What The Bible Teaches About Worship Attendance

Theme: What The Bible Teaches About…
Speaker: Dub McClish, Editor Of The Gospel Journal
Date: March 14, 2004, Sunday Morning Worship Service - (During a Gospel Meeting March 14 Through 17, 2004, at the Northeast church of Christ, Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Main Scripture References: Matthew 17:4: “…Lord, it is good for us to be here…”
Centered on the Text 2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)

A good place to begin would be to speak of something with which we’re all familiar, perhaps: Going into a place of business to purchase something, not being able to find it, and looking for some employee to help us find it—in vain. I went into our Dillard’s store in Denton, Texas, a couple of weeks ago. My wife wanted me to buy a tablecloth that was on sale. I found the tablecloth, but I couldn’t find anybody to sell it to me. I knew I would get their attention if I walked out the door without paying for it, but I didn’t want that kind of attention. So, I had to literally track down someone that could take me to a cash register to take my credit card.

We like to be appreciated when we enter a certain atmosphere. We like for people to know that we are there, and business people in particular should understand that their businesses thrive upon good customer relations, on making people think that it is good for them to be there.

I’ve gone into other stores where people immediately saw to my needs and helped me. If they didn’t have what I was looking for, they would tell me of a competitor that had it. I’ll go back and buy something there that I didn’t go looking for. That’s simply good business and customer relations.

But ought it not to apply to the Lord’s people, of all people? When people come among us, ought we not to make them feel that it was good for them to be among us? Ought we not to make it a point to seek out our visitors that particular service, whether we get to speak with our cousins and aunts and uncles, and so forth, or not, and make our visitors know it was good for them to be here, and we felt that way about it?

If you’ve been on vacation and dropped into a congregation that you were not familiar with, and you’ve had the experience of being treated like the invisible family, you don’t want to go back there. At least, there’s not an appeal to go back there. But in other places where you have stopped as a rank stranger, you feel like you’re a member of that congregation before you leave, they’re so hospitable. That’s the way it should be.

It is perfectly normal for us to register our comfort or discomfort in our circumstances. The reading this morning provides an instance of that. Matthew 17:1 says that the Lord took Peter, James and John with Him up into a mountain apart [“And after six days Jesus taketh with Him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart….”]. Giving his account if it, Luke says in chapter 9 that, He went into a mountain apart to pray. And while He was praying, He was transfigured. His raiment became as white as light, and His face shone [Matthew 17:2: “…and He was transfigured before them; and His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as the light.”]. I’ve always understood this to be His receiving some of His heavenly glory at that moment, even while He was upon earth. It was amazing to the three apostles!

But perhaps more amazing was the appearance of Moses and Elijah. I do not know how they identified Moses and Elijah—we’re not told—perhaps by their conversations. Luke tells us what they were talking about in verse 31 of Luke 9. He says they discussed His decease, which was about to be accomplished in Jerusalem. They were talking about His death [“And behold, here talked with Him two men, who were Moses and Elijah; 31 who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem,” Luke 9:30-31].

And Peter could contain himself no longer. He was always the impetuous one. He had to speak and act first. And so, in true character, He said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here….” And had he stopped right there he would have been on very good, safe ground. But Matthew 17:4 tells us that he continued and said, “…if Thou wilt, I will make here three tabernacles; one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Luke adds, ”…not knowing what he said” [Luke 9:33: “And it came to pass, as they departed from Him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.”]. He didn’t realize the implication of his remarks, that he was placing two mere men on the same level with the Son of God.

The Father could not allow that. And so, no sooner had those words left the mouth of Peter than the voice of God thundered, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” Moses and Elijah disappeared in a cloud.

Now, there’s so much rich material in this context of Scripture. One thing we see is that God is saying that, the days of the authority of the prophets, represented by Elijah, the authority of Moses and the Law—those are fast fading away. He is saying that, it is My Son through Whom I will speak henceforth. And you couple that with the beautiful opening Words of the Hebrews letter, and you see it simply underscored [Hebrews 1:1-4: “God, Who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, Whom He has appointed heir of all things, through Whom also He made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”].