Importance of Going to Church

Introduction to the Message

Today, God has led me to speaking about the importance of going to church. That's actually the title for our message today, going to church. God had put this on my heart a couple of weeks ago. And then, we went another direction last Sunday speaking about the fact that this world needs Jesus. But I'm so excited that we're getting to this today. We're going to be speaking about the importance of being a part of a church family and the importance of attending church.

The Relevance Today

In a day and age when many, many, many do not go to church. We find in the word of God a great reminder of the importance of being a part of the church and of the importance of gathering together to worship the Lord.

Scripture Reference

We're going to go to Hebrews. If you've got your Bible, I do invite you to open up there. We're going to be in chapter 10. Um, and I'm going to just read one verse there to springboard us into the message. I'm going to read from verse 25 of chapter 10 of Hebrews.

Context of Hebrews 10

I will tell you when you're in Hebrews 10 beginning in verse 19, you start to see that the word of God is challenging us as Christians because of the fact with all Jesus has done for us, we ought to. The first challenge that's made in Hebrews 10, it says in Hebrews 10, I'm going to first read a couple of verses before the one I'm reading from as we stand, but in Hebrews 10 verse 21, it says, "And having a high priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full insurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from all evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water." What one thing we're reminded of there is the importance of drawing closer to God.

Challenges for Christians

And the second affirmation we get as Christians in verse 23, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. For he who promised is faithful. The second challenge we get there is to be strong in the faith without wavering.

The Call to Gather

And then in verses 24 and verse 25, we're reminded about the importance of gathering together. And we're going to read from there. I invite anybody that would like to stand with me in honor of the reading of the word of God. If you need to sit, that's fine. If you would like, you stand with us in honor of the reading of the word of God. Hebrews chapter 10. I'm actually going to read Hebrews chapter 10. I'm going to begin there in verse 24 and then I'm also going to read verse 25 of Hebrews 10. Beginning in verse 24, the word of God says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching."

Prayer for Guidance

God, we love you. We want to praise you and thank you for your word. And today as we're in this passage that talks about the importance of assembling together, gathering to worship you, King Jesus. God, I pray you speak to our hearts and that you work in mighty ways in our hearts. We pray it all in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you. May be seated.

Importance of Gathering

We're reminded here about the importance of gathering to worship. We're reminded about the importance of going to church, being a part of a church where you can go with a body of believers and come together and worship Jesus.

Reasons People Don’t Attend

You know, um there's Raise your hand if you know several people that aren't in church, you know, and some of you here today might not be regularly in church. You know, there's there's a lot of reasons why people don't attend church. And and I don't pretend to know all the reasons, but I know a lot of reasons I've heard. Why is it that people don't attend church?

Non-Believers and Church

Well, well, well, one thing I believe we know this is there's a lot of people that don't believe in the Lord. There's a lot of people that haven't yet made that decision to trust in Jesus. Hey, listen. That was me at one point. I didn't make the decision to give my life to Jesus till I was 27 on the shores of Carolina Beach. Praise God for my wife who shared the gospel with me over and over, for her mom who shared the gospel with me, and for those times I was in church and I was hearing the gospel proclaimed cuz God used it to plant seeds in me until finally I gave my life to the Lord. So there's some people that don't attend church because they don't believe in the Lord. Therefore, they maybe don't have a reason they want to go to church.

Statistics and Outreach

You know, interestingly, the Baptist state convention did a study some years back and it was and it splits our state into what they call pockets. And it refers to a section around this area of Wilmington as pocket 40. And their study showed that 71% of people haven't yet trusted in the Lord. 71% of people around this area of Wilmington aren't saved. Haven't made the decision to fully surrender the life to Jesus. You know what I you know what I think when I hear a statistic like that? I think about what the Lord said, the harvest is plentiful. There are people all around us that haven't yet trusted in Jesus. And listen close, many of them, they're probably just waiting for somebody to share the gospel with them.

