INTRODUCTION:
THIS MORNING I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY ASKING YOU
A SERIES OF QUESTIONS.
1. IS ASSEMBLING TOGETHER IMPORTANT?
2. IF SO, WHO COMMANDED OUR ASSEMBLING FOR
WORSHIP?
3. WHAT VALUE DOES MY COMING TO EACH AND
EVERY WORSHIP ASSEMBLE HAVE?
4. IS MY COMING ALONE ENOUGH?
5. AND FINALLY, HOW SHOULD I APPROACH THE
WORSHIP ASSEMBLE?
I. TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION “IS ASSEMBLING TOGETHER
IMPORTANT?”, LET US ANSWER THE SECOND, “WHO COMMANDED OUR ASSEMBLING FOR
WORSHIP.
A. GOD OF COURSE ORDER OUR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER.
1. BUT WHAT GIVES HIM THE RIGHT TO GIVE SUCH AN
ORDER?
2. HAVE ANY OF YOU MADE SOMETHING AND THAN BECAUSE
YOU DID NOT LIKE THE
WAY IT TURNED OUR EITHER TOOK
IT APART AND STARTED OVER OR PLACED IT IN
THE TRASH CAN?
3. IF SO, WHAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO DO SO?
4. WELL, YOU SAY, PREACHER BECAUSE I CREATED IT.
5. THAT IS WHAT GIVES ME THE RIGHT TO PITCH IT
ASIDE OR TO START ALL OVER.
6. IN LIKE MANNER, GOD WHO CREATED US, HAS THE
RIGHT TO ORDER WORSHIP
ASSEMBLES.
B. OK, SO I AGREE GOD DOES HAVE THE RIGHT TO ORDER
A WORSHIP ASSEMBLE BUT
FOR WHAT PURPOSE.
1. THAT HE MAY BE HONORED.
a. IN (JOHN 4:23) WE FIND, “BUT THE HOUR
COMETH, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE TRUE
WORSHIPPER SHALL WORSHIP
THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH: FOR THE
FATHER SEEKETH SUCH TO
WORSHIP HIM.”
b. GOD IS TO GLORIFIED WHEN HIS PEOPLE ASSEMBLE
TO WORSHIP HIM.
2. THOSE WHO WORSHIP GOD ARE TO BE EDIFIED OR
BUILT UP.
a. WE ARE EDIFIED BY THE JOY OF PARTAKING
OF THE LORD’S SUPPER UPON THE
FIRST DAY OF THE
WEEK (ACTS 20:7).
1) WHEN ONE SCRIPTURALLY PARTAKES
OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, HIS OR HER MIND
GOES BACK
TO THE CROSS AND HE OR SHE REMEMBERS THE GREAT SACRIFICE
THAT WAS MADE
FOR HIM OR HER.
2) PARTICULARLY, ONE REMEMBERS THE
BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST.
3) ALSO, ONE IS IMPRESSED WITH THE
GREAT LOVE THAT GOD HAS FOR HIM OR
HEREIN THAT
GOD SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON TO DIE IN OUR PLACE.
b. WE ARE EDIFIED BY THE JOY OF STUDYING
GOD’S WORD.
1) “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND
POWERFUL, AND SHARPER THAN ANY
TWO-EDGED
SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF THE SOUL
AND SPIRIT,
AND OF THE JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF THE
THOUGHTS AND
INTENTS OF THE HEART” (HEB. 4:12).
2) FOR IT IS BY GOD’S WORD THAT WE
ARE BEGOTTEN AND BROUGHT FORTH INTO
CHRIST JESUS.
3) BECAUSE IT IS ONLY GOD’S WORD THAT
IS “ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS.”
(JAMES 1:21).
c. WE ARE EDIFIED BY THE JOY OF CHRISTIAN
GIVING.
1) UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK
CHRISTIANS GIVE AS THEY HAVE BEEN
PROSPERED(1COR.16:1,2).
2) ISN’T IT A JOY TO KNOW THAT WE
HAVE BEEN BLESSED OF GOD AND NOW HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BAND TOGETHER IN LOVE AND GIVE BACK UNTO THE LORD
FOR THE SUPPORT
OF HIS WORK?
