THE ASSEMBLYOf the saints

OVERVIEW

Part 2: -A look at service.-A look at the NT churches, -More discussion on CENI and some looks at giving.

Part 3: -Digging into the purpose of the assembly.-What does assembling mean?-What sets SUNDAY apart?

WHAT WORSHIP IS

Always a form of prostration. Judaism has degrees of it.

In NT, “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)

WHAT WORSHIP IS NOT

Ever defined as certain acts. (eg., praying, fasting, singing)

Ever defined as at a certain place. (Jesus contrasts place with…how.)

-WHAT BOWING DOWN COMMUNICATES

-Bowing down communicates submission across all cultures.

“Cincinnatus did not want to cause any unnecessary bloodshed, and told the Aequi that he would let them live if they submitted to him and brought their leader, Gracchus Cloelius, and his officers to him in chains. A yoke was set up, made up of three spears, and the Aequi had to pass under it in an act of submission, bowing down while confessing that they had been conquered.”

WHAT TRADITION HAS MADE IT

Something that happens for an hour on Sunday

Something that occurs at a certain place

WHAT WORSHIP IS NOT

Ever defined as certain acts. (eg., praying, fasting, singing)

Ever defined as at a certain place. (Jesus contrasts place with…how.)

HOW WE CAN HURT THE ASSEMBLY

How I used to respond.

How some preachers now respond.“They are important to us. That is the reason the lesson was preached. While we admit that for many these things are not important (are you one of those, MAB1067?) because they do not concern themselves with doing only what God had authorized. Since there is no Bible authority for hand clapping in worship to God, it is sin and will cause one to be lost. So, oh yes, it is vitally important whether some men who recognize it or not.”

HOW WE CAN HURT THE ASSEMBLY

How some preachers now respond.“When we assemble to worship God His presence is with us and therefore His presence is with us—if you curse, you ought not curse in here…you ought to know better than to come around here, in the presence of the Lord and tell one.”

We dress up because we are in the presence of the Lord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWN52qzQmx4&feature=youtu.be&t=13m20s&safe=active

HOW WE CAN HURT THE ASSEMBLY

“Applause shows approval to an actor…to entertainment…to men.” “God only authorizes a solemn amen in response to good news during worship.”

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” — Heb 13:15

HOW WE CAN HURT THE ASSEMBLY

“Where is the Bible authority for this handclapping in the worship?”

“Rejoicing is to be done by saying “amen” or by singing.”

Jesus said,““Now his older son was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him. 29 But he answered and said to his father, ‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never [k]neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends; 30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your [l]wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you [m]have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, and was lost and has been found.’”

TUNNEL VISION

Sometimes we can get tunnel vision—Sunday for an hour is the most important.

We miss the daily things.

Rom 8:9 says, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."

1 Cor 6:19 also says,, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

TUNNEL VISION

"Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people." (Acts 2:46-47)

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. (Luke 9:33)" —Here we see a holistic attitude, not just one that is extra special on Sunday.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day." (2 Cor 4:16) This has to be a daily process, not a Sunday-special! It's accomplished through the "renewal of the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5) which is received in immersion (Acts 2:38). —Here we see that we can be spiritually-minded all the time, and it is renewing. Not difficult and legalistic, but rather, something that improves our lives.

QUESTIONS THAT ARISE FOR SOME

So if worship is supposed to be a 24x7 occurrence in the life of the believer...

- are we worshiping when we are sinning (yet we know sin is still possible)?

- are we worshiping when we do the mundane parts of our lives (washing hands...sleeping (be careful of those dreams)...going to the bathroom)?

- did God place a heavier burden on the Christian than the Jew with the idea of 24x7 expression of worship? Or do we just have the wrong idea?

- can we still drink grape juice if it is considered part of worship that is commanded of us in the Lord's Supper?

The idea that our lives are a 24x7 expression of worship can lead to a personal legalism that God doesn't expect and is far weightier than the Jews experienced.

Think about how the Pharisees came about...

TUNNEL VISION

Sometimes we can get tunnel vision—Sunday for an hour is the most important.

We miss the daily things.

Rom 8:9 says, "However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him."

1 Cor 6:19 also says,, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?"

LOOKING AT SERVICE

Priests vs People

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your service.”

WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY WORDS FOR SERVICE?

Note: “worship service” never found in Bible.

What is service? Who does it? When? To get us started off, the word primarily used for service in Hebrew is “abad,” and in Greek it’s, “latreuo.” (lah-true-O)

Abad—to work, serve

Latreuo—to serve for hire

HOW IS SERVICE MENTIONED

Genesis 2:5, “Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground.”

Gen 15:13, “God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years.”

POOR TRANSLATIONS

Exodus 12:31, “Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said.” (Should be serve.)

“Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and speak to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me.” (Ex 9:1)

A CHANGE

In Isaiah 19, there is a prophecy of many nations becoming a spiritual Israel, and in verse 21 it says, “They will even SERVE with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the Lord and perform it.”

If you were a Jew reading that prophecy, and being told to serve with sacrifice and offering, you’d be thinking, “Man, this is NUTS! How can I offer a sacrifice if I’m not a priest? How can I sacrifice something if I have my head bowed to the ground, worshiping?”

WE ARE PRIESTS AND PEOPLE

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession.” (1 Pet 2:9)

As priests, we must also serve: “But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” (Rom 7:6)

Note: from douleuo, to serve as a slave

IF NOT ASSEMBLING TO WORSHIP, THEN WHAT?

Eph 4:11-12, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.”

1 Cor 14:26 “When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation.”

“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Heb 10:24-25)

REASONS FOR ASSEMBLY—KATARTIZO

"for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ (Eph 4:12-15).“

"A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher." (Luke 6:40)

When Jesus was walking in Matthew 4:21, He said, "Going on from there He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them.”

"Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Cor 1:10)

AVOIDING A RETURN

Acts 4:32-37“And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”