Reason #18 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan: TO THANK JESUS FOR DYING ON THE CROSS FOR YOU.  If it’s true – and it is – that because of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ we can have eternal life, then that’s surely the biggest reason to be thankful.  Without Jesus we have no eternal life.  Eternal life is a very long time!  Is that worth showing up to church and thanking God for every week?  OF COURSE!  The Apostle Paul shouted in 1 Corinthians 15:57… “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”  And again in Ephesians 1:3… “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”  And again in 1 Peter 1:3… “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!”  WOW.  Again and again the Scriptures exhort us to be thankful for the new life we have through Jesus Christ.  THANK YOU JESUS!  Because of you I have eternal, never ending, everlasting life! 

Reason #17 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan: IT WILL REMIND YOU OF THE AMAZING SUPREMACY OF GOD.  We should never domesticate God!  God will always be more than we can fully explain or imagine.  He is the power creator, the ever-present sustainer and even the keeper of our very futures.  And while we know many wonderful things about the character and nature of God, we will never stop being shocked by how big and magnificent and powerful He is.  Recently I’ve been memorizing Psalm 29 in which it says…  “Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.” (Ps. 29:1-3). The imagery here is telling us of the vast power of God, that He has ultimate supremacy over our world and over our lives.  When we come to church, we often remind ourselves of this truth.  And reiterating that truth will result in greater peace, knowing that God is in control.  The supremacy of God results in our good.  In the final words of Psalm 29… “The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD is enthroned as King forever.  The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace.”  Putting God in the place of His glory and power this Sunday will bring blessing and strength into your own heart as you worship.

Reason #16 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan: TO HEAR THE PREACHING OF GOD’S WORD.  The word “preaching” has fallen on hard times in 21^st century America.  Many people think of that word as bad, as in “condemnation” or “getting up on your moral high horse.”  But the Bible says that preaching is simply the act of proclaiming God’s Word and His Good News.  It’s an explanation or a telling of the things of God.  Listening to preaching should be an encouraging experience – yes, sometimes convicting – but encouraging, nonetheless; for even in conviction, there is a joyful outcome.  Jesus is our model in preaching.  The Apostle Paul, the greatest human preacher of all time, said of Jesus in Ephesians 2:17…  “Christ came and preached peace to you who were far away from God, and to those who were near to God.”  True preaching is helping others find peace with God.  Paul, himself, said this about his preaching in Ephesians 3:8-9: “Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.”  On Sunday mornings, or any time preaching takes place, there are three active participants:  The preacher, the listener, and the Holy Spirit; all three are required for this holy endeavor.  Come be a part of the preaching of God’s Word.

Reason #15 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan: IT WILL HELP YOU THINK ABOUT HEAVEN.  We spend a lot of time thinking about the goings-on of earth; not so much time thinking about God and heaven.  The Apostle Paul stated in Colossians 3:2… “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  There is so much to worry about these days.  We worry about our jobs and making money.  We worry about what we own, our houses, our clothes, our cars.  We spend so much time trying to make all the earthly stuff work in our lives.  And then we tend to slip by without thinking about God and the things of His realm.  And, in fact, all throughout the Bible God tells us to think more about Him and how our lives fit into His realm, and not just the earth.  We forget that even the greatest thing on earth will pale in comparison to the lowliest thing in heaven.  The Apostle John said to beware of this tendency.  “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him… The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:15,17)  Let’s come together this Sunday, not to put our head in the sand and deny the world around us, but rather to celebrate that in the midst of so much worry and anxiety, we look forward to a better day in God’s kingdom… AND, that God’s kingdom is coming in and through our hearts right now.

Reason #14 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan: YOU WILL PRAISE GOD IN SONG.  And those songs will lift you up!  God commands us to sing praise songs to Him.  Why?  Because He knows it will encourage our hearts.  Humans are created to worship.  We praise things every day.  We praise our favorite TV shows, our favorite sports teams, our favorite restaurants.  We praise movie stars and athletes and authors.  We are creatures of praise.  God created us that way.  But most of all, He created us to praise HIM.  Psalm 96:1-2 commands this…  “Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.”  We are commanded to sing.  Did you ever think about that?  Why would God command us to sing?  He knows that there is something inside of us that wants to sing praises;  and the greatest object of our praise ought always to be Almighty God.  Plus, God knows that it will encourage our spirits when we do.  Usually in church I feel like singing, but every once in a while I don’t feel like it, so I just listen.  And when I just listen, I’m still encouraged.  I hear the voices around me and I am reminded of how awesome God is.  Psalm 68:4 states…  “Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him.”

Reason #13 why going to church this Sunday is the best plan:  SO YOU CAN SERVE OTHERS.  Bottom line, church is not primarily a building where you go and watch a spiritual program.  Church is people – people coming together to worship God and serve one another.  Just think what a church would be like if EVERYONE showed up and waited for the others to serve them.  It would be a very lonely place!  In fact, no one would come back the next week.  NO ONE!  People are blessed in church because they find the love of God there.  But the love of God is only there when someone expresses it – by serving.  The Apostle Paul encouraged the Roman Christians in Romans 12:1… “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”  Notice he said that acting sacrificially was an act of worship.  Worship is not just singing a song.  Worship is any way in which our behavior brings glory to God.  When you serve others in church, you are participating in an ancient tradition of exalting God by making church a beautiful and loving place.  Jesus said in Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you will be your servant.”