Inviting Others to Church

Because I I don't know about y'all, but just because I hadn't trusted in the Lord before I was 27 didn't mean I was opposed to the gospel. I was searching. But praise God for people that proclaim the gospel. I tell you what else I think of when we're talking about attending church. Man, there's a lot of people that we can invite to church. Sometimes I think as a Christian, we can think, well, if somebody doesn't believe in the Lord, they won't come to church. That's not true. In fact, some people that don't believe in the Lord are searching. They're searching for God. And by you just inviting them to church, it might be the thing that gets them to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. It's so important we invite people to church, you know, and I don't underestimate how God can work through your relationship with other people. People respond to people.

Excuses for Not Attending

Now, I'm not saying all people respond to me or all people respond to you cuz we know we ain't perfect and some people might not even care for us that much. But in all honesty, God's got people in your life that you've got a relationship with and you might be the very person that God can use to say, you know what, I will try to get back in church. So, there's some people that don't attend church because they're not a Christian. Other people, though, will say they are a Christian and for this reason or that reason, they don't attend church. Someone will say, "I just don't I believe in the Lord, but I just don't believe that I need to attend church." Have you ever heard something like that from someone that says they're a Christian? Whether somebody believes or not, what we're going to get to in a minute is the word of God expresses and commands us to be a part of church, to be a part of gathering to worship.

Common Obstacles

Some will say, "I'm I'm too busy. I just I need to rest. I'm too tired. I I work all week and I'm too tired to go to church." Hey, there's there's a lot of Sundays. I know a lot of us have been tired. Amen. But aren't you refueled if you're a Christian when you go to church? And I I'll tell you something else I think of. Praise God the Lord didn't say, "I'm too weary. I'm not going to the cross." And with what the Lord's done for, if we believe that Jesus died for us and rose on the third day so that anybody who calls on him will be saved and forgiven of sins, man. As sinful as we are, God wipes those sins away when we fully trust in him as Lord and Savior. If we believe that, shouldn't we be willing to kind of sacrifice a couple hours to get up and go to church?

Work and Church Attendance

By the way, when we go to church as a Christian, hopefully we're filled. Our our cup is filled. Some will say I I work on Sundays. So, I just I I'm not able to go to church. You know, I I've never I guess when I was younger at one point, I worked on Sundays waiting tables and in my days of waiting tables and bartending and all that years back. But, you know, in all honesty, I believe if somebody wants to get in church and they're a believer, in many cases, there might be a way that their work would let them off. I I don't know. I mean, I don't know each situation, but in some cases, that could happen. And and and I would also just say if that's you and and you're working on Sundays, just pray about that if there is a way.

Personal Testimony

I remember Crystal's mom Deborah told me years back she when she was young and getting starting working she worked at Kmart Corporation back many years back when they were kind of an up and coming company and she worked every other Sunday but she had a conviction that she needed to be in church and she want she asked somebody that worked for her would you cover for me and I'll cover for you and they did it so she was able to get off on Sundays well then a new manager came and said no you got to work on Sundays or you're not working here well praise God God she she was so convicted, she said, "I I know God will work some out that she kept going to church, but God worked out another position for her actually to work in a church at First Baptist Church in Whiteville."

Other Excuses

Um, some people say they don't go to church on Sundays. I'm a Christian, but I don't go to church. And it might be because they just want to do other I want to go to the beach or I want to go uh fishing or I want to go do this or I want to go do that. Hey, it's great to have hobbies that we can go and do and relax, but man, if we really believe the Lord died for us and we believe that he tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, shouldn't we be willing to sacrifice to come together and worship Jesus?

Challenges Within Church

Um, there's of course other reasons. Somebody will say, you know, there's a lot of drama in church. And boy, there can be. There can be cuz we're flawed people. Some will say they feel judged. And sadly, yes, that happens in church. Sadly, it does happen where people get judged. Some will have a bad experience that has happened to them. But I'll tell you, I don't know each individual situation, and I know there's some hard ones, but it doesn't change that God wants his people to come together and gather, to worship together. And there's so much blessings that happen when we do gather and worship together.

