March 24, 2012 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "And An Idea That Didn’t Help Any: Opting Out Part 8: Seven Ideas That Ruined the Church . . . 
and Two Others That Didn’t Help Any" - Randy Roberts

Pastoral Welcome: Joelle Reuer

Children’s Feature: Patty Marruffo

Meditation:

It was one of the Wesleys, I think, who said that the New Testament knows nothing of solitary religion. We are forbidden to neglect the assembling of ourselves together. Christianity is already institutional in the earliest of its documents. – C. S. Lewis
 
No man should be alone when he opposes Satan. The church and the ministry of the Word were instituted for this purpose, that hands may be joined together and one may help another. If the prayer of one doesn’t help, the prayer of another will. – Martin Luther

Responsive Reading: Hebrews 10:19–25 - David and Daniel Rood

Sermon Notes:

Many years ago, the Lone Ranger rode on the black-and-white television screens of
this land. Kids across the country watched as the bad guys threatened to dominate
and win, until … well, until a masked man rode to the rescue of the town. While the
Lone Ranger did have a sidekick (the native American Tonto) and a horse (Silver),
there was no doubt about it; he was a lone ranger. He did it (mostly) by himself.

The Lone Ranger lives on in our day and time in the lives of many Christ-followers
who say, “I don’t need the church. I can do it by myself. I prefer the beach and the
desert and the mountains to a worship service any day! I prefer solitude to the
crowd of people at church.”

I, too, love the beach and the desert and the mountains. There are times when such
“retreats” to silence and solitude can fortify the soul in a way that nothing else can.
But we must ask the question, How biblically sound is the choice to “opt out” of
church? Is opting out a legitimate option for a follower of Christ?

In our current sermon series, “Seven Ideas That Ruined the Church … And Two
Others That Didn’t Help Any,” we have reached the end of the seven ideas. Today
we deal with the first of the “Two Others That Didn’t Help Any.” It’s the idea of opting
out of church. What does the Bible suggest about such an option? To such issues
we turn our thoughts today.

Yours in the love of Jesus.

Randy Roberts
Senior Pastor