YP Sing Address—N. Simon
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Well, I thank you for, uh, praying for us. I really do need it. So you can continue to pray for me in your seats. Now, I have a subject that is could be very lengthy. It could take a whole hour if we had the time. I don't and I don't intend to take an hour of your time. So we're going to move very swiftly through it. It's a question that was sent my way recently. It originated with a young person, but I didn't get it from a young person.
And the question is, what is the purpose of the local assembly?
Well, I suppose that that question could be interpreted in a number of different ways, but I meditated upon it and I put some notes together and I actually spoke to our local young people in Denver, uh, one evening about it. And, uh, that was helpful because I could revise my thoughts a little more. So what you're about to hear tonight is a product of.
A month or two of thinking on the subject, but I I'm not saying that I have the sole answer to that question, but first of all, before we begin, we have to ask ourselves what is the local assembly?
You know, it's critical, young people, that you understand what the church is from God's perspective, not from the perspective of what you see around you, what you feel. Suppose you would ask me, could you describe what a castle is? And I was to stop by saying, well, it's a building of large blocks of stone, and some are tumbled down on the ground, and there's no roof. And surrounding it, there's sometimes a dip that's nicely grassed over. And as you approach it, there's a place that you pay to enter. You go. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute.
What are you describing? You're not describing what a castle is, you're describing what a ruin of a castle is.
And if you look at round U today and Christendom, what you're going to see is a ruin.
And so it's absolutely vital that if you want to understand what the church is, that you see it from the Word of God, from God's perspective.
From God's perspective. So as I said, we're going to move very swiftly.
So first of all, what is the local assembly? First Corinthians chapter 12.
First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 27.
Now ye that is you Corinthians Saints. Paul is writing a letter.
He says to them, Ye are Christ's body.
And members in particular.
He doesn't say what you read in the King James. You are the body.
Of Christ, because clearly the Corinthian Saints were not the body of Christ, because that would have taken into account the Saints in Ephesus.
In Colossi and Thessalonica would have taken into account Christians everywhere.
But the assembly in current were those believers in that location, and that was God's original plan.
Originally, the local assembly was simply the believers at a location.
And we have no other authority to establish assembly at any location other than that principle. Now we do not say today that the assembly at Shadow Hills is the body or is Christ's body at Shadow Hills, because there are believers that are elsewhere, meet elsewhere for various reasons. But we still meet on that principle, the principle that there is indeed one body and that we should give practical expression to that. And there is no other principle.
On which we can come together to meet as a local assembly.
But keep that in mind as we talk. The local assembly originally, as God would have had it, was simply the believers at a location.
OK, So what? That's what is the local assembly. But now what is the purpose of the local assembly? Well, let's look at some verses in Deuteronomy 12.
Deuteronomy 12 begins talking to the children of Israel, and this is instruction by Moses to the children of Israel who are about to enter the land of Canaan. These are the statutes and judgments which ye shall observe.
Verse two. You shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess serve their gods.
Upon the high mountains, upon the hills, everything is plural. You shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn down their graves, and so on. Verse four. Ye shall not do so unto Jehovah your God, but under the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name, there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come. Verse 11. Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there.
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Thither that shall ye bring all that I command you, your burnt offerings, and so forth, if we turn over.
To the 16th chapter in the 16th verse it says three times in a year.
So all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose in the feast of Unleavened bread, and so forth. So in.
Uh, Israel? There was one place where the Lord had placed his name.
And three times a year, every male was to go up to that one location that was not a plurality of locations.
There was one place where he had placed his name.
Now that would be awfully inconvenient for us today, wouldn't it? Because that place was Jerusalem. We couldn't suddenly decide, well, Los Angeles is as good as Jerusalem, let's just meet in Los Angeles and decide that the Lord has placed his name there.
So when Christianity came, what's the principle on which we meet? The principle is not different. Uh, Matthew 18.
Matthew 18.
Verse 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, or unto my name.
There am I in the midst of them. So we have this promise that the Lord has given us, that if we are gathered and we are gathered, by the power of the Spirit of God, birds gather, eggs are gathered. And so it's not something that we form and decide that the Lord is there in the midst, but by the Spirit of God we are gathered unto His name. And if we are so gathered, we have the promise of the Lord in the midst. We don't have to go to Jerusalem.
Jehovah was seen as dwelling in the temple. That was where it was seen. When the Tabernacle went through the wilderness, he was seen as dwelling there.
