Friday, January 30, 2015

Why come to church?

          Our church attendance could be much better than it is.  Perhaps one reason it is not that regularly attended is because people do not realize what we are doing.
         Church attendance is NOT about simply receiving information about Jesus.  We are not a trivia show.            Nor is church about learning to behave better.  You do not need to come to church to know how to behave.  Atheists, Mormons, and Muslims all know how to behave.  Some claim that they are better at behaving than you are.  Lack of information about right and wrong are not your problem.
          Church is about coming to God's presence as beggars.  We have nothing that God needs.  For that matter, we have nothing that God can be pleased with--we are sinners!  Yet, God delights to have us come so that he can fill us with good things.  At church, God serves us!  God pours out mercy, forgiveness, blessing, comfort, consolation, and encouragement.  Yes, he will admonish and call to repent, but that serves to compel us to flee from our sins and leads us to crave his mercy all the more.  At the Divine Service, heaven touches earth as the Lord presents his heavenly meal for his people to feast upon even before we enter the gates of heaven.  Here, God's promises are both proclaimed and presented in tangible forms.  Here, you have confidence that you are children of God because here, you hear God tell you so.  
          In a world that is wicked and perishing, in a world where people sin against you, where family and friends die, and where you fall short of God's glory day after day, you need peace and comfort.  In church, God gives it--Sunday after Sunday.  You need this, and God is pleased to serve you with it.

          We meet on Sundays at 10:00 AM for the Divine Service, 8:45 AM for Adult Bible Class and Sunday School.  Join us, and bring your friends--they need this too.

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