Pastor Dan Eddy

Nehemiah 9 1-3, 5-6, Romans 10:8b-17, John 4:19-26

Your Neighbors’ Quest= ions about God – Part #4

Why should I go to Church when I can worship God on my own?

9-4-11

I. Introduction –= CLC Thespian Theatre

Renee:

Good morning, neighbor.

Bruce: (with golf clubs)

Good morning, Renee.

Renee:

Where are you going in such a hurry?

Bruce:

I thought I would get a few rounds of golf in, especially since I missed my t= ee time last Sunday because of Hurricane Irene. So I’m taking advantage = of the good golf weather while we have it. You and Doug should join Paddy and = me.

Renee:

My husband and I are going to church. You should join us. Then we can join you for golf afterwards.

Bruce:

You can go to church anytime. But how often can you golf? Besides, why should I= go to church when I can worship God on my own? You know I will be among nature= and the trees…God’s creation. I’ll worship Him there. What do= es church offer that I can’t get with on the golf course with fresh air, sunshine, and some good exercise?

Renee:

Do you really want to know?

Pastor:

Thank you CLC Thespians.

This is the last part of our summer sermon series “Your neighbors’ questions about God.” Two we= eks ago (when we last met) the question was “Why are there so many denominations?” And, &= #8220;How is your church different from others?” If you missed that sermon or any of the othe= rs in this series log onto our website and you can either read or listen to an= y of the sermons. If you look in your bulletin we have a few bullet points from = the last sermon to help you answer that question.

Now if you remember in past weeks whenever your neighbor, friend, family member= or coworker asks you a question about God I suggested you respond with “Why would you like to know.= 221; This gives you an opportunity to listen in order to offer a more thoughtful response.

But sometimes your neighbors’ questions can seem more like statements dre= ssed up as questions. Bruce could have said “I am not going to Church because I can worship God on my own.” But = it sounded less confrontational if he worded in the form of a question. When R= enee responded with “Do you reall= y want to know” she is asking for permission to thoughtfully address Bru= ce about the value of corporate or community worship of God. And that is important b= ecause when we respect people enough to let them know we are listening to them, th= ey will be in a better position to really listen to what we have to say. =

Okay, so how do you respond to “Why should I go to Church when I can worship God on my own?” Flip over your bulletin insert and let’s fill in the blanks so you can more tho= ughtfully and confidently address their question.

II. Sharing why you go to church

The best way you can answer this neighbor’s question is to be sure you can answer the question “Why do = you go to Church?” And sometimes you can’t answer a question like = that until you’re unable to come to church, like last week with the storm.=

You don’t know how much you treasure something until something stops you = from treasuring it. Many people who are ill and shut-in express how much they wi= shed they could be here worshipping with us, including shut-ins like Joe Francis= and Dick Lesher.

Now can you worship God on your own? Yes, each morning I do for about 45 minute= s to an hour…reading, praying and meditating on God’s Word on subjec= ts that have nothing to do with my duties as a pastor. I spent time last Sunda= y in worship and study of God’s Word at home. Certainly, Jesus took time e= ach day to do this Himself. However, it’s just not the same as corporate = or community worship.

So “Why do you go to Church?”

III. The Lord God Comma= nds corporate worship because it’s the way He says and shows He loves<= /u> you

God tells us in one of the 10 Commandments: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” This means taking time out of one day to be refreshed by God in the community of other believers. Based on the Word of God here’s how Martin Luther explains it: “We should fear and love God so= that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”

That’s not something you can easily get on your own.

By the way…fear in this context is not being afraid of God but being in = awe of His power and love. Kind of like the way you would be in awe of the stea= lth bomber if it flew over your house.

No doubt God is present everywhere, but in corporate worship the implication from His Word is He is present in a special or= unique way. Jesus said tha= t in Matthew 18:20 ESV, “For wher= e two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

God commands corporate worship because He loves you. Here on Sunday morning is where the Heavenly Father connects to you and your congregational family in a special way.

Christ’s name can only be invoked if we have faith that what God’s Word speaks= is the Truth. That’s why we invoke His name at the beginning of each wor= ship service. So you know that what is being said or sung here is the Truth. That means as worshippers we listen to God’s Word proclaimed as you are ri= ght now…this is when faith is generated in our hearts for the first time or for times of renewal. And that is all accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In our Gospel reading Jesus wasn’t concerned about location. He said He = can be worshipped anywhere. Christ was concerned with how we worship God.= And the vast majority of examples of worship in the Bible are done in groups. L= ook at our Old Testament reading from Nehemiah 9. This Old Testament reading describes wha= t 1 Timothy 4:13 ESV prescribes= . The Apostle Paul said to Pastor Timothy.&n= bsp; “…devote yourse= lf to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”

If I think that worship is done only on own then I co= uld begin to worship my own ideas rather than the truth of God’s Word or = mix truth in with personal opinion and cultural preferences. Worshipping in gro= ups with a common confession of faith based on Scripture keeps us accountable t= o a true worship of God.

