God has an encouraging word for you and me today through the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message on why to go to church. I am so excited to share this time of Bible study with you as we head to Luke chapter 2 in just a moment, not only on why to go to church, but oh, gaining some insight on what the church really is and maybe what it's not. That's all coming up on today's Bible teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. While we're doing so, know that we're available to pray with you and for you on our prayer line at 866-899-WORD.
That's 866-899-9673. It's also our resource line that connected with great things like the new book from Dr. Wilton called Saturdays with Billy about his time with Dr. Billy Graham. I know that many of you have already gotten a copy, but if you'd like, you can discover more at our website at www.tewonline.org. It is a powerful, powerful book.
And now today's teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. Would you take your Bibles this morning and turn with me to Luke's Gospel chapter 2 and verse 41. Luke's Gospel chapter 2 and verse 41. Our message from God's Word this morning comes from my heart through the Word of God to you.
And it comes in the form of a question. Why go to church? Why go to church? And for those of you that are in church today, we could perhaps rephrase this and say what happens when you do go to church?
What's in it for you? Why go to church? What's the importance of being in church? You know, it seems to me that the Lord Jesus Christ placed extraordinary emphasis upon the church.
I want you to think about what He said. He said to Peter, Peter, upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. In fact, what you're going to discover when you go right throughout Scripture, right from the beginning of the Old Testament to the end of the New Testament, that much of God's Word is directed toward the church. Even in the book of Revelation where we have been for so long, the letters to the seven churches in Asia. And we discover during the tribulation period that all of a sudden the church is missing. That's how we know that the church has raptured because it's no longer mentioned from chapter 3 of the book of Revelation. The church, from the ark of the covenant, everywhere the children of Israel went, all the Old Testament prophets, right throughout Scripture, from Paul to Timothy to everyone we read about, they find their heartbeat in the local church. Jesus put it like this.
He said upon this rock, I will build my church. Now folks, let's be honest with each other today. I think there's a lot of other things we could be doing right now.
Ah, playing golf for example. In fact, come to think about it, sounds like a good idea to me, don't you? Do I hear an amen out here this morning? A nervous one.
Thank you. Golf, I mean some people would say to me, well pastor, you know, I don't have to go to church. I can go and play golf on a Sunday morning and I can meet with God just as well. Others would say, well I think I'll just get on my fishing boat and go down to Lake Murray or down to Lake Hartwell or I'll go out here on Lake Bone.
I'll just have the best of time. I'll meet with God right there. Folks, I'm going to say to you, Jesus said, upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Do you know that Jesus used two primary illustrations right throughout the New Testament? In order to illustrate what he was talking about, he used marriage and he used the church. And God's word says something very special about the church.
He tells us that if we take the church out of what we're doing, that we are taking out everything that God has put in place for us in our journey through life. I want to read to you an account where Jesus went to church. He went to church right throughout his experience upon the earth.
But let's look here at chapter 2 of the book of Luke and verse 41. Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. Now when he was 12 years old, they went up to the feast according to the custom. After the feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. They began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days, they found him in the church. They found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers. Now folks, we've got some very important insights into what takes place in the church.
Even though I'm not going to do an exegesis of this passage this morning. They found him sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you. Why were you searching for me? He asked.
Didn't you know that I had to be in my father's house? But they did not understand what he was saying to them. Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. Now folks, I want you to listen to something this morning. If you want to know how to grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men, be in church.
It is one of the greatest things that you can do. I want to say to the parents here this morning, moms and dads, one of the greatest things that you can do for your children is to bring them to church. As simple as that sounds, I want to say to you as well, contrary to public opinion, don't encourage your children not to be in church. Folks, we are living in a day and age today where parents are even making excuses for their children not to be in church. Nothing should take the place of God's house. God says these things for a purpose. He said, on this rock I will build my church.
There is something very special about it. So I began to ask myself the question, why go to church? I'm going to give you 11 reasons this morning. You might want to write them down.
