Livestream Worship Should Not Be Plan A

Hebrews 10:24-25

Introduction.

  1. We are entering an exciting new era in the church!

    1. Most churches these days were forced last year to learn how to live stream their worship services.

    2. And many, including us, are finding that there are great benefits to continuing it.

    3. Before it was because of the pandemic, because we had canceled in-person services for a few months.

    4. Now, it is because there are many who are unable to get out and worship with us in person, like our shut-ins.

    5. We even have people who are regularly watching with us who are not local, and this may be the best option for them to worship or even to hear the gospel.

    6. It can also help people get familiar with us before attending with us so they are not blindsided when they first attend in person.

    7. But there is a downside.

  2. How many are choosing to livestream our worship when they could be here in person?

    1. This lesson is for those who are here as an encouragement to keep coming.

    2. But this is also for those who are watching online who can be here but choose not to be.

    3. Obviously this does not apply to the shut-ins or those who are not local, those physically incapable of being here right now.

    4. One reason we keep doing this is for you!

    5. No, this is for those who are physically capable of being here.

    6. Now, I can’t make health decisions for you and your family, and if you’re not coming for that reason I understand.

    7. But there comes a point when the risk is acceptable, the health concerns are minimal (about as they were before the pandemic), and you must ask yourself, “Why am I not there in person, really?”

    8. Am I just fooling myself, trying to justify my actions with specious reasoning, or are my concerns legitimate?

    9. With how many are vaccinated and how effective it has proven to be, I wonder.

    10. This virus isn’t going to disappear, so at what point will you come to worship again?

    11. Or maybe the reason you’re not coming is not health related at all.

    12. Maybe you’re attitude is, “It doesn’t matter if we’re there in person or not, there’s always the livestream.”

    13. Well, that’s making the livestream Plan A, when really it should be Plan B.

    14. The livestream is a great option for those who need it, but how many of us legitimately need it?

  3. With all that, I wanted to discuss this morning the benefits of worshiping in person.

    1. I know we talked about it almost a year ago (51 weeks ago), while we were still doing everything online.

    2. We talked about what we miss when we aren’t together to worship, but we also talked about that “present distress” that was the Covid-19 pandemic.

    3. Well, that present distress is passing us by, and as we resume regular functions of the church (even fellowship meals), it’s time to come back!

    4. The thing we miss most of all is the aspect of interaction with one another.

    5. So this morning we’re going to look at some of the “one another” passages in Scripture.

  4. Preview.

    1. Teach One Another (Heb. 5:12-14; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 11:26).

    2. Bear One Another’s Burdens (Gal. 6:1-2; Rom. 15:1-7; James 5:16).

    3. Serve One Another (John 13:14; Luke 22:24-27; Gal. 5:13-15).

    4. Love One Another (John 13:34-35; Rom. 12:9-11; 13:8-10; 1 Pet. 1:22–2:3; 1 Thess. 3:12-13; 4:9-10).

Body.

  1. Teach One Another.

    1. We could always use more teachers (Heb. 5:12-14).

    1. Worship is to edify, teach, admonish, and proclaim (Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 11:26; 14:26).

  1. Bear One Another’s Burdens.

    1. Fulfill the Law of Christ (Gal. 6:1-2).

    1. Receive one another (Rom. 15:1-7).

    1. Confess to one another (James 5:16).

  1. Serve One Another.

    1. Have an attitude of service (John 13:14).

    1. Leaders are meant to serve (Luke 22:24-27).

    1. Serve one another through love (Gal. 5:13-15).

  1. Love One Another.

    1. A new commandment (John 13:34-25; 2 John 5).

    1. Be kindly affectionate with brotherly love (Rom. 12:9-11; 1 Pet. 1:22).

    1. Fulfillment of the Law (Rom. 13:8-10; Heb. 10:24-25).

Conclusion.

  1. It is far easier to do all these things in person.

     

  2. Let us not make the livestream Plan A – from Bro. Adam Faughn.

    1. “However, I fear that for a great number of other people, livestream has become ‘option A’ for no other reason than it is just convenient. That, to me, is unnerving.

    2. We oversleep a bit, so “we’ll just watch the livestream.”

    3. We stay up really late on Saturday night so we CAN sleep in and just watch the livestream.

    4. We have guests for the weekend and, instead of “inconveniencing” them by going to worship, we watch the stream at home.

    5. We leave for a trip and catch the livestream (or watch the recording at some point) instead of planning our trip around worshiping God.

    6. We worship in person on Sunday morning, but prop our feet up in our living room on Sunday night and watch the livestream because we’re a little tired.”