The Local Church Gathering- A Essential Experiential Practice of God's Gifts of Faith, Grace, & Love
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Scripture
Scripture
8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says,
“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Introduction
Introduction
I thank God this morning for our present circumstance. The reason is because well times such as these are the very times that God prunes His church.
It is in these times that the bride of Christ is challenged to to think circumspectly and answer questions… that perhaps she took for granted.
Do I wear a mask? Do I “practice social distancing”? Do I hoard anything? Do I go to the store? Do I visit ______? Do I get tested?....
One such question:
But the big question…Do I go to church? or rather, Does the church still meet or gather?
Is the church gathering together for the preaching of the Word an essential part of Christian life?
Buzz Word: Essential
Buzz Word: Essential
Essential: Necessary to the constitution or existence of a thing. Piety and good works are essential to the christian character.
Essential: Necessary to the constitution or existence of a thing. Piety and good works are essential to the christian character.
adj. Important in the highest degree.
adj. Pure; highly rectified (set or made right)
3. n. First or constituent principles; as the essentials of religion.
4. The chief point; that which is most important.
Axioms:
The Word of God is The Word of God
The Word of God is not the Word of the apostles or of man, but it is the inspired Word of God, inspired by God the Spirit, and preserved by God through the ages
Being the Word of God, it stands above every other word in authority, dominion, truth, relevancy and purity of desire to be heard and thus blessings which flow from hearing it. As this is the case, it is to be adhered to as such.
The Church of Christ is the Church of Christ
Christ is the Head of the Church. The formation, purpose, priority and directives of the church come from Christ who is the Word.
Wether or not the “church gathering” is an essential part of the Christians life is not up to the opinions of man or government or anything else. This is a Word of God question, a look to Jesus question for the answer.
This is A: because it is from the Word of God that the church has been birthed and formed.
And B: because it is from the Word of God that the church gathering, the functions of the church gathering and purposes of the church gathering have been set in place.
Because this is agreed upon, we also have as a axiom for this argument that the gathering of the church is speaking of the gathering together under Christ for the partaking of ordinances, Hearing of the Word and preaching of the Word, singing Psalms and Hymns, prayer, communion, and encouragement of and ministry to the saints in the manners described in scripture for this occasion.
Thus: it follows that the church to gather or not to gather would have to go back to the one from whom the gathering and all of it’s intended purpose arose from and this is the same one who sits as the alone head church authority. That is God the Son, Jesus the Christ who is God and has been given His authority over the church by the God the Father.
Tracing things back to the Word of God in this way is the proper manner in determining what spirit counsel that is being given is of.
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Define our terms:
Forsaking -
SUBJECT - (ourselves/ the society of Christians/ the church) assembling together: - gathering - to gather or bring together (persons). To freely come together. The greek noun form of this (episunagoge) phrase is only used one other time in the Bible. If you think in Jewish terms of the synagogue as the gathering place…then the episunagoge is the ordained gathering of persons for which you could now see the “synagogue” being used for. The gathering place is nothing if the gathering together does not take place....What is gathered together is ourselves…that is those who are gathered in Christ. (the church of Christ)
So the noun for the gathering together of the Church of Christ is only used in one other verse of the Bible and we will get to that later.
The verb for this greek phrase is used at least six times all meaning “gathered together” and dealing with the gathering of people together. (; ; ; ; ; ). A great number of these passages are dealing with God’s desire or actual gathering of His elect children.
The verb for this greek phrase is used at least six times all meaning “gathered together” and dealing with the gathering of people together. (; ; ; ; ; ). A great number of these passages are dealing with God’s desire or actual gathering of His elect children.
Together - This together is the same that is used in 2 Thess. 2:1
COMMAND: (NOT)Forsaking: a strengthened form of the greek word meaning, to leave or leave behind, it is the concept of deserting or dereliction. If I could put in your minds here (for when we expand this passage out) the dereliction of duty or the abandoning or deserting of your post.
In summary - our important terms defined in our formulating “argument” are saying that the gathering/assembling together of ourselves is the physical bringing together of the society of Christians or Christ followers.
And secondly the forsaking which we are not to do is speaking of the leaving behind or the deserting of such a gathering.
Verse Context:
Verse Context:
A very important part of this text is the phrase "as the manner/custom of some is”. This is referring to a continuous, ongoing action. Such as it was in line with Jewish customs for them to wrap/bound Jesus’s body with cloth and spices or as it was custom to the priestly office to choose who would go into the temple to burn incense by the casting of lots.
So here we see that in the same way it is the custom of some to desert, leave behind the physical coming together of the society of Christ followers.
You can put it this way…it is either your custom to gather with Christ followers under Christ, in the order that He has ordained, with the offices that He has put in place, for the purposes that He has decreed by His Spirit through the apostles teachings - or - it is your custom to abandon or desert such a custom.
How do you know what your custom is?
Custom is: frequent or common use, long established practice, repetition, or established manner…so if you want to know what your customs are…simply ask - what do I do? or what am I familiar with in practice?
