"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the habit of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." Heb: 10:24-25
In the first century Church, Christians gathered as often as they were able. It was then an important part of their lives, they understood, as maybe no other Christians have, the importance of the communion that we share with each other, all though our Lord Jesus Christ.
Those early Christians knew that when
they gathered together in worship that something important was transpiring
in their midst, that as they gathered it was not just with a group of
persons, but with the living Lord and Savior Jesus.
Some Forsaking
However, from the words of the writer of
the Epistle to the Hebrews, some Christians were choosing to be elsewhere
when the Church gathered.
"And let us consider one another to
provoke to love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the habit of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the
more, as you see the day approaching." Heb: 10:24-25
These words show that missing the church
gathering had become a habit for, “the habit of some is”. It
was now a routine for them not to be there with the assembled Church.
The Holy Spirit inspires these words to
encourage these "some" to guide them
back into the local assembly where there is that unique bounding that takes
place among Christians.
A Lone Fig
An example of our need to join in a community
of worship is found in what may, at first, appears to be an unrelated event in
the life of Jesus. As Jesus is on his way back into Jerusalem after his
entrance on Palm Sunday, Jesus sees a lone fig tree, and being hungry Jesus
approaches it and inspects it for fruit but he finds only leaves.
"Now in the morning as he returned into
the city, he hungry. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and
found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said to it, Let no fruit grow on
you henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. " Matt: 21:18-19
How does this event relate to the gathering of
Christians in a local assembly? It is important to understand that fig
trees cannot produce fruit by themselves; they need to be part of a stand or
grove of other fig trees. Alone, fig trees produce only leaves, the
tree may grow and be sustained but never really produce any fruit. There will
be no fruit in the life of a lone fig tree.
As the fig tree needs others fig trees, so we
need each other. Christians who decline to gather with other believers will be
like that lone fig tree, when Jesus is hungry, that is Jesus desires to see
fruit in our lives, he will find only leaves, there is some growth, but it
seems that it is only to sustain the self. There is nether fruit produced nor
does it help others bear fruit.
Assembling Gives Perspective
The Psalmist Asaph, looked out on an unfair
world where goodness is repaid with suffering and evil is rewarded as virtuous.
Asasph saw how those who ignore the God of Israel seemed to pass through life often
without cares and concerns, yet, those who worship the Great God encounter many
trails in life. They, act as if God is unaware of their actions and thoughts,
this issue was hard for Psalmist Asasph as it might be for Christians today.
Those who, at first glance, seemed to pass through this life with no
regard for Jesus Christ often do not encounters the sufferings and challenges
that Christians have.
"But as for me, my feet had almost
slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their
bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human
burdens; they are not plagued by human
ills." Ps: 73:2-5
All of this was perplexing to the Psalmist
until Asasph entered the Sanctuary of God and heard the word of God read
and expounded upon, Asasph then worshiped God when he gained
understanding.
"All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like
that, I would have betrayed your children. When I
tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." Ps: 73:16-17
When Asasph entered gatherings of worship, understanding came to him, this is true for us as well, when we gathering with fellow believers and hearing the Scriptures read and prayer given and worship, then we see things with spiritual eyes through who Jesus is and a heavenly view is seen.
Living Stones
St. Peter calls Christians "Living Stones", a reference to the Temple of God
which was assembled out of many stones to construct a whole.
"You also, as lively stones, are built up a
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1Pet:2:5
The stones used to build the Temple in those
days were taken from quarries cut into the general shape that was needed, but
the process of fitting them into place took place at the construction site, as
it was "fitted" into its particular place.
This "fitting" process was done by placing
the stone into its place and was smoothed out by grinding it together with
the others until it fit. Each stone needed the others to be smoothed and fitted
properly.
As those stones then needed the other stones to
smooth them out, so each of us needs one another to remove the rough edges.
This cannot be done on our own, we need to be brought together at the
construction site of the church in fellowship and worship.
The lone Christians will be like that stone
which will not be made to fit as well as it was intended. It is in the building
of relationships with in the church that this smoothing away the rough edges is
accomplished.
This process of fellowship within the
community of the church fellowship for the purpose of building each other up in
Christ and to assist in the process of maturity, without this contact it is
difficult to grow into this maturity.
Within the church we should be having our
minds focused upon the person of the Son of God so that we are not tantalized
by things which attracted our attention yet yield no spiritual fruit, the
foundational issue is who Jesus is, not everything else. Others things may
entice our curiosity but leave us empty and stunted in the end.
