Recently I remember seeing a amusing meme on social media, it said: “Some people ask: Do I really need Jesus to go to heaven? Brother, you need Jesus just to go to Walmart!” This morning I sat in the surgery waiting area of our local hospital and I was people watching. As I looked around, I could see profound sadness, anxiety, and fear in the eyes of some who were waiting to go into surgery or who had family already in surgery. This thought hit me: This world is so full of lonely, hurting people.
Have you ever watched an episode of Animal Planet shot in the savannah? I find it fascinating to watch lions hunting. As they stalk herds of animals, the typically attack the weak, the sick, the young, or the lost. In the Scripture, Satan (the accuser) is described like a roaring lion looking for a soul to devour (see 1 Peter 5:8). As the enemy of our souls does his dark work, he stalks looking for the hurting, the discouraged, and the distracted Christians among us. Perhaps that is you tonight?
There has been an epidemic of wrong thought among American Christians that has been quietly, destructively growing for years. I didn’t coin it, but I think it can be described as “Lone Ranger Christianity.” This is the Christian who thinks they don’t need the church or other Christians to be a Christ follower. Yet, this idea of “doing life alone,” regardless of the reason, is anti-Biblical. I want to pause for a moment and acknowledge a painful truth: Many precious Christ followers have been hurt, betrayed, disappointed, or let down by churches. I must admit, I’ve had my fair share of “church hurt.” But I don’t think we can live the victorious, abundant lives Christ calls us to without walking with Christ’s people.
In Hebrews 10:24-25, the NLT translates the verse this way: Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT) It seems like neglecting to meet together was already a problem in the early church as the writer of Hebrews addresses the issue. Though we hit on it, there are a variety of reasons people do neglect church, fellowship, and intentional gatherings with other believers. Things like: past hurts, busy schedules, insecurities, or outright disobedience. If you think you are the one Christian in history that doesn’t need the Christian community Christ created, I want you to know your wrong.
So, why church? Because we need the encouragement! We need the prayer. We need accountability. We need reminders of God’s Word, His faithfulness, and His promises. We need the protection of a group of men and women who love Jesus and who will love and do life with us. Sure, it can be hard or even painful at times, but everything I have experienced, observed, and heard from others is that to truly have a fruitful, victorious Christian experience, we need each other.
I’d like to share one parting thought from the original creation narrative. As God created the universe and everything in it, day after day, moment after moment, over and over God said that it was “good.” There was only one thing that God said was not good. I bet you might be able to guess what it was… Adam was alone. I hope you’ll take a moment and go and read Genesis chapters 1-3 and read the account for yourself. To overly simplify what took place, God created Eve so that Adam would have a suitable helpmate and so he wouldn’t have to do life alone.
Stop and think about it: God wasn’t saying that He Himself was somehow deficient or that all Adam truly needed was Him. In love, God wanted Adam to enjoy the same type of community He Himself has enjoyed throughout all eternity in the Godhead. I don’t have to go to the gym to be a bodybuilder and you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian, but it sure would dramatically change our lives.
My prayer for you tonight is that no matter why you walked away from the church, no matter what hurt you’ve endured, not matter the betrayal, anxiety, or fear, that you will take intentional, pratical, prayerful steps to find a Bible believing, Bible preaching, Christ centered community of believers to worship with, study the Scripture with, and to do life with. By the way… that is God’s will for your life too!
