Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20), Luke 22:7-207Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 11And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12And he shall show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:7‑20), and Revelation 3:7-137And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:7‑13) have shown us that God has a place—an ecclesiological ground of gathering principles upon which He would have Christians to meet for worship, ministry, and fellowship. The Apostle Paul called it, "the Lord’s Table" (1 Cor. 10:2121Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. (1 Corinthians 10:21)). This term, as we have mentioned earlier, symbolizes a fellowship (of which a table speaks) which the Lord has formed, and to which He has called all Christians (1 Cor. 1:99God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9)), where His authority is recognized and bowed to in administrative matters (Matt. 18:18-1918Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:18‑19); 1 Cor. 5:44In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Corinthians 5:4)). These same three Scriptures (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20), Luke 22:7-207Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 11And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12And he shall show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. 13And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 14And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:7‑20), and Rev. 3:7-137And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:7‑13)) also indicate that there is a divine Gatherer (the Holy Spirit) who leads exercised believers to that place of His appointment. This should be a great encouragement to every person who is seeking to find the place where the Lord is in the midst. If we are truly and honestly seeking God’s way, the Spirit of God will guide us to the divine Center—Christ in the midst. Let us go back over these three passages again to see this.
Let us turn again to Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) and focus on another part of the verse: “Where two or three are gathered together...” The Spirit is not directly mentioned in this passage, but it is clear from these words that He is the power behind believers being gathered to the Lord’s name. The Lord did not say, “Where two or three come together,” or “meet together,” as some modern translations render it. “Are gathered” is a passive voice in the original Greek, and this points to the fact that there has been a power outside of the people themselves that has been involved in their meeting together on that ground. This shows that the divine ground of gathering is not a voluntary association of believers. It’s true that there should be personal exercise and energy on the part of those who are gathered by the Spirit to be found there at the place where Christ is in the midst, but ultimately, He is the One who gathers.
Hamilton Smith said, “To use a simple illustration, I see a basket of fruit on the table. How did it get there? It was gathered together; it did not get there by its own efforts. The word for ‘gathered together’ in the Greek is ‘sunago’ which literally means ‘to lead together,’ and could be translated, ‘are guided together’—all of which suggests a Gatherer.”
J. N. Darby said, “He [Christ] is the only centre of gathering. Men may make confederations amongst themselves, having many things for their object or aim, but the communion of saints cannot be known unless each line converges towards the living Centre. The Holy Ghost does not gather saints around mere views, however true they may be, upon that which the Church is, upon that which it has been, or that which it may be on earth, but He always gathers them around that blessed Person, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ‘Where two or three are gathered together in [unto] My name, there am I in the midst of them.’”
Luke 22:7-107Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. (Luke 22:7‑10) supports the fact that there is a divine Gatherer. It says, “When ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.” The Spirit of God is seen here in the figure of “a man” bearing a pitcher of water. Many times in Scripture the Spirit of God is seen as an unnamed man working behind the scenes. This is because it is not the object of the Spirit of God to draw attention to Himself (John 16:13-1413Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. (John 16:13‑14)), and it’s the reason why He is not directly mentioned in Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20). He does not take a place of prominence in Christianity, but He works behind the scenes guiding exercised souls to that Scriptural ground where Christ is in the midst of those thus gathered. In this case, He led the disciples to the place of the Lord’s appointment where they could be with Him for the supper. “Water” in Scripture often signifies the Word of God (Eph. 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26); John 15:33Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3)). Thus, we learn that the Spirit of God uses the principles of the Word of God to guide believers to the place of the Lord’s appointment.
Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) emphasizes God’s sovereign work in our being gathered by the Spirit, but Luke 22:8-128And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. 9And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? 10And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. 11And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 12And he shall show you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. (Luke 22:8‑12) focuses more on what is required of us in being guided by the Spirit to the place:
• Firstly, we need to have a sincere desire to know where the place of His appointment is. This is illustrated in Peter and John inquiring of the Lord, “Where wilt thou that we prepare?”
