“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” - Matthew 18:20
I must confess that winter is my least favorite season of the year. It is cold, snowy and dreary much of the time. Even though the days are shorter in duration, they seem much longer to me. Personally, I love spring weather. I love to see the trees budding, the flowers coming to life and birds returning.
One of the things I love about country life is hearing the birds sing. In particular, I enjoy hearing a whippoorwill at night. Typically, they are more common in the summer than any other time. These night birds have a distinctive sound and can be very loud.
I confess that I am not a bird watcher, but I do know that birds tend to flock together. The title of this blog message comes from an old English proverb. The proverb, “Birds of a feather flock together,” is used to express the fact that beings of a similar type tend to associate with each other.
This proverb should really describe Christians. Christians should have an internal desire to associate with other believers. God has designed the local church for such a gathering. As members of the same spiritual family, we should enjoy spending time with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In years gone by, the devil has tried to destroy the church. Since that didn't work, he has sought to weaken the church by pulling believers apart. You see, birds are more vulnerable when they get away from the flock. These days, the devil has been clever. He has drawn people away from church, using worldly pleasures to lure them away from the place they should be. Suddenly, lesser important items like shopping, hobbies and the internet have replaced public worship. Instead of flocking together, the saints have become scattered and weakened by these outside interests.
Yet God has called believers to assemble regularly and worship publicly. Despite the many voices that condone church absence, genuine revival cannot occur apart from believers returning to the local church.
Public worship is a holy habit that we need to restore in America. Yes, it is easy to sit at home and watch a TV or internet preacher, but that is not a substitute for public worship.
Since the end of the Covid-19 year, most businesses have been stressing the need for workers to return to the office. While working at home was necessary during the early days of the pandemic, those days are over. Sadly, many employers are having to take drastic steps to get employees back to the office. The same is true at church. Online church services served a purpose, but they were never intended to replace in-person worship.
Believers need to beware of the enemy's strategy. The devil wants people to stay away from church. He loves to see churches struggle. He wants to see churches close their doors. He is eager to destroy every church he can.
Yet many believers are unknowingly being used of the enemy for destructive purposes. While they excuse their absence from church, they don't realize that the devil is smiling when they do. It is tragic that church members are pawns in the devil's hand, used to destroy local churches.
Furthermore, this hits at the very heart of God. Our Lord loves the church and died for the church. Shouldn't we love what He loves? If so, our actions should reflect this.
I am old enough to remember 8-track tapes. When I was very young, my family often traveled from church to church as my father ministered. While traveling, we would often listen to 8-track tapes of southern Gospel music. Back then, one of my favorite songs was by the Swanee River Boys and was entitled, “Don't Wait For the Hearse To Take You To Church.” The title still rings true today. The only time some church members ever attend is for a wedding or a funeral. For some, the only thing that will get them to church is their own funeral.
If you lack a desire to go to church, it is time to examine your heart. God designed the church for His people to assemble together. The local church is a place for encouragement, ministry, hearing the Word preached, participation in the ordinances and much more. There is no substitute for the local church. There is no substitute for obedience, either.
Quit making excuses. Make it a point to go to church this Sunday.
Birds of a feather flock together.
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