Welcome, friend, to our Bible study program. I’m Mack Lyon. The program’s “In Search of the Lord’s Way.” You know, of course, if you read the Bible any at all, that the Lord Jesus purchased the church with His own blood. So, the church is pretty important to Him. However, it’s a known fact that many people who once attended church don’t do it anymore. Well, Phil Sanders has prepared some pertinent thoughts about that which he has titled, “Come Back to the Church.” Stay tuned, and you’ll be blessed.
Hello, I’m Phil Sanders and this is In Search of the Lord’s Way, where we search the Scriptures as Mack Lyon says to find the Lord’s way to be saved and to live the Christian life. Thanks so very much for spending this time with us. We love knowing that you are watching or listening; and we want to be a part of your life each week.
Researchers say that 35 million adults in America identify themselves as having no religion at all. In all there are nearly 100 million Americans who are “unchurched,” that is, they haven’t been to church in quite a while. And even though they are not going now, most of them used to go to church. Many folks feel you can be a good Christian and not attend any church at all. The Bible, however, places a high priority on active membership in church.
In Psalm 122 David sang, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’” David and others would sing this song as they were walking up to Jerusalem to observe the feast. It was a psalm of ascent. Many people would walk for days to worship God. They had no car or chariot, but they wanted to be in the temple in the presence of God.
When brothers and sisters in Christ meet together for worship, they are meeting with God and with Christ. The church belongs to them; it’s their family. And of course, the Lord wants to meet with every member of his family regularly. He loves each of you. When you stop coming to church, the Lord and His people miss you. We are here to encourage you to live the Lord’s way.
This program is now in its thirtieth year, and Mack Lyon has been preaching the truth in love to all of us. For thirty years Mack has offered the materials for this program free of charge. Now, if you would like a printed copy, a CD or tape of it, mail your request to In Search of the Lord's Way; P.O. Box 371; Edmond, OK 73083 or by e-mail to searchtv@searchtv.org. Or, if you would like, call our toll-free telephone number. Now, we’ll pay for the call. That number is 1-800-321-8633. We also stream this program on our website at www.searchtv.org.
Well, Ken Helterbrand’s going to lead us now in a song. And then we’ll read from Hebrews chapter 10, verses 22 to 25.
Our scripture reading today comes from the book of Hebrews chapter 10, verses 22 to 25. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” This is from the New King James Version. Let’s pray together. O Lord, we are thankful for the church that you gave to us and washed clean through the shedding of Your blood. And, Father, we pray that we may value the church even as You do. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Recent studies suggest that large numbers of young adults have stopped attending church. Some find church boring or irrelevant. Some say the church is full of hypocrites or is so judgmental. Some don’t feel as connected as they would like, and others say they are just too busy to go to church. Well, life can certainly become difficult, but attending and participating in church offers an amazing opportunity to find spiritual strength and help with the most difficult tasks of life. I want to spend some time responding to some of the objections that people give for not going to church.
First, they say there are hypocrites at church. Well, a hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something that he does not intend to be. Yes, there are some pretenders at church; but most people who come to church come because they love God and want to live good lives. Everybody is weak; everybody sins; but that doesn’t mean they are pretenders or actors. It means they are human. Jesus told the apostles at the garden of Gethsemane that, “the spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26 and verse 41); and that is still true of people today.
Think with me: before we start pointing fingers at others, perhaps we should look at our own lives. Do you really want to let somebody else’s bad behavior separate you from God? You know it seems much wiser to let God deal with the hypocrites and to make sure that we remain right with God. The Lord Jesus had to deal with hypocritical Pharisees during His entire ministry, but He never let their hypocrisy keep Him from doing what was right! He kept right on teaching and preaching in the synagogues and loving people. Don’t let someone else’s sin infect your heart and turn you away from God.
Second, some say that church is boring or irrelevant. You know when people use the word “boring,” actually they are describing their perspective or their attitude. Now any activity can be boring or exciting, depending on the attitude of the person speaking. People usually get out of a worship service what they put into it. I’ve heard great preachers and I’ve heard so-so preachers, but, you know what, the preacher isn’t the focus. Give me the Word of God to nourish my soul.
