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Psalms 122:1

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the

house of the LORD.”

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Problems In The Corinthian Church Division - Chapter 1 & 3 Fleshly mindedness - Chapter 2-3 Doubt of Paul’s Apostleship - Chapter 4 & 9 Tolerance of Immorality - Chapter 5 Going to Law Against a Brother - Chapter 6 Marriage - Chapter 7 Eating of Meats Offered to Idols - Chapter 8 Murmuring - Chapter 10 Despising the Lord’s Supper - Chapter 11 Proper Use of Spiritual Gifts - Chapter 12-14 Their Doubt of the Resurrection - Chapter 15

• Matthew 22:34-39

• Acts 8:18-23

1 Corinthians

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Problems Among Brethren

Evil use of the tongue - James 3 Bitterness, anger - Eph. 4:31, 32 Immorality - 1 Cor. 6:9-11 Worldliness - 1 Jn. 2:15-17 False teaching - Acts 20:27-32 Lack of spiritual growth - Heb. 5:12-14 Evils proceeding from the heart - Mk. 7:20-23

• Matthew 22:34-39

• Acts 8:18-23

N.T. Warnings

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Matthew 22:34-39

“But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

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Acts 8:18-23 “And when Simon saw that through laying on of the

apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

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Divine Priority of Love:

1st -2nd -3rd -

Matt. 22:34-39Mk. 7:20-23

The Heart of the Matter…

GodNeighborSelf

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What Forsaking the Assembling of the Saints is!

Hebrews 10:19-25

• Visitors Welcome - Members Expected!

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Hebrews 10:19-25“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

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“Forsaking” Defined

To abandon, desert - Thayer To leave behind, abandon:

Used negatively - Vine

“Forsaken”2 Tim. 4:10

“Hold fast”Heb. 10:23

Opposites

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“Assembling” Defined

episunagoge - a complete collection; especially a Christian meeting (for worship):--assembling (gathering) together. Strong

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Albert Barnes on Hebrews 10:25

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. That is, for purposes of public worship…It properly means an act of assembling, or a gathering together…The command, then, here is, to meet together for the worship of God, and it is enjoined on Christians as an important duty to do it. It is implied, also, that there is blame or fault where this is "neglected."

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Coming Together 1 Cor. 11:17-34 – Corinthian church came together:

“Come together” - vss. 17, 18, 20, 33, 34 (“come not together”) Did so for the wrong reason!

“Not for the better but for the worse” - vs. 17 Paul rebuked them sharply - vs. 20-22

Despised the church and shamed those who had not! Acts 20:7 - Disciples came together:

To break bread (Partake of the Lord’s Supper) Paul Preached

1 Cor. 14:23, 26 - Whole church came together: “Into ONE place” - vs. 23 “Let all things to be done unto edifying” (vs. 26).

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What I Do Not Mean!

Those who are physically feeble, sick or caring for the sick!

Those who are hindered by circumstances beyond their control!

Those who MUST work!

Some have forsaken the assembling using the above as an excuse!

Some

Mak

e-

up Exc

uses

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What I Do Mean! Those who have the strength and opportunity to attend but because of

a heart not set on doing the Lord’s will, willfully neglect to attend the assembling of the saints!

Common excuses I have heard used: “We had company!” “We were on vacation!” “My dog was having puppies!” “We were just too busy!” “There was a TV show I wanted to see!” “I had to take care of some business!” “There was a death in the family!” “I was just too tired and had to get my sleep!”

Acts 16:22-25; Lk. 14:15-24

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Forsaking the Assembling is…

Forsaking the House of God!Heb. 10:21- “And having an high priest

over the house of God”“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know

how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).

Heb. 3:1-6

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Hebrews 3:1-6 “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly

calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; 2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” 1 Cor. 15:58; 1 Pet. 4:17

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Forsaking the Assembling is…

Forsaking The Right Way!“Having eyes full of adultery, and that

cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Pet. 2:14, 15).

