Forsake Not the Assembly

Hebrews 10:25 – “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.”

I heard once of a complacent Christian who prayed the following prayer: “Almighty God, as I sit here this lovely Sunday morning surrounded by the paper and half listening to one of the big preachers over the radio, it has just come to me that I have lied to thee and to myself.  I said I was not well enough to go to church.  That was not true.  I would have gone to the office if it had been Monday morning.  I would have played golf if it had been Wednesday afternoon.  I would have attended my lunch club if it had met this noon.  But it is Sunday morning, and Sunday sickness seems to cover a multitude of sins.  God, have mercy on me, I have lied to thee and myself.  I am not sick, I am lazy. Amen.”  Ernest H. Gross, Sr. once said, “When it is too cold for a man to go to church but not too cold for him to go to work, he is a warm worker but a cold church member.”    

Why exactly did God command that we not forsake the assembling of ourselves together?  Lenin said that “religion is the opiate of the people.”  Did the command to assemble come about only so that the church could control its people more easily as Lenin suggests.  No, I think not.  The answer to that question is actually in the same verse with the command – “but exhorting one another.”  We meet to encourage each other.

We meet together to encourage each other against worldliness.  In this old world, it’s such a struggle to get by.  We are bombarded on every side by worldliness.  So it would be so easy for the child of God to get discouraged and down in the spiritual dumps or worse to be tainted with the defilements of this world.  But the strength that getting together brings is an encouragement to all.  We strengthen each other as we meet together.  Through instruction – through fellowship – through testifying – through the preaching of God’s Word – we get strengthened to fight the onslaughts of the world.

We meet together to encourage each other in waiting.  He says “So much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”  Christ’s return is right around the corner.  We’re closer to it than we’ve ever been.  Oh, you say, I’ve heard that all my life and life goes on as usual.  So we get discouraged in waiting.  1 Thessalonians 4 tells us about the rapture of the church.  Paul concludes the chapter by saying, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  So in our verse, Paul tells us to get together to encourage each other to hold fast in faith and keep looking up – “Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and the Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:13).

We meet together to encourage each other in worship.  Our thrice holy God desires for us to worship Him, praise Him, fellowship with Him.  Ephesians 5:18-19 tells us to “be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  As we gather together, we fulfill that command and lift up our voices in worship and praise and adoration to Him who provided us with life, liberty, salvation, and continual blessings.

Quote – “‘Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together’ is as much Bible as ‘Thou shalt not steal.’” – Anonymous

"Lord, Thank you for our church - our assembly - our place of worship. And Lord, I know the building is not what's important - it's the group of people that assembles in that building.  Help us Lord to be joyful in meeting together with those of like precious faith.  Amen."