Sermon : Why Christians Assemble Page 1 Why Christians Assemble Text : Lev. 23: 1-8 ; Heb. 10: 19-27 S#1. A. Have you ever considered how great it is that our God is totally consistent? S#2. 1. Malachi 3: 6 For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. 2. Heb. 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. S#3. 3. Psa. 33: 11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. B. How horrible it would be if God was constantly changing His mind. S#4. 1. We are able to study one book, the bible, to develop our relationship with Him. 2. In all these thousands of year man s law has changed many time.. vast libraries. 3. God had ONE plan from the foundation of the world until the end. I Pet. 1: 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21 who through Him are believers in God, S#5. C. The Hebrew nation was a tool used by God to bring about His eternal plan. S#6. 1. God used the descendants of Abraham to produce the promised redeemer. 2. In the process, God also used the Jews to teach mankind about Himself. a. We learn all that we know about God from His dealings and revelation to the Jews. b. God s covenant with the Jews was never meant for anyone other than the Jews, but though we were never bound by it, we are still being taught by it. 3. God s values never change. If it was wrong 5000 years ago, it s wrong today. a. Because this is true, we learn what God likes and dislikes from the Law. b. Col. 2: 16-17 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or S#7. drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. D. Via His dealings with the Jews, we learn that God desires His people to S#8. assemble together on a regular basis. 1. God required all of His people everywhere to assemble locally on the Sabbath. Lev. 23: 3 For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is S#9. a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings.
Sermon : Why Christians Assemble Page 2 2. God required that the Jews from far and near assemble in Jerusalem 3 times each year Deut. 16: 16 Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the Lord S#10. your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. 3. This teaches us that God wants His people to devote one day every week to Him. D. Christians are not bound by the Sabbath, but God does require that we S#11. devote Sunday to Him. 1. Sunday belongs to the Lord. a. Rev. 1: 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, b. The Lord s Day is NOT our day off to do with as we please. 2. Christians assemble on the first day of the week.. Sunday.. the Lord s Day. a. Acts 20: 7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to S#12. break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. c. Like the Jewish Sabbath, Christians assemble together every Lord s Day. I Cor. 16: 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. S#13. From the very beginning Christians have assembled on the first day of every week, but why does God require that we assemble? We ll see seven reasons. I. Christians assemble to be in the presence of God.. S#14. A. The spirit of Christ dwells within us, but He assembles with us in a special way. 1. Matt. 18: 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, S#15. I am there in their midst. 2. The immediate context is discipline, but would God be present only in problems? B. The church is the temple in which God dwells. 1. I Cor. 3: 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ( cf- II Cor. 6: 16, Eph. 2: 21f ) 2. The closest you ll ever be to God on this earth is in the assembly of His saints. C. If a gathering were called at the civic center you knew you were going to be given a personal audience with the president would you attend? 1. When you come to the assembly you have a personal audience with King Jesus. 2. If someone loves God, what could be more important than spending time with Him?
Sermon : Why Christians Assemble Page 3 II. Christians assemble to be obedient to God.. ( for man.. not to man ) S#16. A. The scriptures clearly command all Christians to attend the assembly. S#17. 1. Heb. 10: 24-25 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; 2. We are commanded to motivate each other to love and serve God and we are told to do it in the assembly. ( Attendance should be about desire, not duty. ) B. This is one of the very few commandments that has a warning attached. S#18. Heb. 10: 26-27 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ( willful sin = a rebellious heart ) III. Christians assemble to practice New Testament Christianity.. S#19. A. The church of Christ has assembled regularly since its inception. S#20. 1. The first disciples met every day. ( Acts 2: 43-47 ) 2. In the N.T. the church in every place met on the first day of the week. a. Acts 20: 6-7 The church at Troas met each Sunday. b. I Cor. 16: 2 The church at Corinth met on the first day of every week. c. I Cor. 16: 1 The churches in the province of Galatia had the same command. B. The word ekklisía which is translated church means called to an assembly. C. There are more than 25 different one another commands in the New Testament. We must be together to one another. IV. Christians assemble to learn more of God s word.. S#21. A. We sing to teach and to reinforce each other s faith. S#22. Col. 3: 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. B. We read and study the scriptures together. S#23. I Tim. 4: 13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. C. We listen to the word of God being proclaimed. ( How to act in house of God ) II Tim. 4: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
Sermon : Why Christians Assemble Page 4 V. Christians assemble to build up and encourage each other.. S#24. A. Encouragement is one of the two reasons stated for the command to assemble. 1. Heb. 10: 23-25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, S#25. for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to ( motivate ) 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 2. If I leave the assembly without having provoked, incited, motivated others I fail. B. Every aspect of the assembly must be designed to build up those attending. 1. I Cor. 14: 26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each S#26. one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 2. The assembly is not just an occasion to perform rituals we call acts of worship. 3. Every participant in the assembly has a responsibility to every other participant. * a. You come to the assembly to minister to other people. b. Entertainment is TOTALLY out of place in the assembly. It is to build up. VI. Christian assemble expresses love for God.. S#27. A. The assembly is a relationship issue. S#28. 1. We ve seen that it is a command of God Heb. 10: 25 -cf- I Cor. 16: 2 2. To reject a command of the King of Kings is to disavow love. a. Luke 6: 46 Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? b. I John 5: 3 For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. ( cf- Jn. 14: 15 ) B. Just imagine the embarrassment to God in the spiritual realm when a S#29. supposed Christian chooses to forsake the assembly of the saints where He is. 1. At home watching game on TV, hunting, fishing, visiting, partying 2. Many in the spiritual realm are watching. a. Heb. 12: 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses S#30. surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race b. Eph. 6: 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the S#31. rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Sermon : Why Christians Assemble Page 5 S#32. 3. It as if every move or decision we make is done on stage in front of a great audience. I Cor. 4: 5 but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in darkness and disclose the motives of men s hearts; VII. Christians assemble for communion.. S#33. A. Many of the things we do can be done at home on a daily basis. S#34. 1. We pray, read, and study at home. 2. I listen to sermons on line every day. 3. We can t do the one anothers at home. B. The communion requires an assembly. 1. Acts 20: 7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to S#35. break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. 2. I Cor. 11: 20 Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord s Supper, for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk a. The point we want to see from this is that they were supposed to be meeting to eat the Lord s Supper. That was the reason for the assembly. b. Note : The use of the church building for fellowship is nowhere mentioned in this context. The Apostle is scolding them for corrupting the Lord s Supper by making it part of a common meal and being unloving. CONCLUSION : A. Why does the church assemble each Sunday and from time to time? S#36. 1. We meet with God. 2. We obey God s command. 3. We practice N.T. Christianity. 4. We learn how to walk with God. 5. We build up and encourage each other. 6. We demonstrate our love for God. 7. We commune with God, remember Jesus. S#37. B. The assembly is a vital part of New Testament Christianity. Make it a priority. INVITATION : S#38. Communion Slide
Sermon : Why Christians Assemble Page 6 Lesson Text : Leviticus 23: 1-8 The Lord spoke again to Moses, saying, 2 "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ' The Lord's appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy convocations My appointed times are these: 3 'For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the Lord in all your dwellings. 4 'These are the appointed times of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them. 5 'In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord's Passover. 6 'Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. 7 'On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work. 8 'But for seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.'" Hebrews 10: 19-27 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.