The Candy Dish

At my church, just outside the sanctuary is everyone's favorite stopping place, the candy dish! It is nearly always filled with a soft peppermint candy. If you have attended my church any time at all you know exactly what I am talking about. The candy dish is visited by all ages, young and old. Every now and then the candy dish does not get refilled. You can always see the disappointment on the faces of those seeking to satisfy their desire for something sweet when they open the dish and it is empty! So my difficult question to you today is, “why do you attend church?” Do you attend because you want to become closer to God? Maybe you attend because your trying to give your children a morel foundation? Are you attending because you want to become a better person? Are you attending because you are looking for comfort during a time of trouble or sorrow? Do you attend because your enjoy the fellowship and friendships you have developed with other members? Simply put, the Bible tells us we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth.

Acts 2:42 ESV And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 

The early church had no dedicated church building with a candy dish filled with sweet treats. Acts 2:46 tells us that the early believers meet together every day in the temple courts. They broke bread in each others homes. They ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Church attendance is not just a “good suggestion”; it is God’s will for believers!

Hebrews 10:25 ESV not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

Do a quick search on Google for “the reasons why people do not go to church” and you will find this list of excuses; they prefer to practice their faith independently, they feel judged by members, or they find that the services do not fit their busy routines. Ask any minister and I think you will find, the trend is almost universal. Ever since Covid, fewer people are attending church every year. When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the body of Christ. For a church body to function properly, all of its “body parts” need to be present and working!

 1 Corinthians 12: 14-20 ESV For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

We are not to attend church as if we are mere spectators. We are actually part of our church. Not only does our church help equip us for ministry, it is a place where we serve, using the spiritual gifts God has given us. A believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without having that outlet for his gifts, and we all need the assistance and encouragement of other believers. As we serve, worship, and live in community together, the body of Christ reflects who God is. Together, we are the light of the world!

Matthew 5:14 ESV You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.