And even as a pastor…corporate worship makes sure I preach in Truth and in Spirit. If I were up here and said that we need to work harder to g= et to heaven…you could point our Epistle reading from Romans 10 as a exa= mple of how this is not true…how what I am saying is not the Spirit of Christ…how that does not represent His Word.

When we worship God in Truth= and in Spirit, He loves you en= ough that He does more for you in one hour than you can do for Him in a lifetime= of service. In worship the Lord prepares you for great things in your life with Him. That’s what Romans 10 was trying to get across…that with God’s Word comes faith for us to confess.

But Christ wants us to do something with that confession.

Here’s how Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV describes that.&n= bsp; “Let us hold unswervi= ngly to the hope we profess, (point to the cross) for he who promised is faithfu= l. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good dee= ds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—”

Some Sundays it may appear to be easier to stay in bed and pull the sheets up ov= er our heads than to face the problems of life.

Perhaps that avoidance is what the Christians faced in the early church. They wante= d to avoid the chastising from their family, the ridicule of their coworkers, or= the oppression of their government. After all they were worshipping the God and= Man who much of the world either didn’t know or despised. We’re not much different today.

So the writer of the Hebrews is saying…hold firm in Christ and to Jesus = even though you want to let go. En= courage others in good works when it’s easier to be silent. Let us start again and meet to worship Christ Jesus who showed His greatest faithfulness to us from the Cross and with His victory over the grave.

Faith in Christ needs to be affirmed and it needs to be strengthened to face the problems of our world.

Look at Nehemiah 9. In this passage the Israelites were finally back in Jerusalem, their = home town, worshipping Him in the temple after 70 years of exile.

And what was the first thing they did in worship: they confessed their sins bef= ore God. Worship is for the humbl= ed not the proud. That’s why the people prostrate (not prostate… that would be a problem). That body position is very humbling.

Almost every Church in the South= Shore area has the = phrase “All are welcome” printed on a banner or their marquee. I would like to propose that we do something similar here at Christ Lutheran except= I want to insert one extra word “All sinners are welcome.” So= they can know in worship here for sure that their sins are forgiven. =

Can you imagine if after you have poured out your heart confessing your sins th= is morning in the liturgy I said as your pastor: “Oh don’t worry about it. Not a problem?” You would have every right to be upset with me. No, the relief comes after you con= fess your sins when, as God’s called and ordained servant, you hear throug= h me those loving words of Christ: R= 20;I forgive you of all your sins in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and = of the Holy Spirit.”

It’s not a power move by the minister; there’s not subtle manipulation. There’s no guilting. Certainly you can read about God’s forgiveness in the Bible. But when you hear those words there’s a comfort, relief, and love from God that people really need = to hear that. That’s a worship of God you most likely won’t get on= the golf course, at the beach, or at the ballpark.

I can’t tell you how many times people have told me how much they appreciate hearing those words of absolution.

You see it's one thing to read that God loves = you it's another to know th= at God loves you but in public worship with the proclaimed Word of God you hear from Jesus Christ how= much He loves You and how He= is loving you. And then you are tangibly shown that love when you feel and taste that love in Holy Communion. That’s= a love you can’t get enough of. That’s a love of assurance that’s hard to know outside of church.

Think of your own family. Don’t you want to hear f= rom your parents, children, spouse, siblings, and friends how much they love yo= u? Don’t you want them to show<= /b> that? Why would it be any different with God? Here on Sunday morning is whe= re you experience that. Here is where we begin to live that…so we can li= ve it out there. That’s hard to do on your own. You need your Christ-cen= tered family here to encourage you. And they need you to encourage them.

Being together as a community= is so important for our survival.

I was at a Scituate Clergy Meeting recently and remember one of the pastors saying that the AA (Alcoho= lics Anonymous) people get together for meetings at his church. And many of them feel they need to their group meetings because they feel their life depends on it. Otherwise without that group gathering, listening, speaking and support they would be back to the destructive addic= tion of alcohol.

I thought that was a very tel= ling moment for how we should look at corporate worship. I'm not necessarily say= ing that what we do is like an AA meeting but it's the fact of gathering togeth= er corporately to speak, to listen, to understand, and to grow…that's wh= at's important.

Let us gather together on Sun= day mornings like our life depends = because it really does…now and for eternity.

IV. Conclusion

Why should I go to Church whe= n I can worship God on my own?

The Lord God Commands corporate worship because it’s His way He says and shows He loves you=

            Through the reading of = His Word

        &= nbsp;   Through the proclamation of the Gospel

        &= nbsp;   Through confession and absolution

        &= nbsp;   Through Holy Communion

To equip us as a family to handle the challenges of the world and to better se= rve others.

Otherwise, we could cul= tivate selfishness by thinking of and supporting no one else but our own interests= .

We come together in corporate worship because our faith and our life in Christ depends on it. Amen.