"That we from now on be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying
of itself in love." Eph:14-16
and prayer given and worship, then we see
things with spiritual eyes through who Jesus is and a heavenly view is seen.
Living Stones
St. Peter calls Christians "Living Stones", a reference to the Temple of God
which was assembled out of many stones to construct a whole.
"You also, as lively stones, are built up a
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1Pet:2:5
The stones used to build the Temple in those
days were taken from quarries cut into the general shape that was needed, but
the process of fitting them into place took place at the construction site, as
it was "fitted" into its particular place.
This "fitting" process was done by placing
the stone into its place and was smoothed out by grinding it together with
the others until it fit. Each stone needed the others to be smoothed and fitted
properly.
As those stones then needed the other stones to
smooth them out, so each of us needs one another to remove the rough edges.
This cannot be done on our own, we need to be brought together at the
construction site of the church in fellowship and worship.
The lone Christians will be like that stone
which will not be made to fit as well as it was intended. It is in the building
of relationships with in the church that this smoothing away the rough edges is
accomplished.
This process of fellowship within the
community of the church fellowship for the purpose of building each other up in
Christ and to assist in the process of maturity, without this contact it is
difficult to grow into this maturity.
Within the church we should be having our
minds focused upon the person of the Son of God so that we are not tantalized
by things which attracted our attention yet yield no spiritual fruit, the
foundational issue is who Jesus is, not everything else. Others things may
entice our curiosity but leave us empty and stunted in the end.
"That we from now on be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual
working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying
of itself in love." Eph:14-16
Uses of Gifts
Without a local assembly to function within,
any gifts talents abilities will have no forum in to be expressed they may go
unused and may never reaching full capacity. God gave these gifts to be
used to contribute to others spiritual growth, when Christians do not attend a
local church, these gifts given by God through the Holy Spirit are unused as
God intended. These gifts are for the good of the Church, not our own
benefit. The gifts are to be used in relationship.
"There are different kinds of gifts, but
the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the
same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in
everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the
manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given
through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by
means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts
of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another
prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in
different kinds of tongues,and to still another the interpretation of
tongues.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes
them to each one, just as he determines" .1Cor:12:4-11
We can read the entirety of the 12 Chapter of 1 Corinthians, and see that there are no
unimportant gifts all are given by the Holy Spirit for the common good of the
church. Without being a part of a local church, the gifts will never be what
they are given to be. The gifts require contact with other Christians or they
have little to no uses. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are relational not functional or task oriented.
Worship
When Christians gather, we need to be focused
upon the Lord Jesus Christ, it is easy, apart from gathering with others believers,
to let our minds to wonder and become preoccupied with "worldly" things and our own interest.
We can be like those the Prophet Isaiah describes.
"Why the Lord said, For as much as this
people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have
removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the
precept of men:" Isa:29:13
It is realized that this is a rather broad
application of this verses, yet it makes the point some label themselves a
Christian, yet are they there when the Church assembles?
It when the church assembles that Jesus manifest himself among us in a unique way. It is as when the disciples were gathered that Jesus comes and presents himself as alive. This is why the Gospel accounts tell us about Jesus' post resurrection appearances, the Holy Spirit is saying that when the Church gathers Jesus is there among us showing us, even today, that he is risen and with us therefore we can be at peace.
"On the evening of that first day
of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear
of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with
you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were
overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the
Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and
said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are
forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Jhn: 20:19-23
St. Paul tells us that we should worship "lifting us holy hands" 1Tim: 2:8.
When we lift our hands, we lift our hearts as
well.
Fellowship
As the Spirit led body filled with the Holy
Spirit the church fellowship not just with each other, but with our Lord
himself. The message of the Gospel is in the end an invitation to eternal
fellowship with the Great God. This is why the Apostles traveled telling others
about Jesus Christ, the God himself has visited us in the humanity of his Holy
Son Jesus, that we might know Him and spend eternity with Him in fellowship.
"That which was from the beginning, which
we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and
our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life
appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal
life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what
we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our
fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to
make our joy complete." 1Jhn:1:1-4
Do Not Forsake Assembling
As the days grow darker the church will need
one another more than ever before. If you are not already a part of a local
church, we encourage you to find a church to be a part of, one that focuses
your hearts and minds upon Jesus.
Benediction: May we each and all never forsake the assembling of our selves together, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Norman, Oklahoma
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