Why do I Go to Church?
Erik the Red, a ferocious Viking descendant living in
newly established Iceland, followed in the footsteps of his dad. His father had
come to Iceland after being expelled from Norway for an unjustified killing, and
now Erik faced the same trouble: banishment from Iceland for 3 years.
Would we like to have friends like that?
But where do you go when you’ve been banished from the
land you stand on, and all you can see is endless ocean water?
Erik was a proud man, and he decided to look for a
rumored land further west. He set out in a boat, and he eventually landed on an
island covered year-round with ice. He probably thought that this island was
more suited to be called “Iceland” than his native home, which has a more
moderate weather pattern. None-of-the-less, upon his return to Iceland, Erik
enticed settlers to follow him to this new land by calling it Greenland.
Pretty deceiving, don’t you think?
Is it any wonder that Erik’s oldest son, Leif, also
went looking for new lands farther West? But Leif did not follow in his father’s
steps. He broke the pattern established by his ancestors, for crime did not
force him to leave his land. In fact, he never caused trouble. He loved to help
others. In fact, he earned the title of “Leif the Lucky” for himself by saving
victims of a shipwreck.
So why was it that Leif broke the generational
pattern? Why was he so “lucky”? Because Leif was a Christian. Jesus, the Christ
was His Master.
Aren’t we the lucky ones as well? There is hope, even
amidst generational patterns geared towards crime!
And for someone living in the 10th century, there was
hope of finding the rumored land in the West, and Leif was the one to discover
it. He called it “Vinland”, which in English means “Wine Land”, because of the
abundance of wild grapes that grew there. Artifacts of Leif’s brief stay in
“Vinland” can still be found in the area we now know by the name of L’Anse aux
Meadows, situated on the northern tip of Canada’s Newfoundland. Leif the Lucky
had discovered North America!
Being a Christian, Leif knew the importance of
attending church. This is what he found out about why any believer wouldn’t want
to miss such meetings.
The Bible also encourages us to not miss church! The
best texts on this topic can be found in Hebrews 10:23-25, and just as Leif
discovered North America bit by bit, we’ll explore this passage verse by verse:
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for
he who promised is faithful.” (Heb 10:23 NIV)
Our first motivation to attend church is to hold on to
the hope that has filled our souls when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.
In a hectic world such as ours, filled with constant problems (Just look at the
news if you don’t believe me), hope can quickly be buried under the many trials
we are facing. We may easily forget that, “surely I (Jesus) am with you always,
to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:20 NIV), and when we do, our tendency is
to rely on our own abilities instead.
I think we all have experienced times when our hope
needs revival, especially now that we live in end times. Trouble is ever
brewing, but hope can look beyond these difficulties, for our future as sons and
daughters of the Almighty is guaranteed!
“But,” you say, “I didn’t have any problems this week.
My hope in Jesus is well
alive and kicking. Guess I don’t need to go to church!”
What about your friend Bob? He had a tough week. And
who is best suited to revive his hope that seems to be slowly dimming?
Hope is what drove Leif Erikson to North America. Hope
is what motivated Leif to not perpetuate the evil of his ancestry. Hope makes a
difference in this world!
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on
toward love and good deeds.” (Heb 10:24 NIV)
One of the best things to do when we become
discouraged is to become involved in helping others who are in need. This is one
of the best ways to discover how God has really been at work! And where else but
in church are we spurred to help others?
Do you know what happens when circumstances dim our
view of Jesus Christ? The first thing we let go of is our love towards others.
The first thing we neglect is our ministry for God. As a result, many end up
discouraged and bitter.
It all could have been avoided if only someone had
been there to encourage us! And this, friends, is the role of any true Christian
church!
“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in
the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you
see the Day approaching.” (Heb 10:25 NIV)
And here is another important reason for attending
church: To encourage each other and to help those around us lift their eyes
beyond their circumstances. This is true, authentic love! We are there for one
another! We encourage each other!
I have started trying to arrive at church a bit
earlier than normally. Why? So that I can greet people with an energetic smile
and a heartfelt handshake. You know what I have discovered? Those with sad faces
usually brighten up. Just a little hug, or even a handshake, can serve to fill
someone with hope. It’s true that some need more than a handshake, and we are
also there to listen to them, to help them refocus on Jesus. His promise:
“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who
are being tempted.” (Heb 2:18 NIV).
How rewarding to be part of such experiences!
King David saw much more about attending church than
many of us.
“One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon
the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (Ps 27:4 NIV)
Don’t we go to church for God? Isn’t it to “gaze upon
the beauty of the Lord”? Isn’t it to be reminded that God has always come
through for us?
We may wish for better timing, but God always comes
though just at the right time, for He considers every aspect of our being, our
anger issues, our patience, our lack of motivation, our lack of love . . .
Aren’t we in church to “seek Him in His temple”? How
do we react when we feel His presence in the congregation? Don’t we end up
hungering for more of His presence, for more of Him? Attending church is truly a
celebration of the One who always comes through for us. We are hosting a party
in the name of the Lord! Come on over! It’s party time!
The apostle Paul summarizes this very well: “So
whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1
Cor 10:31 NIV)
Are we glorifying God with our church attendance? It’s
really a question of whether we are filled with hope, faith and love. But let us
not forget: “The greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13b NIV)
What would we do if we encounter victims of a
shipwreck? Be aware, there are many of those walking into the doors of our
churches!
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
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The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.