David describes the “law of the Lord” in Psalm 19 and verse 10 as, “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.” This inspired psalmist was speaking about the Law of the Old Testament, which can be found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. He found them desirable, valuable, and sweeter than honey. Now, he found them so, because they were meaningful to him.
My friend, the Word of God is also meaningful to you. It will teach you where you came from, why you are here, and where you are going after this life is over. The Bible has the words of eternal life (John 12 and verse 50) and the truth that sets you free (John 8 and verse 32). The gospel is a message of grace and hope and peace and love. And it will teach you how to live victoriously in this life and how to face God on the Day of Judgment with confidence. The Bible is God’s message of love and truth. It will teach you how to avoid the pitfalls of life and it will give purpose and direction. As the divine book, the Bible will open the Lord’s will for your life. And a sincere study of God’s Word can never be boring to one who wants to know and to please God.
Third, people at church, some say, are judgmental. Now, it may seem that way, but think a little bit with me. Actually, people everywhere are “judgmental.” Have you ever been to a ball game where an umpire made a controversial call? Everybody gets excited about the call. Was he “safe” or was he “out”? One group thinks the umpire is blind, while the other group defends him. Conservatives judge liberals and liberals judge them right back. Everybody makes judgments. And one of the greatest ironies of our time is the way people view judging. It kind of goes like this: Well, I can judge you, but don’t you judge me!
As for judging, the real basis for making judgments about right and wrong is God’s Holy Word. The Lord Jesus said in John 7 and verse 24, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” If God calls something sin, it’s sin whether we agree or not. God knows His will, and He only calls things sinful because they are evil or hurtful. God said through the prophet Isaiah, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
The people at church love people enough to tell them the truth about sin. You see, sin will cause a person to lose his soul. Romans 6:23 says that, “the wages of sin is death.” Now, if I care for your soul, I’ll tell you about sin. I don’t tell you this to be hateful, but because I know how dangerous sin is to your soul. Now, if I didn’t care about you, I’d simply ignore the subject of sin and let you bear the consequences. I’d tell you that sin is “no big deal”; “there’s nothing to worry about!” But to remain silent about sin or to lie about sin is cruel and uncaring. Telling people the truth about sin is kind. Don’t be so quick to judge your neighbor at church.
Fourth, some people say, “I’m so busy I don’t have time for church.” You know, when I hear people say this, I can’t help but think it is an excuse. Most people can determine their priorities and their schedules if they will. Now, if you are too busy to add God to your schedule, you just remember one day time will be no more. And God will require your soul of you, and you’ll wish you could go back and take the time to change things.
The Lord Jesus knew people would be busy making a living and needing food and clothes and shelter. And the Lord said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Putting the Lord first means spending time with Him and His family, the church, in worship and in service.
The Bible says in James 4, verses 13 to 17: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and we’ll spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; and all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.” My friend, the right thing to do is to attend worship.
Fifth, some people say, “Well, I don’t feel connected.” You know, some folks find it hard to make friends at church the way they would like. The best way to make friends is to be a friend. Proverbs 18, verse 24 in the King James Version says that, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.” You know, if you come to church late and you leave as soon as the final “amen” is said, you will probably never make friends at church. Instead of waiting until everyone comes to you, you reach out to others. Get involved at church and in some good work. Learn people’s names. Attend Bible classes. Volunteer.
People say they aren’t as close to God as they used to be. We ask the question, “Who moved?” Did God leave you or did you leave God? People can so easily drift away from God and the church. The Bible says in Hebrews 2 and verse 1 that, “we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.” Oh, it’s easy to allow the world and its ways to cause our love for God and His church to grow weak. I hope you haven’t done that.
Through the years I’ve known a lot of people who were close to God and they came back to church after being absent for a time. And you know what, they were always so glad they came back. From the time that they left they felt empty and distant from God. And they knew they were unhappy without Him and they needed to find their way home like the prodigal son.
