What are the benefits of assembling together with our brethren and sisters? Do we think of it as merely a social gathering? 'O I have not seen so & so for a while' or 'what is the latest gossip'. No of course not! It is to remember our Lord. It is out of obedience to the Lord's command that we meet together. He knows us better then we know ourselves. He also knows that we need social contact with brethren and sisters to make sure the Truth does not lose it's powerful meaning to us. Paul exhorts that our way of life should be one of, "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." Hebrews 10:25
But one important factor that we must consider every week is that we are coming together for our mutual benefit and in unity, not in the wrong frame of mind as did the brethren of Corinth according to Paul. They came together with the wrong attitude of mind, so Paul wrote:
“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised into the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13
The object of coming together is to:
• Remember Jesus
• build confidence
• be corrected if need be
• gain comfort from the Truth
• gain encouragement
The topics and exhortation themes chosen by brethren are intended to help with this objective. We have structure to our meetings so that all is ordered to provide the right environment for self examination and an exhortation before taking the emblems to aid us in self examination. For if there is no recognised order of procedure, or matters of business or personal character introduced, there is a great danger of failing in the object of coming together. Paul commands: "Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Corinthians 14:40.
Looking at the signs of the times, the Lord is much closer than we think. It is important that we prepare for his return although the signs have taken much longer to unfold than we expected. Remember Peter writes:
“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 1Peter 3:8-11
If we look back at the destruction of Jerusalem, the events of that time period and the trials that the early disciples endured. If we then consider events that have happened filling the intervening time since, many of which have caused hardships and persecutions for both natural and spiritual Israel. Surely, a thought that we must consider, which many of us will put to the back of our minds, is our own future.
What is God's plan for us? What will happen in our lives? What will we have to face? Who knows, except the Lord himself! We can attempt to live a quiet average human life and seek to meet our own desires. But in doing so we forget that the average human life is not be ours to have if we truly seek the ways of God. We do not know what God has planned for us. Remember Jesus parable of the 10 virgins and what happened to the five foolish ones!
It could be a great motivating power inside ourselves to think that one day an angel of the Lord will suddenly appear and tell us that Christ has returned. This is really a great wonder of we think about it for a minute. Whether alive when Jesus returns or in the grave that call will come. But why worry about our death? Our comfort is the knowledge that we will be out of the grave before, as it were, we are aware we are gone! David wrote:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
and
“you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” Psalm 56:13
So we pray with David: "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Psalms 90:12 Having this thought in our mind will make us really think that there is not a lot of time and we really do need to 'measure our days' and as it states apply our hearts unto wisdom. David writes about wisdom saying: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise." Psalm 111:10 People within the world in general are applying their hearts to worldly things, the wisdom of man, not to God's wisdom. We are liable to do this if we do not keep separate from the world and all its temptations. It is not easy to keep separate and the world can slowly creep in without us noticing, but thinking on Jesus is our antidote, Paul writes
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col 3:1-3
This is why we must come to the table of the Lord regularly to apply our hearts to true wisdom and think about the Lord Jesus Christ. We must remember the written word, because as Paul writes in "the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Heb 4:12 As we read and think about the Word we are "applying our hearts" to that wisdom. The Word comforts us in our mortal days, few or many, knowing that when Jesus returns we may gain a place in our fathers Kingdom. Because we are promised that if we put God's wisdom in practice in our lives, learning and obeying His word, we can have a confident hope of life in His Kingdom.
Paul reminds us to think about what is really important and the promise of life to come saying: “When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:4
We read that the fear or reverence of God is the beginning of wisdom. We cannot revere what we do not know. So the first thing we must do is to know God through His word, as Jesus says "this is life eternal, that thy might know thee, the one true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent."
God has created everything, He dwells in the highest heavens in light unapproachable to man. Yet though God is so great, he has shown His love to us and provided a means of our salvation. So what attitude of mind should we have? Well God promises, "thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15
David also writes:
"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Psalms 34:18
and
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." Psalms 51:17
Meeting together, reading the word, hearing exhortations and sharing fellowship together is of great benefit in reminding us of the great blessings God has given to us and helping us develop the right attitude of mind to walk humbly before God.
As we come to take the bread and wine we must remember that we are all one body in Christ “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” Eph 4:25 We all need each others help to understand the word of God and in being encouraged, this is why we have met together here this morning to look upon Gods word and remember our Lord who died for us. We must be of one body, it is not good for us to be on our own, we constantly need strengthening and uplifting, we can only get this by being with our brethren and sisters
So as we meet together this morning we ask the question what we have each done to strengthen each other. Paul tells us to look at ourselves and look at how we are living our lives. He writes:
“A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” … “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” 1Corinthians 11:28, 31-32
How do we examine ourselves? Well by looking at the examples given in God's word and of course by comparing ourselves with Jesus. Paul writes:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews 12:1-6
So we now remember Jesus, the one who set his mind only upon pleasing his Father, who always obeyed God's word and who has shown such great love for us. We read: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.
This then is the greatest benefit of being together, remembering Jesus. Remembering the love he has shown, remembering his life, death and resurrection. So we take these emblems of his sacrifice, resolving once again to follow him to the best of our ability.
J. P.