Get out a pen and paper next time someone comes to you and says to you, why should I go to church? Why don't you share these 11 points with them? Now you might need a little more time than I'm going to take, but you share them with them. Write these down, they're important. I'm going to be quick this morning, write them down.
Let me give them to you first of all. Here they are, 11 reasons why you should go to church. Number one, people, just write the word people, people. Number two, pillars of support, P-I-L-L-A-R-S, pillars of support. Number three, participation, write down that word. It'll bless your heart, participation.
Love to see all those heads going down, people writing and reading God's Word, that's wonderful. Number three is participation. Number four, potential, that a marvelous word, potential.
How does potential apply to going to church? We're going to see in a moment. Number five, pleasure, pleasure. Number six, possibilities, possibilities. Number seven, I like this one, propulsion. I'm going to talk about jet fuel in just a moment. Propulsion, ha, I like that, don't you? It's kind of get you by the seat of the pants and propel you into action.
Propulsion, jet fuel. Number eight, promises, why go to church on Sunday? Promises, number nine, power. One of my favorite words that the Bible talks about. Can you believe that God says that we have made available to us His power? The church is a vital instrument in the transmission of that power. Number 10, presentation, presentation, write that down. And number 11, person, p-e-r-s-o-n, a person.
That is going to be the greatest reason. Well, let's look at this. Dr. George W. Truitt, pastor of First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas. For over 40 years he said this, and I love this quote. He said, failure to vibrantly and actively serve God through faithful attendance in the church is the first step toward a toboggan slide downhill spiritually. Folks, I'm making a statement here this morning out of all the love of my heart. Nine times out of ten you show me a really troubled teenager and there will be some kind of disconnection between that teenager and church. Show me someone who is troubled spiritually, someone who is cold spiritually, someone who is out of whack spiritually. I'm going to show you some kind of correlation between the church, their attendance in church, their faithfulness in church, and the lives that they are struggling to lead.
Well, what is this all about? Why go to church? What does God's church do for you and me? First of all, there are the people. If you had any reason to be in church, it's the people. You know, folks, when you people came after me and approached me about becoming pastor of First Baptist Church Spartanburg, what impressed us and gripped our hearts outside of the obvious will of God was the people. I don't think that I have ever met so many precious people in all my life. I just thank God for you. God's people.
I just love you today. Every one of you. God's people.
You know, I think about it often. I tell you, I love the teenagers, man. They are so special. Twice this week we had, where's Seth? Half your youth department was at our house. Ate me out of house and home. I'm telling you. It was just wonderful.
I just love them so much, man. What a privilege. Friday night my wife and I went out, came back at 9 o'clock and half the young men in our church were there in my house watching the bulls beat up on Utah. I mean, there they were. But we had a great time. Wonderful time. Boy, I just, I love you guys, man.
These young ladies and young men. But you know what I love most of all, Seth? You know what the prayer, my greatest thanksgiving is? Is that, and I'm speaking as dad here folks, not as pastor or reverend or doctor, nothing. I'm speaking as a dad. What else is there to say?
For a dad's heart? I'm so grateful that our children can be in your homes. That they can tap from the source that I see everywhere. People. God's people. You see, when you go to church you become a part of God's people. It's one of the most precious things. Whether you're at the lake jet skiing or whether you're going to a ball game or whether you're going to Camp Voyager or whether you're on Kentucky missions or whether you're sitting in church or eating in the dining hall or walking down the corridor whether you're in a committee meeting, you're among God's people.
Why go to church? Number one, people. Number two, pillars of support.
I think Ben Babb spoke about that just a moment. It just amazes me everywhere I go to see the support that comes out of a church like this. Folks, it's amazing. I don't know where we would survive without each other. Do you know that there are some people here today whose hearts are breaking because a son or daughter is breaking their heart?
Guess what? If your heart's breaking today, we're here to support you. If you've suffered a death in your family, we're here to support you. If you've been diagnosed with cancer, we're here to support one another. If your marriage is falling apart and you're headed for a divorce call, we're here to support you.