In the Tabernacle, in the midst of that congregation. And so the first purpose, if I could put it that way, as a local assembly is that is where the Lord has promised to be in the midst. And unless, dear young people, you grasp that, why go to the local assembly? Why not go anywhere? It doesn't matter. And the Lord's presence is promised. His personal presence is promised. And the end of Luke when the two on the way to Emmaus that says the Lord drew near and went with them.
And Christians everywhere, myself individually, and you can say that we have a personal presence of the Lord going with us in that sense.
Individually, but this is a collective thing. Paul, we would look at this chapter if we don't run out of time in first Corinthians five, he wasn't in currents, but he could cite of the Corinthians. I will be there in spirit. The Lord doesn't say that he would be there in spirit. He says where two or three had gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst of them.
What is the another purpose of the local assembly?
Well, let's look at John, the chapter we have taken up in Reading John Chapter 17.
So the first purpose.
Is the is the place where the Lord is in the midst and John 17 verse 21.
The Lord is praying as we've had. He's speaking to the Father and we are permitted to hear what He says. It says in verse 21 That they all may be one.
As thou Father hought in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in US.
That the world may believe that thou hast sent me. The life and nature of the believer drives so truly from the Son and the Father, that God says we out.
One in us, God speaking both Jew and Gentile.
Brought together in one family, we don't really have the body of Christ in John 17, but brought together into one family, it was a powerful testimony to the world at that time.
Of the work of Christ.
We look around us in Christ, and today we see everything divided.
What a what a testimony that is to the world. That doesn't mean to say that. We just say, oh, well, it's all in ruins, so it doesn't matter.
Paul goes further. Ephesians 3.
John speaks to the family of God. Paul brings in the body.
Ephesians 3.
Verse six, that the Gentiles, that is the Gentiles together with the Jews, should be Co heirs, a Co body and Co partakers. In the Greek they're the same form of the word, just as I said it, like coheirs, Co body, Co partakers, Mr. Davis's joint heirs, joint body, joint partakers. Back to First Corinthians 12.
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1St Corinthians 12, verse 12. Now here in the beginning of verse 12, he's speaking about the human body.
Whereas the human body is one has many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body. So also is.
The Christ, Christ's body, No. For by 1 Spirit we all baptized into one body.
Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit, so the Church of God should have been seen in this world as a manifestation of the Christ. And so the local assembly, even if it's a day of ruin, can still in a limited way give practical expression to the one body, the body of Christ, another purpose of the local assembly.
Go back a chapter and first, well you put your finger back one chapter. First Corinthians 11 but I want to read a verse in Acts chapter 20.
Acts Chapter 20.
Verse seven upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break.
Bread OK First Corinthians 11.
Verse 23 For I have received the Lord, that which I also delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he'd break it.
And said take, eat. This is my body which is broken for you. This do in remembrance of Maine after the same manner also he took the cup when he had stopped saying this cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as often as he drink it in remembrance of me. And you don't have to turn back. And I read you a verse in John chapter 4.
In John chapter 4, the Lord speaking to the woman at the well, he says.
But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeketh such.
To worship him, the breaking of bread, the remembrance of the Lord is a worship meeting. It says to do this in remembrance of me. It doesn't say do this to Remember Me. What's the difference? Well, a memorial is held to commemorate some person, usually when in this world who has died, is to commemorate the person who has died. And the remembrance of the Lord is not to remind us as if we've forgotten.
But it's.
Too worship bring to worship the Father, to bring before the Father the Lord Jesus Christ and what He has done, and it should flow from our hearts in response to what He has done for us. But it's not a meeting where we go to remember what He has done for us. Worship flows because out of us, because of what He's done for us.
That's an important distinction to make.
But as you look through our hymns, you'll find that there's always a blend. The hymns that we enjoyed this morning together, there is that which touches what He has done for us. And then you have the response. Our hearts going out in praise and worship to the Father, exalting the Son.
So worship.
Is the third purpose of the local assembly.
Uh, another one. Acts chapter 4.
Uh, sorry, Chapter 2.
Chapter 2, verse 42. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, which we just had, and in prayers. Let's look at a little further in Acts, the 12Th chapter.
Peter was in prison and what did we find? Verse 12 of chapter 12 of Acts. And when he had considered the thing, he came to the House of Mary.
The mother of John, whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
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And then, uh, you don't have to turn to Philippians chapter one. Paul was in prison now and he could write in this letter in verse 19 of chapter one. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, collective prayer. So there's a place for collective prayer. You know, the brothers stood up and prayed just before this meeting. It's not easy to pray before others.
