1 Sam. 22:1-2 π Mt. 18:20 π Lk. 4:18 π Acts 5:42 π 1 Cor. 1:21 π Heb. 10:24-25 π Rev. 3:14-22
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of our selves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” ( Heb. 10:24-25; top )
The content of these verses has often been used to promote people to attend church services; however, a much deeper meaning is evident here. It is the activity of believers to stimulate, encourage and exhort one another to do good works, plus the warning and urging of everyone toward eternal salvation as the coming of Jesus approaches.
To justify getting people to attend church meetings, it is necessary that the Church exemplifies the New Testament example and puts it into practice by the presenting of the Scriptural plan for salvation. Also, those needing deliverance can readily be freed from the forces of darkness (drugs, alcohol and sins). Also, to provide for the needs of the widows and children and the poor, and to provide healing for those spiritually and materially and physically bruised by the sinful greed of our present society.
If the Church doesn’t supply these needs consistently and readily, it has taken on the role of the Laodicean church. ( Rev. 3:14-22; top )
Lk. 4:18 presents the Church’s requirements. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has appointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” (top)
God, by His Spirit, works more outside the organized Church than in it, because most churches are not ready to give God His unquestionable sovereignty.
We need Scriptural preaching, for by the foolishness of preaching people gain salvation ( 1 Cor. 1:21; top ); however, the Holy Spirit is the great operator in this apostate Church hour, and He is working in ways that would not be acceptable to most pastors and churches today.
David assembled his soldiers together in caves to worship and hear of God’s faithfulness ( 1 Sam. 22:1-2 ); the early believers met in homes ( Acts 5:42; top ); today the Holy Spirit sends many ailing people to a hospital with Christian nurses and doctors to get them saved before they succumb to their terminal illnesses.
Many semi-truck drivers preach Jesus over their CB sets as effectively as many preachers.
Where is church? We, the believers, are the Church; wherever we are sharing Jesus and caring for others, that is the Church.
Jail preachers get an assembly of non-believers in prison that many organizational church members would not approve of.
The main vehicle used to wins souls to the Lord are tracts: tracts sent by shut-ins, street workers, housewives, office workers; bill payers put them in their envelopes as they pay their bills; mission workers in large cities work scheduled hours on the streets, handing out tracts on salvation. What an assembly!
The radio and TV gospel is preached to many people, assembled in their homes, garages, workshops and poolsides to hear about Jesus.
No stereotyped assembly here!
We assemble ourselves together via telephone calls to pray for one another and encourage each other. Where there is one hungry heart and soul, the Lord will send someone to witness to him, making an assembly.
The Wesley brothers, who were responsible for starting the Methodist movement, preached on the hillsides, in the open fields, where many church members got converted. It was an assembly of conviction.
A Christian housewife sees an alcoholic (a non-acceptable church member) walking down the city street. She parks her car to talk to him about Jesus. The resultant conversation and prayer draws another prodigal into God’s Kingdom. Who can quarrel with that assembly?
A Christian nurse is cornered by a terminally-ill patient in his hospital room, as he literally tries to tear up the room. She escapes, only to go home and spend her leisure time praying for her patient’s deliverance and salvation. On her next shift she visits him, finding a meek and quiet, elderly gentleman, ready to accept Jesus: an extraordinary New Testament assembly.
A funeral in a mortuary turns out to be a very productive assembly, as the attendance of 45 - half churched and half un-churched - hear a thoroughly Scriptural explanation of the new birth from a medical doctor, which brings all 45 forward for salvation, including the funeral director. No funeral director’s manual would justify this assembly.
A born-again patient in a state mental hospital leads her unbelieving counselor to the Lord.
A Christian lady being transported from a hospital to her motel room following dialysis treatment received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the back seat of a station wagon. What a moving assembly.
Doctors’ offices and clinics, with their various Christian books and magazines available, have accomplished what other assemblies couldn’t accomplish.
Many family units assemble themselves together in their homes to read Scripture and to pray for other assemblies to accept Jesus in their church meetings. Which group is the proper assembly?
“For where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.” ( Mt. 18:20; top )
This is a very profound assembly.
No anxieties nor promotions necessary in this assembly concerning the proper order of two songs, a sermon and the collection.
I’d love to hear comments and/or questions from you! Email me!