Sunday, September 10, 2017 - Why I Attend Every Service?
Pastor Roger C. Marcos
September 10, 2017
Do I Have To Attend Every Worship Service?
Did you hear this saying, Church attendance is the subject of a "tongue in cheek" joke: Those WHO ATTEND SUNDAY MORNING LOVE THE PREACHER. Those that attend Sunday night love the church, and those that attend midweek services love the Lord!" I believe this statement correctly reflects the reason many people attend church SERVICE.
As believers, church attendance is of high importance. It is a place we can all come together to worship, be encouraged, and learn from God's words for our Spiritual growth.
How often you take time to pray and read God's Word? Reading and meditating determines how healthy our private relationship to the Lord Is.
There are many such tests but the one that is the most basic and determines overall spiritual health, maturity and strength are church attendance.
So today, will give you three very legitimate reasons why believers should be at service of the Church.
I. BEING HERE TODAY PLEASES GOD
God has always desired that His people gather to worship Him and that they do so often. The Lord said, "Let us not give Up Meeting Together." Hebrews 10:25
As we gathered at the house of prayer regularly with other believers becomes a refining process. we help each other, pray for each other and encourage each other. The order or command DO NOT FORSAKE.
God didn't call us to gather and worship to burden us but to bless us. Church attendance can become one of the greatest blessings in you and your family's life!
A. Jesus Is Here - I attend every service of the church because Jesus is here. Amen! Matt. 18:20 for where two or three are gathered “TOGETHER in my name, I AM THERE” in the midst of them.
24 Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. 25 Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer. Hebrew 10:23-25 GNT.
Now the problem here was that the Jewish Christians were weak in their faith and were being tempted to return to Judaism. Their absence from the assembly contributed to their weak faith and their weak faith was not sustaining them under pressure. In addition to this, their absence was hurting others. This is why he encourages them not to abandon the assembly and exhorts them to give a good example and word of encouragement to the others as well.
6 "Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord, To be His servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the Sabbath And holds fast My covenant;
7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples." Isaiah 56:6-7
God was very specific about keeping the people true to the day of worship and pleased with those who kept it.
17 Don't be fools, then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you; instead, be filled with the Spirit.. Eph. 5:17-18 GNT
God desires that we be involved in this type of activities when we are together, rather than pursuing worldly pleasures. You always have a choice of activities to do on Sunday and Saturday but worship will always be the choice that pleases the Lord.
When we worship God in spirit and truth, we have reached the core value of what our life is all about.
Most people want to please the ones they love, this is normal, this is a plain truth. Being here for worship service pleases God and demonstrates our love for Him as a motivation. Do you love Jesus? Meaning He want to see in you by your action.
Another Reason for full Attendance..
II. BEING HERE TODAY “STRENGTHENS MY FAITH”
Sometimes you Feel Weak Spiritually. And when you do, you probably feel like you’re the only one. Right?
You’re not alone. Every Christian experiences times of weakness especially- when we forget the day of the Lord.
What does Weak Faith Feel like? Sometimes it manifests itself in:
Wondering if God is in control. Doubting God’s forgiveness.
Worrying about the future. Feeling discouragement
A. The Lord Expects You To Be Here -. I attend every service of the church because it makes me a stronger Christian.
The Apostles witnessed God's miracles and performed mighty deeds themselves but when it came time to ask for something, they asked Jesus to increase their faith - Luke17:5.
Faith is not only necessary for salvation but it is also necessary to be able to manage the many ups and downs of life so we can hang on to that salvation.
25 Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer. Hebrew 10:23-25 GNT.
All of these things are based on the strength of you faith, and the strength of your faith is proportional to your exposure to God's word and God's people. There are no shortcuts in building one's faith.
Weak Attendance = Weak faith = a Weak Christian.
If I only come to Sunday morning worship and skip the rest, will I still go to heaven?" I don't know, but you're question does tell me you have an attitude problem. We are saved by faith.
And, that faith is conceived and nourished every time you attend services. So why attend every time? Because your faith needs for you to be here in order to stay alive and healthy.
To strengthen your faith, you must unite with others in worship. Worship is for God, but it also has benefits for you. Here are two of the biggest benefits of corporate worship: It renews your faith, and it restores your joy.
Isaiah 40:31 says, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (NIV)
How many times have you gotten up on a Sunday morning and said, “I am so tired. I really don’t have any energy to go to church,” but then you went to church and worshipped and afterward you were more energized? That happens because worship renews you. It strengthens you. It strengthens your faith.
You’re not going to get your strength renewed by watching golf TV. That’s just going to make you lazier and lazier. You get renewed by worshipping God with other believers.
The Bible also says in Psalm 100:2, “Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy” (NLT,
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1).
III. BEING HERE TODAY BUILDS THE CHURCH
A. I Want To Be here to Strengthen the Church. - I attend church today because Jesus Want ME to be here.
Popular phrase today is, “you don’t have to go to church to be a
Christianity is ACCURATE that you don’t have to go to church to be Christian. You have to be the church if you are a Christian.
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
Your presence at all services is critical in the building up of the Church because through regular attendance you do several things for others:
You proclaim Christ to each other and the community. 1 Cor. 11:26
You provide a Godly example to others.
You also demonstrate your support of the NYCC leadership and ministers of this church who are charged with leading and feeding this flock - Heb. 13:17 17 Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you.
At this part of my lesson I usually offer an invitation to those who want to confess Christ, and be baptized; or those who need prayer to come forward to be recognized. If this is your intention then by all means please come forward.
If you don't come to all the services regularly please realize that pleasing God more fully, strengthening your faith and making a real contribution to this church requires you to change.
If you do come regularly, then look around and see what you can do to serve, encourage or help others.
Salvation Is today!