Church Attendance The church is the Lords house

Church Attendance

• The church is the Lord’s house • Christ is the Head of the church • God adds the saved to the church

• Names of saved written in heaven • Christians are God’s children and His servants

Acts 20: 7 • And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

• I. Purpose of Coming Together

1. To be taught • Mt. 28: 20 • “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen”

Acts 20: 28 • Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

2. To partake of the Lord’s Supper • 1 Cor. 11: 23 -26 • For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

• After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come

3. Sing • Eph. 5: 19 • “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”

4. Give • 1 Cor. 16: 2 • “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come”

5. Pray • Acts 2: 42 • “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ”

6. Have fellowship • Acts 2: 42 • “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ”

• II. Attendance Is Essential

1. It will build you up • Acts 20: 32 • “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. ”

2. It will keep you from being led astray by false teaching • Eph. 4: 14 • “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; ”

3. It will help you grow so you can teach others • 2 Tim. 2: 2 • “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. ”

4. It will make you feel a part of the family of God • Rom. 12: 5 • So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Jn. 15: 17 • These things I command you, that ye love one another.

5. It will provide you with opportunities to work and serve • Jn. 15: 8 • “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. ”

What if we are not able to attend? • In an article entitled, The Importance of Assembling Roy Lanier, Sr. writes, “Of course if ill health, or any other circumstance beyond our power to control, keeps one away, he does not have to answer to God for his absence. ”