• Secondly, there needs to be the energy of faith to go into the city and be exercised about being led to the place. This is illustrated in the words, “And they went ... ” (vs. 13).
• Thirdly, there is the exercise of climbing the stairs of separation to the “upper room” (vs. 12). This would imply leaving behind every connection with the world—both secular and religious.
• Fourthly, having been directed to the place of His appointment, there is the exercise of making “ready” (vs. 12). This would refer to our need of being in a spiritual state of soul suited to His presence. We make ready our souls through self-judgment (1 Cor. 11:2828But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (1 Corinthians 11:28)).
Revelation 2-3
These two chapters also imply the work of the Spirit of God in guiding us in the path in regard to the truth of the Church. It is seen in the words, “What the Spirit saith to the churches”—mentioned seven times in those chapters (chap. 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22). The Spirit of God is speaking in the Christian profession, and He will be on earth doing that until the Lord comes. Our responsibility is to “hear” His voice and follow His directions. If we are sensitive to His leading, He will bring us to an understanding of the Church. The Spirit of God will guide a prayerful Christian.
Who else could the Lord entrust with the gathering of His people together unto His name but the Spirit of God! The best-intentioned men have sought to gather the Lord’s people together and have made a thorough mess of it. Being ignorant of the truth of gathering in the Scriptures, they have shunted them into denominational sects and groups and have encouraged them to go to “the church of their choice.” The result is that Christians have been scattered in a thousand directions. This surely is not the work of the Holy Spirit.
God Uses Human Instruments
The Spirit may use a human instrument in this work of guiding believers in the way of the truth. He may allow someone who knows the truth of gathering to pass that truth on to a person who is seeking the place, and thus instruct him in “the way of God more perfectly” (Acts 18:24-2624And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. (Acts 18:24‑26)). In this regard, we want to be ready instruments in the hand of the Lord, “prepared unto every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21, 24-2621If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21)
24And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:24‑26)).
All of the truth is for all of the Church. We are to make it available to every seeker. We should be “ready always to give an answer to every man” who asks “a reason of the hope” that is in us (1 Peter 3:1515But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15)). But we need to be careful in this work. We are not to try to do the Spirit of God’s work in gathering Christians to the Lord’s name. W. T. P. Wolston warned, “Don't pitchfork your converts into the assembly.” We need to be in communion with the Lord as to when and how we give the truth of gathering to someone. By indiscriminately spreading the truth of the assembly to everyone we meet, we might inadvertently give what is “holy unto the dogs” and cast “pearls” before “swine” (Matt. 7:66Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Matthew 7:6)). A “swine” in Scripture is often used to describe a false professor. A “pearl” in Scripture refers to the assembly (Matt. 13:45-4645Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:45‑46)). And this truth is exclusively Church property. Truth concerning the assembly must be disseminated carefully.
One reason we should be careful in this matter is that it's possible to force the truth on people when they are not ready for it. Sometimes we can be too eager to give people the truth of the assembly that it turns into an argument. We need to give them time to consider it, and pray that the Lord will lead them. J. N. Darby said that he had never tried to coerce anyone into the path that he was walking (being gathered to the Lord’s name) who had not the faith or the conviction for it. May we be guided by the Lord in this service.
God’s Center of Gathering on Earth Today
So then, is there a divine center of gathering for Christians on earth? Yes, Scripture teaches that there is. Where is it then? Now that is for each Christian to search out and find. The Lord said, “Seek, and ye shall find” (Luke 11:99And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (Luke 11:9)). God wants us to be exercised about it and to seek the Lord for guidance, just as Peter and John did when they asked the Lord “where” He wanted them to be (Luke 22:99And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? (Luke 22:9)). “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” (Prov. 25:22It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)). The answer as to who has the Lord’s Table is—the Lord! It is His Table, and He is leading exercised believers to it.
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Having completed our profile of a Scripturally gathered assembly, our wish is to place it in the hands of those who are truly exercised about these things, and have the Lord guide them to the place of His appointment, so that they might know the joy of His presence in the midst of those whom He has gathered to His name.