"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works:
Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the habit of some
is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day
approaching." Hebrews:10:24-25In the first century Church Christians gathers as often as they were able.It was then an important part of their lives, they understood, as maybe no other Christians , the importance of the communion that we share with each other all though our Lord Jesus Christ. They knew that when they gathered that something important was transpiring in their midst, that they gathered not just with a group of persons but with the living Lord and savior Jesus.
Some Forsaking
However from the words of the write of the epistle to the Hebrews, some were choosing to be elsewhere when the Church gathered.
"And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works:
Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the habit of some
is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day
approaching." Heb:10:24-25
These words show that missing the church gathering had become a habit, "the habit of some
is" . It was now a routine for them not to be there. The Holy Spirit inspires theses words to encourage these "some" to guide them back into the local assembly where there is that unique bounding that takes place among Christians.
A Lone Fig
An example of our need to join in a community of worship is found in what may at first appears to be an unrelated event in the life of Jesus. As Jesus is on his way back into Jerusalem after His entrance on Palm Sunday, Jesus sees a lone fig tree and being hungry He approaches it and inspects it for fruit and finds only leaves.
"Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungry.And
when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing
thereon, but leaves only, and said to it, Let no fruit grow on you
henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. " Matt:21:18-19
How does this event relate to the gathering of Christians in a local assembly. It is important to understand that fig trees can not bare fruit by themselves, they need to be part of a stand of other fig trees. Alone they produce only leaves , the tree may grow and be sustained but never really produce.There will be no fruit.
As the fig tree needs others so we need each others. We will be like that fig tree, when Jesus is hungry, that is He desires to see fruit in our lives, He will find only leaves, there is some growth but it seems that it is only to sustain the self. There is nether fruit produced nor does it help others bear fruit.
All of this was perplexing to him until Asasph entered the Sanctuary of God and heard the word of God read and expounded on, and he worshiped God that he gained understanding.
"You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1Peter:2:5
The stone used to build the Temple in those days were taken from quarries cut into the general shape that was needed, but the process of fitting them into place took place at the construction site as it was "fitted" into its particular place.
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
Assembling Gives Perspective
The Psalmist Asasph , looked out on an unfair world where goodness in repaid with suffering and evil is rewarded as virtuous. Asasph saw how those who ignore the God of Israel seemed to pass through life without the cares and concerns that thoes who worship the Great God encounter in life.They act as if God is unaware of their actions and thoughts , this issue was hard for Asasph as it might be for Christians today, those who, at first glance seemed to pass through this life with no regard for Jesus Christ often, do not encounters the sufferings and challenges that Christians have.
"But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills." Ps:73:2-5
All of this was perplexing to him until Asasph entered the Sanctuary of God and heard the word of God read and expounded on, and he worshiped God that he gained understanding.
"All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny." Psalm:73:16-17
When He entered worship understanding came, this true for us as well gathering with fellow believers and hearing the Scriptures read and prayer given and worship, then we see things with spiritual eyes through who Jesus is and a heavenly views is seen.
Living Stones
Peter calls Christians "Living Stones", a reference to the Temple of God which was assembled out of many stones to construct a whole.
"You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." 1Peter:2:5
The stone used to build the Temple in those days were taken from quarries cut into the general shape that was needed, but the process of fitting them into place took place at the construction site as it was "fitted" into its particular place.
This "fitting" process was done by placing the stone into it's place and was smoothed out by grinding it together with the others until it fit. Each stone needed the others to be fitted properly.
As those stones then needed the others to smooth them out, so each of us needs one another to remove the rough edges. This can not be done on our own, we need to be brought together at the construction site of the church in fellowship and worship. The lone Christians will be like that stone which will not be made to fit as well as it was intended. It is in the building of relationships with in the church that this smoothing away the rough edges is accomplished.
This process of fellowship within the community of the church fellowship for the purpose of building each other up in Christ and to assist in the process of maturity, with out this contact it is difficult to grow into this maturity.
Here in the church we should be having our minds focused upon the person of the Son of God so that we are not tantalized by things which attracted our attention yet yield no spiritual fruit, the foundational issue is Who Jesus is, not everything thing else.Others things may incite our curiosity but leave us empty and stunted in the end.
