Forsake Not

Since it is our Homecoming celebration this morning, I want to take a break from our study in the Gospel of Mark and give what might be called a “State of the Church” address. Today will make my fifth homecoming at Antioch West, and so I feel that I’ve had enough time to get to know you (and you me). I’ve had enough time to understand the culture here (like dragging out the third measure of the verses of “Victory in Jesus”, even though that is not how the music is written). I’ve also had time to understand the challenges we face in ministry here. I thought it would be a good idea to speak to the state of our church because we stand at an important moment in the life of our church. So, I want to detail four challenges before us so that our church can meet God’s calling on us. Three of these challenges are small – things we are already doing, but I think we can do better – so I will mention them briefly. The last challenge will bring us to our passage for this morning.

To start, though, I want to talk about the things that make Antioch West so beautiful. First, we are a welcoming church. I don’t know how many times visitors have told me just how loved they feel when they visit. Many have expressed how much joy this church shows. When we come together to worship, we are glad to be in the house of the Lord, glad to be among his people. Second, we are a compassionate church. I see this compassion in the ways that the deacons care for needs. There are many needs that we meet that no one will ever know about, and that’s fine with us. I see it also in the way we surround those who have lost a loved one. There is never a doubt whether we will have enough food for the family after a funeral. I see it in the way we check in on each other, visit those who are hurting, and pick up children from the community to bring them to church and VBS. Finally, we are a well-organized and well-led church. I’ve said numerous times that one of the greatest reliefs I have as a pastor is in knowing that the deacons of our church have been given the respect and responsibility to lead, and that they do it with purpose and do it well. I am so thankful for the men who serve as deacon, for the countless hours they put into it, and for the wisdom they share with me.

So, now that I’ve buttered you all up, let’s get into the challenges that I see for us. Again, the first three challenges are small, but I think we should face them, nonetheless. First, I want to challenge each and every one of you to serve (the Nominating committee owes me an “Amen” for saying that). This church is not just dependent on the strong leadership of its deacons – we need each and every member to use his or her gifts for the good of the church and the glory of God. 1 Pet. 4:10 says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace..." Each member of this church is called to serve in some way. It may be a small task, or it may involve a great deal, but each of us have been given gifts, through God’s Spirit, to serve each other. As Peter says, we are to be “good stewards” of God’s grace – to use our gifts as he has called us.

Second, I want to challenge our church to a greater commitment to service and missions. We have taken some positive steps since I’ve been here to focus more on missions. We’ve raised considerable funds for international missions every December, bolstered the Butler Baptist association, participated in mission trips to OK, and supported a missionary in Nepal. We also have done some work for church members along the way. I hope, in the future, that we will have a greater commitment to all of these opportunities and more. Jesus calls all believers, in Matt. 5:14 to be a light: ““You are the light of the world… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father…”

Third, I want to challenge our church to avoid becoming a bank. We are an outpost for the kingdom of God. We exist to Worship God, proclaim the Gospel, and make disciples. Every bit of our effort and money should be spent towards those three things. Right now, we have a huge surplus of around $450k in undesignated funds. There is a real error that I’ve seen churches make, and that is to be like the servant of Jesus’s parable, who, when given one talent, decided to sit on it and wait for the master’s return. We are not a bank, and while it is great that we hold money in reserve and put some into CDs to maximize our giving, we should not hold onto our money with white knuckles and refuse to spend it. I understand that there were times, long past, when the church did not have any money and we waited for the end of the service to know whether we could pay the preacher or not, but the Lord saw us through those days, and he will see us through any future downturn. Right now, though, he has blessed us immensely, and we should trust that he will care for us as we use what he has given us for his glory. In 2 Cor. 8, Paul extols the Macedonian church because, though they were poor, they gave generously: “They gave according to their means… and beyond their means, of their own accord…” Regardless of what we have in reserve, we should give generously.

That brings me to my final challenge, and for that, let’s read Heb. 10:19-25. I have found, over the last five years, that the greatest challenge facing our church (and most churches in the South, for that matter) is the fact that our members, on the whole, do not find commitment to the church to be all that important. Now, I meet plenty of people who have a deep affinity for this church (and bro. Watson). I can’t tell you the number of people who have expressed, in exuberance, how much they love this church and its people. But, I never see them here on a Sunday, which leads me to believe that (if love is truly expressed through action), they really don’t love it as much as they say. As I’ve served here, I’ve developed a few reasons for why this is. So, in the remaining time I want to take on those reasons by answering the question of why faithful church membership and attendance are important.

