WHY SHOULD I ATTEND SERVICES
Text: John 4:23-24.
Delivered on: September 30, 2007. Streetsboro.
Introduction.
The Church of Christ at Streetsboro meets three times a week.
As with almost every congregation we have a habit here of having our biggest attendance on Sunday morning.
Not for Bible Class though. Our biggest attendance is for Sunday morning worship.
Having just looked at a few weeks of our attendance records there is a clear pattern.
If we have 100 in Sunday morning worship…
We will have somewhere around 70 in Bible Class.
We will have about 60 back for Sunday evening services.
That is pretty close to average if not a tiny bit above.
Why is it that 40% of those of us present here this morning will not be here tonight at 5PM?
Perhaps some have to work.
Perhaps some are not physically able.
That does not account for 40% of our number.
I see no reason why we could not and should not have 90% return on Sunday evenings. If not higher.
Body.
TWO ATTITUDES THAT I HAVE SEEN WHICH MAY NEGATIVELY AFFECT ATTENDANCE.
SOME ATTEND ONLY OUT OF A FEELING OF OBLIGATION.
Without a doubt, attending worship is an obligation for a Christian.
We will talk about this a little later.
However, the one who attends ONLY out of a feeling of obligation is going to be miserable.
Think about some of the obligations in our lives.
Taxes.
Work.
School.
Going to the dentist.
If we do these things only because we have to, we come to resent it.
They view worship as a way of fulfilling a requirement given to them by God.
Like punching a time card.
This person is not going to be willing to do any more than what is required.
Matthew 15:8. 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
Psalms 51:16-19. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise. 18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. 19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.
Hosea 6:6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
SOME ATTEND ONLY TO BE UPLIFTED OR ENTERTAINED.
Some come to worship for selfish reasons.
They come because they want something out of it.
Some come only because they want to be uplifted.
Being uplifted should be a side effect of scriptural worship but it should not be the reason for that worship.
Not all services are going to be uplifting.
The song leader may not lead any songs that you like.
The song leader may mess up.
The preacher may have a really boring sermon. (Though that never happens here!)
The preacher may preach a sermon that doesn’t uplift you but chastises you.
Some come only because they want to be entertained… like they are going to some kind of performance.
They forget that we are not the audience in worship. God is. John 4:23-24. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Scriptural worship that is from the heart should bring us great joy.
But we must realize that the joy we feel is not the purpose for that worship.
The purpose is the glorification of God.
Worship will not always bring you joy.
Ask Abraham. Genesis 22:5. And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."
Communion ought not to bring us joy but sorrow.
The sermon may cut you. Hebrews 4:12. For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
WHY SHOULD I ATTEND EVERY SERVICE? HERE ARE MY TOP 4 REASONS.
REASON # 4. BECAUSE I NEED MORE BIBLE KNOWLEDGE.
All of us need more Bible knowledge.
None of us have apprehended. Philippians 3:12-13. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
None of us will ever get to the point that we don’t need more Bible study. 1 Corinthians 10:12. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
We need that milk. 1 Peter 2:2. As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
We need to become teachers. Hebrews 5:12. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Bible Class is a great way to learn more of the Bible.
REASON # 3. BECAUSE I NEED TO ENCOURAGE MY BRETHREN AND I NEED THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT.
One purpose of our worship is to exhort and encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25. 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.
We spend long hours around people who are not Christians.
We need to get around Christians for a while to “recharge our batteries.”
We encourage one another by:
Fellowship. Philippians 1:3-5. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,
Singing. Colossians 3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Prayer. Romans 15:30. Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
REASON # 2. BECAUSE I NEED TO TEACH MY CHILDREN THE IMPORTANCE OF WORSHIP.
What message are we sending to our children when we miss worship for some flippant reason?
We are teaching them that worship is not important.
This is not bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4. And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Little eyes are watching you.
REASON # 1. BECAUSE I LOVE GOD AND HE WANTS ME TO WORSHIP HIM.
God desires to be worshipped. John 4:23-24. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 14:15. "If you love Me, keep My commandments.
The God who gave His Son to die for me wants me to show Him the proper respect.
God is deserving of our worship. He always will be.
When we worship Him out of gratitude and love, we want to do that as often as possible.
We look at worship as a privilege and blessing.
Not as only an obligation.
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