It has been a few weeks…

It has been several weeks…

It has been months…

It has been years…

It has been awhile since I’ve been to church.

If I walked in this next Sunday…

• I’d probably be judged for poor attendance.
• I’d probably be shamed for not having shown up for a while.
• I’d probably be looked down upon for my unexcused or prolonged absence. 

The enemy of your soul would love for you to believe such lies.  Because then you’d remain isolated and distant, and as a result, vulnerable. 

Loved one, we are saved by grace alone, not by works. 

• We are not saved by gold stars upon an attendance chart. 
• We are not saved by ‘cleaning ourselves up’ in our own strength and power
• We are not saved by performing well in front of others. 
• We are not saved by living an outwardly better life than others around us.
• We are not saved by attending a church service or gathering.

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, thus bringing God glory, alone.  Not by our works, but by His work, loved ones.  Not by our effort, but by His effort, friends.

We are saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and His sufficient work through His birth, life, death and resurrection. 

So if you find yourself wondering if it has been too long since walking in.  However you define ‘too long’…weeks, months, or years… 

Walk back in. 

• Walk back into a gathering of imperfect people, who are seeking to worship and serve the one true, perfect, eternal, triune God. 
• Walk back into a gathering of saints in Christ, who are pursuing to be continually transformed by His grace and truth.
• Walk back into a gathering of brothers and sisters, who share such family ties only because of the gospel of God’s grace.
• Walk back into a gathering of sheep, who are seeking to be led by, cared for, and fed by the Good and Chief Shepherd, Jesus.
• Walk back into a gathering of Christ followers, who are desiring to walk in the light of God’s holiness, shoving the darkness of our hearts into the light of His goodness.
• Walk back into a gathering of disciples of Jesus, who are prayerfully trying to learn from Jesus and His Word so that we might go and apply it to daily life.

Walk back in.

• Not because the building, room, or space is holy in and of itself. 
• Not because you’re compelled by a works-based guilt or condemnation.

Walk back in, because this is what we do, as God’s people.

We gather to greet, sing, pray, welcome, give, hear, remember, celebrate, grieve, serve, and love.

We gather not to be entertained, but to enjoy and follow in the rhythms of New Testament church life.

We gather and in doing so, express both our individual and collective need for His grace and truth in our lives.

And in the midst of the seemingly mundane rhythms of gathering, the Spirit is at work, His grace abounds, His Word is proclaimed, His faithfulness is evident, and we are transformed.  And He is glorified.

Walk back in.