Newsletter Vol.2, #30—August 13, 2006

Matthew 9 ⁸When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. ⁹As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.

Treat Church Services Like… continued

Recently I enlisted the help of others in writing this bulletin article. Below are their answers, plus some others.

This week we'll look at some negative comparisons and then follow up with some positive analogies:

Ø     Don't treat church services like going to the dentist - keep putting it off. Most people don't go to the dentist routinely, and definitely don't savor the experience when there.  In fact, dentists often see us only when painful circumstances force us.

Ø     Don't treat church services like going to the doctor - only going if you are sick. In our culture we go to the doctor when we are sick, save for the occasional physical or follow-up exam.  This is exactly the opposite of the Chinese practice - they go when they are well to keep them from getting ill.  In fact, they only pay the doctor when they are well.  The doctors stop receiving payment when their patients get sick.  Spiritually, some only come to church periodically, when they feel a special need.  We should consider going to church at all services as a method of keeping us well spiritually.

o.k., let's change the focus.

Ø     Treat church services like watching the Super Bowl live - don't allow anything to distract you or you may miss the winning touchdown! When something is considered special, special attention is given to it.  Many men fall asleep in the middle of a regular season football game.  On Monday nights, some crawl into bed missing the last part of Monday Night Football.  How do we treat studying God's word?  Are we expecting something special?  Are we even awake?

Ø     Treat church services like going to a spa - come and be rejuvenated! Having never been to a spa, I'll have to take their word for it!  Think! Should the following refresh and rejuvenate our souls: singing with others, praying with and for our spiritual family, remembering God's grace in the Lord's Supper, delving even deeper into God's word, pondering our souls as the preacher provokes our thoughts?

Treat church services like the movies - you don't want to be late because you don't want to miss anything. Being late to the movies is aggravating because we don't want to miss anything.  Being late to the movies is considered rude to the audience because they get disrupted.  If we can be on time to the movies, work, school, luncheons, etc., can we be on time to services?  I asked someone who habitually was late everywhere - and didn't care - if he was late to work. He said he was always on time.  When I asked why?  His response was simple - "I have to be."

Ø     Treat church services like going out to a great restaurant - come to enjoy the experience. In a nice restaurant, you walk in, are escorted to your seat, the chair is pulled out for you - not out from under you - the napkin is placed in your lap, a menu is handed to you.ah yes, the beginning of a fine dining experience. You savor each pampered moment. Do we come to church, though to be served? Yes and no. We are served, and we do serve. We come to serve God because Jesus came to serve us.

Ø     Treat church services like dinner time - come to be filled. In coming to church too often we are like children called to dinner. We see all the green stuff, and think yuck! Instead of eating a little of everything in order to be full and healthy, we complain. Being on a diet, some come to the dinner table purposely not to get full - they are afraid of getting fat. Don't be afraid of coming to church and getting full spiritually - don't be afraid of getting fat spiritually. Come to church ready to eat the green stuff!

Ø     Treat church services like a new recipe (for the women) or your favorite team (for the men) - talk about it with your friends showing your excitement. How do we talk about church with other members? How do we talk about church with our friends? Have we ever heard someone bemoan, "I've got to try a new recipe;" or "I've got to go to the ballgame.?" How often do we moan because we have to go to church?

Ø     Treat church services like the place to solve all your problems and read the Bible as if the clues to winning the lottery were found in its' pages. We will not solve all of life's problems at church the same as we will not solve all of life's problems by winning the lottery - which we shouldn't be playing anyway! We will always fall short of perfection and "all" is a very big word when referring to life's problems. Attending church is merely a chance for sinners like us to come and learn as much as we can and try as hard as we can to minimize life's problems by following the wisdom contained in the Bible.

This last one is not an analogy, but nonetheless is powerful:

Ø     Treat church services like it is a commandment from our Creator and, actually, it is the least we can do. We owe God and his Son so much more. Not living in a society where attending services can be lethal due to its illegality, we might not consider going to church as dramatic as those in earlier centuries or other parts of the world. But it is a statement nonetheless. It is stating how different we are from the world. It is stating how committed we are to every command of God. Do we allow family and friends visiting us to keep us from church? One Christian told me, "They won't come to church with me." Well, obviously, they won't if we are willing to stay home with them! What do we allow to interfere with coming to as many services as we possibly can?

Jesus died for the Kingdom of Heaven. Are we willing to live for it?

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

I cheat you of contentment…because you “deserve better than this”

I cheat you of knowledge…because you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing… because you are to full of me to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness…because you refuse to admit when you are wrong.

I cheat you of vision…because you would rather look in a mirror than out a window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship…because nobody is going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love…because real love demands humility and sacrifice.

I cheat you of God’s glory…because I convince you to seek your own.

One Liners..... Think About Them for a Moment, Please?

1. Don't let your worries get the best of you; remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

2. Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to sit in their pews.

3. Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.

4. It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

5. The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

6. When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.

7. People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.

8. Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.

9. Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

10. If the church wants a better preacher, it only needs to pray for the one it has!