Chapter 3: Do We Really Need to Gather?

[with each one…can’t you feel the nice breeze, the size and intricacy of the canyon…can’t you hear the engines, smell the fuel, hear the crowd…can’t you see/feel the enthusiasm, the encouragement of worship — Well, I guess you just had to be there!; There’s nothing like being there!!!

People notice gatherings.

…& sometimes they want to be there.

…& sometimes they want to avoid being there.

…& a (the) church is without a doubt a gathering. Let’s be a gathering that draws attention—in a God-honoring, positive way!

BUT FIRST…we’ve all faced the challenge of the temptation to not gather—or re-gather.

What happens when we do this?

NOT Gathering

We can soon begin to think less about fellow believers.

I like what Jonathan Leeman says, “(we) remove (ourselves) from the path of encouragement [& encouraging], accountability, and love.”

We forfeit real-life spiritual growth.

Discipleship is greater than information saturation; everybody learning to live it…

We forfeit deepening relational growth…love.

LOVE…is challenging, and WORTH IT!

Churches Gather & Are Gatherings

[This statement describes an essential component of ‘church life.’ There is no church where there is no gathering…even going all the way back to the really olden days (like Jerusalem olden days). The importance comes from…and shows…and means… “We come together…”]

[Because] God desires to gather with his people.

Deuteronomy 16:16 ““All your males are to appear three times a year before the Lord your God in the place he chooses: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Shelters. No one is to appear before the Lord empty-handed.” [context = 16.13-17]

[[John 1:1–2 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”]] … John 1:14 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” [the incarnation as evidence… P. 47 Par. 7]

[Because We are] Called to…& are…an assembly.

Matthew 16:18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” [“church” in the NT Greek is “assembly” (lit. the ‘called out ones’)]

Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”” [the context of this statement is VERY, VERY IMPORTANT—the conversation of discipline (church discipline)…esp. re. v. 19]

[To Be] A place where heaven and earth collide.

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” [we are told to pray for it; we are also commissioned (called, gathered) to BE that place…firstly, foremostly.]

1 Corinthians 11:18 “For to begin with, I hear that when you come together as a church there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.” [interesting verse used by the author…but I get the overall point.]

[To Be] A people who stir-up good things.

Hebrews 10:24–27 “[vv. 24-25]And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries.”

[As] A Gospel people drawn together for a Gospel word.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 “This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also works effectively in you who believe.” [Paul’s statement involves “the word of God that you heard from us”…had to be gathered for that!]

[As] An embassy of heaven. [I think this picture helps us encapsulate everything we’ve talked about so far regarding the gathering of the gathering]

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”” [context = 5.13-21]

[[Ephesians 6:20 “For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” [context = 6.10-20]]]

The embassy of heaven pictured by Jonathan Leeman — PP. 54-55 Par. 3ff!!!

CONCL—

Now, here’s a scripture that’ll bless you…

1 Corinthians 1:28 “God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something,”

…tying in directly with the conclusion of this chapter [P. 55 Par. 1]!!!!

…AND, in order to experience it—you’ve just gotta be here!

INVITATION:

Salvation

Encouraging the Gathering

Enjoying the Gathering

2 Corinthians 5:20 CSB

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

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