Comparing Experiences

And speaking of if we have bad experiences, hey, a lot of us have bad experiences at Walmart, but a lot of us go back to Walmart, don't we? A lot of us go out, we we might have our favorite food, go like to eat a steak at ribeye, and we might have a bad steak. But if we like going to Outback to get a ribeye, I bet you we're going back to get that bloom and onion and ribeye, aren't we? And hey, there might be a bad and and listen, not every church is for everybody. You got to find the church where where you feel called to. But man, it is biblical to be a part of church. And I today we're talking about that.

Biblical Mandate

Why is it important to gather to worship? And that's more than anything, I would say because the word of God tells us it is. You know, the Bible we believe is the inspired word of God. It says there in Hebrews 10 verse 25 the verse we read not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together and it says as is the manner of some. So that means when this uh book was written under the inspiration of God I believe by Paul but under the inspiration of God when it was written there were some that were not gathering with other believers. The church was gathering, but it says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some." So, this isn't a new thing. People not being in church, not gathering. There were some that weren't. But notice what it says, "Not forsaking the assembling." That word assembling to me in the day and age we live in today especially is an important word to consider. That word assembling, it means gather together in one place for a purpose.

Online vs. In-Person Worship

The ESV says, "Not neglecting to meet." Now, I I want to tell you something. We're blessed to have the ability to be able to watch a sermon online. We're blessed to be able to have the ability to watch a service online. But it's kind of like this lady that I saw in the nursing home. I see her almost every week at Brunswick Cove. And she, like many of the other residents there, is not able to leave the nursing home. She wants to gather to be in church, but she has not been able to leave Brunswick Cove for 3 years. I want to tell you something. When we think life's hard, go walk through a nursing home and you'll see people without legs. You'll see people in wheelchairs that can't walk. And you know what I see in them more times than not? They are smiling and they are happy. And most of them that I see, they love Jesus. I mean, and I think when we go through hardships, we really start to realize how much we need Jesus. That's what I've experienced in the three nursing homes I go to every week. Man, there's a lot of people that are hurting. But there's a lot of people that know they need the Lord and they depend on the Lord. But so, I was in the fellowship hall. They were all eating. And as they were all eating there, this one lady, I talked to her about church and she shared how much she loves to be able to watch messages online and watch services online. But then she said, "But it's just not the same as being there with the people. It's just not the same as gathering for church." And in a day and a this day and age that we live today, watching sermons online or watching services on online, it is a blessing. But we have to be careful that we're not saying that that's replacing assembling because the Bible says not forsaken the assembling. There's something special that happens that just doesn't happen at least not for me, you know, if I'm not gathered with the believers. There's something special that happens when believers come together to worship Jesus.

The Power of Gathering

I think a lot of it just felt us as we were felt it as we were singing, right? A lot of us felt the Holy Spirit moving. The Holy Spirit can move when you're alone with the Lord. I'm not saying that. But there is something special that happens when believers gather together. And watching service online at home isn't the same as assembling with the church and gathering with believers. Um, and in the Bible, not only do we see that passage that talks about not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but when we look at the early church after Jesus died and after Jesus resurrected, we see the early church gathering together, don't we? It says there in Acts 2:1, when the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And you know what happened after they were all together in one place? When the Holy Spirit fell, Peter preached a message and 3,000 people were saved. One advantage of believers coming together and worshiping Jesus is people give their life to the Lord. And you know what else happened? As they were gathered together, the Holy Spirit moved through that congregation as they worshiped Jesus.

Early Church Practices

It says in Acts 2, they the church devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers. In other words, they were gathering. In one place it says they gathered daily. They were gathering to worship the Lord. They were gathering to fellowship. There's something special about having the fellowship with the church family. Amen. They they were gathering to fellowship and they were gathering to pray and they were gathering to grow in the word of God.

