Do you have a bad habit or addiction? Come to church.
Do you have a lust problem or illicit sexual proclivities? Come to church.
Do you have marital conflict or even been through divorce? Come to church.
Do you lack control in cursing or in telling the truth? Come to church.
Do you love money & are too materialistic? Come to church.
Do you have spiritual doubts & lots of questions? Come to church.
Do you think God could never forgive you? Come to church.
Church is not for perfect people. Oh, it was begun by a perfect person–the only perfect person. But if you’re a sinner, then Church is for you. “But I thought Church was for saints…you know, godly people.” Well, the Church IS made up of saints-but a saint is someone who’s been forgiven by Christ, and so in God’s sight has been counted as perfect or holy. But do we actually live as perfect people? Of course not. But the Holy Spirit lives in us to help us behave more holy & Christlike. That means we don’t have license or excuse to continue living sinfully. But when we do sin, we confess it. And thankfully, God’s grace covers those sins. His grace counts us as sinless; His Spirit helps us sin less.
Yet some people feel unworthy to come to Church because they know they’re not perfect. That’s WHY we need Church-because it’s the Lord’s designated resource for spiritual growth where we’re taught & admonished by His Word, encouraged & corrected by other believers; Church is where we’re inspired through worship & role models to grow closer to God. Church is where we experience biblical community by caring & praying for one another.
I’ve been a Christian for decades, but I’m still a sinner. Whatever church members you may admire-they’re sinners too. I like to quote the old saying, “If you’re looking for a perfect church, this isn’t it. But if you find one, please don’t go there…because you’ll mess it up. You’re a sinner too.”
God gave us the Church for OUR good. We miss out on something He has for us when we miss church. We don’t just come every once in a while like a camel stopping at the oasis to drink his fill to go back out in the arid desert. We’re not made to store up grace. Even camels have to stop about once a week. God built that weekly cycle into us from the beginning (even God took a day of rest after Creation), & told the Jewish people to honor a weekly Sabbath. He gave us a gathering every week because we need it.
This Sunday, the message will focus on the story of Paul’s arrival in Corinth, where he leads some to faith, but he’s still being severely harassed-to the point of provoking a united attack that brings him up on charges before a judge. Paul experienced “cancel culture” when it could get him sent to prison or even killed. But nobody can cancel the Gospel!