My dear sheep. You may have heard people say things like, "I don't need to go to church because I can worship God everywhere." It seems like a really good answer, and holy too! However, as the directory of public worship rightly points:
47-2. A service of public worship is not merely a gathering of God's children with each other, but before all else, a meeting of the triune God with His chosen people. God is present in public worship not only by virtue of the Divine omnipresence but, much more intimately, as the faithful covenant Saviour.
To say it a different way, if a believer decides to forsake meeting together, not only is he disobeying God, but he is neglecting the most important gathering in the world. As one author put it:
Therefore, when God's people meet together for worship, that meeting is of more significance than a summit meeting of heads of state to decide on a treaty of peace between great nations. It is more important than a meeting of the city council or the state legislature, more important than a meeting or the United Nations or of Congress or Parliament. For in that meeting God Himself meets with His people. (Worship in the Presence of God)
Church is important, not just because God commands us to gather with his people, but because public worship is the place of the greatest blessing! The other day I was speaking with someone about why gathering for public worship twice on the Lord's day is a good idea and something came out of my mouth that I hadn't really thought about until that moment. If you attend a second time, you get God's call to worship, twice; God's blessing, twice; prayers prayed for you, twice; God's word preached, twice; God's worship, twice; God's blessing, twice; and God's people in fellowship, twice.
The real question when you stop to think about it is, why don't I want a double portion of God's blessing?
Now that I have written all of this to you, it reminds me of an excellent discussion between Sinclair Ferguson and Bob Godfrey on the Sabbath and Worship. I would strongly urge all of you, my dear sheep, to watch. It is deeply challenging and encouraging!
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