Benefits of Church Attendance

You know, I I hope that we're all reminded that it is important to be a part of the church and it's important to go to church. And one reason why is because the word of God says to not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. I want to tell you what some blessings come out of gathering. When we gather, we can be encouraged and strengthened in the faith. Do you ever get weak in your faith? Do you ever have times where the enemy tries to discourage you and make you doubt that you don't believe in God? Yes, we have we we struggle. We have the flesh. Today I was talking with one of the youth and this youth was just talking about how much they struggled back a few months ago with with many big struggles. But then praise God this youth said, "But then I started to think about what God has done for me and God just gave me a piece." There's something special though about when we come together and we we gather together as believers and we worship Jesus.

Avoiding Isolation

Hey, if it one of the shest ways to drift from God is to get out of church, that we're not meant to do this walk all alone. We're not meant to be on our own in our faith in Jesus Christ. If if we try to do this walk on our own, I'll tell you who loves that. The enemy absolutely loves that. If we try to be isolated and stay to ourselves in our Christian faith, first off, we're not able to minister to others and we're not able to gather with saints to worship. But also, we're not as strong. We're not as strong alone. And the enemy loves that. You know, when we But when we gather, there's something so special about come together to worship the Lord. One thing I think so special is the way the Holy Spirit can move when you come to worship. Amen. There's something so special about the Holy Spirit moving through a group group of believers.

Personal Experiences

I remember when Crystal and I before um before I answered the call to preach, I was a young believer and we had young kids. Our kid, our three kids were real young at that point. And I remember there were some Sundays when the enemy would do all he could to keep us out of church. This would happen or that would happen on Sunday morning when we were trying to get out the door. But every time we pushed through and went, every single time we felt encouraged after we we said, "I'm so glad I went to church." And it's just something about gathering with other believers, worshiping Jesus through song, hearing the word of God preached, seeing other believers that builds us up and strengthens us in our faith. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever had those times where the enemy keeps you out of church and you you kind of regret that you didn't go? And then those other times where the enemy tries to keep you out of church, but you go and you're glad you went.

Encouragement and Strength

We're We need to be strengthened. We need to be encouraged. And I tell you, I'll tell you what else. You know, it's encouraging to to gather with the church because other believers help to build us up. This this scripture, it says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, but exhorting one another." That word exhorting means to encourage. So when we gather with other believers, one thing that we get the opportunity to do is to encourage somebody else. You know, and even if you're hurting today, when you come to church, even if life you're struggling in your life, you can still be an encouragement to somebody else. And you know what happens? I found when I encourage others, when I'm down, it encourages me. But but another blessing of gathering is we're strengthening the faith by worshiping together. And we're also strengthen that that believer comes along and they can just tell you need a hug and they hug you. That believer comes along and they say an encouraging scripture or an encouraging word.

Stirring Love and Good Works

Verse 24, right before the we read the verse we read, it says, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works." When we gather together, we're encouraged in the faith and we're also encouraged by the love that we share for one another. And I tell you what else, when we gather to worship the Lord, we're helped to better live for the Lord. Do you ever have times that you struggle to live out your Christian faith? We all have. You know why? Because we've got flesh. I mean, we've still got flesh. Praise God. When we've trusted in Jesus, the spirit of God lives inside of us. But if we are just all in the world and all living for worldly things, we're going to migrate towards the flesh and we're going to we're not going to be living for God the way we need to be. But when we're when we gather with the church and we're a part of the church, if if it's a church that the word of God is preached, if it's a church where people love the Lord, if it's a church where the truth of the word is being taught, you know what happens when we gather and we're a part of the church is we're we're helped to better live for the Lord because we're growing in our prayer life. We're growing in the word of God.