If you're a single mother and you've got the responsibility of those children all on your own, we're here to support you. Pillars of support. God gave us to one another to support one another.
And I'm going to say to you, friends, that when Jesus said, Upon this rock I will build my church, Jesus understood our human condition. People, pillars of support. Participation.
Participation. It's all of us there doing for one another what God has put in our hearts. Jesus said, Upon this rock I will build my church.
Jesus said, Don't you know that I should be in my Father's house? Please forgive the interruption as Dr. Don continues to teach us on understanding not only what Jesus said about being in God's house, but how God calls us to gather together to unite our hearts as a part of the body of Christ. One of the ways we unite our hearts is in prayer. And if you'd like to have someone praying with you and for you right now, we stand ready to talk with you, pray with you at 866-899-WORD.
Now the number is 866-899-9673. And it's available not just now during the broadcast, but any time, day or night, if you need someone to talk with or pray with or if you need some resources, we have a wonderful series of resources available. You can call about them or visit us on our website at www.tewonline.org for all the details. That's www.tewonline.org. Many have been asking about the Fortified and Strategy of Satan book, the book from Warren Wiersbe, one of Dr. Wilton's friends who we sadly lost a few years ago, and a message from Dr. Wilton.
All those resources are on our website right now at www.tewonline.org. Now let's dive back into today's great teaching with Dr. Don Wilton. Wasn't it Jesus that walked into the temple and said take these things, hence make not my Father's house a house of merchandise. Why? Because Jesus knew the heartbeat of the local church. Jesus didn't want us to hop, skip and jump all over the place.
Jesus wanted His children to put their roots down and to belong and to serve and to give and to participate. Why? Go to church. Gee, those golf courses would be good today. I'm going to tell you something, my brother, my sister, my friend, because you've come to church today.
When you play golf, you're going to hit it a lot straighter, at least I hope you're doing a lot sweeter. That's good news for Rick Mathis, I know. You know that? You know God just does. Listen folks, when I have prioritized God's house, God seems to prioritize me.
Everything is in the right perspective. Number four, potential. Why go to church? Because of potential. The Bible calls it giftedness. The Bible says that God has no giftless children.
All of us are gifted. You know what happens when you come to church? God draws upon that wellspring, that rich resource that He has placed within your being, and He brings it to fruition. God raises your potential to realistic heights. God tells you that you're not a nobody, you're a somebody. I like that. That's what God does when you go to church.
Number five, pleasure. I love that word pleasure. You know what it means? It means happiness, it means joy. It means that it's great fun to go to church.
Folks, listen. I pray the day never comes at First Baptist Church that we ever stop enjoying one another's company, enjoying worship, enjoying being supported by one another, enjoy ministering and giving. Is there any greater joy than giving to other people?
Huh? Is there any greater joy than seeing other people receive joy? Is there any greater joy and pleasure in watching others come to know Jesus Christ?
I'm going to say to you folks, I'm not going to drag my lip around. Uh-uh. You know why? Because God's church is the greatest pleasure. It's the greatest business in the world. Jesus said, I've come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly. I'm going to fill your life with joy. Number six, possibilities. Very much akin to number four, which was potential, but possibilities speaks rather more than giftedness, but provides us a hint of the options that God presents to us. God presents to us a smorgasbord of option. He says, I have set before you the feast table of the King.
You not only have potential, but you have numerous possibilities. God says, I'm going to give to you so many blessings that you will never be able to stand yourself. God says, I want you to do what I'm giving to you, and I'm setting before you this feast from which you are able to draw nourishment.
Number seven, propulsion. This is the jet fuel of the church, it's the compulsion. I don't know, there's something about being in God's house that propels me, compels me to want to do. There's something about being in God's house that takes me and transmits me and transforms me from a hearer to a doer. There's something about being in God's house that helps me to understand the difference between being a Christian and being a disciple, propels me.
God's jet fuel. Number eight, why go to church? Because of God's promises. It's a marvelous thing to see how God reminds us of His promises, and He does that in His church.