Matt. 7:13, 14; Prov. 14:12; Matt. 6:33

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Forsaking the Assembling is…

Forsaking His Covenant! “Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies

without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:28, 29) NKJV

New Covenant – Jer. 31:31; Heb. 8:8-13; 12:24-29

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Forsaking the Assembling is…

Forsaking Faithful Brethren!“And let us consider one another to

provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:24-25).

Shows a lack of brotherly love and humility! Rom. 10:9-12; Heb. 13:1; Phil. 2:1-4

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Romans 10:9-12 - Hebrews 13:1

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer…”

“Let brotherly love continue.”

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Philippians 2:1-4

“If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions, 2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; 3 doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; 4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.” (NKJV) cf. Matt. 22:39

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Forsaking the Assembling is…

Forsaking His Commandments! “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves

together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).

“And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments.”

(Ezra 9:10).

Jn. 14:15, 21, 23-24; 1 Jn. 2:3-5

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Jesus on “If ye love me…” “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth

them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (Jn. 14:21).

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me” (Jn.14:23-24).

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1 John 2:3-5

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”

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Only a symptom of a deeper problem!

“Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart” (Ps. 119:2).

“I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments” (Ps. 119:7).

“Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart” (Ps. 119:34).

“Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed” (Ps. 119:80).

“I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end” (Ps. 119:112).

Forsaking the Assembling is…

A HEART PROBLEM!

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Comments by a Gospel Preacher! “Usually, a person’s problem is not attendance. It is

a symptom of a larger, deeper problem. Most often, folks simply lack true faith and real conviction about the Lord, the judgment to come, and eternity. They become so hardened in the ways of the world and have such worldly mind-sets, though they may not lead immoral lives, that the word is choked out of their heart, ‘And the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful’ (Mk. 4:19).

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Those Who Forsake The Assembling DO NOT…

Have boldness to enter in the holiest – vs. 19Draw near to God with a true heart - vs. 22Hold fast the confession of faith - vs. 23Consider & provoke others to love & good works - vs. 24Exhort to consider the day drawing near - vs. 25Heed the warning of willful sin – vs. 26Respect the Spirit of grace & blood of Christ - vs. 29Fear the vengeance & judgment of the Lord - vs. 30Remember their former state - vs. 32-33Have compassion for the sufferings of others - vs. 34Have confidence in the eternal reward - vs. 34-35Have a saving faith - vs. 38Please the Lord through steadfastness - vs. 38-39

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Divine Priority of Love:

1st -2nd -3rd -

Matt. 22:37-39

The Heart of the Matter…

GodNeighborSelf

Man’s

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Resolve to have the mind of Christ! “…Father, if thou be willing, remove this

cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Lk. 22:42)

We must deny our self! – Matt. 16:24-25

Have the “thy will be done” attitude!

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Attend to Paul’s Wise Council!

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3).

Have the heartbeat of Paul! Rom.1:16-17; Rom. 8:35-39

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Romans 8:35-38 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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Have the conviction of Joshua! “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the

LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15).

But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD, attending every worship assembly we have the opportunity to attend!

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Please Resolve This!

That I will miss worship services if and only if there is a death in my family…

My Own!

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Forsaking the assembling of the saints is forsaking…

The House of God! The Right Way! His Covenant! Faithful Brethren! His Commandments!

And, a serious HEART problem!

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Conclusion… God’s Word warns us that forsaking the

assembling is a serious matter! If this lesson incenses you, I make no apology! If it causes you to think, I am grateful! If you are guilty of this sin and repented and confessed it to

God and your brethren, I thank the Lord! If you continue in it, you are without excuse! And, if your plans leave out God….

"Therefore watch, and remember, that...I ceased not to warn every one...with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:31, 32).

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Finally, my Brethren… “Let us hear the conclusion of the

whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccl. 12:13, 14).

“…not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…”

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“What Shall We Do?” Acts 2:37

An alien sinner must…Hear the Gospel - Romans 10:17Believe - Romans 10:10Repent – Acts 17:30Confess Christ - Acts 8:37Be Baptized in water - Acts 2:38

An erring Child of God must…Repent and Pray - Acts 8:22