CHURCH ATTENDANCE

INTRODUCTION:

The church, being the people of God, must by all means meet together to worship and glorify their Maker at any place they choose. Weaknesses among the people of God deprive them from meeting together. It becomes the habit of some members of the church to absent themselves from church services, therefore obstructing or hindering the growth of the church both spiritually and physically.

I. REASONS WHY WE SHOULD ATTEND SERVICES:

1. God commands His people to meet together - Heb. 10:25; Deut. 12:5

2. Because we love the Lord, and would like to meet with Him - Matt.18:20; 1Jn. 5:1-3.

3. To maintain our spiritual fervor - Matt. 24:12.

4. We feel that we need to go and we that we are needed - 1Cor. 10:16-17; 1Jn. 1:6-7.

5. In order to satisfy our spiritual appetites - Matt. 5:6; 1Pet. 2:1-3; Matt. 6:33.

6. Because of the example we would set, and the advice we would give, by our absenteeism - our children - Eph.6:5; our companion - 1Pet.3:1-7; our non-christian neighbours - Matt.5:16; new converts - worship attendance is very unimportant and unconsequential.

7. This is where we would like to be when the Lord comes - Mk.13:32; 2Pet.3:14.

8. We are no better than anyone else; yet we expect others to attend - Matt.7:1-5; Rom.2:21- 22.

9. We do not want to defile and sear our conscience - Tit.1:15;1Tim. 4:1-2.

10. To be in subjection to God and our leaders - Heb.13:7,17.

11. To prevent backslidding - 1Cor. 11:20-30; 2Pet. 2:20-22.

12. To keep from sinning - Jas. 4:17.

13. Jesus is there - Matt.18:20; Exd. 19:17.

14. To walk in the footsteps of early saints - Acts 2:42-47;20:7;1Cor.14:23.

15. To prevent robbing God - It is impossible to rob God - Mal. 3:8.

16. To keep from casting our votes to close the doors of the church.

17. To keep from disobeying God - Heb. 10:25.

II. BIBLICAL TEACHINGS:

1. It is a Divine command in the old Testament - Deut. 12:5; 16:16.

2. A refuge in times of trouble - Isa. 37:1,14.

3. The House of God is a place of instruction - Mic. 4:1-2; Isa. 2:2-3.

4. It is our comfort even in our old age - Lk. 2:36-37.

5. The example of Christ - Lk. 4:16.

6. The example of the Apostles - Lk. 24:52-53.

7. Blessings pronounced upon church attendance - Psa. 84:4; 133:1-3.

III. EXCUSES MADE FOR NOT ATTENDING THE SERVICES

1. I am too busy - Be carefull "God first" - Matt. 6:33

2. I am too tired - Be carefull "God first" - Matt. 6:33

3. I had visitors - Be carefull "God first" - Matt. 6:33

4. I am not feeling well.