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What We Believe and Why - Vol. II
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

Copyright - Lester Hutson - 1982
This material is copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of Dr. Lester Hutson.

Chapter Nineteen
Why the Church Should Assemble

INTRODUCTION: TEXT: Hebrews 10:24-25

Hebrews 10:24-25 says, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching."

There are many good reasons why members of the church should assemble together each Sunday. This is not intended to be a listing of all the reasons why members should assemble. It would take much more than one lesson to do that. This lesson is intended to show the scriptural foundation for regular assembly upon the first day of the week.

I. JESUS SET AN EXAMPLE OF ASSEMBLING WITH HIS DISCIPLES.

A. Many of Jesus' examples were designed for us to follow.

1. Jesus Himself said, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (John 13:15)

2. Paul the apostle was inspired to write, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded, one toward another according to (after the example of) Christ Jesus." (Romans 15:5)

3. Paul also exhorted in Hebrews 12:2-3, that we look "unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" and that "we consider him."

4. Jesus is the perfect example of right action, and we should labor to follow His example. That's what Peter exhorts in I Peter 2:21, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps."

5. So, according to the scriptures, it is right to consider and follow the example of Jesus Christ.

B. Jesus' example was to practice religious assembly.

1. The Jews had religious houses throughout the land, called synagogues. The regularly met together in these synagogues and Jesus met there too:

a. Just a few verses showing His participation in the synagogue activities are: Matthew 12:9, Matthew 13:54, Mark 6:2 and Luke 4:16-28.

b. Assembly in the synagogue foreshadows assembly by members of the Church.

2. On several occasions, Jesus assembled a multitude around Him for the purpose of teaching and preaching to them. See Matthew 5-7 and Matthew 15:10-20.

3. While on earth Jesus built the church. (Matthew 16:18) The first members of that church were the apostles, (I Corinthians 12:28), and everyone of them was baptized by John, (Acts 1:22), whom Jesus said was a Baptist. (Luke 7:28) Thus, they all received Baptist baptism, and that made the church which Jesus built a Baptist church.

4. Jesus called that first Baptist church into assembly many times and He established the example of meeting with it.

a. Mark 6:7-11 records an assembly of this church.

b. They met to discuss issues, (Mark 8:1-5), ask questions, (Matthew 24), and to conduct business and worship. (Matthew 26:20-30).

5. You may not think it too important for members of a Baptist church to come together in assembly, but Jesus thought it was important and when you forsake assembling, you are disregarding and transgressing the example he left.

II. NOT ONLY DID JESUS PRACTICE ASSEMBLY, BUT THE EARTHLY SAINTS, AFTER CHRIST'S ASCENSION, CONTINUED TO PRACTICE.

A. Of the Jerusalem Church it is said.

1. Acts 2:24 says, "All that believed were together."

2. To further prove that they were practicing assembly, Acts 4:31 says, "When they had prayed, the place was shaken, where they were assembled."

B. Regular assembly was a standard practice of the Bible churches.

1. When Paul was first saved, he met regularly with the church of Antioch for a year. Acts 11:26 reads, "And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people." How could there be any doubt that the members of this church practiced assembly?

2. Acts 13:1-3 again shows that this church assembled together to do the work of the Lord.

3. Acts 14:27 records how the church was called together in special assembly.

4. In the Troas church there was regular assembly. Acts 20:7 says, "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them..." You would have to cover your eyes to fail to see that these saints came regularly together on the first day of the week.

C. Some people think there is no harm in forsaking the house of God.

1. But, when you do, you violate the example of Christ and His early bible church.

2. You cannot find one bit of Biblical support that would indicate you can satisfy the expectations of God for you apart from regular assembly with other members of His church, which is His body. (Colossians 1:24)

III. BESIDES THIS, GOD'S WORD SAYS CHURCH MEMBERS SHOULD NOT FAIL TO ASSEMBLE TOGETHER.

A. The text of Hebrews 10:25 clearly commands that assembly be not forsaken.

1. There could be no more binding an obligation than that which God specifically sets forth, and He has specifically said that we are not to forsake assembling together.

2. To neglect, or forsake assembling, is to do exactly opposite what God said, which makes the forsaker of assembly guilty of disobedience to, and rebellion against God.

a. Those are two of the greatest sins against God that any man or woman can commit. Consider I Samuel 15:22-23.

b. When you do not assemble with the Lord's church, you are guilty of some very grievous offenses against God.

