STAY IN CHURCH (Part 1)
What do you do when you don’t know what to do? By all means stay put in your local church. One of the greatest mistakes a believer can make during a time of crisis is forsake the local assembly. Instead of drawing near to the people of God some make the mistake of getting out of church altogether. Sometimes this happens because of embarrassment or humiliation. Yet others leave the fellowship because of guilt or confusion. Life altering events normally leave believers in a state of shock, fear and bewilderment. Stunned by a painful event such as a divorce or an untimely death, many believers become vulnerable and discouraged. Others lose their spiritual equilibrium after a tragic situation. Nonetheless, staying in church can help make sense out of a senseless situation.
Why do Christians need to stay in church during times of trouble? First all, because God commands us to be involved in the local body.
GOD COMMANDS US
In times of unbelievable happiness and in times of incredible hurt the child of God needs to be anchored in his local fellowship. The circumstances of my life should not dictate my allegiance to Jesus Christ and His church. It has been my personal observation over the years that how a person treats the church is a reflection of his relationship with Jesus Christ. Many have the “take it or leave attitude” when it comes to the church. If it is convenient, I will attend, but if sacrifice is involved, then forget it. This attitude definitely carries over into one’s fellowship with Christ. The church is the body of Christ! We should love the family of God.
The New Testament book of Hebrews is a very unusual epistle. For instance, the author remains a mystery. Contemporary scholarship contends that Luke, Apollos or Paul wrote this literary masterpiece. The purpose of the book was to encourage believing Jews to “hold fast their profession” (Hebrews 4:14; 10:23). These Jewish believers’ were tempted to go back to Judaism. From 30 A.D. to 68 A.D. multitudes of Jews were converted to Christ. During much of this time many of the Christian Jews would go to the synagogue on Saturday and then attend church on Sunday. However, in 70 A.D. the Jews had their “9/11,” so to speak. Jerusalem and the Temple were utterly destroyed. This was a devastating blow to Judaism! Nevertheless, Judaism was reorganized by the Pharisees. Christian Jews were no longer protected by Rome. They were viewed as Christians, not Christian Jews. They were pressured to renounce their Christian faith and return to Judaism and the synagogue (this would mean protection from Rome). Should they remain in the church they would be ex-communicated from their synagogues. This was like a death sentence! In the midst of this severe persecution, the author of Hebrews wrote, Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” In other words, don’t egkataleipo {forsake} or abandon episunagoge {assembling together} in the church. Professing Christian Jews were deserting the Christian church and going back to their synagogues because of the persecution. In spite of such severe persecution the author of Hebrews pleads with these Jewish believers to stay in their local church. The entire book presents a convincing argument on the superiority of Jesus Christ to the old levitical system. Thus, the writer of Hebrews made the message clear. Don’t forsake the church and return to Judaism because Jesus is superior to the old covenant. He is superior to the prophets (1:1-3), angels (1:4-2:18), Moses (3:1-18), Aaron (ch.4-5), animal sacrifices and the entire levitical system (8:6- 10:39). In presenting his case, the author of Hebrews used the word kreitton {better} thirteen times when comparing Christ to the Old Testament system. Consequently, the convincing letter of Hebrews motivated many Jewish believers to “hold fast to their profession” of faith in Christ (4:14). As a result, many were severely persecuted and martyred for their faith in Christ. They paid a price to stay in church!
DISCUSSION
1. Based on your personal experience, why do people get out of church?
2. Why is church attendance so important?
3. How has staying in church helped you make sense a senseless situation?
Why do Christians need to stay in church during times of trouble? First all, because God commands us to be involved in the local body.
GOD COMMANDS US
In times of unbelievable happiness and in times of incredible hurt the child of God needs to be anchored in his local fellowship. The circumstances of my life should not dictate my allegiance to Jesus Christ and His church. It has been my personal observation over the years that how a person treats the church is a reflection of his relationship with Jesus Christ. Many have the “take it or leave attitude” when it comes to the church. If it is convenient, I will attend, but if sacrifice is involved, then forget it. This attitude definitely carries over into one’s fellowship with Christ. The church is the body of Christ! We should love the family of God.
The New Testament book of Hebrews is a very unusual epistle. For instance, the author remains a mystery. Contemporary scholarship contends that Luke, Apollos or Paul wrote this literary masterpiece. The purpose of the book was to encourage believing Jews to “hold fast their profession” (Hebrews 4:14; 10:23). These Jewish believers’ were tempted to go back to Judaism. From 30 A.D. to 68 A.D. multitudes of Jews were converted to Christ. During much of this time many of the Christian Jews would go to the synagogue on Saturday and then attend church on Sunday. However, in 70 A.D. the Jews had their “9/11,” so to speak. Jerusalem and the Temple were utterly destroyed. This was a devastating blow to Judaism! Nevertheless, Judaism was reorganized by the Pharisees. Christian Jews were no longer protected by Rome. They were viewed as Christians, not Christian Jews. They were pressured to renounce their Christian faith and return to Judaism and the synagogue (this would mean protection from Rome). Should they remain in the church they would be ex-communicated from their synagogues. This was like a death sentence! In the midst of this severe persecution, the author of Hebrews wrote, Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” In other words, don’t egkataleipo {forsake} or abandon episunagoge {assembling together} in the church. Professing Christian Jews were deserting the Christian church and going back to their synagogues because of the persecution. In spite of such severe persecution the author of Hebrews pleads with these Jewish believers to stay in their local church. The entire book presents a convincing argument on the superiority of Jesus Christ to the old levitical system. Thus, the writer of Hebrews made the message clear. Don’t forsake the church and return to Judaism because Jesus is superior to the old covenant. He is superior to the prophets (1:1-3), angels (1:4-2:18), Moses (3:1-18), Aaron (ch.4-5), animal sacrifices and the entire levitical system (8:6- 10:39). In presenting his case, the author of Hebrews used the word kreitton {better} thirteen times when comparing Christ to the Old Testament system. Consequently, the convincing letter of Hebrews motivated many Jewish believers to “hold fast to their profession” of faith in Christ (4:14). As a result, many were severely persecuted and martyred for their faith in Christ. They paid a price to stay in church!
DISCUSSION
1. Based on your personal experience, why do people get out of church?
2. Why is church attendance so important?
3. How has staying in church helped you make sense a senseless situation?
posted by maranatha man at 12:39 PM
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