1. A History of Bible Assemblies
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2. A History of Bible Assemblies
1. Jacob and his sons Gen. 49:1 2. Moses, Aaron, and Israel’s elders Ex. 4:29 3. Sabbath (holy convocation) Lev. 23:3 4. Moses to all Israel (Deut. 1:3) 5. Teaching priests, Levites 2 Chron. 17: Ezra Ezra 10: The first day of the week Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10 8. Regularly, more than weekly Acts 2:46a 9. Occasionally, per need Acts 6:2; 14:27
1. Jacob and his sons Gen. 49:1
A. Jacob’s last day on earth (48:21; 49:33)
B. He gathered them together and prophesied about the future of their families.
2. Moses, Aaron, and Israel’s elders Ex. 4:29 (12:21; 19:7; Lev. 9:1)
A. On several occasions, God gave Moses instructions and so Moses called the leaders of Israel together instead of waiting until the next assembly God had commanded.
B. This was one way that important matters affecting all of the people was spread.
3. Sabbath (holy convocation) Lev. 23:3
A. The Sabbath day is most well-known as a day of rest for Israel.
B. It was also a day of holy convocations.
i. “something called out, i.e. a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the place); also a rehearsal:--assembly, calling, convocation, reading.” (Strong #04744)
ii. in Acts 15:21, James says that Jews met (assembled) in every city on the Sabbath for Scripture reading
iii. In Lk. 4, Jesus is in the synagogue [= assembly] on the Sabbath and leads by reading.
iv. this was a day of assembly for Israel (though not every detail of those assemblies was revealed)
4. Moses to all Israel (Deut. 1:3)
A. God told Moses what to say, but Moses did not wait until the Sabbath or one of the other days of assembly.
B. In an assembly that may have lasted several days, Moses reviewed their past, reaffirmed the present covenant, and warned of the future disobedience.
C. What would have kept you from this assembly? a game/concert, guests, etc?
5. Teaching priests, Levites 2 Chron. 17:7-9
A. This was a specific effort to teach in Israel in addition to the family responsibility (Deut. 6) and the occasions of teaching occurring at the various feasts.
B. The Levites also had 48 cities throughout Israel (Num. 35), who were to provide ongoing teaching.
C. We are not told how or when they did this teaching, but they could not have taught each family individually—at least some teaching had to be done by the Hebrews assembling in the cities.
D. Why didn’t other kings think to do this?

3. Lessons For You & Our Assemblies
Assemblies are common to man
- God called His people an assembly (church)
- God revealed an assembly for all His people (Rev. 1:10; Acts 20:7)
- God permits leaders to call those they lead together (Acts 6:2; 1 Pet. 5:5)
I. A common tool of man and God for His people
A. People have been assembling for thousands of years
1. In our culture that is in love with new and technology, learn to value this ancient, simple practice.
2. it is no accident that church means “assembly”—we are the assembly of Christ.
B. revealed certain assemblies for all His people (1 Cor. 11:18; Acts 20:7; Rev. 1:10)
C. permitted leaders to call additional assemblies of the ones they lead, in OT and NT (Acts 6:2; 1 Pet. 5:5)

4. Lessons For You & Our Assemblies
2. Require common purpose for success Jn. 4:23; Heb. 10:24-25
II. Require a common purpose for success
- just as true for Jacob and his children, Moses and Isr, and Ezra as it is for us.
A. Jn. 4:23 our purpose is to offer what God is looking for
B. Heb. 10:24-25 our purpose is to stir up, exhort each other
C. Every time you assemble with these purposes in your mind, you will accomplish what you came to do.
1. Is it meaningful, worthwhile for you to know you offered what God wanted? Do you think about that?
2. Is it meaningful, worthwhile for you to know you offered what God’s people needed? ‘’ ‘’?
D. One reason many find worship to be so boring is because their purpose in coming is not the same as the purpose for which the assembly is designed (see friends, please family, maintain an image before men, be entertained)—in each assembly, we must come together for a common purpose!

