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NEGLECTING THE ASSEMBLING TOGETHER
Heb. 10:25
INTRODUCTION: Note how definite this exhortation "our own assembling" is. The assembling of Christians for worship, exhortation and mutual helpfulness.
- Man is a social animal.
- Will naturally assemble, congregate. Certain hotels where football lovers and baseball lovers etc. assemble. Some basis, some common interest is the motivating force which brings them together.
- This social instinct, like other things, is alright in themselves, provided they assemble for right purpose and do the right thing.
- Religious and Social Gatherings Under the Old Covenant - three annual feasts:
- Passover feast - feast of unleavened bread.
- Feast of firstfruits, feast of weeks, Pentecost.
- Feast of Tabernacles, of ingathering, at the end of the year. The last of these came at a time of leisure when they could enjoy social intercourse.
- Under New Covenant:
- The local congregation is the only religious organization known to N.T.
- The saints, with bishops and deacons make up this organization. The bishops or overseers are to feed the flock. How can he feed them unless they assemble?
- What Neglect Means:
- Spiritual death to the negligent.
- In all orders, associations, societies, lodges, etc., attendance is necessary to its life. Do not go, and you lose interest. The going and interest act and react upon one another.
- The basis of assembling or reason for assembling has all to do with results.
- Because some will be there whom I like. (e.g. Sweetheart, friend, etc.)
- To satisfy earthly appetite, to eat, to play games. Cannot, and does not the world thus assemble?
- For the glory of God, all else will come out alright.
- If I neglect the public service of worship, I live up with the enemies of Jesus. "He that..." - Matt. 12:30. - If the devil wants to injure the church, he does it through non-attendance. The out and in member is the trouble-maker. You cannot depend on him.
- Neglect looses to you the power to contend for God's own way. A great argument is to present a solid front, and the "front," cannot be solid unless one backs it all the way - attendance included.
- Man is a social animal.