God Commands Us to Attend

Church
Pastor Anderson's Blog
August 13, 2016

“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.”
Hebrews 10:25 

The Bible commands us to attend church, which is defined as a local, called out
assembly of believers. In Psalm 22:22, God uses the word congregation, and he quotes
that same passage in Hebrews 2:12, substituting the word “church” for
“congregation.” This proves that the word church means congregation. When you are
listening to preaching on your computer or other device, you may be learning, but you
are not congregated together with other believers. 

Church is Powerful 

There is something different about hearing the Bible read in church versus reading it
at home, and we obviously need both. Not only is Bible reading different in church,
but preaching is too. Listening to sermons remotely is never as powerful as
experiencing the service in person. 
The Spirit Moves 

God’s spirit speaks to us in church in a special way through the preaching. I will often
choose a sermon topic seemingly at random, and people will come up to me afterward
and tell me that I preached on the very thing that they have recently been struggling
with. The Holy Spirit often leads a pastor to preach exactly what you need to hear.
You might be more distracted while listening to a recording and miss something that
would have made more of an impact in person. Not all sermons in all churches are
recorded. Not only that, but sometimes the recording equipment fails. Don’t miss out
on a sermon that God might be leading the pastor to preach just for you. 

Fellowship and Work 

God knew that we needed the positive influence of other believers to succeed in the
Christian life. We live in the world and have to interact with unbelievers all week. We
need the fellowship of other Christians to keep us encouraged and motivate us to do
more for God. We call the kitchen area at our church “the break room” because
church is a place that sends us out to do the Lord’s work. 

Psalms and Hymns 

Even the singing is an important part of the church service. We don’t just schedule a
few hymns at the beginning because we are expecting you to arrive late. The reason
that it is so important that the songs we sing are doctrinally correct is that songs will
often stick with us long after we forget the sermon. 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing
one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your
hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 

Online sermons can be a very beneficial supplement—I listen to sermons, too, but
they are no substitute for regular church attendance. Realize the importance of being a
part of the institution that God said he would build. The Bible says that Christ
purchased the church with his own blood. Not going to church is a serious sin that will
lead you into more sin, because you need fellowship, and you need to sit under the
preaching. Here
is a sermon to go with this article.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKPM6tQLKaM)
Attitude towards church
1Tm:3:14: These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto
thee shortly:
1Tm:3:15: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou
oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the
church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
*
Lu:8:18: Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath,
to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall
be taken even that which he seemeth to have.
Ec:5:1: Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and
be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for
they consider not that they do evil.
Ec:5:2: Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be
hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and
thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Ec:5:3: For a dream cometh through the multitude of business;
and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.
(Ec:5:4: When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it;
for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast
vowed.
Ec:5:5: Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou
shouldest vow and not pay.
Ec:5:6: Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither
say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore
should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine
hands?
Ec:5:7: For in the multitude of dreams and many words there
are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.)
Lu:10:38: Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered
into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha
received him into her house.
Lu:10:39: And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at
Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
Lu:10:40: But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and
came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister
hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Lu:10:41: And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha,
Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
Lu:10:42: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that
good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
1Th:2:13: For this cause also thank we God without ceasing,
because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of
us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth,
the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that
believe.(*It is God’s word that’s being Preach, who are we to
judge the word of God)
Ac:17:11: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in
that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
(*Be ready to discern if what’s being preach is true or not)
Jos:1:8: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou
shalt have good success.
M't:12:3: But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David
did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
M't:12:5: Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the
sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath,
and are blameless?
M't:19:4: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not
read, that he which made them at the beginning made them
male and female,
M't:22:31: But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have
ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
M'r:12:10: And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which
the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
M'r:12:26: And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not
read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto
him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob?
Lu:6:3: And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so
much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred,
and they which were with him;
1Co:14:29: Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the
other judge.
(1Co:14:30: If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by,
let the first hold his peace.
1Co:14:31: For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may
learn, and all may be comforted.)
(Jas:1:19: Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Jas:1:20: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness
of God.
Jas:1:21: Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word,
which is able to save your souls.)(*Be meek)
Jas:1:22: But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves.
Jas:1:23: For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he
is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
Jas:1:24: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
Jas:1:25: But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and
continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer
of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.(*Do that
which you have heard!, If you don’t use it, you lose it!)
Proverb:1:5: A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
Proverb:1:6: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation;
the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
Proverb:1:7: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Heb:2:12: Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in
the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Psalms:138:1: I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the
gods will I sing praise unto thee.
Psalms:138:2: I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise
thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast
magnified thy word above all thy name.
Psalms:33:3: Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud
noise.
Psalms:98:4: Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth:
make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
Psalms:40:3: And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even
praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust
in the LORD.
Psalms:9:11: Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion:
declare among the people his doings.
Psalms:18:49: Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD,
among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Psalms:27:6: And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine
enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle
sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the
LORD.
Psalms:47:6: Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto
our King, sing praises.
Psalms:68:4: Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him
that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice
before him.
Psalms:68:32: Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing
praises unto the Lord; Selah:
Psalms:75:9: But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the
God of Jacob.
Psalms:92:1: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD,
and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
Psalms:108:3: I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people:
and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations.
Psalms:135:3: Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing
praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.
Psalms:144:9: I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a
psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto
thee.
Psalms:146:2: While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing
praises unto my God while I have any being.
Psalms:147:1: Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises
unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
Psalms:149:3: Let them praise his name in the dance: let them
sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.