Don’t Forsake the Assembly (Sermon from Hebrews

There is no doubt Christians should assemble with one another to learn, edify, and worship. However, we are probably too quick to accuse our brothers and sisters of “forsaking the assembly” for missing a Bible study or worship service. There is much we can learn from Hebrews about what actually constitutes forsaking the assembly and how to encourage and motivate Christians to assemble with their church family.

[@gedankenvoll7478]

Jesus never told his disciples so start congregations as we know them today. He never instructed his disciples to do worship concerts and lectures on a Sunday morning and a bible study on Wednesday. He never taught them how to run a pre-planned meeting or a Sunday school. In fact the early believers mostly met in private for about 300 years. When they got together they had very informal gatherings usually over a meal instead of following an agenda at a formal pre-planned meeting. They were concerned about sharing life with each other, and that's the context in which Hebrews 10 was written. What we see a lot today is that believers have had enough of superficial religious traditions and obligations. But they are hungry for Jesus and for his kingdom, and they are hungry for deep relationships with like-minded fellow believers. And they usually find that outside of Sunday morning gatherings and old traditions. They meet in homes, or in a Coffee house, or around a campfire, or at a hike. They share life togther. They don’t care so much about Church buildings but they care about Jesus and about each other. Even spiritual gifts and the five-fold ministry function well in this relational setting. In fact they were given in the context of a very similar setting in the first place.

[@Bonno1974]

Finally... Thankyou! Bless you!

[@ryanstivers8797]

100%…but they can’t keep the paid career pastor narrative going with that type of “church” Modern church is tied to money, imagine what the going forth of the gospel would look like if it wasn’t tied to finances like it is now?! How many “pastors” would still be pastors if they did it voluntarily and they weren’t the main focus?!

[@debfletcherwins6488]

I gained abundant joy! Sure there's suffering but Jesus takes you through it! And the joy you get is abundant!

[@debfletcherwins6488]

Dear God, let me draw near to you with a true heart! 💙 I need You Lord! Thank you for helping me God!

[@shekiamerriweather5087]

HALLELUJAH! I've been praying about this!

[@debfletcherwins6488]

Thank you Lord for this message!

[@markjames2896]

i trusted he could catch me AMEN

[@phoetic]

Excellent

[@scottking713]

It’s the voices between the verses that keeps the pews full. Ancient Christian Proverb.🤪

[@ELaine-hq2ge]

Thank you for this encouragement❤️

[@kevindavis4709]

Online fellowship can leave you empty-handed if you don’t have no one too fellowship with

[@gedankenvoll7478]

True. But at the same time attending weekly church services can leave you empty- handed as well. In fact Jesus never told his disciples to run a pre-planned meeting on a Sunday morning like a Worship concert and a lecture or perform some weekly ritual. Such formal meetings demand conformity and people have to cooperate and relationships become less important. You can attend such formal meetings for many years, even small formal meetings, without getting to know or caring for others in the group. Or even worse: you can have a conflict with someone in the group and not deal with it for years. The New Testament church was very different from what we call church today. Believers mostly met in a very private setting for about 300 years. When they got together they had very informal gatherings usually over a meal instead of following a certain agenda at a formal pre-planned meeting. A lot of believers would even meet on a daily basis and the focus was on relationships and not performing a certain ritual or following a pre-planned agenda. I think we need to understand that in our time where we are driven by all sorts of church growth strategies and new ideas that come up every now and then.

[@adamwalker2377]

I agree that we should be in community, but what does going to church have to do with "worship"?

[@SaharanKnight1me]

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42 They had 24/7 devotion of the heart, they had learned to take up their crosses daily and to follow Jesus. Thank God, he led me to a church whose pastor lays out the "apostles' teaching" through verse by verse exposition of the Word and challenges us repeatedly throughout that verse by verse teaching through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Thank God, yes, but we really need to work at having fellowship, at stirring up one another. Church traditions have not taught us to do this. Still, there is a simple potluck meal available before and after the simple service, and so most partake of this and have some measure of fellowship. I pray it is a real beginning.

[@SaharanKnight1me]

The word "worship" is apparently not mentioned in the New Testament, and it is not among the four ingredients of the fellowship laid out in Acts 2:42. Worship is an Old Testament concept realized in the temple. Prayer and praise, however, is throughout the whole Bible.

[@prophetandapostleyytzhaq1058]

I was a member op The Church op Christ but many scripture are twisted Yahushua did not die on a friday nor rose on a sunday Dan 9; 26-27 Matt;12;38-41 Matt 28 ;1 die on wednesday rose on shabbath shalom

[@marlynpearson3507]

Stick to the King James version