Why Attend Worship?

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13

When it comes to participation in a worship service at church, it is during Lent especially that we can become like the writer of Ecclesiastes, and ask: “What is the point?” Especially during this time of pan-demic, and bitter cold temperatures, we can, at least in our minds, throw up our hands and ask “Why do I do this? Why am I a part of this group of people? I have heard these passion readings dozens of times in my lifetime! I have sung these same hymns over a hundred times at least! And just like me, the other people in the congregation are sitting in the same pews that they have been sitting in for years! Nothing seems to change! It is the same thing again, and again and again and again…”

Okay. Let’s kick this around a bit.

To be honest, the Christian faith is not simply a weekly or bi-weekly gathering of a group of people who participate in familiar religious rituals together. Christian faith is primarily an individual experience. Even a lonely experience. For faith, faith in our Savior Jesus Christ created within us, unites us to Him, and our Father in heaven, and the Holy Spirit. From the moment faith was worked in our hearts, each and every one of us, individuality, were taken into union, communion and fellowship with the Triune God. There we exist by ourselves. The faith of parents, of siblings, of friends is of no meaning. Only the faith that exists in our heart. Our own heart.

So on the Last Day the question will not be our congregational membership, whether or not our parents are Christians, or our friends. The question will be simply if we ourselves, individually, have faith.

That being so, as individuals, we are responsible for the faith within us. So we pray when we awaken in the morning, before meals, and before we go to bed. We read our Bibles and devotional materials.  We think about what we have read and we continue to pray as we see the need arise.

And we attend worship—either in person or virtually.

Why? Primarily, again, for ourselves. Like when we go to a movie theater. Yes, there are other people there to see the movie, but primarily what is happening is the movie plays, and we ourselves, sit there. Watching it. 

Of course, we do not attend worship to watch a movie, but to hear the Word of God as it is read and preached. To confess our sins. To receive absolution. To express our faith in psalms and hymns. To pray. To receive the Lord’s Supper. And the Lord’s blessing. All as individuals.

The fact that others are doing the same thing around us is a bonus. And an encouragement. And an opportunity to express the Christian faith within us freely with those around us and to encourage them.

Of course, over time, our love for each other within a given congregation will increase. And so our fellowship. But that love and fellowship will be based on the faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ which each of us possesses, individually.