3) WITH THE RIGHT ATTITUDE WE DO IT
NOT GRUDGINGLY, NOR OF NECESSITY, BUT
WITH A CHEERFUL
HEART (2 COR. 9:7).
d. WE ARE EDIFIED BY THE JOY OF SINGING.
1) TRUE CHRISTIANS DO NOT NEED MACHINERY
TO STIR UP THEIR PURE HEARTS IN
WORSHIP TO
GOD.
2) THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE IN EPHESIANS
5:18,19) “AND BE NOT DRUNK WITH
WINE, WHEREIN
IS EXCESS; BUT BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT; SPEAKING TO
YOURSELVES
IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING AND
MAKING MELODY
IN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD”.
3) SINGING IS AN EXPRESSION OF YOUR
JOYFUL WORSHIP UNTO GOD.
4) JAMES WROTE IN (JAMES 5:13) “IS
ANY AMONG YOU AFFLICTED? LET HIM PRAY.
IS ANY MERRY?
LET HIM SING PSALMS.”
e. WE ARE EDIFIED BY THE JOY OF PRAYER.
1) AREN’T YOU DELIGHTED THAT AS CHRISTIANS,
AS CHILDREN OF GOD, WE HAVE
THE RIGHT
AND PRIVILEGE TO CALL GOD “FATHER?”
2) IT IS A JOY AND A GREAT COMFORT
TO KNOW THAT ONE CAN CALL UPON GOD AS
HIS CHILD
AND HE WILL HEAR:
3) WE READ IN (1 PETER 3:12) “FOR
THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE OVER THE
RIGHTEOUS,
AND HIS EARS ARE OPEN UNTO THEIR PRAYERS; BUT THE FACE OF
THE LORD IS
AGAINST THEM THAT DO EVIL.”
f. WE ARE EDIFIED BY THE JOY OF MUTUAL EDIFICATION.
1) CHRISTIANS COMFORT AND EXHORT ONE
ANOTHER BY THEIR COMING TOGETHER.
2) IT IS ENCOURAGING WHEN PEOPLE OF
LIKE FAITH COME TOGETHER WITH A
COMMON CAUSE.
3)WE LIKE DAVID CAN BE GLAD, WHO WROTE
IN (PSALMS 122:1) “I WAS GLAD WHEN
THEY SAID UNTO ME,
LET US GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.”
3. WORSHIP ASSEMBLY IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PURPOSE
OF TOGETHERNESS WITH
THE FAMILY OF GOD.
a. AS WE READ IN (PHIL. 1:17) “ONLY LET
YOUR CONVERSATION BE AS IT BECOMETH
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST:
THAT WHETHER I COME AND SEE YOU, OR ELSE BE
ABSENT, I MAY HEAR OF
YOUR AFFAIRS,THAT YE STAND FAST IN ONE SPIRIT,
WITH ONE MIND STRIVING
TOGETHER FOR THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL.”
b.THE ONLY WAY WE CAN STAND FAST IN ONE
SPIRIT AND WITH ONE MIND BE
STRIVING TOGETHER FOR
THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL IS IF WE ARE WITH ONE
ANOTHER.
1) THE CHURCH IS THE BODY OF CHRIST
AND WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE MEMBERS OF
THAT BODY.
2) WE SHOULD HAVE A SENSE OF BEING
IN THAT BODY WHICH ENCOURAGES AND
STRENGTHENS
US.
3) MUTUAL SHARING IN THE FELLOWSHIP
AND WORK OF THE FAMILY.
a) “FOR WE ARE LABORERS TOGETHER
WITH GOD: YE ARE GOD’S HUSBANDRY, YE
ARE GOD’S BUILDING” (1 COR. 3:9).
c. SADLY, TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY ABOUT HALF
OF THIS LOCAL BODY WILL NOT BE
IN ASSEMBLE!]
1) ARE YOU FORSAKING GOD’S DIVINE
PURPOSE BY MISSING THE ASSEMBLE?
2) REMEMBER A CONGREGATION LACKING
IN FELLOWSHIP IS A DYING CHURCH.
II. THE THIRD QUESTION WAS, WHAT VALUE DOES MY COMING
HAVE?
