Over the past few weeks I have had several different people share with me that they find themselves with this feeling of ‘I don’t want to go to church.’ At times I’m sure many of us have gotten up on Sunday morning and echoed that same sentiment. We’ve had a bad week or we don’t feel our very best. There are those who simply just don’t believe we have to go to church. Sometimes we get disillusioned by things people in the church do or by the things that they say.

Let’s take a few minutes and look at what we are taught in God’s Word.

GOING TO CHURCH IS GOD’S COMMAND

^“Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.” Heb. 10:25 (CEV)

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS A FAMILY

 They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together. Acts 2:42 (CEV)

THE SCRIPTURE TELLS IS IN I COR. 12 THAT WE ALL HAVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND WE SHOULD USE OUR GIFT(s) TO HELP KEEP HIS BODY, THE CHURCH, STRONG BECAUSE WE ARE A MEMBER OF THAT BODY.

^“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” I Cor. 12:12

“You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.” Gal. 6:2 (CEV)

^“Our bodies don’t have just one part. They have many parts.  Suppose a foot says, “I’m not a hand, and so I’m not part of the body.” Wouldn’t the foot still belong to the body?  Or suppose an ear says, “I’m not an eye, and so I’m not part of the body.” Wouldn’t the ear still belong to the body?  If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn’t hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn’t smell a thing.  But God has put all parts of our body together in the way that he decided is best. A body isn’t really a body, unless there is more than one part. It takes many parts to make a single body.” I Cor. 12:14-19

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT ME. WHAT IF ANOTHER PART NEEDS ME? OR, I NEED ANOTHER PART?

“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Rom. 15:1

^“Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting.” I Cor. 13:7

^“Try your best to let God’s Spirit keep your hearts united.” Eph. 4:3 (CEV)

In an article I found by Wes McAdams, he says: “Some people feel like churches are full of hypocrites. Well, I wouldn’t say we’re all hypocrites, but we’re definitely imperfect. In fact, we’re down right messed up sometimes! We are often inconsistent, insensitive, and incompetent. But here is something you may not have considered: because we are so messed up, you can help us. You can help encourage us to be better. You can help us see the shortcomings to which we’ve become blind. You can help by not giving up on us; just as God hasn’t given up on you.”

Ralph Carter, Pastor, Brushy Creek Baptist Church, Taylors, SC said: “To be a hypocrite is simply to wear a mask.  It is to admonish people to do one thing and then do another.  Ever told your children to be patient but become impatient with them? We all have said one thing and done another.  We absolve ourselves from guilt by pleading "but it's not what I normally do."  And, for most, that's probably true. So how many times does a man have to act with hypocrisy to be a hypocrite?  The church is filled with hypocrites because people make up the church.  But if God divides us into two groups, the group most like Him and the group the most not like Him - we all end up in the second group.”

THEN WHY IS IT SO HARD

“Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack.” I Peter 5: 8 (CEV)

“We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.” Eph. 6:12 (CEV)

HOW DO I FIGHT AGAINST SATAN

“Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong. Put on all the armor that God gives, so you can defend yourself against the devil’s tricks. We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.” Eph. 6:10-11 (CEV)

^“Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.” Phil. 4:3-7 (CEV)

^“Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.” Phil. 4:8-9 (CEV)

WHAT’S THE CONCLUSION?

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” Heb. 10:23-27