And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
I know that church isn’t a service.
I know that we are the church.
I know that we won’t get to heaven because the check marks on our attendance sheet were full.
But I also know there is a reason that the bible warns people to not neglect meeting together.
Why?
And why wouldn’t Christians gather with other Christians?
How is your church attendance? If you struggle to meet with the church on a regular basis, your bad attendance could be saying something.
You underestimate spiritual warfare.
Do you walk in the daily truth that the devil wants to take you down? Do you recognize there is a fight for your soul? For your husband’s, your children’s and your parent’s?
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Eph. 6:12
You want to be impenetrable? Get in the church!
Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Mt. 16:18
You do not despise the world.
When I first became a Christian I had to leave a lot of baggage behind to follow Jesus. That included friends and family members. I couldn’t keep one foot in the world and one in the church. Do you have one foot in the world? Are both your feet in the church?
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:12
You do not discern the difference between the perishable and imperishable.
And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 1 Cor. 9:25
Perishable things will not matter or even exist in 100 years from now. Imperishable things will exist and matter for eternity.
Now decide which your choices are:
- Work or worship
- Fishing or fellowship
- Baseball or bible study
- Laziness or the Lord’s Supper
- Homework or holiness
You do not care about encouraging your brothers and sisters.
Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another… Heb. 10:25
We aren’t supposed to do church just because of what it does for us. We are supposed to do it for what we can do for others.
You forget the Lord’s death.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death… 1 Cor. 11:26
When Jesus asked for his followers to take the Lord’s supper he said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” Do you do that? Do you remember his death by taking the Lord’s supper?
The Lord’s supper was an integral part of the fellowship of the early church. Is it an integral part of yours?
You do not anticipate the coming of Christ.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 1 Cor. 11:26
And let us not neglect our meeting together… especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
But whenever he comes, he will reward the servants who are ready. Luke 12:38
Are you on the edge of your seat? Are you staring into the sky waiting for the moment Jesus breaks it open? Are you waiting, anticipating and proclaiming while you wait?
You lack love.
I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches. 2 Cor. 8:8
Jesus said the greatest commandments are to love God like crazy then love others like crazy (Mt. 22:37-40). Does your church attendance reflect that? It really is all about love.
But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 1 Cor. 8:1
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