A. WE HAVE ALREADY NOTED MANY THINGS, BUT YOUR
COMING IS IMPORTANT TO:
1. YOUR FAITHFUL BROTHERS AND SISTERS:
a. WE SHOULD HAVE THE ATTITUDE OF DAVID
AS WE NOTED EARLIER IN
(PSALMS 122:1).
2. YOUR COMING IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE
YOU ARE A PLEDGE FOR
CHRIST AND YOU ARE A DECLARATION
AGAINST SATAN.
3. YOUR COMING IS IMPORTANT TO GOD FOR HE CALLS
FOR OUR ASSEMBLING
TOGETHER (JOHN 4:23)
B. YOUR COMING TO THE ASSEMBLY IS ESSENTIAL:
1. FOR THE ON GOING GLORY OF THE CAUSE OF JESUS
CHRIST.
2. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANS
WHO NEED COMMUNION
WITH THE BODY SO AS TO DEVELOP
A STRONGER FAITH.
3. IT IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE THE LORD’S TABLE IS
SPREAD IN THE ASSEMBLY FOR
THE SAINTS TO SHARE WITH HIM.
4. IT IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE THE LOCAL BODY CANNOT
SURVIVE WITHOUT THE
ASSEMBLING OF IT’S MEMBERS TOGETHER.
APPLICATION: WHAT VALUE DOES YOUR COMING TO THE WORSHIP
ASSEMBLING HAVE? IT HAS GREAT VALUE, BECAUSE THE STRENGTH OF UNITY PREVAILS
IN THE CORPORATE ASSEMBLY. AS THE APOSTLE PAUL WROTE IN (EPH. 4:16)
“FROM WHOM THE WHOLE BODY FITLY JOINED TOGETHER AND COMPACTED BY THAT WHICH
EVERY JOINT SUPPLIETH, ACCORDING TO THE EFFECTUAL WORKING IN THE MEASURE
OF
EVERY PART, MAKETH INCREASE OF THE BODY UNTO THE EDIFYING
OF ITSELF IN LOVE.” DO YOU SEE NOW THE VALUE OF YOU BEING PART OF
THE ASSEMBLY? DO YOU SEE ENOUGH VALUE THAT IF ALL POSSIBLE YOU WILL
BE BACK TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT?
III. THIS LEADS US INTO OUR FOURTH QUESTION, IS MY COMING
TO THE WORSHIP ASSEMBLY ENOUGH?
A. BY WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY LOOKED AT, WE SHOULD
REALIZE THAT IT TAKE MORE
THAN JUST SITTING AND LISTENING
TO HAVE JOY IN ASSEMBLING TOGETHER.
1.REMEMBER THE INSPIRED WORDS WRITTEN BY PAUL
IN COL. 3:16) “LET THE WORD
OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN ALL
WISDOM; TEACHING AND ADMONISHING
ONE ANOTHER IN PSALMS AND HYMNS AND
SPIRITUAL SONGS, SINGING WITH GRACE
IN YOUR HEARTS TO THE LORD.”
2. WE MUST OFFER TO GOD WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED
AS WORSHIP AND NOT BE
LIKE NADAB AND ABIHU OF
(LEV. 10).
a. IF WE ARE NOT CAREFUL WE WILL BECOME
LIKE THE PEOPLE JESUS SPOKE ABOUT
IN (MATT. 15:8,9) “THIS
PEOPLE DRAWETH NIGH UNTO ME WITH THEIR MOUTHS,
AND HONOURETH ME WITH
THEIR LIPS; BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. BUT IN
VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING FOR DOCTRINE THE COMMANDMENTS OF
MEN.”
b. WE CAN WORSHIP IN SUCH A WAY AS TO OFFER
VAIN WORSHIP TO GOD OR LIP
SERVICE.
c. PLUS IF WE FOLLOW AFTER THE COMMANDMENTS
OF MEN WE ARE ALSO
WORSHIPING GOD IN VAIN.
d. HOW CAN WE BE SURE WE ARE WORSHIPING
GOD IN THE RIGHT MANNER?
1) BY OBSERVING WHAT GOD REQUIRES.
2) “TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS
WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED
YOU: AND LO, I AM
WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE
WORLD.”(MATT. 28:20).