Is attending the gathering of the society of Christ followers for the purposes we have described your custom?
Well…do you frequently attend or more frequently not attend?
Whats your repetition?
The church gathers (for the purposes described) on a weekly basis (minimally)…So…observe a month of your life…then say - is church your custom or is the forsaking of it your custom.
Here we see in the text that there are some Christians of that time that were clearly identified as having their custom be the forsaking or abandoning of the church gathering.
For what reason? I don’t know.
It could be...
they didn’t like the pastor, they didn’t like the music or the newly founded church wasn’t offering the right programs…but I think those reasons are much more common to todays church.
More likley would be...
a fear of persecution or
embarrassment for Christian Jews to be seen with Christian gentiles around the temple.
or some may have had doubts about the necessity of the gathering or even a lack of interest in it…after all go back in your text to verse 18...
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
What is being developed here is the revelation picture for the Jewish Christians of the Old and the New. Verse 18 is the culmination that in Christ there is no longer any need for a sin offering…it has been satisfied. In other words, stop holding on to a ritual that has been fulfilled in Christ. (and I could say that here after through the reason of proper doctrine, the Holy Spirit releasing them from a ritual that they perhaps were wrongly holding onto…the Spirit then moves to affirm a custom that is far greater that they were perhaps forsaking.)
In other words, verse 19 begins a teaching on a new way of living:
Now what I am about to read from scripture is being spoken with the idea of the Jews gathering together at the temple because it is there that the Holy of Holies resided and there that God on earth was know to dwell amongst His people most fully. No remember the sacrifices and the importance of reverence and heading Gods Word here, then remember -the sin offering has been given and the veil has been torn....Now verse 19
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Hebrews 10:
Notice:
1. The (we) and (us)…this will remain throughout the text.
2. The text is discussing the entering of “the holy place” - that is the place of God’s residing. We are talking about confidently gathering together to all be at the place where God most fully abides. That is key for this context.
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Hebrews 10:
So, verse 20…
- The New Way of entrance - Christ (his flesh is the sacrifice-the sin offering.)
Verse 21
- A great Priest over the house of God - The high priest is Christ - the house of God…well the greek word is “oikos” this word has three concepts:
The family or line of decendants
The family property or belongings
The house as in everybody living in a house
Now all of these understanding can fit. I believe in our context the reason that we use “house” in english rather than property or line of decedents here is because the context demands that we understand everybody that is of God and thus belongs to God, wether Jew or Greek…now matter what physical line of decent, has the same High Priest.
Now, because Jesus the Christ is the High Priest of each and every Christian and thus - because each and every Christian has the same cause for entering the Holy Place with confidence:
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:
No matter what the world thinks of your gathering together (and that is key…if you take away the physical gathering together, you loose the entire context of this passage)…so no matter what the world thinks of your gathering together, no matter what you previously thought about the wisdom of it or cleanliness of it…you, now because of Christ do it…do what?
You together with your fellow Christians, enter the holy place, with a sincere (true) heart in full or fulfilled and complete faith (trust or belief) in the work of Christ the Word of God.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Now, we have not our doing, but our holding. That is our holding onto this truth that has been laid out. Our holding onto the confession of our faith. The confession of our faith is the work of Christ, our confidence in our high priest, in His sacrifice and our gathering together in the Holy Place. We are to hold to this (meaning…don’t abandon or forsake it) without wavering…that is “NO BENDING”
For He who promised is faithful…the presence of God is the promise made known to us in Christ the promise.
6 Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The presence of Christ and in that He is God…the very presence of God is with us always in this gathering. Our blessed Christ, our beloved redeemer, as we meet together under His Authority to be baptized, to be immersed in the fullness of God, in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to learn and observe all that He has commanded - we know that in this He our Lord is with us for He is faithful and true.
Matthew 28:
This dearly beloved, the presence of God amongst His people as they live unto Him in this world has long been not only the longing but indeed their very confidence.
6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
it is even reminded to us just three chapters later in Hebrews:
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So, we do not bend in our confession, for we trust Christ and we know His true presence and in that we gather and as we gather,
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Hebrews 10:22
consider - this is not to brainstorm…this word - Katanoeo - is to fix ones eyes or mind upon...
to say it simply - as we gather, we should do so in the spirit of Christ - or true knowledge of His presence -
or we should fix our eyes/mind upon on another for the provoking to love (benevolence/charity/that which makes up Heaven) and praiseworthy, beautiful, genuine or noble and agreeable acts. (that is agreeable to God…(I reference back to as the learning of such acts and the walking in them as being a very purpose for which we gather)
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Hebrews
Now we have made it back to the heart of our text and I ask again:
What is your practice, habit, or custom?
Part II
Part II
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 draw your attention to the second portion of vs 25,
“but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near”
The encouraging is the encouraging of
holding fast to the confession
provoking one another to love
provoking one another to beautiful works
and these three things are to be taking place in the customary, habitual practice of gathering or assembling together of the saints of God/the followers of Christ, by the Authority of Christ in the confidence of the promise of Christ.