5. Lessons For You & Our Assemblies
3. Require a place that fits the purpose - Do we have authority to own a building? Heb. 10:24-25; Jn. 4:21
III. Require a place that is suitable for the purpose of the assembly
A. Sometimes Christians have asked “Since the Bible is silent about a church owning a building, why do we do it?”—a fair question that we must ask about anything we do: “why?”
B. God is specific about whether or not we assemble Heb. 10:25 (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 5:4; 16:2)
C. God is general (silent about the specifics) about where we assemble, permitting any place Jn. 4:21
D. God is general (silent about the specifics) about who owns the property where we assemble, permitting any arrangement.
1. Who owned the temple where the saints met daily in Acts 2:46a?
2. Who owned the water where 3,000 were baptized—does it matter?
3. God is general about the location and arrangements of where saints meet, letting each congregation work together and meet in the place that is best for them while they do what He has commanded them to do—it is a tool
E. Let the place be consistent with the purpose
1. —which are? heat, hot chocolate, coffee mug, cup for LS, restroom, gameroom, nursery, playground, Bible class, math class.
2. when a church uses God’s name to offer things which are unrelated to God’s purpose for the church, they have departed from God’s plan for the church.

6. Lessons For You & Our Assemblies
3. Require a place that fits the purpose - Do we have authority to own a building? Heb. 10:24-25; Jn. 4:21 - Do we use the building consistent with the purpose that permits us to own it?
III. Require a place that is suitable for the purpose of the assembly
A. Sometimes Christians have asked “Since the Bible is silent about a church owning a building, why do we do it?”—a fair question that we must ask about anything we do: “why?”
B. God is specific about whether or not we assemble Heb. 10:25 (Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 5:4; 16:2)
C. God is general (silent about the specifics) about where we assemble, permitting any place Jn. 4:21
D. God is general (silent about the specifics) about who owns the property where we assemble, permitting any arrangement.
1. Who owned the temple where the saints met daily in Acts 2:46a?
2. Who owned the water where 3,000 were baptized—does it matter?
3. God is general about the location and arrangements of where saints meet, letting each congregation work together and meet in the place that is best for them while they do what He has commanded them to do—it is a tool
E. Let the place be consistent with the purpose
1. —which are? heat, hot chocolate, coffee mug, cup for LS, restroom, gameroom, nursery, playground, Bible class, math class.
2. when a church uses God’s name to offer things which are unrelated to God’s purpose for the church, they have departed from God’s plan for the church.
Heat
Nursery
Gameroom
Hot chocolate
Restroom
Playground
Cup for Lord’s Supper
Math class
Mug for coffee
Bible class

7. Lessons For You & Our Assemblies
4. Way to meet common needs A. Efficient by God’s design 1 Jn. 5:3 (Deut. 6:24; Mt. 11:28-30); Heb. 10:24-25
IV. Meet variety of needs
A. Meeting many needs at once (mine, yours, theirs, ours)
1. Jacob called his sons together for his comfort and their comfort, not meeting with them one by one.
2. Moses could not meet with each Israelite one by one
3. For the church, many needs are stated, obvious (Jn. 4:24; Heb. 10:24; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 5:4; 14:15; 16:2)
4. A blessing, not a burden 1 Jn. 5:3 (Deut. 6:24; Mt. 11:28-30)
a. God’s plan is not a burden but rescues us from burdens, before-during-after those burdens
b. forsaking (intentional absence despite being able) the assembling of ourselves is sin Heb. 10:24-25
B. striving together Phil. 1:27 we must view our assemblies as one way we strive together, like--
1. a body 1 Cor. 12
a. v26 it is one way we share each other’s sorrows and joys
b. v not everyone has the same ability but everyone has a role that affects the entire body.
i. persistence to come despite obstacles, assisting others, public leading, personal greetings and interest
ii. do others notice what you seek to offer? possibly. Does God notice? certainly.
2. a family 1 Tim. 3:15 people studying our culture often talk about the importance, and common absence, of “family time” and our assemblies are God’s way of gathering His family together.
3. an army Eph. 6:10 we all face daily battles—this is one way we learn to fight
4. a kingdom Eph. 2:19
5. an assembly (church) )

8. Lessons For You & Our Assemblies
4. Way to meet common needs B. Striving together Phil. 1:27

9. A History of Bible Assemblies
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