Assembling Together 1
Assembling Together 1. What is the purpose for the saints to come together? 2. Are assembling, coming together and the gathering of the church different words for the same activity? 3. Do the following constitute an assembling of Christians? a. Sunday morning services b. Sunday morning Bible Classes c. Sunday night services d. Wednesday night Bible Study e. Thursday morning women s and men s Bible studies f. Non-evangelistic Bible studies in homes of Christians? 4. Are there any required activities for gatherings of the church? If so, where are they identified in the scriptures? 5. Do today s assemblies perform the same activities as those described in the Bible? This lesson was written to see what the Bible says about activities of the assembled church, to compare them to present day s activities when assembled together and to create a desire to follow the results of such analysis and examination. Permission is given to reproduce in its entirety without change. The Bible Way Online Randolph Dunn Write to us at lessons@thebiblewayonline.com Visit us at http://www.thebiblewayonline.com January 10, 2013 2
I. INTRODUCTION The epistles present universal principles or instructions cloaked in 1 st century culture to guide Christians in living faithful and productive lives. The task of interpreting these instructions is to apply them to changing cultures rather than to change them to comply with present culture. One universal principle for those in Christ is a united body 1 where no one is inferior or superior, while encouraging faithfulness, righteousness and the doing of good works out of love for God and man. Following the conversion of the 3,000 on Pentecost Christians met in homes, the temple courts, Solomon s colonnade and perhaps other places. After the stoning of Stephen and the persecution by the Jews, Christians fled Judea. Since the temple courts and Solomon s colonnade were no longer available, they assembled together in homes of Christians or possibly in some public facility. II. ASSEMBLING TOGETHER If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter (1 Cor 14:23 ESV). The if suggest something unique or special not generally done. The Whole Church refers larger gatherings, possibly within a town or city, than smaller gatherings, possibly neighborhoods. Perhaps in these larger assemblies created an atmosphere of chaos and confusion causing Paul to encourage things be done decently and in order. There is no mention of size of assembly. III. SCRIPTURES that identify some actions of 1 st century assemblies. 2 1. Teach and Edify I thank my God I speak with tongues [2. the language used by a particular people in distinction from that of other nations. Thayer's Greek Lexicon] more than you all; yet in the church [assembly] I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you 1 United In Christ presents more information on this subject. 2 Extracted and adapted from The Purpose and Goals of the Assembly by Joe McKinney 3
are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God 3 and report that God is truly among you. How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silent in the churches, 4 for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. Let all things be done decently and in order (1Corinthians 14:18-40). A record of important actions occurring in the assembly of saints in Corinth. Most positive but some corrective in nature. 1. Teaching was more important than being heard 2. Orderliness and understanding important 3. Participation by all Christians important 4. Edification necessary for faithfulness 5. Respect of others enhances unity 6. Respect of law and customs cannot be ignored 7. Conduct bringing shame to husband is wrong And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking [abandon, desert - Thayer Lexicon] the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but 3 One appears to be able to worship God without being in Christ. However this passage does not state he was saved. Recall that even demons believe. 4 Refer to Women of the New Testament Church for a discussion of what women did in the 1 st Century Church. 4
exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25). Fellowship when assembled encourages faithfulness whereas abandoning ones Christian family leads to worldly relationships. Paul wanted to have him (Timothy) go on with him. And he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region, for they all knew that his father was Greek. And as they went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees [decisions (ESV)] to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem (Acts 16:3-4). Keeping Christians in each city informed of teachings of apostles and encouraging one another had a top priority with Paul Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men he who prophesies is greater I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:1, 3, 5, 15-17, 33). Communication of any type that is not or cannot be understood is useless to the uninformed. It cannot teach those outside Christ or encourage those in Christ. Now when this epistle is read among you, see that it is read also in the church [the assembly] of the Laodiceans, and that you likewise read the epistle from Laodicea (Colossians 4:16). The epistle was to be read when the Christians had come together as an assembly of the church. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). People in Antioch were very receptive of the Gospel and many turned to Christ. As a result Barnabas brought Paul to Antioch 5