“All the more as you see the day drawing near”
Now…remember when I told you that the noun form (such as is used here) of the phrase only appeared one other time in the Bible...That passage is …And that passage is discussing Christ gathering all of His beloved together (the rapture)
. That passage is …And that passage is discussing Christ gathering all of His beloved together (the rapture)
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
Now, I inform you of this, because this is where I want to set the stage and bring all of this to a conclusion…or rather bring the picture into focus…
The Lord Jesus is going to come and gather all of His children to Himself. Every child of God, every Christians…all of the elect wether awake or asleep, wether they have lovely works or not so lovely works, the right customs or the lacking there-of will be gathered unto Christ and this is built upon the faithfulness of Christ, the completeness of His Work.
For every child of God this is the great and beautiful, the ultimate glorious, completed picture of our confession - it is the hope that we are implying in our confession.
Why? Why is this so hopeful?
Because of it’s gloruious reality. There and then our faith becomes our sight! It is there we behold Christ and it is there that the sleeping and the living reunite forever. It is there and then that all of the promises are fufilled. As a matter of fact…it is so glorious, that the more that you hear of it, the more your anticipation grows and your heart overflows with love and desire for it!
We encourage one another with this truth, with this reality ()…but how? How do we remain hopeful and encouraged?
Where are those who have gone to sleep and and gone before us?
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That is in the fullness of His presence.
Now, I say…where by God’s own decree is He most fully here on this earth…where does His light shine? where has He promised to display His presence?
HERE…AT THE GATHERING!!!!!
Friends get this....All that is lovely, good, blessed is in God…with God…it is God and God is here! We sing “He Is HERE” because, “HE IS HERE”.
This gathering is the for-shadow…it is the grace tool of perceverance for His beloved upon this earth…it is where and how His light has been ordained by Him to shine - the gahtering! It is the ultimate moment for the believer in the future and as such it follows that this - this present gathering being itself ordained by the Authority of Christ is for the believer a most essential of their customs in this present age.
The essential nature of this custom of the gathering does not get less, but it actually becomes more essential...
It is so essential that I find only three causes to not attend, and in all three causes I find that scripture addresses by the grace of God a manner in which you may conduct yourself so as to not abandon your post or waver in your confession, or forsake the gathering.
You’re asleep…Not that you overslept, but you are home with the lord, in which case…you are far more present than I. Your race has been run and your post completed.
You’re ill (weak, faint or feeble)
14 Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;
3. You’re in prison -
5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.
One might even add the possibility of the Holy Spirits prevention though a direct example I do not see - you might reference where the Holy Spirit prevented Paul and Silas from one path and set them upon another…however you must note that the gathering was not forsaken…only redirected in location.
Now in all three cases of absence from the gathering can not be said to be a forsaking or abandoning of the gathering…rather in both the ill and the chained - the gathering is not only a longing, but it is also a steadfast encouragement to them to the degree that it’s faithful continuing on shines as a beacon of hope to them in the dreaded situation.
And finally the essential nature of this custom of the gathering does not get less, but it actually becomes more essential...
“all the more as the day draws near”
So, as the day draws near, the forshadowings of this great day will fade dim…the light so to speak may not burn as bright…the wicks won’t be trimed.
Many a child of God may even go to sleep to the gracious customs put in place by Christ. The gathering place may even shut the door and not let in the gathered…or should I say, as Christ has promised to be with the gathered…the gathering place will close it’s doors even to Christ.
But I tell you church:
God has opened unto us the Holy Place, Christ has promised to be amongst us and see us through this age and those who have gone before us are there now resting in Christ…Put together with this, that Christ in his Authoritative position over all powers of governance and all principalities has called His children together…and…that that gathering is Heaven and Earth....I mean…
Can you get the picture...
Listen friends this is no peace time...We are in a spiritual battlefield - not against flesh and blood, but the powers of darkness and our great God has called us not to desert our post or abandon His commands or run in isolation during the heaviest of battles…No friends…this is when the church draws near to God and one another.
This is when we look to Christ, when all the rest of the world doesn’t know who or where to look…we gather in these times and here we know that as we gather, we gather with...
We are in spiritual battle - not against flesh and blood, but the powers of darkness.
Jesus my precious Lord whom I love and long to be in the presence of....God the Father, God the Spirit and all the majesty there of...
My brother there with the Lord…our beloved brothers and sisters who have gone before us…your loved ones there with the Lord...
and that Lord Jesus has opened the door to the Holy Place and promised His presence in this place!
This is no not for profit committee gathering
This is no special club gathering
We are in spiritual battle - not against flesh and blood, but the powers of darkness.
This is THE GOD abiding with HIS PEOPLE
This is THE SPIRIT comforting & strengthening GOD’s PEOPLE
This is THE CHRIST communing with HIS BRIDE
This is THE SPIRIT
Is it essential?
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.