Why Go To Church

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Why Go To Church?
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The Benefits for NOT going to Church

• Get to catch up on lost sleep!

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• Get to take in that EXTRA ROUND of Golf

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• Catch up on the chores and Honey-do List

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• Catch up on Sunday Morning TV programs or watch
  your favorite PREACHER

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• Relax do nothingor catch up on that novel, or
  maybe do some BIBLE reading on your own!

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• Its CHEAPER! Any offerings you might feel
  obligated to give stays in your pocket

MY Money
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• Go for a Sunday Drive, sightseeing, visit family

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• SPORTS! Go to the GAME, play softball, take the
  kids to their gameor just spend time with the
  Family!

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• Avoid this stuff

Gods Word Says The Bible Says
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And if you are just going to WATCH and not
participate in the Church

• The chairs are more comfortable at HOME plus the
  food is better!

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• No one is watching you No one is looking at your
  life No one is telling YOU what to do!

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• I can eat, drink, and be merryAND be accountable
  to NO ONEIm my own boss!

It's MY LIFE!
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Orbe one of the few, the humble, the straight
and narrow ones
Here are some Biblical reasons why we ARE to go
to Church More Importantly, get involved!
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Reason 1 Community

• To be with Gods People (Acceptance)
• Fulfill the One Anothers of scripture (Serve
  each other)
• To give receive spiritual help, support,
  encouragement, and correction in love
• Learning to care for each other walk in humility
  and avoid selfishness (We are not alone)
• Learning that our fellowship is based in Gods
  grace and our mutual weakness and need (we are
  all sinners being saved by grace).

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One Another's of Scripture...Examples

• Ro 1210 Be kindly affectioned one to another
  with brotherly love in honor preferring one
  another
• Ro 138 love one another for he that loves
  another hath fulfilled the law.
• Ro 1413 Let us not therefore judge one another
  any more
• Ro 157 Wherefore receive ye one another
• Ga 526 Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
  provoking one another, envying one another.
• Ga 62 Bear ye one anothers burdens
• Eph 42 forbearing one another in love
• Eph 432 forgiving one another, even as God for
  Christs sake hath forgiven you.
• There are many more

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Reason 2 Corporate Worship

• It is Gods call to convocation (Holy Coming
  together) to present ourselves before
  Himtogether (A Sabbath Day)
• That includes coming into the House of God for
  prayer, thanksgiving, and praise
• It is sharing our worship with others singing
  together and praying together
• It is worship by stirring one another with our
  God moments
• Vitally important is the ministry of our presence
  to others!

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Reason 3 Teaching Correction

• Be in submission to the Word
• Be in submission to one another
• Be in submission to Gods Pastors
• We learn to deny self
• We learn to resist temptation
• We learning to obey

The Bible says
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Reason 4 Overcome the Flesh (sinful nature)

• By practicing repentance (and confession of sins)
  we are taking a Spiritual bath
• By attending we are willing to be exposed in the
  light (Jesus said men love darkness rather than
  light because their deeds are evil. John 319)
• Being challenged to walk after the Spirit
  (Galatians 516)
• Encouraging each other in the Lord

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Reason 5 Offerings Gifts

• Presenting our tithes, gifts, and offerings as an
  act of worship at the altar of God
• We are to Bring the tithes into Gods storehouse
  for Gods purposes
• We are to a cheerful giver
• We are stewards (Not owners) of Gods blessing in
  our lives
• We are to Serve God not money

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Reason 6 Observing Obedience

• By obeying and making practices
• By observing and sharing our faith
• By sharing the risks and burdens of ministry
  efforts
• By working together
• By learning to serve

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Reason 7 It Was Jesus' Custom!

• We are to Follow Jesus
• example (copy Christ)
• Jesus was in the house of
• God for prayer, thanksgiving,
• and praise
• Jesus wanted to be with
• others who love God

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Reason 8 Missing Out Spiritual Fire fading...

• We miss the Testimonies of Gods grace in others
  lives
• We miss Gods special presence of two or more
• Spiritual fire fades by being alone and/or
  isolated
• Spiritual fire fades by staying away and clear of
  the fire

Coals/ambers go out when separated from the fire!
Staying in a fog of selfishness
Blinded by pride
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Some Objections Addressed

• I can do all of these things on my own I dont
  have to go to church
• I dont want to go where Hypocrites attend
• They only want my money
• It is boring and I cant relate to the service
• You dont know what Church people have done to
  me!

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First Objection

• We are to practice our faith, pray, praise,
  worship, serve, read, study, give ON OUR OWN
  then, come together and practice the same things
  with each other! It is not either/or but BOTH!

Individually AND Corporately Its BOTH!
It's a team in Christ
Lone Christian?
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Objection--Hypocrites

• Unfortunately hypocrisy is a problem however,
  arent we all a bit hypocritical? Dont we all
  fall short? (Yet, I know that blatant hypocrisy
  is a turn off for EVERYONE)
• The Church is a hospital for sinners with this
  in mind no one who attends is perfect, far from
  it Gods will despite hypocrisy is for us to
  gather in His name (Church teaching and
  discipline is to address and correct this
  problem)
• To disobey Gods command to be involved with a
  church because of the Hypocrites is to be
  judgmental! Who are we to judge Gods servants?
  (We are to deal with hypocrisy without judging
  people)

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Objection--They only want MY money!

• First, we are stewards in Gods eyes, we DONT
  own anything!
• Gods Word teaches us that we cannot serve God
  AND money.
• Most Churches do NOT spend a great deal of time
  talking about money.
• Money is Gods test concerning our real
  motivations! What or how we spend it reflects our
  hearts values

Seek First God's Kingdom...
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Objection--Boring!

• Part of the problem is our own sin nature is in
  opposition to Spiritual thingsa natural
  resistance must be overcome.
• We should change Churches if the ritual and
  repetition is meaningless to us.
• Sometimes saying it is boring is just an excuse.
• Remember, our true enemy would rather we be
  entertained by the world and distracted from
  Gods Word.

Zzzzz...
Don't be Stubborn
Overcome it
Life is more than a party
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Objection--I've been hurt offended

• All of us are unsafe in some way yet, I know
  people can be very difficult (They carry baggage
  from past experiences).
• If weve been hurt or offended there is only one
  way to escapeforgive and be healed by God AND
  stop holding a grudge (Being offended is
  judgmental).
• People can be the problem however, People
  through God are also the solution
• We can only grow in Gods character with others
  and must learn to run the course of human events!

We Need God's View
God's Grace to overcome people issues
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Conclusions
It is willful disobedience on our part when we
CHOOSE not be connected to the body of Christ So
Choose to be!

• It is disobedient to NOT CONNECT to the body of
  Christ
• It means we are NOT being a team member not
  attending practices
• Selfishness and sinful desires are winning and
  controlling our lives we are quarreling against
  Gods will and wisdom
• We are Committed to other things, cares, lusts,
  and riches of this world
• Pride is blinding our path to stay apart
• We are NOT overcoming hurts, pains, and
  disappointments remaining offended and
  unforgivingthis is a trap of the evil one
• There really is NO OBJECTION that God would be
  satisfied with!

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• Hebrews 1025 Let us not give up meeting
  together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
  let us encourage one anotherand all the more as
  you see the Day approaching.
• Proverbs 181 He who separates himself seeks his
  own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.