Closer walk: Through the assembly
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A closer walk starts with you
A closer walk starts with you
We have started into this series about how to have a closer walk with the Lord. Today we will continue the series and look how the assembly can be used to help us personally walk closer with the Lord.
A closer walk knowing you are Christ’s disciple (Mt28:18-20)
Blessings and responsibilities as Christ’s disciple (topical)
Today: A closer walk through the assembly (Act20:7; Heb10:25)
We have the awesome privilege as exampled in the N.T. to meet together, and the responsibility too.
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
and the couple of the command
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Now, having said that if kept in context here there is a:
Three-fold purpose of our assembling together (Heb10:24-25)
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Now I know there are other reasons listed throughout scripture but let’s start with these three.
Stimulate one another to love and good deeds
Encourage one one another, good deeds and to assemble together
To receive encouragement from one another resulting in love and good deeds
Each of the things we do when we are assembled help to fulfill the three-fold purpose just mentioned and if we want a closer walk with thee, the assembly and the elements of the assembly are crucial.
Our Assembly
Our Assembly
Act2:42 tells us the elements, for the most part, of our assembly. Each part is important and help the members, and everyone in attendance to draw closer to God or to come to know God through Jesus Christ.
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
The teaching, preaching
Fellowship (the assembly itself)
Breaking of bread (Lord’s supper)
Prayer (well prayer is, prayer)
We are going to mix up the order some this morning in this and add in two more things
Singing and Giving
Prayer
Exampled (Act4:23-24; Act12:5; Act12:12)
So after being questioned, rebuked, the first thing they did was hold a prayer and praise meeting (Act4:23-24, summarized)
5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
Peter in john in prison led to prayer, now we see Peter in prison that led to intercessory prayer by the church
12 And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
So, good ole Peter back in prison again, God sent an angel to release him and what happens he comes and finds people praying for him. Could it be the power of prayer unlocked the power of God to send the angel to set Peter free?
Valued (Jm5:16; Php4:6-7)
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Prayer can bring healing, and who does not want healing!
Prayers value, well, how about it brings to God but benefits for the person, people too.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Closer walk with thee, comes with heartfelt prayer!
Benefits (Jm5:16)
other benefit of prayer is the faith of the righteous man leads to prayer and prayer accomplish much. If that is prayer of one righteous man, think about prayer of the assembled people!
Singing (Eph5:19; Col3:16; Heb13:15; Jm5:13)
Singing commanded
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Singing emphasis praise, teaching making melody with instrument of heart
Emphasis is not on the sound, but on the heart, may the words we sing be from a heart that is full, words matter, tone does not
Public singing may have some side effects to it
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
Personally singing, not just in the assembly. So, you want a closer walk, join in the singing in the assembly! Don’t allow that to be something leading up to the message it is a part of our worship, it is the fruit of our lips as it said in Heb13:15!
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Word of God (teaching, preaching)
Exampled in early church (Act20:7)
Enhances spiritual growth (1Pt2:2)
Encourages devotion to God (Jm1:18-19; 1:21; Mk4:23-25)
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Word of God (teaching, preaching)
Exampled in early church (Act20:7)
7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight.
There are many examples throughout scripture that preaching, teaching is important for faith comes by hearing, hearing from the Word of God. (expand on this)
Word of God (teaching, preaching)
Exampled in early church (Act20:7)
Enhances spiritual growth (1Pt2:2)
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
The word is to help us to grow in respect to our salvation, that comes from teaching and preaching (expand on this)
Word of God (teaching, preaching)
Exampled in early church (Act20:7)
Enhances spiritual growth (1Pt2:2)
Encourages devotion to God (Jm1:18-19; 1:21; Mk4:23-25)
Being ready, willing to hear the word is important if we want to have a closer walk with thee.
18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures. 19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
We need to hear it so we can apply it, for His Word is truth and it makes us fruitful for the kingdom and brings glory to the Lord.
21 Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Hear the word, receive the word in humility, meaning willing to hear what the word has to say for application! For the Word is able to save your soul!
So with humility there, but more than just that check this out
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.
25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
take heed, means, take what you hear and apply it.
Now I hope and I pray that today is not the only day you draw closer to thee through the Word, not just in the assembly but in private too. Let the water of the Word wash you daily!
Lord’s Supper
Recently we have spent an entire message on the Lord’s supper so let me briefly go over this morning how it, through us doing it together in the assembly can help us with a closer walk with thee. For it is:
Breaking of Bread (Act2:42; Act20:7)
We know according to Act2:42 it is one of the acts of worship noted there and it is what helped keep the early church unified
In Act20:7 it says that meeting on the first day of the week was for the breaking of bread.
