expressions in the songs, we are taught and led by the truth to be closer to the Lord. Heaven has been described as a prepared p1ace for a prepared people. Attendance at the services helps to prepare us and make us fit for dwelling in heaven. At the services, the spiritual bread of life is broken, the very bread by which we grow spiritually strong. Through the Word of God, God speaks to us; through our prayers we speak to God. Realizing the value of the soul, and seeing the necessity for growth, cannot we be impressed with the reasons why we should be present at every period of assembly? . His Presence We should go to worship because Jesus said He would be there. Matthew 18:20, Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. It should sober us to realize Christ is in our midst. People often travel many miles and make special efforts to be in the presence of earthly dignitaries and famous people. But the greatest of all is present when the saints gather together for worship. It is a wonder that anyone who professes to love the Lord would be absent. Once an irreligious man asked a Christian why he attended the services of the church with such regularity and faithfulness, even at those times when it seemed so few attended. The Christian answered, The Lord will be there, and that is enough for me to want to be there. Do we have this same attitude as did this noble saint? Even though we do not see Him literally and physically, by faith in His confirmed word we know He keeps His word. This should cause us to keep our appointment every time we have the opportunity. For The Church We should attend because God wants the church to grow, numerically and spiritually. Experience has proven time and again that congregations grow where the members put their loyalty to the church before everything else. Other activities are planned around the church services. Nothing should be placed in conflict with attendance at worship. We must understand that even sickness that prevents attendance, though it is a reason for being absent, is hurtful. Every absence from worship contributes harm even when it can be excused. We are interested in numbers because every number represents a precious soul. The larger the number the more souls that are worshipping God. If members of the church think attendance is a matter of indifference, what must those who are not Christians think of it? How can we impress upon them the necessity of worship if we are negligent toward it? Some want their children to be present, even iii Bible classes, but they fail to see how they are tearing down everything the Bible teacher is doing faster than the Bible teachers can build because they send their children rather than go with their children Some expect the leaders of the church, the preacher, or somebody else, to make the church grow, but they are building hindrances to growth by their own absence. There is no question but that the power of public preaching is lessened when the membership does not support it by their presence. Too few realize that just by their attendance they have a real and significant part in the upbuilding of the church. If one was going to quit the church, what could he do more effectively than quit attending deliberately? Good Example We should be present because we want to be a good example to others. Many observe each of us and imitate our influence. Our neighbors, children, relatives, and brethren are all influenced by what we do. At the hour of assembly, what kind of influence do you exert on others? What do your neighbors see in you? What are you teaching your children if you are present? What are you teaching if you are absent? How can you expect to influence your relatives if you allow other matters to crowd out worship to God? We need to let the world know whose side we are on, and we can do this, in part, by faithful attendance. The devil rejoices over the way some church members operate in attendance. To Obey We should attend in order to obey God. Actually, this is reason enough without mentioning all these other things. Hebrews 10:25 admonishes us, Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Almost invariably, when this passage is cited, somebody asks, Does this mean I have to attend Sunday night? Those whose love and loyalty to Christ is primary in life never ask if they have to praise God. They rejoice in the opportunity. The very question reflects an attitude that is condemning. We believe this includes all the worship assemblies, but even if it does not specifically include Wednesday night Sunday night, etc., what kind of attitude is it that looks upon worshipping God as some kind of obligation only, that is to be avoided whenever possible? Worship is a privilege that will never permit asking such a question as, Do I have to attend? Since we obey God by attending, what do we do when we deliberately fail to attend? Safest While the next reason is certainly not one of the more powerful reasons, it is worth considering. We should attend because it is the safest thing to do. Let s be frank with each other. We have no desire to run risks with the salvation of our soul. We don t want to dare the devil and flirt with evil. Why give the devil any opportunity that we can avoid? We need to make our calling and election sure. We do not take needless chances with our physical lives, so why should we gamble with our spiritual welfare? You need to consider this: the very service you choose to miss may have included just the teaching and encouragement, the very spiritual fortification you will need most in later years to resist the devil. By your absence you deprive yourself of that which is most needful arid leaves yourself open to Satan s barrage without defense, that your attendance could have provided. Opportunities that are ignored are opportunities lost. We ought to take advantage of every opportunity to be made more and more like Jesus. Why deliberately endanger the soul? Certainly, it is the wisest, safest, and most beneficial thing to be present whenever physically possible. Service We should attend because we want to be abounding in the work of the Lord. Yes, there is a distinction between worship and the works that we are to do as Christians. But worship is a part of the service we are to render to God. First Corinthians 15.58, Wherefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. To worship is not all the work that is expected. But worship is an essential ingredient in serving God. Doing those things that God wants done is profitable for us. We may invest money, go into business, plant a garden, and nothing come of any such things in spite of our diligent efforts. But you never fail to prosper when you are doing what God wants you to do. I am not suggesting material prosperity, but spiritual prosperity. Do we think we can work our way to heaven? Not by our works alone can we go to heaven. But there are works we are to do. and worship is one of them. God is a Spirit, and they that . worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24). Notice, we must worship. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve. (Matthew 4:10). Worship is not an optional matter. The conclusion of the matter is that a real, true, faithful child of God will do all he can, not as little as he can, to be what God wants him to be. We are simply not doing what we can and what we ought when we deliberately are absent from the worship assembly.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 11:03:13 +0000
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