Importance of Attendance

Introduction

Marshall and I are going to try to address several requests that we got through the survey he sent out.

One of the topics that was requested was about the importance of attendance.

I want to address this topic from three different angles:

The importance God places on assembling.

The complaint that “I don’t get anything out of assemblies.”

The formation of habits.

The Assembled People

God reveals Himself to the assembly (Ex. 19:3-9; Deut. 31:10-13; Neh. 8:1-3, 7-8; Acts 15:22-23, 30-31; Col. 4:16).

There are exceptions of God coming to individuals, but to hear God’s Word, most people throughout history had to be present at an assembly.

The printing press removed this pressure and made reception of revelation a more individualized thing.

But like all of the other “blessings” that have removed pressures to be together, this one needs to be thought about.

God has set a pattern for receiving His revelation in community and we need to recognize and even look for the value in that.

Also, notice that they ALL received ALL of God’s revelation. They did not divide up God’s word into necessary or parts for younger and parts for older. The whole thing was read to the WHOLE assembly.

Assembled ritual anchors a people (Ex. 12:24-27; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Rom. 6:3-4; Psa. 95:1-7; Jn. 6:60-66).

Ritual is about memory.

Ritual connects us with core elements of our faith.

When we center around the same things with same rituals, we are not easily pulled apart.

Things as trivial as fight songs and cheers when screamed in unison make a crowd of thousands who never met each other feel something that is bigger than themselves (think of cults).

When we partake together, sing words together in unison and harmony, when we pray together, in so much as we engage, we are being drawn together and shaped together.

The more we lean into those rituals, the more tightly we are drawn together. And the more it excludes those to hope to stay at arms length. Discomfort at conformity to a group works against God’s pattern.

Consider all the ways the Sabbath was meant to anchor the people.

It was a weekly reminder

That God is Creator

That God is our Deliverer

That God is our Provider

God has always placed a high priority on participation (Num. 9:1-13; Ex. 34:21; Heb. 10:25-31; cf. Heb. 3:12-13).

God made exceptions but was severe outside of those exceptions.

Notice the people who fall within the exception are affronted at missing the opportunity.

God expected participation even when you were busy.

He still expects the same things from His people.

On Giving and Receiving

Come with a mind to give (Phil. 2:3-4; 1 Cor. 12:7; 14:9, 26; Heb. 10:24; Eph. 4:15-16).

Our posture out to be one of serving rather than being served.

One of the main issues Paul is addressing with spiritual gifts is that people were viewing them through the lens of what they got for themselves out of those gifts and not what they could do for others with them which was the whole point of them.

In fact, when we feel like our needs aren’t being served, there is a real opportunity to serve.

Is it not your favorite song? Sing out the more to lift up the hands of the one leading the song or the person next to you who may also be struggling to give the energy in worship that he ought.

Is the speaker not holding your attention in the palm of his hand, lean in and work to GIVE your attention to the one who is struggling to hold it.

Are you being distracted from your worship? Work hard to think charitably of a mother who is trying to decide whether that noise will go away in just a moment or if she needs to create an additional distraction by walking out. Serve her instead of thinking about how she isn’t serving you. You want to talk about someone who isn’t “getting much out of” being here but is here because she is serving her family, it is the mom of a fussy little one.

Is no one speaking to you? Then speak to others. Sitting there waiting for others to approach you is the very picture of waiting to be served.

Like marriage, the more you focus on whether your needs are being met, the more likely you are to be failing at fulfilling YOUR role.

Come ready to receive (Prov. 9:8-9; Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 3:14-16; Heb. 4:12; Col. 4:16).

Teachability is a sign of maturity not a sign of being a novice.

An eagerness to receive makes all the difference.

If you decide that certain sermons don’t apply to you or you aren’t as interested in, you are prioritizing your own judgment over the inspiration of Scripture.

When you do this, you miss things that you actually might be interested in, but you certainly miss things that you need to hear.

“I don’t know when the last time I heard a sermon on instrumental music was”

“Nobody preached on grace when I was growing up.”

Training the Heart

This is faithfulness in small things (Lk. 16:10; Deut. 6:6-9).

Consider how habits are formed (Heb. 10:25; 5:14).

My heart should be shaped by asking how I can serve the Lord (Col. 3:17).

If I prioritize something else over assembling, would I welcome the coming of the Lord in that moment?

This is a good question about whatever I’m doing.

Conclusion

The point of a lesson like this is not to ask if you have a perfect attendance record.

The question is am I faithful in this.

I asked the question about whether you would welcome the coming of the Lord while prioritizing something over this. But as we conclude with an invitation let’s broaden that question. Do you welcome His coming in this moment?

If not, then come and be reconciled so that you may rejoice at His coming.