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On any given Sunday, less than 4 out of every 10 people in our region attend church services. Some who don't attend were regular attendees in the past, but stopped attending because they were hurt or disappointed. Some say they are still connected to the church, but can't attend regularly because of their busy schedule. Others, of course, have never attended and have no intention of doing so. They're sure the church has nothing to contribute to their quality of life.
Interestingly, Jesus could have made those same arguments. He was constantly busy, pressed by crowds hungry for his teaching or hoping for miracles. Why should Jesus take time to sit down with a bunch of religious practitioners when his entire life was the practice of religion? Besides, since Jesus is God, what could a bunch of human beings contribute to his spiritual wellbeing anyway?
Despite his available excuses, Luke 4:16 (NIV) tells us that Jesus "went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom." "As was his custom" reminds us that Jesus' attendance was a habit, not an occasional visit. The demands on Jesus' time were heavy, but he still made time to be in synagogue, the Jewish version of "church."
Why?
Jesus recognized that even if he didn't need the fellowship of others, others needed him. On that day in Nazareth, Jesus was asked to read the morning's Scripture text, a passage from Isaiah 61:1-2: "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor…" Jesus read the text and then proclaimed "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Every week in every congregation addicts, adulterers, alcoholics and abusers, (And that's just the "A-List" for sins!) attend church because they are fully aware of their sins and shortcomings. They know they need Jesus. Jesus' visit to Nazareth's synagogue was his proclamation: "I know you need me. I'm here for you. I'm here to help!" For all those who need to be liberated from their own past, who need another chance at life, for all those who have been disappointed by religious hucksters who promised good and delivered less, Jesus proclaims, "Here I am."
But here's where it gets interesting: Many in Nazareth's synagogue that day didn't recognize their own need; they just came out of curiosity or the desire to be part of the crowd. They came for entertainment, not life-change. But Jesus refused to give those folks what they wanted. "Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself!' And you will tell me, 'Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum. Truly I tell you," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown" (Luke 4:23-24). Jesus refused to do miracles to entertain the residents of his hometown because he knew that experience would not truly satisfy their real needs.
Twenty-five or 30 years ago, churches in America "upgraded" their services to include contemporary music, video, drama and even interpretive dance. Churches offered specialized services for children, teens, and young adults. Stage lighting and fog machines found their way into Sunday morning worship. For a while, the show drew crowds.
But the church can't compete with Hollywood or Nashville when it comes to entertainment. Churches have neither the talent pool or the budget. So when folks realized that Sunday morning's experience at church wasn't as much fun as their Saturday evening concert, they turned away from the church. In droves.
Some congregations corrected themselves by returning to the old ways, the really old ways! Chants and candles gave modern churches a medieval atmosphere, reminding worshippers of the timelessness of God's truth. For a while, this brought folks back. But worshippers soon complained that the new old atmosphere was just a gimmick in the "show," and they again turned away from the church.
In reality, churches offer one item that the world can't: Salvation through Christ. Jesus attended synagogue to be with those who wanted to be with God. He offered himself to those folks, and promised help, healing and hope. Jesus is still in his church today, waiting for you.