The Purpose of Assembling

As we saw in lesson one of this series, the idea of being “assembled together” is far greater than we have supposed from the traditions of the Institutional Church. It is greater than simply “going to Church” or even gathering in a home for a meal and fellowship. There is spiritual function involved in being assembled together. As a whole, I think that we have failed in this. We can see that we fall short just from what is mentioned in Hebrews with the verses associated with “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”.

Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV

(24) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

(25) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

According to these couple of verses, there are three things that we should be doing as the people of God: 1) let us consider one another; 2) let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together; 3) let us exhort one another.

1. Let us consider one another.

“Consider” means to observe carefully, to take careful note of one another's condition. It is the same word used in Hebrews 3:1 about “consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession”. This is a deeper relationship than a hello and handshake at the doorway. When we truly “consider one another” there is a result, an outcome that affects who we are and what we do.

The reason we “consider” is “in order to”, The New American Standard Bible says that we “consider how to stimulate”. By doing this we learn how to stir up or stimulate love and good works in each other. This is part of our spiritual duty, an obligation that we have to the Lord and to the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:16 NKJV

(16) from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

We each have a supply that is necessary to the Body that helps us to be joined and knitted together. We each must do our share. That is the way that the Body organically grows and the way that the Body is built up in love.

Our individual spiritual life becomes a corporate life expression of Jesus. As long as it is “me and Jesus” it is easy to be spiritual. But, as the Lord begins to place us with others, things begin to get complicated and seem to become decidedly “un-spiritual”. We learn how to give and receive help as we “consider one another”.

We don't “naturally” love one another—at least not with God's kind of love. Love has to be “stirred up”, “stimulated” in order to come forth. This is an absolute necessity for us. It is the mark of a circumsized heart because the world knows we belong to Him because we love one another, which means that there is a visible demonstration of love that others can see.

John 13:34-35 NKJV

(34) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

(35) By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Jesus repeatedly commanded us to love one another. This love is expressed in the Body relationships. These types of relationships cannot be developed in a typical Institutional Church service or even in the auxiliary meetings. They can only be developed by spending time together in the presence of the Lord, which brings us to the next aspect of Hebrews 10:24 and 25.

2. Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.

I don't want to repeat Lesson One here, so you might want to re-read that lesson. The meaning of the phrase is “parts brought together, collected to be put together, assembled”. There is a spiritual goal in mind each time that we come together as the people of God. The Assembly, the Ekklesia, is the “ones called out” by the Holy Spirit and it is also the “ones called together” by the Holy Spirit.

There are aspects of our coming to maturity that cannot be accomplished without us being “assembled together”. The things spoken above about “considering” can only be applied in a corporate gathering and as we saw, we are “joined and knit together”. That is a two-step process—joined is coming together in relationship and knit is being bound, secured together, by the Holy Spirit. It is a time intensive process that requires commitment, endurance, and change on our part.

In the Scriptures we have an organic picture of being assembled as a body; but, we also have an architectural picture of being built together. This is so that we can receive a full understanding of what the Lord means.

1 Peter 2:4-5 NKJV

(4) Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,

(5) you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

This is “assembly” in its true meaning—God is building something out of the parts. There is purpose, intent, behind all that God is doing. This has been pre-determined and it is not our place to change any aspect of the building process.

Ephesians 2:20-22 NKJV

(20) having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

(21) in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

(22) in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

As living stones, we have been dug up from the quarry of the world and made alive by the Spirit of Christ. We have been cleaned up by the washing of water by the Word. We have been shaped up by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Now, we are being built up into a Holy Temple in the Lord, a dwelling place for our God.

God's intent in all of this cannot be achieved by simply piling up stones. This is what is happening with the Institutional Church—sheds have been built to house piles of stones. The sheds, themselves, are of no spiritual value—they are only an artificial construct. A mega-church is simply a larger pile of stones in a bigger shed. Piles of stones are of no practical value—they have to be built into something; they have to be assembled to be worthwhile.

We need to forsake the shed with the pile of stones in order to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Isn't is amazing that the organizations that have condemned us in the past for “forsaking the assembly” actually prevent us from being assembled!

3. Let us exhort one another.

The Greek word that is translated “exhort” has a much broader meaning. This is how Thayer's Greek Definitions define it:

Thayer Definition:

1) to call to one’s side, call for, summon

2) to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.

2a) to admonish, exhort

2b) to beg, entreat, beseech

2b1) to strive to appease by entreaty

2c) to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort

2c1) to receive consolation, be comforted

2d) to encourage, strengthen

2e) exhorting and comforting and encouraging

2f) to instruct, teach

As you can see, the meaning of the word includes exhort, comfort, console, encourage, strengthen, instruct and teach. Therefore, the meaning of the word can only be applied in a corporate context and is included when we “assemble” and “consider” as we have discussed earlier in this lesson.

Paul uses this word in Colossians 2:2 when he says, “that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, ...” and also in his letter to the Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NKJV

(11) Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.

In both cases, it is tied to the idea of the corporate body that is knit together in love and edified by our comforting one another.

As the people of God, these three things from Hebrews 10: 24 and 25 are required of us. They should be important to us as we come together. However, it becomes obvious that for us to fulfill the Word and actually do these three things, requires us to gather in a manner that would allow it to take place. It would also require the direction of the Holy Spirit to administrate these things to provide an orderly manner for them to be accomplished.

It cannot be done in the Institutional Church. The order, structure, method, and type of gathering that is done in the Institutional Church will not allow the direction of the Holy Spirit to bring this about nor the freedom of the people to minister to one another.

That means that it requires us to provide a venue where this can be done. We have to locate, or allow the Lord to create, a type of gathering where the Holy Spirit leads and the people are intimately involved with each other and the Lord. Then, let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together.