Why go to church?

January 17, 2009

The life of Jesus. Read Today: Childhood of Jesus  Luke 2: 40 - 52

Luke 2:41-42 ESV
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.
42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.

I always have found it interesting that people say that they do not need to go to church to worship God.  They can be alone with Him on a Sunday and not have to be with others.  They can be taught by God Himself.  If that is so, and I do not deny that it is possible, then why did Jesus go to church?

As a young boy, His parents took Him every year to Jerusalem to learn from the rabbi at the temple.  From today's readings we find that Jesus probably could have taught them better than they could Him, yet He submitted Himself to it.  So why did He do it?

Was it just the law?  The law was part of it I am sure.  Men had to go three times a year to Jerusalem, so the law does figure in, but Jesus was just a boy at this time.  I think that the fellowship had something to do with it. Jesus enjoyed not only the teaching but the learning that went in the gathering together of the people.

So, why do you go to church?  Or do you?

Read for tomorrow:   Ministry of John the Baptist  Matthew 3: 1 - 12 , Mark 1: 1 - 8, Luke 3: 1 -20