"That we from now on be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love." Ephesians:14-16
As those stones then needed the others to smooth them out, so each of us needs one another to remove the rough edges. This can not be done on our own, we need to be brought together at the construction site of the church in fellowship and worship. The lone Christians will be like that stone which will not be made to fit as well as it was intended. It is in the building of relationships with in the church that this smoothing away the rough edges is accomplished.
This process of fellowship within the community of the church fellowship for the purpose of building each other up in Christ and to assist in the process of maturity, with out this contact it is difficult to grow into this maturity.
Here in the church we should be having our minds focused upon the person of the Son of God so that we are not tantalized by things which attracted our attention yet yield no spiritual fruit, the foundational issue is Who Jesus is, not everything thing else.Others things may incite our curiosity but leave us empty and stunted in the end.
"That we from now on be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love." Ephesians:14-16
Uses of Gifts
Without a local assembly to function within ,any gifts talents abilities with have no forum to in to be expressed they go unused and may never reaching full capacity. God gave these gift to be used to contribute to others spiritual growth, when Christians do not attend a local church again, these gifts given by God through the Holy Spirit are unused as God intended. They are for the good of the Church, not our own benefit.
"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
to
another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another
distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds
of tongues,and to still another the interpretation of tongues.All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines" .1Corth:12:4-11
We can read the entirety of the 12 Chapter of 1 Corinthians , and see that there are no unimportant gifts all are given by the Holy Spirit for the common good of the church.
Without being a part of a local church the gifts will never be what they are given to be. The gifts require contact with other Christians or they have little to no uses.
Worship
When Christians gather we need to be focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ, it is easy ,apart from gathering with others believers , to let our minds to wonder and be come preoccupied with "worldly" things and our own interest. we can be like those the Prophet Isaiah describes.
"Why the Lord said, For as much as this people draw near me with their
mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far
from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:" Isaiah:29:13
I realize that this is a rather broad application of this verses, yet it make the point some label themselves a Christian yet are they there when the Church assembles? It when the church assembles that Jesus manifest Himself among us in a unique way. It is when the disciples where gathered that Jesus come and presents Himself as alive. This is why the Gospel accounts tell us about Jesus' post resurrection appearances, the Holy Spirit is saying that when the Church gathers Jesus is there among us showing us, even today, that He is risen and with us therefore we can be at peace.
"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the
disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish
leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” John:20:19-23
Paul tells us that we should worship "lifting us holy hands" 1Tim:2:8. When we lift our hands we lift our hearts as well.
Fellowship
As the Spirit led body filled with the Holy Spirit the church fellowship not just with each other, but with our Lord Himself. The message of the Gospel is in the end an invitation to eternal fellowship with the Great God.This is why the Apostles traveled telling others about Jesus Christ, the God Himself has visited us in the humanity of His Holy Son Jesus, that we might know Him and spend eternity with Him in fellowship.
"That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen
with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this
we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The
life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to
you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We
proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have
fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his
Son, Jesus Christ.
We write this to make our
joy complete." 1John:1:1-4
Do Not Forsake Assembling
As the days grow darker the church will need one another more than ever before. If you are not already apart of a local church, we encourage you to find a church to be a part of, one that focuses your hearts and minds upon Jesus. We here at the Fountain of life Church of Washington Pennsylvania invite you to worship with us we are here every Sunday at 10:30 AM,see our web site for services time and other information www.gcfountainoflife.org and if not with us, there are many fine church that would receive you warmly and included you in the love and fellowship of our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to
provoke to love and to good works:
Not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the habit of some
is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day
approaching." Hebrews:10:24-25......Amen
Rev.Todd Crouch, Pastor
The
Fountain of Life Church a Congregation of Grace Communion http://www.youtube.com/user/IfItIsNotAboutJesus
Washington,
Pennsylvania.
www.gcfountainoflife.org
The
Fountain of Life is heard on the RKP Radio Network 1710 and 1670 AM in
Washington and North Franklin ,and 1790 AM in the Arden Fair Grounds area
of Washington Pennsylvania, and on 1710 AM in Bentleyville and Monongahela,
Pennsylvania. And online around the world at www.rkpradio.com
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