APPLICATION: WHEN YOU COME DO YOU JUST COME TO SIT AND LISTEN? ASK YOURSELF, “IS THAT WHAT GOD HAS COMMANDED AS WORSHIP TO HIM?”
IV. OUR LAST QUESTION LIKE THE OTHERS BEFORE IT HAS IN
PART BEEN ANSWERED, “HOW SHOULD ONE APPROACH THE ASSEMBLY?
A. LET US DRAW NEAR (HEB. 10:22)
1. WITH A TRUE HEART IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH.
a. HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL
CONSCIENCE BY OBEDIENCE TO
JESUS CHRIST.
b. “HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST,
WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL
SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF
WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD, PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE FROM
DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE
LIVING GOD” (HEB. 9:14).
c. WASHING OUR BODIES IN THE PURE WATER
OF BAPTISM (ROMANS 6:4)
“THEREFORE WE ARE BURIED
WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH: THAT LIKE AS
CHRIST WAS RAISED UP FROM
THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO
WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN
NEWNESS OF LIFE.”
B. LET US HOLD FAST (HEB. 10:23).
1. TO OUR FAITH FOR WE READ IN (HEB. 11:6) “BUT
WITHOUT FAITH IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM:FOR
HE THAT COMETH TO GOD MUST BELIEVE THAT
HE IS, AND THAT HE IS
A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.”
2. FOR HE IS FAITHFUL THAT PROMISED, BECAUSE PAUL
WROTE ABOUT GOD’S
PROMISES IN (TITUS 1:2)
WE CAN HAVE ASSURANCE THAT THEY WILL COME TO
PASS.
a. “IN HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE, WHICH GOD,
THAT CANNOT LIE, PROMISED BEFORE
THE WORLD BEGAN;”
C. LET US CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER (MEANING ATTENTIVE,
CONTINUOUS CARE) TAKING
CAREFUL NOTE OF EACH OTHERS
SPIRITUAL WELFARE (GAL. 6:1; JAMES 5:19,20).
1. SUCH CONSIDERATION REQUIRES TIME AND PATIENCE.
2. TWO WORDS WE NEED TODAY ARE:
a. EMPATHY WHICH MEANS THE CAPACITY FOR
PARTICIPATING IN THE FEELINGS OR
IDEAS OF ANOTHER.
b. AND SYMPATHY WHICH MEANS THE ABILITY
TO ENTER INTO AND SHARE THE
FEELINGS OR INTERESTS
OF ANOTHER.
c. WHY SHOULD WE DO THESE THINGS?
d. BECAUSE THEY ARE CHRIST LIKE, “FOR WE
HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH
CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH
THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; BUT WAS IN ALL
POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS
WE ARE YET WITHOUT SIN” (HEB. 4:15).
D. NOT ONLY TO CONSIDER, BUT TO PROVOKE (INCITEMENT
OR STIMULATION) BY
EXAMPLE AND BY THE WORD OF GOD
(JOHN 12:32; 1 COR. 11:1).
1. PROVOKE TO LOVE, LOVE FOR GOD WHICH INDUCES
REVERENCE FOR HIS WORD AND
HIS CHURCH (MATT. 6:33).
2. PROVOKE TO GOOD WORKS (JAMES 2:18) WROTE, “YEA,
A MAN MAY SAY, THOU
HAST FAITH AND I HAVE
WORKS: SHEW ME THY FAITH WITHOUT THY WORKS, AND
I WILL SHEW THEE MY FAITH
BY MY WORKS.”
APPLICATION: HOW SHOULD I APPROACH THE WORSHIP ASSEMBLY?
FIRST BY NOT
FORSAKEN THE ASSEMBLY WHICH INDICATES A LACK OF DEDICATION
AND CONCERN
FOR THE THINGS OF THE LORD, BY HOLDING FAST YOUR FAITH
AND BY CONSIDERING
ONE ANOTHER AND NOT SELFISH SELF.
CONCLUSION:
1. IS THE ASSEMBLY IMPORTANT?
2. ASSEMBLING IS A SPIRITUAL BAROMETER OF LOVE,
FAITH AND DEDICATION TO
THINGS HOLY.
3. IS THE WORSHIP ASSEMBLY IMPORTANT? YOU
MUST DECIDE!
© Copyright 2000. Paul Fisher. All rights reserved.