Why Should I Go to Church?
Why Should I Go to Church • Sermon • Submitted
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Church is not just a building, be it new or old. It is the place to be loved, accepted, valued, and planted. It should be the place where we experience God’s love, power, and presence. It is the place where, when planted, we begin to serve and glorify God. It should be the place where we grow and mature in the faith. It should be the place where we look forward to participating at any chance we get.
Who is happy to be in church today? Come on. Encourage and expound. Use restaurant analogy. Knowing this is my last Sunday, break down going to the restaurant for the food or the waiter.
I love going to church. I love the music, the things we do, but more importantly I love the people. Expound. But most importantly I love God. Why? Because if He isn't here, we are just having a social gathering. God is what makes church church. We can have events, gatherings, conventions, and even worship services without God, but we cannot have church without God. Why? We are the church of which Jesus is the head!I want to share this with you. True church is the place where we find true freedom. It is not because of who is greeting, or who is singing, or who is preaching, or which person is or is not here. It is because Jesus is head of the church and real freedom is found in Him.
Discuss AA and all these other great programs. The real thing that helps in all those is that people admit that they have a problem. The Church should be that way but often is not. Expound. The biggest difference in church is that Jesus is there, He is the answer to everything, and together we magnify and glorify Him as well as welcome His presence and anointing. The anointing is the tangible presence of God which lifts burdens and destroys yokes.
Tell a joke about a young man who did not want to go to the church, but had to as he was pastor.
So know today this may sting you at some point in the sermon. If the first one does not just wait, your turn is coming. I want to share what God has truly put on my heart this morning. It is not to offend you, but to spur you toward greater things. Say amen if you will still love me and let me speak truth to you.
Talk about the difference between being here and being online. We want to thank all of you who are watching and are glad you are a part of this service. I know some of you for different reasons cannot be here today, and I understand. But there are some weeks where you could be here, and there is definitely a difference between being here and watching online. I am not here to make you feel bad about watching online. I love my wife and family. When we can't be together I love to facetime her, but I cannot physically feel her presence with me through that transaction. So why go to church? How many of you believe God is real? The devil? Demons? Demonic powers? What I hope to do today is establish a reason for you to understand the importance of going to church. We always talk about being the church instead of going, but some of us need to go to church to learn how to be the church.
Encounter God’s Presence is there. Hopefully you felt it during worship today. Read Exodus 25:8
8 “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.
God dwells in His House (the church) and though we are individually a part, there is something special when we are together. The devil is real. Hell is real. God is real. Heaven is real.
Let’s just speak about the fact that there are some demons that have been stalking us all week. There is the enemy and the inner me and both are fighting us. Some of you this morning your alarm went off and you thought I can sleep 1-2 more hours and just watch online. Some of you may feel like you are married to the demon. All these demons and inner thoughts want to keep you from church. Why? Because if they can get you into God’s presence the burden can be lifted, the yoke can be destroyed, and you can be free from their oppression. They don't want you to walk free on Monday because you were set free on Sunday.
20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Focus on “Gathered”.
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
where any 2 of you agree. We have tried to turn God’s Word to make this more about NOT coming to church rather than coming to church. Like much else of the Bible, we are trying to twist this as an excuse rather than a reason. When you come into a community, I truly believe that we come into a greater presence and the Bible also says that “when we come into His presence, we come into fullness of joy.” Often after we get here we end up feeling a relief that we are finally here.
Experience God’s Power:
30 How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?
How does this multiplication work? God’s Power. People often miss God’s power and presence because they are not PLANTED in a church. They may attend occasionally, but not planted. Go back to restaurant analog, if your food is good and your presence is there, people will come. God is here, and what He offers is always good, so you need to be in church. If you are here and you are planted and full, how many of you know your marriage is going to be better, your job is going to be better. Not perfect but better (expound).
12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
(change to online or at the mall) no church, they shall flourish in the courts of God. Are you glad to be in the house today? What’s your story? Why are you in the house today? What do you need today?
Just because you are planted does not mean life does not happen (expound). Just because you are not does not mean you have worse situations, just worse conditions. People say to me that they and Jesus have our own thing going. I challenge you with this, God will never take you outside of His word and His work says Psalm 92:13. Not planted in Wichita, or at ATT Stadium, at the lake if we had one, not planted at a sporting event, but planted in His house.
For some people the worst thing they can do is get money. Not for everyone, but if you can handle money and not let money handle you then you will use your money to bless. But when money gets them, they look to trade up in all their areas of their lives - church, cars, spouses, etc.
Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish through the courts of our God. GET PLANTED. IF YOU WANT SUCCESS IN LIFE GET PLANTED IN CHURCH.
Gathering
26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
I heard Pastor David Crank say this “you are only as sick as your secrets.” But when you get into a church that is living the way God designed it to be, you become planted not as a lone tree but in a group that is headed the same way, they are there to help each other be well.
Talk about Jesus coming back and the trumpet sounding.
6 Then Moses sent them out, 1,000 men from each tribe, and Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest led them into battle. They carried along the holy objects of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the charge.
Trumpets sound the gathering.
2 “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp.
- discuss modern day trumpets
9 “When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the Lord your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies.
When we go to church, we are in the presence and power of God. The enemy cannot stand when you are in the presence and power of God, the Bible says “let God arise and His enemies be scattered.” When we come in and start singing and worshiping together with pure hearts the enemy begins to tremble. This is why he was after some of you not wanting you to show up today.
Assemble - talk about a new truck at the dealer assembled or in a garage disassembled (expound). In church there is some assembly required. (expound). Ever by things that say some assembly required (expound on difficulty.) Assemble means you have to be gathered then put together. Church has some assembly required. The more you are here, the more assembling that happens. That is why the enemy is always trying to distract you. If you are here just for me, or will, or whoever, then you may be gathered but not ready to be assembled. We should come together to be assembled.
Let me challenge you with this thought. You, your kids, everyone is going to be assembled somewhere. How many of you know that it is better to let the manufacturer assemble you than others who are just guessing at what they think. Talk about how the world is trying to disassemble instead of building them. Raise your kids in church, let them go to camp, you bring them to church.
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.
“assembly to gather” The way culture is today, I will go to church when I feel like it and I don't feel like it. Talk about measuring your steps. You need to measure your life steps, and whether you are going to go to heaven or hell. You DO NOT go to heaven by going to church, but by giving your life to Jesus. But your life will be hell on Earth if you don't hang out with Jesus because His presence and power lifts burdens and destroys yokes. Let me go here, you will do better when you are around better. EXPOUND ON SHOW ME YOUR FRIENDS, I WILL SHOW YOU YOUR FUTURE. NBC should be a church that assembles champions through gathering. YOU BELONG HERE.
23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ ”
23 At that time I will plant a crop of Israelites and raise them for myself. I will show love to those I called ‘Not loved.’ And to those I called ‘Not my people,’ I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’ And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’ ”
This is God speaking to a people who felt like they were not a people, but He wanted to make them not just a people but His people. How many of you are glad we have been adopted into the family of God.
What are you missing out on by not being planted? You may gather, but are you willing to be assembled? When you are assembled, then you are available to doing what you have been created to do.
Closing Statement: 1 Thessalonians 5
1 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you.
2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.
3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.
6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.
7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.
8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.
10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.
13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.
14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
16 Always be joyful.
17 Never stop praying.
18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.
20 Do not scoff at prophecies,
21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.
27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.