The average person attends church on three occasions in their lives: when they are born and christened, when they are married, and when they die. One could say that they attend church "when they are hatched, when they are matched, and when they are dispatched." As we study God's Word, we find that God intends for believers to be faithful to attend church. However, it seems that fewer believers are attending church today than ever.
As we drive to church each Sunday, we see plenty of people mowing their lawns, playing golf, and doing other leisurely activities. We might even think, Why should I attend church? If they don't go, why should I? After all, we have busy lives and it sure would be good to have an extra day to mow the grass and do the chores around the house. We should answer that question from God's Word. In Hebrews 10:19-25, the writer of Hebrews gives us some good reasons why we should attend church.
Going to church helps us get closer to God. Verses 19-22 explain how a person can get close to God. In the Old Testament, it was not possible to get close to God. The Jewish people came to the tabernacle to worship God and offer sacrifices. They could go into the courtyard of the tabernacle but not inside the tent. Inside the tent, there were two rooms, divided by a curtain, which is also called a "veil." Only the priests could go inside the tent. He could go into the first room, called the Holy Place and there, he would do his work of intercession. Then, the High Priest could only go into the second room, called the holy of holies, on the Day of Atonement - one day a year. Inside the second room was the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. God was holy, man was sinful, and the message of the Old Testament was to stay away from the presence of God. It was a fearful thing.
When Jesus came into this world, He came to bring us to God. When He died and shouted "It is finished", the veil inside the Temple was torn from top to bottom. Just as the body or flesh of Christ was torn on the Cross, the veil was torn in the Temple. This pictured the fact that the shed blood of Christ had made it possible for believers to get close to God. Now, we have boldness and confidence to enter into the holy of holies, the very presence of God. Where two or three or gathered together, God said, "There am I in the midst of them." So, we are in the very presence of God when we attend church with other believers.
James said, "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you." (James 4:8) The writer of Hebrews tells us one way to get close to God is to attend church. In fact, the primary reason for attending should be to get closer to God, not to be entertained. Through worship, we become more intimate with God.
After being married for 17 years, I have learned that closeness must be cultivated. Couples don't just drift to the altar and get married. They write love notes, go on dates, and do little things to win the hearts of their future spouse. Those things must be done even after marriage or the closeness will evaporate. People call it "falling out of love." The same is true with God. If we don't work at our relationship with God, we will not feel close. One way to cultivate that closeness is to attend church.
Another reason one should attend church is to profess your faith. Verse 23 says, "Let us hold fast our profession of faith without wavering." Your profession is what you say. To "hold it fast" means to not just talk the talk, but also , to walk the walk. If you say you are a Christian, you should act like a Christian. If we are going to be witnesses for the Lord, our behavior better match up with our beliefs.
Unbelievers are watching us live our lives as followers of Christ, and they expect something different out of us. They expect to see us going to church on Sunday. When we attend church, we are literally witnessing to the lost. We are saying to them that we are on God's team. We are saying to them that God, His Word, and His people are important to us. How can we verbally witness to our lost neighbors if they don't see us going to church faithfully? How can we verbally witness to our family members if we lay out of church when they come to visit?
Going to church also gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our faithfulness to God. Verse 23 adds, "For He is faithful that promised." That is a great statement. It reminds me of Lamentations 3:22, 23 where the Bible says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness." God has been so faithful to me. He has never let me down. I am here today because of God's faithfulness. His faithfulness should motivate us to be faithful to Him.
I have heard many times people excuse themselves from coming to church because of the actions of someone else. They got hurt or dissapointed by another Christian. I understand that happens all too often, and I have experienced it myself and have disappointed other believers by my actions. However, I want to be faithful to God. God has not let me down. Attending church is my way of being faithful to Him.
The Bible says, "Moreover is it required in stewards that a man be found faithful." We all have different talents and abilities and we are not able to do what others might be able to do. However, we can all be faithful.
Going to church also enables us to encourage other believers. In verse 24, we are admonished to, "Consider one another." Don't just think about yourself; think about your other brothers and sisters in Christ. When people don't attend church, they are being inconsiderate of their brothers and sisters in Christ. They are thinking only of themselves. They might say, "Those people don't need me" but the others in the church get the idea that the person who doesn't attend doesn't need them. We encourage one another by being in God's house.
Some say, "I can get just as much out of watching someone on TV or reading a book than I can going to church." That may be true. You may even get more, but we don't just come to church to GET! We come to give! And what we ought to give is more than money. We ought to give encouragement. Look around for someone you can encourage. Maybe you don't need encouragement, but I guarantee you someone here does. Try to encourage someone else.
We are told in verse 24 to "provoke one another unto love and good works." We are to stir one another up to be like Christ. We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The word "forsake" literally means "to leave in the lurch." When we don't attend, we are hurting our church family. We are failing to encourage them.
More Christians than ever are laying out of church. Some have a legitimate excuse such as health and some may have to work, but most have no good reason. My friend, it is imperative that we who are saved make it a priority to attend church faithfully to encourage one another in the Lord.
Read Psalm 73 some time. David expresses how discouraged he was and how he was ready to quit and throw in the towel. Then he said in verse 17, "Till I went into the sanctuary of God..." David found encouragement in God's house. How many times have you been ready to quit and you came to church and were encouraged?
Going to church also prepares us for the Lord's return. Verse 25 says we should be faithful to church and then adds, "and so much the more as ye see the day approaching." "The day" speaks of the Lord's return to this earth. Jesus is coming again, and we need to be ready. Those who attend church regularly are more ready for the Lord's return.
The early church in the book of Acts went to church daily. They were ready for Christ to come back. But, as we have gotten closer to the coming of Christ, church attendance has gotten more sporadic. We ought to be more faithful than ever, as we see the signs leading up to the return of Jesus Christ.
If you have no desire to be in church, that is not a natural thing for a Christian. You are either not saved or you are very backslidden. If you don't like church, you're not going to like Heaven. The closest thing on this earth to Heaven is the local church. Let's be sure and find ourselves in the House of God every time the doors are open as we are Scripturally commanded to do!
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