Church,Why Bother?
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The House Introduction: Perhaps it’s one of the most perplexing questions out there as it relates to following Christ and being a part of God’s family. Everyone has asked it at some point or another. Every kid, teenager, spouse, friend, devoted believer, seeker, and skeptic alike. Do I have to go to Church? Why should I go to Church? Is church really necessary? Or simply stated, “Church, Why Bother?” Good question, isn’t? It deserves a good answer. I mean, many of you can think of plenty of people who are good, moral, upstanding people who don’t go to church and they don’t seem any worse for it, right? In this first message of our newest series called The House I think this is a great question to ask, but if you’re going to ask $5 question you can’t expect .50 cent answers. So what’s the point or purpose of the church and do we really have to bother with it? Let’s talk about it. Open w/ prayer Body: The Barna Research Group reports that in the US When describing the church, which you know isn’t brick, steel, stucco, paint, and carpet, that’s a building...and just because public worship happens there doesn’t make it holy or sacred. God doesn’t live in buildings. God, through the Holy Spirit, lives in his followers therefore, you are the church. “Do you not know that you are a house of God and that the Holy Spirit lives in you” (1 Cor. 3:16 NLV)? We are the house of God. Elsewhere Paul says, “Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord” (Eph 2:20-21). How do you understand the church? When I say that word “church” what image comes to mind? While there are many ideas I think this one may be fairly common. [Show slide: baby birds] An overwhelming number of people in the world believe the church is in the business of spiritually feeding people. While I agree I’d also be quick to point out that in order for a church to be effective it’s got to know what God wants them to accomplish. Having God’s vision (or knowing God’s intended destination) is critical if we’re going to fulfill God’s purpose. To get a better understand of the church let’s start with word itself. When we move from the English back to the original Greek, we encounter the word ekklesia. That word is nearly always translated as the word “church.” When you break it down, you discover that ekklesia comes from two other Greek words: ek, meaning “out of” and the verb kaleo, meaning “to call.” You saying, “So what?” Here’s the so what. An ekklesia or church was simply an assembly of people called out of the world and into the family of God. Think of an enormous circle that includes everyone living on the face of the earth. That circle encompasses over six billion people. Now draw a smaller (and still substantial) circle within the larger circle. That smaller circle (of approximately two billion professing Christians) represents the Church. The word church refers to those people who have been called out of the world by God’s forgiveness in Christ to be his followers. A church is a “called‑out assembly of Christ-followers.” That definition helps enormously because it tells us several key facts... As a person who doesn’t consider himself to be very religious and somewhat cynical when it comes to the church, as an institution, I still believe that the local church is the hope of the world. The hope of the world isn’t the Federal government, para-church ministries, Christian schools, or social agencies, or missions organizations. There some things that we simply can’t fully accomplish (the way God intended) by ourselves as opposed to a gathering of people called out by God. So why bother with the church? What does the church do together that we can’t fully achieve by ourselves? 1. Reaches Up: In our culture it’s difficult to separate consumerism from the church. We go to church and we grade it against the friendliness of the greeters at Wal-Mart, the expedient service we get at the bank, we judge the music against what we hear on the radio, the children and nursery areas are compared to the local daycare. Sadly, this is the church in North America . We go to church and ask the question: What’s here for me and my family? Do you offer the religious goods and services our family is looking for? Instead of looking at all the external trappings of the building, the music style, the quality of the message, the mechanics of the service, the best thing we can do is come to a fresher understanding of how we’re called out in order to reach up and touch the heart of God. The only way to do that is worship. Worship is one of the critical purposes of God’s church. At this point you saying, “Wait a minute, I can worship God in my car, in the deer stand on the weekend, on a golf course, or in the comfort of my living room. I don’t have to go to church to worship God.” I’d say, “You’re right...sort of.” We’re can engage in private worship, but we can’t worship corporately by ourselves. If we’re going to follow the mandate for worship that God gives in scripture then we’ve got to consider what it says. “Let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this.” (Heb 10:25a NIRV). Encouragement and support needs a face. Almighty God is the audience for our worship, not the people sitting in front you or behind you. You don’t worship to be seen or to put on a show. You worship to engage God and in God’s economy that happens best in public worship. Why? What happens when God’s people come together for worship that doesn’t happen when you do it by yourself? We’re encouraged, we’re held accountable, we’re taught, we’re equipped, we’re prayed for, we’re cared for, we’re corrected (when necessary), we’re challenged to see the reality that we’re not here for us...we’re here for the rest of the world to see Christ in us. When Jesus left and when back to Heaven he left his people here on earth as the physical representation of himself. In other words, as screwed up as we all are, when the Holy Spirit fills his people we are truly are the Body of Jesus Christ. The church is the way God has chosen to be present here on earth. We believe the Sacraments of Baptism and Communion aren’t optional. We may not fully understand or agree on what’s happening when we do them and they may not make much sense to the 21st century mind, but that may be another reason to observe them. These elements of worship aren’t human tradition. Some congregations may have devalued the Sacraments, but they still offer them. Nobody else does. The Kiwanis club doesn’t baptize people and Rotary doesn’t serve Holy Communion.
Quote: “Being reassured weekly that your sins are forgiven is a great comfort. Anything less is too trivial to sustain us through the great crises of life.”
