Why Should I Go to Church?

What does the word worship mean to you? If you’re like many folks, the words “praising God, service to God, prayer, fellowship, etc.” may come to mind. But is this what worship is all about? Why do I have to go to church for that?

The word worship comes from the Old-English word ‘worth-ship” - to give someone worth (praise). Certainly God is worthy of our praise, but is that the basis of worship? The answer is “No.” My praise, service, prayers, etc. are never the basis for worship of God, in fact, you have it backwards.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites had a sacrificial system of service. I brought an animal to the Priest; I laid my hands in faith and repentance upon the animal’s head and confessed my sins before the Priest; The Priest then examined the animal (not me) to make sure it was spotless and acceptable for sacrifice, and if the animal was acceptable, the Priest took the animal and sacrificed it so my sins were atoned (covered) by its blood.

Since Jesus came, he fulfilled the requirements of the Law and His blood was shed on the cross for the atonement of my sins, in fact, the sins of the whole world. Since Jesus, I don’t have to bring an animal anymore. I confess my sins both publicly (James 5:16), and privately (1 John 1:9) before God, seeking His forgiveness, and God examines Jesus as the acceptable sacrifice for my sins, not me. Because of Jesus’ righteousness, His sacrifice is perpetually acceptable to God for my sins. My sins are therefore atoned (covered) by the blood of Jesus and God grants me forgiveness on His behalf.

We also know that Jesus took on the role of a servant when he came to us. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:44). Jesus demonstrated this once by washing the disciples’ feet in John 13:1-17. Peter refused to be served by Jesus in this way and Jesus told Peter, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8). In other words, Jesus was saying, unless I serve you Peter, you have no part with me. This is true for us as well, and this is the true heart and nature of our worship, that is, God serving us. In German this is called “Gottesdienst," which means "God’s Service," or  rather, Divine Service” in the Lutheran Church. Think about it - If God knew your name before he laid the foundations of the earth, and took the initiative to seek you out, call you, begin a covenant with you in baptism, serve you by giving you Jesus to die for you, and continues to serve you by giving you new life, the Holy Spirit, and forgiveness of sins, why wouldn’t He continue to serve you today to sustain your faith and help you grow spiritually? He does, and he does it through two principle means:

Through the 1st means of grace - God’s Word – The Bible - God serves us, sustains us, and encourages us in faith. When we hear the word spoken and preached to us, the Holy Spirit is active in the word and in us creating and sustaining faith. Through the 2nd means of grace - Communion - God gives us by faith, through the body and blood of Jesus, forgiveness of sins, and when we come forward for communion, we hold in our hands by faith the physical signs of our forgiveness - the bread and the wine - the body and blood of Jesus.

People try very hard to serve God all week, and then think they have to come on Sunday to serve God some more. No wonder why so many people burn out. It’s backwards! We have all week to work and serve, but Sunday is a day of rest, a day we let the Lord now serve us by strengthening and encouraging our hearts, our spirits, and our faith. The truth of the whole matter is that it is God who serves us Sunday after Sunday through His Divine Service - His Word and Sacraments. They are His means of His grace to us. Oh how He loves you and me! And he shows it week after week by continuing to serve us. This puts worship in a whole new light. We come to church each week so God may serve us, then and only then, may we rightfully give Him our thanks and praise.

In response to “Why go to church?” Someone may ask, “Can’t I just stay home and read my Bible and pray?” Well … Each of us are always encouraged to read our Bibles at home and pray each and every day, but do you? Some 500 years ago, people asked the same thing of Martin Luther. When people told Martin Luther they could read the Word of God at home with as much profit as having to listen to a preacher, Dr. Luther apparently made a significant distinction and said such things as, "Even if they do read, it is not as fruitful or powerful as it is through a public preacher whom God has ordained to say and preach this."

You see, even though God's Word has been given for each Christian, there has always been the danger of private interpretation which might be contrary to the interpretation of the Church over the years. That is, the Pastor is the guardian of the "proper" interpretation of God's Word for the Christian, which has been normed by thousands of years of thought, debate, and defense against error. I think this way of looking at things would both include my personal Bible reading and thinking, as well as pastoral preaching and teaching. Let me put it another way:

We are all familiar with the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans chapter 10: 9-16

9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

We all know these verses above and have heard them many times, but how about verses 14 - 17, which follow them?

14 But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Do you see what the Apostle Paul is saying? Saving faith comes from hearing the “preached” word of Christ. Paul is asking rhetorically how can people call on the Lord to be saved if they do not believe, and how can they believe if they do not hear the preached word? The answer is that they can’t. In fact, nobody can without faith, and faith, as Paul states, comes from hearing the “preached” word of Christ. That is how important preaching is to the faith of the believer, because Without faith it is impossible to please God, (Hebrews 11:6).

Yes, you can read your Bible at home, and you can pray at home. We are told in Scripture to do those things anyway, but Christ has given us His Body, also called His Church, of which we are a part of by our Baptism into Christ. And Christ has chosen that through His Body, called the Church, that His Word be preached, and that through the preached Word of Christ, faith is given, strengthened, encouraged and grown, so that people may believe upon him, call upon him, and be saved. There is no other way given by God. May you cherish in your heart the precious gifts God has given us by his Son, and may you avail yourself of every opportunity to enter in to the Divine Service of God to hear his word rightly preached and receive the sacraments of God's holy things. Amen.

Rev. Rob Taylor