Responsibilities of being part of a Church – Go to Church
- We're using the slide "Don't just go to church; Be the Church" and will continue to use it for a while yet. Last week we started on the theme of what are the responsibilities of being part of the Church. Statistically a lot of people go to church, but how many are actually being the Church. 80% of all giving is done by 20% of the people in the church. Some of this is justified, since some people have money while others don't. (God doesn't look at the amount, but at the heart.)
- Our requirements are not all the same. Some come in early to do certain things, while others stay late to complete other tasks, and close up the church, and others doing things in between and during the service. We aren't all called to do the same thing but we are all called to take some responsibility. We will challenge each other to see what those responsibilities are. But take this - nobody is preaching at YOU. You are all responsible only to the person of the Holy Spirit, so ask Him what it is that He wants from you. Our goal is to see the Glyfada Christian Center become the Church God has called it to be.
- We'll be referring to a lot of Scripture today, but read only one. Where 2 or 3 are gathered in My Name, I am there among them. We will talk about some simple topics about taking responsibility. We'll see what it means to ATTEND CHURCH. We are responsible to GO TO CHURCH. Someone called this "The Ministry of Attendance". In 2019, Covid shut churches down globally. Before Covid 60-70% of people would show up to church, and we're not back there yet globally. During Covid, we'd do Church online, in the comfort of our pajamas and a lot of people are still there. But there is no form of church that can substitute for the coming together. Zoom is wonderful, but it is not the mediator between God and man - that is Jesus Christ.
- There are times when people cannot come to church or watch from where there are no churches, so the Internet is a miracle for them. But it can never completely replace the real thing, there are limitations to it. The real thing is us together here at church. The church will always be us and not the place. The church is a place where people gather together. Anywhere where it is allowed for the church to gather and they don't - that is not church. They could be believers, but they are weakened believers. For these short moments that we are gathered together we can cry "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty". In Christ one helps the other be who they are. We form identity as a people. Jesus is talking about His people being together, and even chasing people out of the church if they don't behave themselves. We have the potential of hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.
- No matter how unimpressive a church may seem to the world, it still has the authority to speak in Jesus' name. When we come together we are given the keys of God's Kingdom. Be a part of this and Jesus says He will seal you. The New Testament assumes that we will be together. Most of the epistles were written to churches where people could hear them. They talk a lot about one another. Church life is diminished when we are not coming together. Hebrews tells us to stir one another up to do good works, encouraging one another - this is the ministry of attendance and not just a discipline. We need to know one another in order to encourage one another. Also it enables us to endure as the day draws near.
- We should always be available and responsive to other peoples' needs. You might be the one today that says or does something that changes life for someone else in need. Even just a smile across the room at someone who needed it. If we want to see God do the things He can do, in as much as we are able, we should get together, even though sometimes things happen to hamper that from happening. Don't just be the Church, GO to Church. We represent Him, the hands and feet of Jesus and for that we need each other.