TITLE: WHY WE WORSHIP TOGETHER
TEXT : Hebrews 10:24-25
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good‑works:
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.
INTRO: Can you imagine going to a baseball game by yourself.
PROP: THE SCRIPTURE ENCOURAGES US TO WORSHIP THE LORD TOGETHER.
INTER: BUT HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED THE REASONS WHY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO WORSHIP‑TOGETHER. THE FIRST AND FOREMOST REASON WE WORSHIP TOGETHER IS TO EXPERIENCE A‑SPECIAL UNVEILING OF THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
I. Connecting with other believers welcomes the presence of God
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am‑I in the midst of them.
1. As we are "gathered together", to‑gather together you have to have a‑place and a time.
a) times of services
2. Christ comes among us in a special‑way as we worship/praise His name.
Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou‑that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
a) Any given service is only as‑dry as is the praise.
TRANS: THE SECOND REASON WE WORSHIP‑TOGETHER IS THE NEED FOR‑RELATIONSHIPS.
II. Connecting with other believers through worship helps us
to stay spiritually secure and encouraged (1 Cor. 12:25-
26;Gal6:1-3)
1 Cor 12:25 That there should be no‑schism in the body; but that the‑members should have the same care one‑for another.
1 Cor 12:26 And whether one member‑suffer, all the members suffer with‑it; or one member be honoured, all the‑members rejoice with it.
1. We all need care, love, nurture.
2. We each need empathy (when‑discouraged)
3. We each desire encouragement
4. We all have to have appreciation
Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be‑overtaken in a fault, ye which are‑spiritual, restore such an one in the‑spirit of meekness; considering‑thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens,‑and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to‑be something, when he is nothing, he‑deceiveth himself.
5. We each need occasional‑assistance, and even forgiveness at‑times, because we all fall short.
a) This verse seems to say the‑first church was abundantly more
open‑than we to one another.
6. We each need answerability
Elijah was lonely and discouraged, because he was not connected with other believers.
He was all alone in the wilderness.
The questions is, “why was he all alone in the wilderness”?
God said that there were 7000 other believers in Israel.
IKing 19:9(KJV)
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the
10 LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
IKing 19:13(KJV)
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
IKing 19:18(KJV)
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
NO TIME FOR PEOPLE: He could have neglected his call to worship with other believers, because he was too busy. (Marriage Supper)
PEOPLE DIDN’T MAKE TIME FOR HIM: Odd man/difficult person…
FEAR OF PEOPLE: Maybe he was afraid of being hurt by people. (Jezebel)
HE UPSET PEOPLE: Maybe people didn’t enjoy being around him. After all, he was very elitist. He had the audacity to tell God that there wasn’t anybody else right but HIM!!!
HOLIER THAN THOU: Felt superior/ more spiritual than everyone else.
SELF RELIANT/GOD AND ME MENTALITY: Maybe he said, “as long as I have God on my side, I don’t need anybody else.”
EGOCENTRICISM: He didn’t see anyone else’s need besides his own.
Believers feel depressed, lonely and spiritually defeated when they become isolated from other believers.
But staying committed to fellowship isn’t easy. To remain committed to other believers, we must maintain the right attitude.
III. Connecting with other believers, requires that we have the right attitude towards one another!
PEOPLE RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER BETTER IN AN ENVIORMENT OF ENCOURAGEMENT
A. The apostle Paul wrote an encouraging letter to the new believers in the Greek city of Thessalonica. I find most people are starving for a word of appreciation and encouragement. (EMOTIONAL AIR)
Here is a quick summary of what he communicated to these believers:
“We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers” (1:2).
We are “constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father” (v. 3).
We know about your love of God, and that you are chosen of God (v. 4).
“You also became imitators of us and of the Lord” (v. 6).
“You became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia” (v. 7).
Moreover, “the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you . . . into every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything” (v. 8). People all up and down the Egnatian Way know of your testimony.
We hear about your testimony from many people. You turned from idols “to serve the living and true God” (v. 9).
You “wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised form the dead, this Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come” (v. 10).
B. After saying all of these wonderful things about the people at Thessalonica, Paul was careful to explain in chapter two, verses one through five that he had not said any of these things in an attempt to flatter anyone.
IV. Connecting with other believers has a lot to do with having our heart in the right place
A. If we love God, we will love people! Great 2nd commandment is a natural progression.
I Jn 4:7-8(KJV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Col 3:12-15
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
B. WHEN WE HAVE GOD'S LOVE IN OUR HEART, OUR LOVE CARRIES OVER TO OTHERS BY WAY OF GOOD WILL AND KIND ACTIONS.
BUILD A BRIDGE FOR OTHERS
An old man, traveling a lone highway, Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim - The sullen stream had no fear for him;
But he turned, when safe on the other side, And built a bridge to span the tide.
"Old man," said a pilgrim standing near, "You are wasting your strength in building
here;
Your journey will end with the closing day; You never again will pass this way.
Why build this bridge at eventide?"
The builder lifted his old gray head: "Good friend, in the path I've come," he said,
"There followeth after me today, A youth whose feet must pass this way;
The chasm that has been as naught to me, To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He too must cross in the twilight dim- Good friend, I'm building this bridge for him."