But collective prayer is an important function purpose of the local assembly, and yet it's probably the most poorly attended meeting of the local assembly.
God would certainly have us to pray individually and there are prayers that are more suited.
In the privacy of our homes. But there is also most definitely a needed place for collective prayer. The prayer of the local assembly. Another purpose of the local assembly.
So another.
Purpose of the Local Assembly, Ephesians, chapter 4.
This one I'll preface by saying that I believe it's the sphere for the manifestation of the Spirit of God.
And So what do we find in Ephesians 4 beginning with verse 8? Wherefore he says, when he ascended up on high.
He led captivity captive. We were formerly captives of Satan.
And gave gifts unto men. And he and jumping into verse 11, he gave some apostles.
Some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints.
For the work of the ministry. For the edifying of the body of Christ.
And so God in, in this chapter, the gifts that God has given through his Spirit are seen as individuals, the apostle, the apostle, the teacher, the evangelist, the prophet. We don't have apostles now.
Turn back to First Corinthians 12 because that chapter is really about manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the assembly.
And so the verse 28 of that chapter, God has set some in the church. First apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers. After that miracle and gifts of healing, helps governments, diversity of tongues are all apostles are all prophets, they're all teachers, are all workers of miracles, have all gifts of healing and so forth. And so we find out the local assembly was the sphere for the exercise of these gifts that God has given to us through the Holy Spirit. And if you turn to the next chapter.
Of First Corinthians, the 13th chapter, we find that love is what should motivate the exercise of those gifts.
And then we get to the 14th chapter and we find the actual mechanics, how to carry out the exercise.
Of those gifts. Now you say that the evangelist, he doesn't necessarily exercise his gift within the local assembly, and that's perfectly true.
The evangelist has a unique way of edifying that is to build up the local assembly, because he goes out and he preaches the gospel. But as others have said, he should be like a compass, one foot in the assembly, the other one going out. And his goal should not be just to save souls and leave them where they're at, but to bring them into the place where the Lord is in the midst. And so he builds up literally the Assembly of God by adding to it.
So another purpose of the local assembly. Let's look at Hebrews chapter 10.
Hebrews, chapter 10.
Verse 24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as ye see who they approaching. Now I'm not suggesting here in this verse that he's defining some different assembly meeting, but I'll take it a little more generally.
The another purpose of the local Assembly is for the encouragement of one another, for the exhorting, for the building up, and it also can be done in a very practical way.
Acts Chapter 5.
And end of X.
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Uh, sorry. Chapter four, Hand of Acts chapter 4.
It says in verse 34, Neither was there any among them that lacked, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and bought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles feet, and distribution was made unto every man according.
As he had need. Now we're never given injunction of scripture that we are asked to do this.
As it is say, with the remembrance of the Lord, where we ask to do that.
But it was an example of some of the mutual encouragement and support that was in that early assembly if we returned to the 16th chapter of First Corinthians, which is the last chapter.
We find there that an instruction was given upon the first day of the week. Let everyone of you lay up by him in store, as God hath prospered him.
That there be no gatherings when I come. So there's instruction for collection on the first day of the week. So there is a very practical purpose of the local assembly for the support of those that maybe have needs. And then, and this can be done in other ways as well, not just money or giving of things.
Another and my final purpose of the local assembly. Back to Matthew 18. Sorry for jumping back and forth.
But at the beginning, what precedes that list which I read earlier? What two or three are gathered together in my name?
Is what we read and I won't read all of it by just beginning verse 18. Verily I send you, whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.
And whatsoever ye shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.
1St Corinthians 5.
So what is the purpose I'm Speaking of here with the Local Assembly has a administrative responsibility not to be overlooked?
In first Corinthians 5, there is a very specific case of an immoral deed that was done at Corinth, and it begins, it is reported commonly. It's common knowledge that there is fornication among you, and such fornication is not so much named among the Gentiles that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned that he has done. The seed might be put away from among you. For I verily as absent in body, but President's spirit. See, that's what I was saying before. The Lord doesn't say He's going to be present with us in spirit.
Like Paul has to hear because Paul couldn't be there physically, so he can only say I'll be there.
In spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that has so done this deed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh.
Because the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. And then verse 12.
For what have I to do to judge them also that or without do ye not judge them that are within?
Put but them that are without God judges. Therefore put away from among you that wicked person, so the assembly.
