WHY DO WE ASSEMBLE TOGETHER?. John 4:23,24 “true worshipers in spirit & in truth”

WHY DO WHY DO WE WE

ASSEMBLE ASSEMBLE TOGETHERTOGETHER

??

John John 4:23,244:23,24

“true worshipers in spirit & in

truth”

WHY WE WHY WE ASSEMBLE ASSEMBLE TOGETHERTOGETHER

::

Apostolic Approved Apostolic Approved ExamplesExamples• 1 Corinthians 16:1,2

• Acts 20:7 – Sunday meeting lasted past midnight

• Acts 12:12 – weeknight for prayer• Acts 2:46 – daily in the temple, Lord

added saved DAILY• Acts 5:42 – daily did not cease

teaching & preaching Jesus Christ• Acts 16:5 –increased in number

daily

EdificationEdification• “Edify” – “architecture. i.e. a

structure; figuratively, confirmation.” “building up”

• Ephesians 4:12 “edifying of the body of Christ”

• Ephesians 4:15,16 “grow up in all things” “effective working, every part, growth of body for edifying of itself in love.”

Consider One Another – Consider One Another – Provoke Love & Good WorksProvoke Love & Good Works• Hebrews 10:19-25• Coming together in congregation:

– Worship to God & studying His Word will Move us to more faithful service to Him on a daily basis, & a closer relationship with His people.

• “assembling of ourselves together”• Brethren need us here- Acts 15:32-

36

WHY DO WHY DO WE WE

ASSEMBLE ASSEMBLE TOGETHERTOGETHER

??

Because We Want ToBecause We Want To• What do You deem to be

IMPORTANT or of VALUE?• Matthew 22:37 “love the LORD your

God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

• 1 John 5:3 “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments”

• Luke 4:8 “Worship the Lord your God, & Him only you shall serve.”

Because We Want ToBecause We Want To• Titus 2:14 “His own special

people, zealous for good works.”• NOT a bunch of people trying to

get out of good works!• Titus 3:1 “ready for every good

work.”• James 4:17 “him who knows to do

good & does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Because We Want ToBecause We Want To• You Know when the assemblies of

the church are scheduled -• Which of them is “not good,” and

Why? Chapter and verse?• SO- whenever you KNOW & DO

NOT, it is SIN!• Every Assembly of the church is

Important – we should want to be in every assembly that it is possible.

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

•Hebrews 10:25 NKJV 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

• What does this mean?– “This only means quitting the

church!”

• Reason Why Some conclude this:– “Weak in faith” looking for excuse for

unfaithfulness in service to God– Looked up “forsake” and concluded –

“to leave behind in some place” “Abandon, leave in straits.”

– THUS it means to QUIT THE CHURCH

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

• Something Strange about This Exegesis:– “manner” – a usage (prescribed by

habit or law).– How could someone be in the habit of

“quitting the church?”– “Assembling” a complete collection;

to gather together…”the ACT of being gathered together or assembled.”

– VERB – Action of Assembling! – Not the church as a Body!

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo•What is the prohibition here?

– The “habit” of NOT assembling with the brethren

•What can we Learn from This?– Does not apply to those infirm &

unable to be in attendance– Does not apply to those faced with

circumstances beyond control– God never expects more from us than

we are able to do

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

•What can we Learn from This?

–Every time we make a Conscious Decision to be Absent from the Assembling together of the brethren, it constitutes Forsaking that Assembling!

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

•What can we Learn from This?–Every time we make a Conscious

Decision to be Absent from the Assembling together of the brethren, it constitutes Forsaking that Assembling!

• “That is only neglect, not forsake!”• How many neglects would it take

to make a Forsake?

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

•What can we Learn from This?– Every time we make a Conscious Decision to be

Absent from the Assembling together of the brethren, it constitutes Forsaking that Assembling!

• “That is only neglect, not forsake!”• How many neglects would it take to make a Forsake?

• This is Wilful Sin! – Hebrews 10:26

• What is the Wilful Sin Here?• V.25 “Forsaking the assembling of

yourselves”

We Are Commanded To Do We Are Commanded To Do SoSo

• What are you saying when you Choose to do something other than meet with God’s people for Worship?–You have decided that there is

something more important to you than worshiping God

–Are you ready to explain to God what was of such great importance to you? 2 Corinthians 5:10

Who Gets Hurt?Who Gets Hurt?•1. Yourself – –Give up Teaching, Learning, Encouragement & choose not to worship the Lord as He wants to be worshiped–Hebrews 3:12 “departing from the living God”

Who Gets Hurt?Who Gets Hurt?• 2. Others ––Brethren discouraged by absence of

those who choose not to assemble–May be a stumbling block to

someone–May give someone else excuse they

are looking for to not attend– 1 Corinthians 8:13–Romans 14:12

Who Gets Hurt?Who Gets Hurt?• 3. Your Family –

– Ephesians 6:4 “bring them up”– Titus 2:5 “word of God not blasphemed”– Do not learn to place Christ in their

lives as a Priority – just something to be skipped when inconvenient

– Colossians 3:20– See as lack of focus on Christ,

Hypocrisy– Do your family no favors by not

assembling every time the church meets

Who Gets Hurt?Who Gets Hurt?• 4. Work of Local Congregation –

– Fewer to take part, burden on those who do attend

– Many will look at the assemblies of the church & see it dwindling, not growing, & so take no time to learn God’s Word

– Choosing not to assemble, disregard the Lord’s command & choose to discourage & place a stumbling block in front of others

Who Gets Hurt?Who Gets Hurt?• 5. Those in the World Around Us–

– Not seeing the Light we are to emanate in the world Matthew 5:14-16

– Do we show the world that Christ has a prominent place in our lives?

– Do they see how deep our convictions are – OR how quick we are to compromise & set our commitment aside for things of this world?

Where Does It Belong?Where Does It Belong?Seeking First

Kingdom of God & His Righteousness

• Attend All Assemblies of Local church

• Study Bible with Brethren in Classes

Those who “shrink back into perdition”

Hebrews 10:39

• Attend Few if any of the Assemblies

• Think studying alone is enough

Where Does It Belong?Where Does It Belong?Seeking First

Kingdom of God & His Righteousness• Attend Gospel

Meetings & Special Classes

Those who “shrink back into perdition”

Hebrews 10:39

• Think don’t want to get too much religion – OR just have too many things to do that are more important to me!

Please Give Careful Please Give Careful & Prayerful & Prayerful

Attention to These Attention to These MattersMatters

They pertain not only to the life that now is, but the life that is to come -

1 Timothy 4:7,8