3. Furthermore, forsaking assembly cuts off your right to pray.

a. To forsake assembly is to disobey, (Hebrews 10:25), and disobedience is sin. (I Samuel 15:23)

b. Christ is our priest through whom, and only through whom, we are able to pray unto God. (Hebrews 4:14)

c. Hebrews 10:21 says plainly that Christ is "an high priest over the house of God," and according to I Timothy 3:15, "the church of the living God" is "the house of God."

d. If Christ acts as a high priest over His house which is His church, then when a member sins by cutting himself off from that church, he cuts himself off from the high priestly work of Christ in prayer.

e. That is why David could say in Psalm 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

4. This text also mentions that assembly provokes others to good works.

a. Notice Hebrews 10:24 and 25 taken together. Verse 24 says, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." The specific way that we accomplish that is stated in verse 25, which says, "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; (and notice again how that we help each other in assembly), but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

b. It is an irrefutable fact which can be observed among church going people, that the presence of one has a provoking, edifying, encouraging effect upon others. When God's people band together in consistent assembly it brings out the best in each one.

5. Whether you realize it or not, you need assembly with the Lord's church."

a. You need the spiritual food that is provided by the teaching and preaching of a good, God-honoring church. Job said, "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food." (Job 23:12) Church assembly is the primary place where you get consistent organized teaching and preaching of the word of God. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." You need the food of God's word, and the chief place to get it is at the spiritual table of the Lord's church. David thus said, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

b. You need the fellowship with God which you get in assembly at His church. He promised His church in Matthew 18:20, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." God meets with His church when it comes together in assembly. He has promised to be with, and sustain His church, in Matthew 28:19. Once you cut yourself off from the church, you have cut yourself off from all of the blessings that accompany fellowship with God.

c. You also need fellowship with the members of your heavenly family. The apostle John said in I John 1:7, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another." When you consider Hebrews 10:24,25 along with this passage, you can see that one of the primary places where God's people can fellowship together is His church. There is something really strengthening and upbuilding that comes from fellowship with spiritually minded people. It has a very therapeutic, upgrading effect.

d. Assembly with God's church shows whose side you are on, and what your values in life are. James 1:22 exhorts us to be doers of the word, not hearers only. It is ridiculous for a man to say he loves God, and values the work of the Lord, while he neglects the very church that Christ loved and gave Himself for. (Ephesians 5:25) James 2:14-22 is a lengthy passage showing how that when a person has true faith, it will be evidenced in his works. A man is not kidding many people, let alone God, when he says he loves missions, yet will not support missionaries, or missionary programs. You'll never convince anybody you love souls if you never win any souls to the Lord. And you cannot say you love the Lord's church if you never attend it. But, when you consistently attend the Lord's church, and support its ministries, people will see what you love and where your priorities in life are.

e. Folks, you need the directions of life that you can get from assembly in a good Bible-teaching, God-honoring church. It is the best way you can guarantee that your children will grow up to be good, God-honoring Christians. (Proverbs 22:6) Regular assembly in church is the best insurance for a stable marriage there is. (Matthew 7:24-27) Regular assembly with God's people in His church is the surest help for victory over your fleshly weaknesses, such as guilt, anger, fear and the like. David said in the 119th Psalm, "The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple," (verse 130), and "I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto they testimonies." (verse 59) Regular assembly in church is the surest way to keep you zealous, soul winning and on the right spiritual track. Job said in Job 9:25, "How forcible are right words!" Wise Solomon echoed the same truth in Ecclesiastes 12:11 when he said, "The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by masters of assemblies which are given from one shepherd." The right counsel that you will receive from the Word of God in church assembly has a design to keep you headed in the direction that you ought to be going.

f. It is an irrefutable fact that you cannot be spiritual without regular assembly with the Lord's church. God knows more about you than you know about yourself, and when He said that you should not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, He knew exactly what he was talking about. You can try, if you wish, to get around it, but you cannot.

B. It is through the Lord's church that the Lord's work is to be carried on.

1. Ephesians 3:21 amply establishes that by saying, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

2. Since by definition and example, the church is a called out assembly of baptized believers, then there is no church when assembly ceases.

a. Thus, without assembly, there is no church. There is no action to accomplish the work, and so the Lord's work is not carried on.

b. Every member who forsakes assembly is doing the very thing which is designed to destroy and to put out of existence the very church of the living God. Absence from church is a vote to close its doors.

Assembly by God's church is right before God, and should be practiced regularly by every member. Every member should say with King David, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord." (Psalm 122:1)

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"