What Do You Add To Your Gospel?

During the summer months, from May through October, I preach at a local campground.  It’s one of the things I look forward to the most each year.  It can also be a bit tiring.  It used to be more so.

For years when I did this, I had no idea what I would preach from Sunday to Sunday.  I would be reading any numbers of sections of scripture during the week.  Around Friday I would begin to go into panic mode trying to decide what Sunday’s sermon would be.  The panic sometimes lasted all the way until Sunday morning..

A few years ago, I began preaching through the gospel of John.  I preached though six chapters that year.  I picked up where I left off the next year and preached five chapters that year.  Then four.  This year my pace is pretty quick.  I’ve on pace to finish the gospel of John this year.  The question is, what’s next?

I’m leaning to preaching Galatians next year.  I’ve looked at Galatians several times over the years, but this will allow me to dig deeper than I have before.

One of the central themes of Galatians is what is being added to the Gospel?  The Galatians were going back and adding the Law to the Gospel and perverting the gospel that Jesus and Paul preached.

That leads me to the question.  What do we add to the Gospel?

Do we add keeping the 10 Commandments?

Do we add going to three church services per week?

Do we add tithing?

Do we add (you fill in the blank)?

Do you add anything to the Gospel?

Must I Go To Church?

Must I go to church?

I don’t have to go to church.  We live in the United States where I don’t have to do much of anything.  I have to pay taxes.  Evidently, according to some, I must buy health insurance.  I suppose the Supreme Court will decide if I must do that.

But must I got to church?

The answer would have to be no.  Plenty of people who claim to know Christ do not go to church.

They say that they get just as much out of going to the lake or river and fishing as they do going to church.  They say that they would prefer to go hiking or go to brunch or play golf.  There are multitudes of other things.

So, must I go to church?

Some preachers would say that I do.  They would claim all sorts of reasons.  They would reference the cross and say it’s the least I could do.  They would reference Hebrews 10:25 and say that I should not forsake assembling.  They would say that Sunday is the Lord’s day where the Lord’s people gather in the Lord’s house.

So, must I go to church?

Really, when it comes down to it, what  matters is what I say, not what anyone else says.

So, must I go to church?

Yes.

I must go to church.  But it’s not the kind of must that you may think I’m talking about.

Before I got to bed every night, I must kiss my wife, Jan.  But it’s not out of a sense of duty.  It’s because I am so compelled by my love for her.  I must kiss her every morning when we wake up.

I don’t kiss her out of any law or duty.  I kiss her because I am driven by my love and desire to kiss her.

It’s the same thing with going to church.

I want to gather with fellow believers and worship the Lord.

I want to be stimulated to good deeds and encouraged.

I want to experience a community of believers.

So, must I go to church.

Absolutely.

Must you go to church?