The human body is one of the most complex organisms God has ever created. With a simple command, He was able to create each and every human being we see on this earth today. Each of us has our own unique set of talents and abilities, that were gifted to us by God!
I recently did a project for a platform entitled “Topical Bible Studies”. They asked me to do a sixty-second short over a church sign saying. I decided to pick the sign that said “What’s missing from Ch Ch? UR”. Funny enough, I saw this same phrase on the way to a speaking engagement the following Sunday. Jokes aside, when we consider the church sign saying, we know that attendance is important at church. Yet, do we really understand why attendance is so important?
When I was growing up, I was always told that I have to go to church. Like any kid or even some adults today, I did not like being told that I had to do something I did not want to do. When I would ask “why” I had to go to this place called the church, there was no good answer given except “we have to”.
According to a recent study, only 22% of Americans attended a church service every week. There is no question, that attendance within churches across the board has been declining. The question is why? There has to be a better reason why we should go to church other than “I have to”, right?
The devil would want us to think that it does not matter whether we go to church or not. In fact, he is thrilled when we decide to put other things in the way of attending church. God, however, paints a different picture when it comes to you being present at the assembly. Throughout scripture, we see one main theme and that is, YOU matter to God.
You matter to God because you were uniquely created.
In Genesis 1:27 we read:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them
From the beginning of time, God has had a vision for us. He carefully took the time to craft and mold each and every one of us into His image. In fact, the Psalmist records that the Lord created his innermost being. He goes on to describe that the Lord knew him and knows us before even coming out of the womb. Thus, he, just like us, is fearfully and wonderfully made.
You matter to God because He has given you a purpose.
The purpose of the organs within our human body is to work together to make sure we are constantly breathing, fed, and functioning properly. There is not one organ in our body that does not have a purpose. Similarly, each and every member that makes up the church has a purpose. The common purpose that we share as believers is layered as follows:
We should love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We should love our neighbor as ourselves.
We should go and make disciples and teach them how to make disciples.
Will we all go about fulfilling the purposes that God has given us the same way? No. Which is the beauty of God’s plan. Although He gave each of us the same purpose He has provided us with multiple ways we can fulfill this purpose.
You matter to God because He loves you.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13
The church today would not exist without Christ first showing us the greatest amount of love ever known. It still humbles me every time I think about the idea that God died for me because He saw a need to give me endless chances to serve Him. It is often said that the Bible is the “greatest love story ever written”. The love that God has for us is unfathomable. John 3:16 may be one of the most well-known verses in all of scripture. It reads,
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
There is no question about it, you matter to God because He loved you so much that He was willing to send His only son Jesus down to this earth from the throne of Heaven, to live a perfect life and die for our sins. Because of His willingness, His love for us, and His death on the cross, we now have the church today, and He is the head of the church (Ref. Ephesians 1:21-22, 5:32-33).
You matter to God because you make up the church.
There is this common misconception that the church is the building that we worship in. Scripture, however, puts no value on the place where worship may be held. Instead, the focus is on, who makes up the church.
Paul uses many analogies in his writings. One of which corresponds with this point. In Romans 12:4-5, we read:
“Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.”
Paul goes on to make a similar analogy in 1 Corinthians 12.
“For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.”
The idea that Paul is trying to make here is that you matter to God because you help make the “body” complete. When you decide to not gather with the saints, the body, is incomplete because it is missing a member who has a purpose in the overall function of the church. Without you with the assembly, the Church is incomplete.
In summary, why is being with the saints so important? Is it to meet the attendance goal for the month? No. Is it because we are forced to? I hope not. Or is it because we matter to God? Yes, and we can prove it because He has given us purpose, His Love, and the Church (our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ). Let us never forget the value that God puts on each and every one of us as we all work together to serve Him each and every day.