Because you are poor. There is no admission charge.
Because you are rich. Money is not everything.
Because it rains. You go to work in the rain.
Because it is cold. It is warm and friendly inside.
Because it is hot. So are fishing and golfing, especially gardening!
Because no one invited you. People go to a lot of places uninvited, and even pay to get in. This is your paper invitation.
Because of hypocrites. We associate with them in the world every day. You have a choice, associate with them in the church now or wait until eternity and associate with them forever!
Because of company. Bring them along; they will admire you
Because you have little children. Jesus says, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me” (Matthew 19:4).
Because your clothes are not good enough. God looks on the heart.
Because you do not like the preacher. He is human as we all are.
Because the church always wants money. That is not true here.
Because you have plenty of time in the future. Are you sure how much time you have?
“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” (Psalm 95:6).
This was copied from the bulletin of the Capitol Heights church of Christ in Montgomery AL.
People will make all kinds of excuses to stay away from the assembly of the saints. This was done in the first century and it is still being done today. Hebrews 10:25 states, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.” What excuse will you give to God on the judgment day for not coming to worship Him? Would you want Him to use those same excuses for not saving you? It was too hot, or too cold to save you. God did not have the right clothes to die on the cross for you? You know there were hypocrites down there where they crucify people and I don’t want to be seen with hypocrites. You know that preacher preaches so long and I will miss American Idol if I go to Bible study. This has been used for so long and it always has to do with the most popular television show. Remember Bonanza? I remember some members of the church would not go to the services on Sunday night because they might miss an episode of this show. Ed Sullivan was another show that some members would miss the services of church for. What will we say on the judgment day to God and all the apostles for not attending the services?
Consider what it must have been like in the first century. There were no cars with air conditioners or heaters. One wonders even if the church buildings were heated? The temple had no provisions for heat during the winter but there was the fire from the sacrifices. Mention is made of the change of season in Genesis but one almost never reads where weather was a factor in worshipping or not worshipping God. Paul did tell Timothy, “Do thy diligence to come before winter” (2 Timothy 4:21). So when we stand before God on the judgment day and the apostles are there and we start making excuses about the weather, one wonders what they will say.
Consider also the church at Corinth. You talk about a church full of hypocrites it was full and overflowing! Paul never tells any one of them to stop worshipping with them. Paul never once tells some of them to start a new congregation because of all the hypocrites. In fact with all the sinners there at Corinth Paul never once states that those who are not sinners ought to quit. That might be because all have sinned Romans 3:23. So what excuse can we give for not coming to the assembly of the saints? What excuse can we give for not worshipping God?
People will try to give all kind of excuses. They will even argue with God. Read Matthew 25 when Jesus refers to the judgment day and the scenes that are involved with it. What will we do on the judgment day? The best thing to do is to attend all the services of the church and that way we will not have to worry about giving an excuse at all. The Lord will know that we were here!
Love, Keith
