If you haven’t been hurt by people in a church yet, you’re probably a new believer. Congratulations! And don’t let that last statement scare you. But beware! People are messy. They are just as messy IN the church as they are in the carpool line, Walmart, the bar, and every other place. Walking through a church’s doors doesn’t suddenly, magically cure people of their messiness. But hopefully, their being there is a sign that they are trying to clean it up!
So in these crazy times especially, why go to church?? There’s no commandment that says we HAVE to. So there. (End of argument, right?)
True, there is no direct commandment from God or Jesus directing us to go to church. However, in the New Testament, after Jesus ascended to Heaven, the Church began. So, as we are living in the ‘New Testament Times,’ those directions given us in the Bible are for us today. Sooo…. there is a direction of why we should attend this church with all the multitudes of messy sinners!
The Bible tells us “not to forsake the gathering together with other believers.” (Hebrews 10:25) The book of Hebrews is not about coffee (da dum dah!). It was written to the Jews who believed in Jesus as the Messiah during a time of Roman dominion and persecution. They were NOT a popular group of people. They stood on the Old Testament that the Jewish religion revolved around, while also accepting Jesus as their savior. They did this during a time in which crucifixion, death in boiling vats of oil, and human torches were the way to deal with anyone who opposed the Roman government. Surely if these new believers could face near-certain death to meet together, today’s Christians can take the opportunity to do so in a country where it’s not outlawed?
Stick with me.
Paul and the disciples started the Church. The Church was gatherings of multitudes who believed Jesus as the son of God and the Messiah- both Jews and Gentiles. They sought out and attending these meetings as an opportunity to learn, to worship, to pray together. Why?
So that they could glorify in multitudes. That is what the church is. Throughout the Bible, we see multitudes worshipping God.
-Would one angel’s song have sufficed to announce the birth of Jesus? (Luke 2)
-Did only one person follow Jesus while he was in the flesh? (John 6)
-Had Jesus been alone, would not Herod have certainly killed him sooner? (Matthew 14)
-Does John see but a few in worship in Revelation? (Revelation 7)
Nope! In each of these, the multitudes had a purpose!
Glorify God! One person’s song is great. The Lord is worthy of our own personal worship. But how much more powerful of a message is it when there are many voices?! We come together to glorify the King of Kings, our Father, savior, our Rock of Ages! Because one worshipful voice is powerful; but many voices join together brings delight to the Lord. (Psalm 147) Probably why there was a ‘heavenly host’ in Luke 2 rather than a solo angel.
People were amazed at the miracles of Jesus and because there were so many followers, they shared the good news! (Psalm 9, Exodus 9, I John) These multitudes followed, witness miracles, then spread the information.
The crowds offered Jesus protection from the evil intent in the world. You can go into battle alone, but you will lose against the enemy that outnumbers you. (I Peter 5) And if Jesus stayed within the multitudes to help him win against His enemy, we should probably follow suit… just sayin’. Sounds like a GOOD plan.
Throughout the book of Revelation, multitudes are in worship together giving God glory and praise. So, knowing that God’s ultimate plan is for us to spend eternity in united glorification of Him, why are we not practicing that here on Earth?
So, my point is… we Believers attend church not because someone asks us to, because we feel bad if we don’t, because we have nothing else to do, because our mamas drag us there…
We attend church because our Lord finds joy in our united praises, because we are strengthened in being with like-hearted believers, because we are stronger together, and because we know that our eternity in Him is one of united worship.
So, yeah, church can be messy because we are messy. But we don’t go to church for the people. We go to church because the Lord delights IN His people. (Psalm 149, Proverbs 8) And He is worthy, far beyond worthy, of our praises.
Magnolias and Coffee 