But when people have returned to church, they found that they could learn more about God. The Lord wishes all people “might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17, verses 27 and 8). God is the Father of your spirit (Hebrews 12 and verse 9). He created you and has heard your prayers all of your life. God gave His only begotten Son Jesus for your sins because He cares about you. He gave you the Bible so that you might know Him and love Him. Church will help you know Him even better.
When people have returned to church, they found that they improved their personal understanding of the contents of the Bible. The Word of God is an amazing book filled with hope and truth. And a lifetime is not enough to know everything the Bible teaches, but many people waste their minds on everything but this great treasure of spiritual knowledge. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” Now, if you want to know God’s Word better, attend Bible classes and worship at church. You’ll be glad you did.
When people have come back to church, they found help in the religious training of their children. You see, raising children in our nearly pagan society is tough. Parents need all the help they can get; and the church provides an environment where people want to serve the Lord and to live righteous lives. Churches provide a moral and spiritual example that make a lasting impact on young lives. Churches provide Bible classes, camps, retreats, youth gatherings with opportunities to help young people.
When people came back to church, they found that they discovered ways of handling their daily challenges. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5 and verse 7, “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I tell you, at church you can pray with brothers and sisters in Christ; you can learn from the Bible how faithful people of the Bible dealt with their problems in life. I’ve found people at church are “full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and they are able to instruct one another” (Romans 15 and verse 14).
Christians everywhere face struggles. They have found the comfort of God and are able to comfort others and help them through their struggles. The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1, verses 3 and 4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
The church is a blessing to us all. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4, verses 9 to 12 that, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” Oh, the church can keep you spiritually strong, able to resist all the temptations and pitfalls of life. My friend, we all need the church. Let’s pray together. O Lord, we are grateful that You, through your love, have given us your church to help us to stay strong with one another; and that You love us so much. Help us, Father, to love You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
We’ve talked a lot about worshiping the Lord and attending church. Hebrews 10, verses 24 and 25 says, “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Church is where people build each other up spiritually and grow close to God. We all need that strength and encouragement that comes from being around the people of God.
Occasionally I speak to someone who has had a bad experience at church. Someone has offended them or overlooked them. And they react to this disappointment by quitting the church. Well, if someone wrongs you, rather than quitting the Lord or the church, why not try a different approach. The Lord said in Matthew 18, verse 15 that, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. And if he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” My friend, this is the Lord’s way.
When you quit the church, you are actually letting something come between you and God. And when you push Christ out of your life, you also put your soul in jeopardy. Listen again to Hebrews 10, verses 25 and 26, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.” My friend, don’t push the Savior out of your life. Who else will shed His blood to save you?
God wants to bless you. And if you are not yet a Christian, you can come to the Lord in faith and love by repenting of your sins, confessing the name of the Lord, and by being baptized. Now, in baptism the Lord washes away your sins (Acts 22 and verse 16) and He adds you to the church (Acts 2 and verse 47). Now, it could be you’ve become one of the unchurched. My friend, come back to the Lord and come back to His church. Don’t let your heart grow hard. Come back and find the love of God in your life once again.
Now, if you want a free printed copy, a CD, or tape of this message, “Come Back to Church,” mail your request to In Search of the Lord's Way; P.O. Box 371; Edmond, OK 73083; or e-mail us at searchtv@searchtv.org.
Now, you can call the Search office toll-free at 1-800-321-8633. Now, all of our programs also appear on our website which is www.searchtv.org. You can access those programs or download them in a printed format, an audio, or video. Now, we also offer free study sheets to go along with our programs. You can download those free at our website or you can call and request them. They will help you to study God’s Word with us.
Please visit one of the churches of Christ in the area served by this station or network. The churches of Christ love guests; you’ll be glad you visited and they will open their arms up to you. They want you to come and to be with them; and tell that you saw this program and that we invited you to come and to be with them. Mack and I will be back next week, Lord willing. Keep searching God’s Word with us; tell a friend. Oh, we appreciate you so much for watching each time. We pray that God will bless you and we want you to know that we really do care about you and we care for your soul. God bless you. God bless you richly and we want you to know that In Search of the Lord’s Way stands here to help. And so we say to all of you, God bless you and we love you from all of us at In Search of the Lord’s Way.
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