Opportunities for Growth

Think about this. Every Sunday morning, there's opportunities to grow in the word of God. Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. we have Bible studies for different ages. If you're not in one, you have questions, let us know. That's one way that you're able to grow in your walk with Jesus is being a part of a Bible study with a small group of people. Well, every Sunday at 10, we have those opportunities. And every Sunday at 11, we get to worship Jesus through song. We get to hear the word of God. Gathering to church, going to Bible study, coming to worship. We're we're we're strengthened in our faith, but we're also helped to leave here fueled. Our cup can be filled. So, we go out and live for the Lord. We also have prayer times. You know, being a part of the church there, the Lord's day, we're to gather, but it's it's not only on the Lord's day. There's other opportunities as well. And when we're a part of the church, and when we gather, it we're we're taught, we're discipled, and we disciple one another. And it helps us as we grow in the word, as we grow in prayer, as we serve the Lord, what a blessing it is to serve the Lord, that strengthens us, as we tithe, that that and nobody's going to make you tithe. That's between you and God. But when you start to trust God with your finances, you start to realize, okay, and and think about this. If we trust God that he will save us when we give our life, when we trust in him, if we believe he died on the cross and he rose on the third day and we give our life to him, when we believe he's forgiven us when we trust in him and we believe we're going to heaven, shouldn't we be willing to trust him with our tithes? But you know, that's a struggle a lot of people have because it's like, how will this work out and how will that work out? But when we're a part of the church, we we are helped to grow in our walk with the Lord by growing in the word, growing in prayer, serving, giving, and so forth, and we're strengthened, and better helped to live for the Lord.

Urgency of the Times

Um, you know, I I guess just on my heart today when I when I read this verse where it says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another." That last phrase after that, I I think about it. It says, "And so much the more as you see the day approaching." You know what I'm reminded of is, and I hope I want to challenge us, is let's be more committed and more dedicated to gather all the more as we see, the day approaching. What is the Bible talking about when it says the day approaching? Well, the Bible's talking about when Jesus comes back. The Bible is talking about that Jesus is going to return. Do you believe that? The Bible is talking about that he's going to return. And the Bible teaches us that he's going to rapture his church one day. And we don't know when that's going to be. Are you ready? And we also know he's going to return and place judgment on this sinful earth and heaven's going to be set up. That day approaching is knowing that the Lord's coming back. And for the Christian once he comes back and takes us up, we've gotten all the time we got on this earth. So a challenge I I would say we should have is we ought to gather more all the more as you see the day approaching. It says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. I don't know about y'all, but I see the day approaching. The sin, the evil, the wickedness that we see in our world. I see the day approaching. The Bible pictures a world that will get more and more ungodly. We read about that in I think it's 2 Timothy 3 or 1 Timothy 3. We read that last week. But like the more and more people turn from God, the more ungodly this world is going to get. And the more and more no, nobody knows the hour that the Lord's coming back. Don't let anybody tell you they do cuz the Bible tells us nobody knows. But I don't know about y'all, but I think we see the signs in all the more the day is approaching.

The Body of Christ

So, I hope we're encouraged to gather all the more more, you know, um and I I tell you this when we think about gathering all the more. There there's a passage in the Bible that said it's 1 Corinthians 12 verse 12 said for as the body is one and has many members but all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ and there Paul is talking he's comparing the human body to the body of Christ the body of Christ being the church and it goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 12:15 if the foot should say because I am not a hand I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body. And if the ear should say, because I am not an eye, I am not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set members, each one of them in the body, just as he pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? You know, our our human body has many body parts, right? But every body part, you know, that we've got, this hand is important. This foot is important. You know, I've certainly learned this knee is important. When we have when we have one little body part break down, it affects the whole body, right? Who in here has ever had a little body part break down? Some of y'all are real young. You're like, "Man, I feel great." And you know, when we feel that way, we don't get it is to the same level. But man, when one part of our human body breaks down, it affects the whole human body. Amen. And the body of Christ is the church. And for this church to really be used by God the way God wants it to be, it every member is important. Every one of y'all are important to the body of Christ. Every one of y'all have gifts. Hey, I want to tell you, I cannot sing, but some of y'all can. And if I try to sing, they'll probably kick me off. Thanks, Scott. But you know what I mean? Every one of y'all have ways God can use you and work through you to advance the kingdom of God.

Importance of Every Member

And when I think about the importance of gathering all the more, it's to gather because more than anything, we need we need help in our walk with the Lord. But I want to tell you what else. For Longleaf Baptist and for the church in general, every member gathering with a part of the body, every single member that gathers, it helps the body. And I and I hope today that as we close, we're just all reminded of the importance of gathering.