How does this work? It begins with the power of God, it is taken through the Word of God, it is transmitted through the man of God, it is carried by the Spirit of God into the very heart of the people of God. That's what happens in church.
There is an incredible dynamic which takes place. That is why Jesus said, upon this rock I will build my church. The power of God and the Word of God through the man of God, carried by the Spirit of God, right slap bang, boof, into the heart of the people of God. That's what God does in church.
It's an action. It's a doing word, don't miss it. Don't absent yourself from the house of God.
Because when you do, you withdraw yourself from the primary method that God has given, that enables us to grow in Him. Number nine, the power of God. I love that word, power, because that's what God does. Number ten, the presentation. You see it's in church that you receive the presentation, that's what I'm doing right now, that's what Steve was doing, that's what we are doing. We are presenting ourselves to God in worship. We are presenting praise. We are presenting the Word of God. We are presenting the gospel.
We are presenting the invitation. Presentation takes place in church, not on a golf course, not in a kayak, not doing all other... God says upon this rock, I will present to you my grace. And then finally, but not conclusively, but I'm going to say to you singularly, I'm going to say you of most significance, the reason we go to church is because of a person, the Lord Jesus Christ. Folks, if we were to take all of this and say, what's the most important reason we go to church? It's Jesus. What's the most important reason that we sing? It's Jesus. What's the most important reason why we give our tithes and offerings? It's Jesus. What's the most important reason we come to choir practice? It's Jesus.
What's the most important reason we play an instrument in the orchestra? It's the Lord Jesus. What's it all about? Jesus said, upon this rock, I will build my church. What a powerful message, and as God builds the church, are you a part of the building blocks that God wants to use to make a difference in the world in which we live, to make a difference in our families, to make a difference in our communities?
I've heard Dr. Wilton has been preaching from the pulpit. Now, as he steps into the studio, I pray you'd open your heart to what he wants to share next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ?
I'm so happy to hear that. Why don't you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much, and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on a cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. I pray, I repent of my sin. I confess my sin to you, and I invite you to come into my heart and into my life, I pray. In Jesus' name, I pray. If you prayed that prayer, let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of God.
This is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Help us so that we can talk to you and connect you in the right place so you can begin this wonderful journey. In just a moment, I'm going to come back with a final word. Welcome to the family of God. I'm convinced that some of you were praying along with the pastor moments ago to rededicate your life to Christ or perhaps to give your life to Jesus for the very first time. Know that we are here to encourage you.
Maybe you're on the fence. You still have questions. Call at 866-899-WORD and let us pray with you, pray for you.
Let us strive to answer those questions from the Bible itself, God's encouraging word. Our number is 866-899-9673, or you can connect online as well. Our website is www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. We would love to encourage you to provide you with these free resources Dr. Don wants you to have. You just need to call us.
That's 866-899-9673 or meet us online at www.tewonline.org. Now we've had friends ask most recently about how you can get involved with our ministry, how you can prayerfully and financially support us. Well that's by becoming what we call encouragers. The month of July reminds us to be thankful for the freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of this great country. Romans 6 18 reminds us that the death of Jesus on the cross has set us free from sin. It reads, you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. We want everyone to be set free from the bondage of sin. We want to proclaim the good news of Christ to all who will listen.
Will you join us in proclaiming the good news that Jesus offers us freedom from our sin? We need your support. Become an encourager today. Call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673 to request information on how you can help support the work of The Encouraging Word. The Encouraging Word is a viewer and listener supported ministry.
Thank you for listening today. Again, you can discover more about what it is to be an encourager for The Encouraging Word on our website at www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org or feel free to call us anytime. We would love to encourage you to pray with you and for you to connect with great resources at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673. Many are signing up for The Daily Encouraging Word devotional, whether you get it in a quarterly form or you want it emailed to you. All the details are on our website at www.tewonline.org. I hope you'll join us tomorrow for the next message on leadership from Dr. Don Wilton.