where he taught a great many people. Surely, he taught the Gospel to those outside Christ and instructed those in Christ how to serve God. If there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes. and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts (James 2:2-4). God is not a respecter of people. Therefore, Christians are not to show partiality whether assembled of not. Generally mankind honors the rich and powerful who tend to take advantage of others and ignore the poor who put their hope in God. Read, teach, exhort, appoint leaders 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus. A discussion about their functions can be found in Functions Assigned to God s People on thebiblewayonline.com. 2. Break Bread and/or Lord s Supper Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed (Acts 20:7, 11) Apparently the purpose of coming together was to show their faith in Christ resurrection, to glorify Him and praise God, to encourage one another to remain faithful by remembering or dwelling on Christ atoning sacrifice to God for the forgiveness of sins through trust and obedience. Probably a common meal, (fellowship meal, agape meal, love feast) and the Lord s Supper occurred during the assembling together. Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is 6
not to eat the Lord's Supper [you can't possibly be eating the Lord's Supper (GWT); it is not to eat a meal of the Lord (CJB)]. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 5 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come (1 Corinthians 11: 17 34). It appears they ate a regular meal to nourish their physical body and the Lord s Supper to nourish their spiritual body. The love of the brethren was absent for the wealthy feasted while the poor, possibly a slave or even one s own slave who went hungry. Their focus appeared not to be on Christ and his sacrifice but on satisfying their selfish desires. 3. Pray And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, "who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: 'Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.' For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the 5 Those with plenty were indifferent to those in need. They were concerned about themselves and their group rather than the Body of Christ thus they did not discern the Lord s body. 7
Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness (Acts 4: 23-31). A spontaneous prayer of thanksgiving while under duress. Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying (Acts 12:5, 12). Apparently they gathered at Mary s house for the purpose of praying for Peter for just a short while before Herod had beheaded James the brother of John. 4. Sing Saying: I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You (Hebrews 2:12). 5. Give Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come (1 Corinthians 16:1, 2). Special collection to fulfill what they had purposed in their heart to give to the suffering saints in Jerusalem. The significance is not the time or day of the week one is to give but fulfill one s commitment. The passage does not state when they came together, they gave to the church treasury, they deposited it into a bank account designated for that purpose, or the first day of the week was immediately following pay day. But, put it aside and keep it from other funds, all to be done within your means of fulfilling your commitment. 6. Discipline Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. 8
But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector (Matthew 18:15 17). Although this instruction was given before Christ s resurrection, keeping all the disciples involved helps the one at fault recognize his sin and its consequences. It begins as an individual matter and progresses to the entire assembly. No mention is made for this matter to be turned over to leaders to resolve. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles; that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:1-8). The entire assembly is to address sin immediately to encourage repentance and prevent its corrupting influence to permeate the entire body. Those [elders] who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear (1 Timothy 5:20). Elders who sin must be confronted as any other brother without partiality. Every Christian sins. No mention is made for the elder to resign or be removed from being a shepherd. However if his sin results in him losing his effectiveness in leading, counseling or teaching or if the perception by those outside the Body of Christ is negative he should either resign or be removed from his function as a shepherd until all this is regained. 9
Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren (Acts 15:22). Again the entire assembly chose, not just a few. 7. Missions and Evangelizing Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren. They wrote this letter by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, to the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "You must be circumcised and keep the law"; to whom we gave no such commandment; it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell. So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. It seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul (Acts 15:22-31). The whole church in Jerusalem chose men and sent them to Antioch. They gathered the multitude of Christians in Antioch to gather at an unknown day and read the letter to them. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 14:27). 10