What does the church do together that we can’t fully achieve by ourselves? 2.Reaches Out: Quote: Evangelist Luis Palau: “The church is like manure. Pile it together and it stinks up the neighborhood; spread it out and it enriches the world.” Indeed. Unfortunately, the natural tendency of any church is to pile themselves up by turning inward. Some churches lose their vision when they build a facility. They suddenly stop focusing on reaching people and seeing people come to Christ. They become more concerned with making the building just right and the scuff marks on the wall, rather than the intended purpose Jesus gave the church. “So go and make followers of all people in the world. Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you” (Mt 28:18-19a NCV). On our own the ability to reach out isn’t nearly what could be if we’ll do it as a called out assembly of followers. There’s nothing sadder than a church that’s lost its vision, is unable to reach people, and is huddled together just waiting for the rapture to happen and hoping they can keep the lights turned on in the meantime. The Highlands vision says, “We envision a church that refuses to be ingrown or self-focused but instead channels its redemptive power into the world by understanding that community service is not optional. Rather, it’s understood as a spiritual mandate from Christ and lived daily through acts of service, which show God’s love to others through involvement with local, national, and world missions, along with the planting of new churches.” James says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you” (Jas 1:27). The church is to be about the business of ministering to those who are in need. This includes not only sharing the Gospel, but also providing for the physical needs of others as necessary and appropriate. As it relates to our church, we didn’t build this facility so that we could be cozy, safe, satisfied, fat, and happy. Instead, we built this place so that we can reach out to others and they could come and have their life messed up by the incredible grace of God that’s messed us up. If you’re not messed up by the grace of God hang a round for while, open your life up to the work of God’s Spirit, and you probably will be. We didn’t build this for just us four no more. We built this church to be used as an outpost for forgiveness on the edge of Enemy territory. However, there’s a price tag for that type of mindset and it’ll cost you. What’s the price? Commitment. If you want to be a church that reaches people you have to be committed to making it happen. You’ve got to be involved. It’s not enough to sit idly by and watch it happen around you. Our vision statement reads as follows: We yearn for a church that replicates the original biblical church described in Acts, where no one sits on the sideline as a non-contributing spectator, and where no one has to compensate for the pew-warmers by doing too many ministries and burning out.
3. Reaches In: Not only does the church worship, reach out to others, but we also learn and grow best in community. Let’s face it, you really can’t be your own best friend, but someone else in this place can. Friendships happen best in the context of a supportive network. People are best accepted and shown the unconditional love of God regardless of where on life’s spiritual journey they find themselves in a group of like-minded friends rather than the sitting at home by themselves. Paul says, “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2 TNIV). You say, “I don’t know, I think I can grow on my own. I can read and study the bible for myself. I’m not sure I have to have the support of a church.” Once again, you’re partially right. Yes, you can read and study the bible by yourself, but who’ll help ensure that you actually live it. You? Yes, you can watch all the church services and sermons you want on TV, but if you think you can actually connect with those people then next time Joel Osteen is on TV get up and hug your television set and tell me how that works for you. Doing life together with a band of brothers or sisters is important in the life of the church. “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (Prov. 27:17). Notice that it doesn’t say anything about our ability to sharpen ourselves. This level of sharpening, challenging, and growth only come about as we do life together with others. It simply doesn’t happen by ourselves. Most people know deep down they probably need others to help them accomplish this, but guys are the worst. We want to conquer the world alone. We don’t need any help. I don’t a small group and don’t pass me the Kleenex. Truthfully, most men don’t have a good friend. Someone who we’d feel would stand by us, encourage us, correct us, and challenge us when needed the most. Most guys are scared to death of a friendship at this level even though you crave it deep down. Quote: Bill Perkins – “I think most adult men lack close friends because they refuse to take risks necessary for enduring friendship.” This is where the church comes in. Again, you can’t be your own best friend. To show you the power of togetherness rather than isolation look at this verse. “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken” (Eccl 4:12). Stop isolating yourself. Get in community, experience friendship by reaching in and growing spiritually. I’ve always been mystified by people who love Christ, but hate the church. How can you love the groom, but hate his bride? “A husband should love his wife as much as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it” (Eph 5:25 CEV). How can you follow Christ and yet hate the One he came to give himself for? You got me. When the Apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth
Why can’t I find God anywhere other than in church? People need people...and the church is were God has chosen to dwell. People need God’s people in order to know God. Life in Jesus Christ is a corporate affair. The promises of God, in the bible, were made to God’s people – plural. The letters in the NT were written to Christ-followers in churches or pastors of churches. Scripture simply doesn’t acknowledge the existence of an individual, isolated Christ-follower. What scripture does describe is a corporate affair. “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42). Conclusion: The house of God is the only true hope for a broken world. I recently heard the following quote used to describe the church. Quote: “This is a big old ship - She creaks, she rocks, she rolls, and at times she makes you want to throw up. But she gets where she's going. Always has, always will, until the end of time. With or without you.”
Read MoreQuote: “Being reassured weekly that your sins are forgiven is a great comfort. Anything less is too trivial to sustain us through the great crises of life.”
3. Reaches In: Not only does the church worship, reach out to others, but we also learn and grow best in community. Let’s face it, you really can’t be your own best friend, but someone else in this place can. Friendships happen best in the context of a supportive network. People are best accepted and shown the unconditional love of God regardless of where on life’s spiritual journey they find themselves in a group of like-minded friends rather than the sitting at home by themselves. Paul says, “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2 TNIV).
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