Our Public Assemblies

A Closer Walk With God

Our Public Assemblies

In our last study, we noted that being a Christian involves both blessings and responsibilities. One of the blessings as well as an important responsibility for the Christian is the practice of assembling regularly with other Christians. We have an example of Christians assembling in Ac 20:7 "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight." We have an explicit command not to forsake our assembling together - He 10:25 "not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." The purpose of our assembling is threefold... To express praise and devotion to God and Christ. To exhort and encourage our brethren to greater service - He 10:24-25 "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." And to receive such encouragement ourselves.

In this study, we shall:

Briefly remark concerning the activities that we engage in during our assemblies.

See how every activity is designed to accomplish the threefold purpose described above.

Suggest how we can get the most out of our public assemblies.

The activities within our assemblies includes prayer. We have several examples of group prayer in the early church - Ac 4:23-24 "When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,"; 12:5 "So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.", 12 "When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying."

The value of such prayer is implied in Ja 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (if such is true concerning the prayer of one righteous man, how much more the prayers of many righteous?). The value of all prayer is seen further in Ph 4:6-7 "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Thus prayer not only blesses (praises) God, but also blesses (benefits) those who pray! HINT: To get the most out of public prayers, make them your own! In your heart, tell the Lord you agree with what is being said by the one leading the prayer. Don't hesitate to offer a hearty "Amen!" if you agree.

The activities within our assemblies includes singing. Commands to sing can be found in Ep 5:19 "addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart,"; Co 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."; He 13:15 "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." Notice where the emphasis lies: On praising God. On teaching one another. On making melody "in your hearts". So the emphasis is not on how we sound, but on what we say and how we feel. Therefore, pay more attention to the words rather than the melody. Concentrate on engaging the mind and heart, and not just the mouth. HINT: To get more out singing in public, sing often in private! - Ja 5:13 "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise."

The activities within our assemblies includes teaching and preaching the word of God. Teaching or preaching of the Word of God was part of public worship in the early church - Ac 20:7 "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight." For it is by the Word of God that we can grow spiritually - 1 Pe 2:2 "Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation--". How we listen to the proclamation of God's Word is an indication of our devotion to God. We should be quick to hear what God's Word has to say - Ja 1:18-19 "Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;". It is important to receive God's Word with a proper attitude of meekness and willingness to receive it - Ja 1:21 "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls"; Mk 4:23-25 "If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."' HINT: As with singing, the more we study the Word in private, the more we get out of it in the public assemblies!

The activities within our assemblies includes the Lord's Supper. This is also called: the "breaking of bread" - Ac 2:42 "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."; 20:7 "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight." It is also called "Communion" - 1 Co 10:16 "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" It is a memorial feast instituted by Jesus Himself - 1 Co 11:23-26 "For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." In it we remember the sinless body offered on the cross in our place; the blood shed to provide forgiveness for our sins. Done faithfully, we proclaim our faith in the efficacy of the Lord's death. It should be done with all seriousness and appropriateness - 1 Co 11:27-29 "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself." It should be done in a manner worthy of the One we are remembering; a time also to reflect upon our relationship with Him who died for us. Done properly it honors Jesus ("This do, in remembrance of Me"). It renews us to greater faithfulness - 1 Co 11:28-32 "Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world." It strengthens our oneness in the body of Christ - 1 Co 10:17 "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread." We continually share in the "body and blood of the Lord" - 1 Co 10:16 "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?" Not literally, perhaps referring to a continual communion with the benefits of that sacrifice (in other words, forgiveness). HINT: Reading passages like Isaiah 53, Psalms 22, and the Gospel records of Christ's suffering and death while partaking of the Supper can help keep our minds focused on what we are doing.

When we continue this lesson we will look at one additional activity within our assemblies that includes the collection. We will also look at how we can get the most out of our assemblies.