First, faithful church membership and attendance is important because it expresses a right understanding of the Gospel. In verses 19-23, the writer of Hebrews speaks of our salvation, not as a one-and-done event, but as an ongoing walk of faithfulness. He starts by saying that we can have confidence in approaching God in worship because of the blood of Jesus and his work as our great high priest. Recognize, no one can rightly worship God unless he has trusted in Jesus Christ as savior. Worship begins at the cross. No - Muslims, Jews and Christians do not all worship the same God. No - just because you have an affinity for a certain church, it doesn’t mean your worship is acceptable either. If you do not actually trust in Jesus, you are not worshipping.

But, if you have been washed in the blood of Christ, if you have Jesus as your high priest, then you will hold fast in faithfulness. Notice verse 23: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” Your salvation began the moment that you trusted in Christ (when you walked the aisle at a revival or prayed the prayer in VBS), but it did not end there. In that moment, if you were truly converted, you were called to a life of faithfulness – a life that holds fast. One of the ways that we hold fast is through our faithful worship and discipleship with other believers. This is why verses 24 and 25 immediately mention discipleship and worship after calling us to hold fast. If you love Jesus, then you will love his people. And if you love Jesus and his people, you will want to be with them regularly. It’s just that simple.

Second, faithful church attendance is important because it is the God-ordained way that we maintain and build our faith. In verse 24, the writer calls us to “stir up one another to love and good works.” The Greek word for “stir up” is paroxysmos, which can actually be taken negatively, as in “to irritate or provoke.” What is meant here is that being around other believers is a motivation in and of itself. It gets us out of our comfort zone and challenges us. If you are alone, you could be fooled into thinking that no one has it as bad as you, no one has ever faced the challenges you face. But, then you show up on any given Wednesday night to our prayer meeting, and you find out that the problems you are facing aren’t new or different. Not only that, but you gain comfort from fellow believers who show real compassion and concern for you, who pray with you through the challenge you face, and offer wisdom as you face it. You cannot get that from Facebook. Even more so, being around other believers builds you up in your faith as they teach you, sing to you, and pray with you.

Finally, faithful church attendance is important because it builds in us godly habits. Verse 25 calls us “not to neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some.” I will let you in on a secret of life that I have learned: You are always building habits, regardless of what you do. Everything you do, from what you eat to the media you consume to the time you go to bed and the time you get up – all of it is forming habits. Now, you can say, “Well, I can break those habits any time I want”, but that is easier said than done. In fact, it has been my own personal experience that it takes as much time to break the habit as it did to form it. I have a 4x3 rule about habits – three days to start it, three weeks to adjust to it, three months for it to become a habit, and 3 years for it to become permanent. Church is a habit, too. It is a habit that, if you will adopt it, will form in you a true and lasting godliness. But, it is a habit that is easily lost. I’ve seen the story 1000 times. Preacher, we’ve just been really busy with travel ball lately. Yes, preacher, but we only have so much time with the kids. Preacher, I’m sorry, but my job just keeps me so busy. Look, I get it, I do. My kids play sports. I push them to play. But you know what I don’t do? I don’t push them to play a sport that will interfere with their spiritual growth. You know what is far more important than four years of travel ball? Eternity. I also understand that you have a short time with your kids, and Sundays are a free day to do things with them. It’s great to invest in your kids, but you know the best way to invest in them – teach them the habit of faithfulness by being uncompromising on your commitment to worship. I also understand that there are many jobs that require work on Sundays. I’m sympathetic to that especially this week, as I worked all day yesterday and lost my weekend. But, our church intentionally schedules three gatherings a week (Sunday morning and evening and Wednesday night) so that you will have plenty of chances to build this habit.

Here me plainly on this – you may not feel that you do, but you need the church. You need it so that you can be encouraged in your faith. You need it so that you can be reminded of the Gospel. You need it to be stirred up to good works. You need it to build godly habits. You also need it for your children. You need to be building up their faith and instilling in them godly habits as well. So, on this homecoming Sunday, my challenge to our church is that we may all commit to faithfulness. This faithfulness is reflected in our commitment to discipleship and worship with other believers. May we forsake not the assembling of ourselves together but instead build upon the habit that our forebearers practiced, that we might pass along this faith once delivered to the next generation.