We left the building when they said we could not gather...the church building, that is. And so, I took my women's Bible study group in Southern California out to a parking lot and taught from the truckbed of a Ford Raptor.
We were forced out, but many of us have not gone back.
Truth be told - many God-fearing, God-loving people had already stopped going to church long before the pandemic. Somewhere along the line, we just found church irrelevant or at the very least, unnecessary for life.
Does it matter?
Does going to church make any difference in our lives?
What's the point anyway?
Step a little closer.
Directing our attention back to the fourth chapter of Luke's gospel,
I have a question: where does the Savior of the world go after he is almost thrown off a cliff in his hometown?
To Capernaum, the town that would serve as his ministry headquarters . . .
up around the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Incidentally, Nazareth would forever be in his rearview mirror.
[hmmm... I wonder, did it hurt Jesus' heart that he would never go home again? As I read scripture, I try to zoom out and think of Jesus, my Jesus... I can't help but think it must have hurt him that he would never return to the place where he grew up, hmmmm]
Friends, as we read scripture, we must notice.
Today, we must notice something that Luke points out about Jesus that was clearly very important to our Lord.
Look:
in verse 14 - Jesus taught regularly in their synagogues
in verse 16, we read 'when he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath'
verse 31 - Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day.
When reading scripture, it is vital to notice the details.
Three times in this chapter, Luke points out the priority Jesus placed on going to the synagogue. (there were no churches yet!) Jesus made honoring God on the Sabbath a habit; in our vernacular, Jesus went to church!
Does it matter? Yes, absolutely.
Does going to church make any difference in our lives? Without a doubt.
What's the point anyway?
Several things.
We are missing something so powerful in our lives if we forego gathering together. You see, there are certain things that can only be realized by participating in a community of like-minded people, people who come together for the purpose of worshipping God.
Step a little closer. From my youth, I was trained that Christians go to church. That is what we do. Period. It always made sense to me.
First, we are to ‘honor the Sabbath, and keep it holy,’1 the fourth commandment. And second, scripture says we are to ‘not miss out on gathering together'2 Friend, besides lifting our worship to God, joining together with other believers is meant for our encouragement. In fact, coming together in the house of God affords us the opportunity to “motivate one another to acts of love and good works.”3 Christianity is not meant to be either a solo sport or a spectator sport.
Let’s go back to the Mount of Olives, forty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Acts chapter 1, Luke records Jesus' instruction to his close followers to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit.
And. these. people. got. it. straight.
They stayed together in a posture of prayer. . . it was only natural! '
Stronger together.
Ten days later, the Holy Spirit came, "and they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."4
Stronger together.
Maybe you have never experienced being in relationship with others who are seeking to know, follow and walk with God - if so, I pray this will spark something in you to explore just how great it is! Or perhaps you are discouraged in your life, your faith has weakened, your ardor waned? Somehow you find yourself cut off from community . . . Friend, find a way to connect with the people of God!
With all of our 24-7 tech connectedness, ours is a lonely generation. We wonder 'does anyone else even hold to Christian beliefs and values anymore?' The fact is, you and I will not remain vital without the spark that is present in the people of God. We must do whatever it takes to get in relationship with other Christians—and then do life together with them.
So while some may think Church is so yesterday, nothing could be further from the truth. Being part of a local church or gathering of believers is critical to our vitality and well being as devoted followers of Jesus.
So I will say Take Me Back to Church! yEs!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ss4zs1DJLjU
Christine
p.s. pictured is my church: Holy Trinity Anglican Church - Raleigh, North Carolina.
1 Exodus 20.8; Deuteronomy 5.12
2 Hebrews 10.25
3 Hebrews 10.24
4 Acts 2.42
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