Skipping the Sermon on the Mount

I wonder if way back in the day, when people were going to the Mount to hear Jesus give a sermon, if there were some who didn't go, saying:

...I'll go next week!

...I'm not going, Jebediah is going, and he sucks!

...I'm not religious, I'm spiritual!

...You know who else preaches outside? Pagans!

...I hear that there are a lot of sinners who are going!

...I hear some attending are hypocrites!

...I hear they're even letting Romans come!

...I can just read my scriptures at home!

...Did this guy even go to Divinity school?

Now me, I know people I love who have used some of these excuses. And I know people I should love and don't quite, who have used some of these excuses.

And that's all they really are. Excuses.

"My friend couldn't make it, some here haven't showered."

Could it be said by some that they are actually "good reasons"? Well, I've said before, "Satan never tempts you with bad reasons. He tempts you with good reasons - that's why it's tempting!"

In actuality, the only reason for not going to church is for being aged, infirm, ill, injured or some such like that. Something that literally makes it impossible for you to go, or more damaging to you to go then not.

It's not like I've never missed church for a migraine - I have. But I will never miss church for mean Mrs. Grundy being there, or my sure knowledge that Old Man Potter kicked his dog last week, or how they even "let" French people attend! (I hope there's no French people reading this, and please know some of my best friends are frogs - er, French!)

But honestly, if you think there is something or someone going on at church so terrible, you need to sit down and evaluate that church. Is the church honestly wrong in letting that situation or someone be present?

If so, then you are saying the church itself is wrong, and that it's time for another church.

Whoah, whoah, you exclaim, you're not saying the church is that bad? The church is still true, it's just some local bobble or if world wide, not truly so bad as to mean finding another church?

Well then? Well?

If the problem is not worth leaving the Church itself over, then the problem, however bad it is seeming to you cannot be enough to boycott church. Nor would God or His Son Jesus or the Holy Spirit counsel such.

Jesus did not forsake the Temple because Pharisees were in there! Nor did His Disciples!