Local assembly has a responsibility towards those that are within you. Notice in that portion it never says go and speak to this man, find out what he really did.
It was a matter that was commonly reported and it brought brought dishonor to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The authority of the assembly derives from his personal presence in the assembly.
There's an expression given in Hebrews. Let's just turn there.
And be the last person portion I turn to before I just offer some concluding comments. But in Hebrews chapter.
Four, verse 5, Moses was very faithful in all his house, the house is talking about as a Tabernacle, as a servant. He served in that Tabernacle for a testimony of those things which are about to be spoken of. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house? So we, so the assembly doesn't act in matters of responsibility, in matters of authority, because it's somehow better than everyone else, but it has to act. It's compelled to act because Christ is son over his own house. It's not our house.
I've used this illustration many times. I grew up on a farm in Australia and my parents, when we were in our late teens, went away on vacation.
Left myself and my two older brothers in care of the farm now if something had come up and one of us had messed up.
I would have hoped that the other two of us, let's say it was me, I would have hoped that my other two brothers would have come to me and said.
You're messing up. We need to do something about it. Why do they, my brothers have authority over me? No, they have no authority over me. But they would act because it's not our house. It was my parents house. So in matters of assembly, discipline and so forth, the assembly is compelled to act because it's his house. It's his house. He has sung over his house. Whose house are we?
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So that was the seven things when I thought on this matter and I wrote them out, it just happened to come out to seven. I'm not saying there's a 7 only purposes of the local assembly, but they happen to be 7. The Lord is in the midst.
Expression of the Oneness of the body for worship, for prayer.
The sphere for the exercise of the Spirit of God. The manifestations of the Spirit of God.
For mutual comfort and encouragement, and there's an administrative responsibility the local assembly has.
So I lost 5 minutes up front so I have 3 minutes to finish.
Umm, So what practical purpose is this? Well, one thing I meant to say when I talked about the it's a sphere for the exercise of the local of the gift of the Spirit of God is it's a common misperception that the assembly teaches. The assembly does not teach. It's a common misperception that the assembly evangelizes. The assembly does not evangelize. It's a common misconception that the assembly passes. The assembly does not pasta. These are gifts given to individuals within the local assembly.
So you go home and you say my local assembly has nothing. I don't know why I go there. First thing I'd say is you're not recognizing the presence of the Lord in the midst because if you look at your brethren, you're going to be bitterly disappointed. Another thing, as soon as you start saying they, they, they, they don't do this. They don't do that. You have separated yourself from the local assembly. You're standing apart and judging them. You my friend, are a part of the local assembly. Remember back in the days occurrence.
All the believers in Current made-up that local assembly, and Corinth was a terrible assembly. It has numerous problems. But those brothers in Current didn't get to pick their fellow believers, and Paul has to write to them and he has to tell them you've got to work through this. You've got to work this out.
You might say there's no vitality, there's no life, nothing happens in my local assembly. Well, what are you expecting of your local assembly? What purpose do you see the local assembly have?
Uh, you exercised about worship.
Are you exercised about prayer? Are you exercised about the gift that God has given you?
These are the building blocks of the local assembly. All the other activities that you may enjoy as young people are not.
Principal Potts purposes of the local assembly. Maybe they fall under mutual encouragement, but like Jim Highland said today.
All the activity, I have nothing against it. They are not the principal purpose of the local assembly. And what happens is that you can introduce all sorts of activity in your local assembly and give the appearance of what all sorts of vitality in life.
But it's all a facade unless these fundamental things.
Are taken care of. Do you go on Lord's Day morning ready to remember the Lord? You listen to a meeting like Bob Tony had tonight. And I trust that everyone of you that's saved could have felt the power of that message.
When you go to remember the Lord, is He as fresh to you as the day you were saved?
We are like what PO uh, John writes to Ephesus in Revelation. We've left our first love.
That's admitted. But let's not just say, well, it doesn't matter. You know, it happens in marriage.
You have a get married the feeling and love feeling they have told us last about a year.
What do you do then? Well, if you're in the world, you pack up and you leave. Someone told me the other day they knew of a wedding. He's a photographer.
He he photographed the wedding and wedding photographs are very expensive. Six months later they were divorced.
So even you might say, well, yeah, well, we've lost our first love. What are you going to do about it? Do you just pack up and leave? No, It begins here, begins with each one of us. The exercise has to begin with me. I am a part of the local assembly. So let's just close with prayer.
I remember I'm supposed to pray for the meal.
And umm, I'm wondering if I could ask for another young person.