- Local churches are authorized to provide for worship and edification.
- The local church is a group we can rely on for mutual encouragement as we serve God together.
- We certainly can (and should!) grow spiritually or our own as individuals (II Peter 3:17-18).
- But even in secular things, we recognize the benefit of a group.
- e.g. Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous, even atheist mega-churches!
- God designed the local church so that we would routinely come together with like-minded people to worship and work together and encourage one another.
- Acts 20:7 – They gathered on the first day of the week to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
- I Corinthians 11:18,20,27
- I Corinthians 16:1-2 – Paul instructed them to put aside and save on the first day of every week.
- Hebrews 10:24-26 – We have a duty to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, but some back then had a habit of forsaking such assembling.
- I Corinthians 14:26 – The Corinthian church had gotten off track, but a local church assembling together is intended to provide an opportunity for worshiping God together and mutual edification.
- Questions for thought: if we didn’t meet together, do you suppose you…
- Would sing quite as much on your own each week?
- Would know about and send support to preachers in other places?
- Would study as much?
- Would know about and have as many opportunities to encourage others?
- Acts 20:7 – They gathered on the first day of the week to partake of the Lord’s Supper.
- The local church is a group we can rely on for mutual encouragement as we serve God together.
DW
November 13, 2013
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