Communion (1Cor10:16)
The cup of blessing is a communion with the Lord and with the blood of Christ and the bread with the body of Christ.
Memorial (1Cor11:23-26)
We do it as a memorial as the Lord instructed on the last night of his earthly life. We are to do it as a memorial, a celebration, a proclamation until He comes
To be taken with self-examination (1Cor11:27-29)
take it in reflection, in self-examination not of our worthiness but His righteousness and His completed work.
This renews, reminds us of our committed faithfulness to him (1Cor11:28-32)
It helps us to be reminded of His Work and our surrender to His work.
In the assembly it fellowship with God and with each other (1Cor10:16-17)
though we are many, when we do it together we are one. One body!
When we take the Lord’s supper we are reminded of the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. in fact here is a little bonus not on your outline.
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
Let that sink in just a minute, our sorrows, our transgressions, our iniquities He took them on all for our well being.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
God the Father caused the sins of the people to fall on Him who was God’s perfect sacrifice that suffered for us. Because of who we were, and when we take the supper we are reminded that is no longer who we are because of His body and His blood!
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
He was faithful to the end, he did not stop the abuse, the chastening that was upon Him, He allowed it so by His stripes YOU ARE HEALED!
But wait, there is more, more to the assembly that helps us have a closer walk with thee.
The collection, the offering
For it is a demonstration of our love for one another (Act2:44-45; 4:32-35)
Its a way of providing for one another (1Cor16:1-2)
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.
Give from what you have, not from what you don’t have. Give knowing everything you have is a gift from above, is from God! Give purposefully, Don’t think about it on Sunday morning, think about it on payday and put aside for the Lord.
It is a way to give your heart from a willing mind (2Cor8:12-13) and a doing it cheerfully (2Cor9:7); sowing seed so it can reep for the kingdom (2Cor9:6-8)
A willing mind comes from a conscience decision in the heart to purposely put aside to give with a cheerful heart, for God loves a cheerful giver, one who sows bountifully in the kingdom, knowing that sowing brings about reaping.
Do you remember the three-fold purpose mentioned earlier?
To express praise and devotion to God; our giving is a part of that.
To exhort and encourage for greater service; giving in an opportunity for the kingdom work we are vested in to continue
And to receive encouragement in and from one another; giving encourages one another, and helps us continue to work and that we are investing in the kingdom through our giving. Look what Paul says here
12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all,
14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
we glorify God! and we are blessed by God with His indescribable gift. So, having said all that
Assembled prayer is powerful and effective
Singing is a display and exercise of our heart personally and as a family together in the assembly
The teaching, preaching of the Word so we can grow spiritually
The celebration of the Lord’s Supper as a communion and memorial as well as a communion with our Lord and
The collection as a form of worship to help confirm and extend the kingdom work we are doing as well as all of these things bringing glory to God.
Application from the assembly
Application from the assembly
A sermon is not a sermon without an application, the assembly is not complete without a “take away.” Want to know how to get the most out of the assembly? Here are some suggestions.
Be mindful who is here (brethren, guests) (Jn13:35; Heb13:2)
Do we see others like us that like to gather to pray, sing, study, give, build up and encourage one another? when we do those things it should be apparent we are a disciple of Jesus Christ
35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
By our love for one another, not just for the brethren but for the guests too, that they be made to feel welcome and loved for look what the Hebrew writer says
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Take the time to talk to the guests, invite them to sit with you, to have a meal after church. Make opportunities for guests to become family
Be diligent to see who is missing that we can encourage not to forsake the assembly (1The5:11; Heb10:24-25)
We are to encourage one another
11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Someone missing? Call them, text them, encourage them, don’t guilt them love them. Remember where we started scripture wise today?
24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Let us look to stimulate one another love one another to good deeds so people will return to the assembly. Maybe someone is sick and needs prayer. Maybe they are depressed or discourage and need encouragement.
You get out of the assembly what you are willing to put into the assembly (Mt6:33; Heb10:24-25; 1Jn3:16-19; Ps122:1)
Preparation before helps to get the most out of the assembly. Be well rested, be prayerful, be expectant, participate
33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Seek God first privately so then it will be enriched when we get together in the assembly
When you come, come to participate as mentioned a moment ago, don’t come just to get, but to give, your time, your attention and even your service.
When you come, come often for when you do you get more out of it and you grow more and deeper when we do it together. And, remember we are all part of the body and every part is needed.
John said it like this about love and when we gather in the assembly we are doing it in our love for God and for each other.
16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?
18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him
May we come restful, prayerful, expectant and participating and we may have the view David does:
1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”
(Invitation/encouragement slide- Love God Love People) encouragement/invitation (invitation -2 - Put on the Lord Jesus Christ) song, prayer (exit slides)