“I Don’t Have to go to Church”

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

“I Don’t Have to go to Church”

1. I don’t have to go to a church building to please God2. I don’t have to attend, esp. one certain place

3. I don’t have to get involved or participate

The church is unnecessary

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be

established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations

shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the

LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his

paths.” For out of Zion shall go the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2-3 ESV)

THE CHURCH WAS PLANNED BY GOD

The church is unnecessary

And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall

break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, (Daniel 2:44 ESV)

THE CHURCH WAS PLANNED BY GOD

The church is unnecessary

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,

that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love (Ephesians 1:3-4 ESV)

THE CHURCH WAS PLANNED BY GOD

The church is unnecessary

This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, (Ephesians 3:11 ESV)

THE CHURCH WAS PLANNED, PURPOSED, & INSTITUTED BY BY GOD

The kingdom is unnecessary

• Matthew 16:8-9- church/kingdom were interchangeable terms

• Mark 9:1- kingdom was coming in their lifetime

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved

Son, (Colossians 1:13 ESV)

The kingdom is unnecessary

• Matthew 16:8-9- church/kingdom were interchangeable terms

• Mark 9:1- kingdom was coming in their lifetime

…and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

Amen. (Revelation 1:6 ESV)I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and

the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, (Revelation 1:9 ESV)

The kingdom is unnecessary

And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall

branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. It is he who shall build the

temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall

be between them both.”’ (Zechariah 6:12-13 ESV)A PRIEST/KING… WITHOUT A KINGDOM?

And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness

of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV)

IS JESUS HEAD OVER… NOTHING?

The body of Christ is unnecessary

…that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to

God in one body through the cross… (Ephesians 2:15-16 ESV)

• 1 Timothy 3:15; Galatians 6:10• We’re in one of two places• Family is where you find…

– Provision– Discipline– Instruction– Loving care

The family of God is unnecessary

(Are we starting to see a pattern?)

Outside of the family is… nothing!But not necessary?

• Different names, doctrines, priorities– Ignoring the problem is not a solution, 1 Cor. 14:33

• Apostles taught will of Christ, Matthew 28:19-20• Apostles organized/instructed churches• Jesus prayed for those listening to apostles

• Consider the confusion of modern day denominationalism… Seriously?

Is the church really not necessary?

The only means of overcoming confusion/division is unnecessary

We ALL only have to “come to church” if it’s important.

And the church is only important if these facts are…

• It was planned/instituted by God• It is the kingdom of Christ• It is the true body of Christ• It is the family of God• It is the only means of overcoming

denominational division

If these are important to you, why not be an active, participating, part of the church of Christ?