Checking on the Congregation

You okay, Donna? Yeah. Miss Caroline, you okay? Okay. All right. You good? Okay.

Takeaways

Um, but uh what what should we take away? Well, I'll say this. Um, we talked about people that don't attend church, but sometimes church members don't attend church. Y'all know what I mean? And a lot of churches, many members don't attend church regular. I I think one thing we can take away if we believe the Bible where it says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together and it talks about the importance of gathering. One thing we can take away is just to take away that I know God in his word sees it important for me to gather to worship. So one thing we can take away is the best of our ability when we can be here to worship, be here to worship, right? And and be a part of the church. You know, maybe we need to ask ourselves right now and do business with God. How many Sundays am I in church a month? And that's not to beat anybody up, but just ask yourself and if you believe the Bible, am do I think I'm honoring God and being a part of the church.

Commitment to Church

Um, and and I do believe I do believe when we've truly given our life to Jesus, when we're saved and we're we're we've surrendered our life to Jesus and we believe in the Lord, I do believe we're going to want to be a part of the church. I believe we're going to want to be a part of church because we know the Bible tells us to. And I believe we're going to want to be a part of the church when we find the church that's our home. I believe we're gonna want to be a part of the church is because we we don't want to do it on our own. We know we need help. And we we look forward to worshiping the Lord together. And we look forward to going to church and encouraging and building others up in the faith. And we look forward to going to church to serve God. And we look forward to church going to church to worship and feel the Holy Spirit move. We won't want to miss it. And I I believe if we're sold out for the Lord, now no, now we might not go to church, but I believe we'll feel guilty if we don't if we're truly a believer. And I and I if we're really sold out to the Lord, shouldn't we also want to invite others to church?

Impact of Invitations

You know, I was just thinking about how cool it is when God God can work through people to invite them to church. And man, God can really use it. I mean, many months back, Gabriel invited Elijah and Elijah gave his life to Jesus. And Elijah's man, God's been working on that young man. It's awesome to see. You know, I know Emily just came here last Sunday. She works with Crystal. And praise God, Emily and Britney both gave their life to Jesus last Sunday. Praise God. Yeah. But but like and pray for them because you know what happens when you give your life to the Lord? The enemy will try to discourage you. But like that's you know just hey do you want to come to church? You know what I mean? God works when we invite people to church. I know there's others here today that you're here today because somebody invited you to church. So for us as believers, another takeaway I think we can take is don't underestimate how God can work through you when you just invite people to church.

Final Challenge

Um it's such a blessing. And um I would just challenge us. I I I hope that as we leave today um we're encouraged to say, you know what, I'm going to be a part of church. I'm going to gather to worship and I'm going to give my best to worship Jesus and build others up when I'm there and I'm going to be a part of inviting others and and definitely on the Lord's day on Sunday and there's other opportunities as well. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

Closing Prayer

Lord, help us to be more and more dedicated to you with all you've done for us. And God, I know that one way we can be more dedicated to you is by being a part of your church and coming here every Sunday ready to worship you, ready to give ourselves, our whole heart to you. God, I do just pray for each one that's here today. I thank you and I praise you for each one that you've brought today. And right now as we wrap this message up and we just have a time to do business with God, I just pray for the Holy Spirit to move in this place. I pray the Holy Spirit moving hearts right now. I I don't know I don't know each heart here, but I know you do. I don't know what each person's going through right now, but I know you do. God, one prayer I've got right now is we just have a time to do business with God and a time to respond. I do pray if you've brought somebody here today that maybe has been searching and maybe they've never fully trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior, I pray today they would know you love them. They would know you died for them. They would know you gave up your life for them, Jesus. You hung on that cross and you died for them so they could be forgiven. I I pray that person, if there's one that's searching, would know that, yeah, they're a sinner and they're flawed and they don't deserve forgiveness. None of us do. But you love us so much that you made a way to be forgiven. You made a way, God, by sending your son, Jesus Christ, down to this earth from heaven. Jesus, thank you for going to the cross. Thank you for suffering. Thank you for dying. And thank you for rising on the third day so that anybody who believes in you will be saved.