An unscheduled assembly was called to deliver an exciting report of the evangelistic efforts by the men separated out from the church in Antioch by the Holy Spirit. 8. Other Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists [Greek speaking Jews], because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them (Acts 6:1-6) Not elders, apostles or a select committee, but the multitude of Christians chose workers being of good reputation, full of Holy Spirit and wisdom. There is no mention of the qualifications for servants, deacons, 6 given in Timothy and Titus. IV. COMPARISON of First Century and Today s Assemblies First Century and Today's Assemblies Gatherings were orderly and unstructured Any and all allowed to teach Sing as moved Everyone involved in disciplinary action Gave as became aware of need Lord's Supper was part of their fellowship meal Evangelist called assembly together to give report 6 For additional study of God s servants refer to Worship God and Serve Him Only. 11
Today's Worship Service Highly structured meeting Professional speaker, preacher, gives sermon, lecture Trained singer selects songs, may coordinate with sermon Elders decide on any disciplinary action, congregation notified Give to meet a budget approved by elders Lord's Supper - set routine, time and manner Evangelist speak only when approved by elders Today's Bible Classes - Sunday AM, Wednesday PM, Home studies Little structure to meeting Lecture or discussion - elders' choice Seldom any singing unless a singing class Giving may occur for a stated purpose No Lord's Supper or disciplinary action Teacher may ask missionary to give a report Summary Today's assembly activities that reflect 1st century activities: Bible Class o Discussion of issues confronting or of concern to class members. o All class members allowed to speak o Topic of discussion can change during class time o May or may not have prayers o Highly edifying Worship Service o Lords supper available to everyone o Opportunity to give o Singing o Prayers Today's assembly activities that do NOT reflect 1st century activities: Bible Class o Lord's Supper not available o Married women allowed to speak 12
o o Singing generally absent Prayers may vary by class Worship Service o Sermon by paid professional speaker with topic of his choice or as suggested by elders o Songs of talented director's choice o Giving to meet obligations, i.e., budget o No disciplinary action taken without elder approval 1st Century Activities NOT DONE in today s assemblies Everyone who has a song in their heart does not sing Gathering called by evangelist to give report of efforts Collections for needy Christians then others in need V. COMMENTS TO GENERATE DISCUSSION 1. Today s worship service format does not appear to focus on edification but on a presentation by a professional speaker. 2. Preaching in the Bible was primarily proclaiming the Good News of Christ s sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life rather than to the saved, those in Christ. 3. Except for false teachers of 2 Peter 3:3 who taught for greed, there does not appear to be any reference to compensated preachers whose primary duty was to instruct Christians, e.g., pulpit ministers. However, overseers who gave their life to shepherding and evangelizing were worthy of double honor (1 Timothy 5:17). 4. People tend to accept the teachings of those professing to have greater knowledge, e.g., the Gnostic teachers of New Testament times and graduates of religious organizations, i.e., seminaries, preacher training schools and divinity colleges of today. This leads to less individual Bible study. 5. Divisions occur when opinions and interpretations, expressed by those who are in charge or when those who claim to know go unchallenged. This may be result of 13
a. intimidation due to a perceived lack of Bible knowledge, b. the lack of opportunity to ask for biblical proof and explanation c. fellowship requirement to accept these opinions and interpretations as The Truth; e.g., Diotrephes of 3 John 9. 6. If contributions were no longer allowed as deductions on tax returns or our economic or our economic or political situation were to change where a depression or persecution occurred and saints had to gather together in small groups such as they did during Roman times, would our emphasis still be on: a. A paid professional to present a sermon of his choosing or would a brother discuss everyday problems and stresses? b. A specified song director, either paid or unpaid, who chose song to be sung or would our grief or joy generate spontaneous singing? c. Giving more to provide for brethren and other people in need? d. Taking more time in the remembrance of Christ sacrifice? 7. Gatherings or assemblies or the church appeared to have certain purposes; e.g., a. Read aloud letter from the apostles b. Hear a report from an evangelist or missionary c. Rebuke or discipline a fellow Christian d. Teach and edify one another e. Remember Christ s atoning sacrifice f. Pray for relief from persecution 14