Guard the Good Deposit

42 • Guard the Good Deposit: The Great Tradition for the Whole Church

His Life in Us: Our Worship We need to go to church. If the Great

Tradition is clear about anything, it is clear on this: the weekly service of the Word and Table is central the Christian life. Yes, it is true that the church is not a building but the people. It is also true that going to church does not make one a Christian; only faith in Christ can do that. None of this, however, changes the fact the Christians need to be in weekly worship with a church. We need the Word and Table to keep us centered on Christ and his Kingdom. The world, the flesh, the devil all team up to convince us that each of us is god. ‘My needs, my wants, my goals, these are where all my attention and energy should focus.’ It is precisely the lie Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden, “You will be like God . . .” (Gen. 3.5). We need worship at least every week to remind us that Jesus is Lord and that we are not. He is the only one worthy of all our attention and energy. His glory, his purposes, and his Kingdom should be our focus. Satan tries to blind our minds and distract our focus (2 Cor 4.4). The weekly worship service helps us see clearly by re-centering us on Christ and his Kingdom. Why Do We Need the Word and Table?