IS ASSEMBLING TOGETHER IMPORTANT? HEBREWS 10:19-25
 sermon and outline by Brother Paul Fisher

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.

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