The Effects of Corporate Gatherings

Text: Hebrews 10:15-25

Participating together with your church is incredibly important. We know that from the beginning and beyond, churches have gathered together on the first day of the week (affectionately called “the Lord’s Day” by the Apostle John). We also know that churches have gathered together on other days and for other occasions in addition to worship on the Lord’s Day (Acts 2:46).

I am going to give you three points that hopefully will give us a framework for the Effects of the Corporate Gathering in light our commitment to glorify God and to love one another.

I) When the church gathers corporately, it illustrates the gospel (15-25)

A) How the Early Believers Showed the Gospel through Gathering

B) How we Show the Gospel through Gathering

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God’s Instructions on Corporate Gathering

Text: Hebrews 10:24-25

I) The Importance of Corporate Gathering

•Is it important to be a part of the church?

•Is there a need to go to church?

We see it in the beginning of the Bible in Genesis 4:26

and at the end in Revelation 7:9-12.

II) The History of Corporate Gathering

1) Going back to Genesis 4:26

2) Then in Exodus 24:3

3) In 1st Samuel 11

4) In 2nd Samuel 6:15

5) In 1 Kings 8:62-63

6) When Israel renews the covenant during the reign of Josiah, 2Kings 23:1-2

7) The same thing happens when the covenant is renewed in Nehemiah 8:1

8) After the Spirit is poured out at Pentecost, Luke says this of the church,

Acts 2:46-47

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A Desire for Revival

Text: 2Chronicles 29-30

I) Revival happens when God’s people clean up their lives (2 Chr 29:3-5).

A) The Problems that Prevent Revival

B) The Prescription for Revival

II) Revival happens when God’s people reconnect with Scripture (2 Chr 29:25-30)

III) Revival happens when God’s people recommit themselves to the gospel (2 Chr 30)

IV) Revival happens when God’s people devote themselves to intercessory prayer (2 Chr 30:18-22)

A) Recognize God’s sovereignty (Isaiah 64:8)

B) Remember God’s mercy (Isaiah 64:9)

C) Respects God’s glory (Isaiah 64:10-12)

God isn’t waiting for the world to clean up its act. He’s waiting for those of us in the church to stand in the gap and Desire Revival by courageously confessing our sins and to stand on the gospel once again.

Romans 1:18-32 & Joel 2:1-2,15-26

Throughout biblical history, God has called for solemn assemblies for prayer marked extraordinary spiritual breakthroughs for God's people.

I) Dynamics of the coming wrath of God

• God has established a limit to the amount of sin He will tolerate

• Only those who are right with God are prepared for God's

judgment

• As God's people, we have a choice to make before it is too late

A) Before judgement strikes

B) After judgement strikes

Joel 1:14-15 & Joel 2:12-13 calls for personal repentance

If you sense, as I do, that God's people must cry out to the Lord at a time such as this and seek His mercies, and repent of both our personal and national sin please join me as we stand in corporate prayer together. Then make a commitment to the Lord to make this a priority for you and your family to pray about. Remember this; the spiritual healing of the United States is waiting on the repentance of God's people. We will see very little repentance in the world until the world sees repentance in the church

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I) Cry out to God

vv. 1-3, 7-9

Don't be ashamed to admit your inner turmoil!

II) Consider ways to redirect your thoughts

vv. 4-6, 10-12

Remember the past blessings are a biblical prescription

III) Magnify the size of God to diminish the size of your problems

v. 13-20

There is something about worship that recalibrates the soul

In Closing:

If you’re struggling with depression, anxiety, or hopelessness, let me offer you some advice:

1.Talk about it to God. I promise that God can handle it. He knows what you’re thinking anyway and wants to hear from you!

2.Ask God’s forgiveness when you’ve gotten your focus out of whack and made your problems bigger than your God.

3.Ask for the ability to let go of all the anger and self-pity. You can’t get rid of it in your own strength.

4.Take it day by day. God doesn’t promise to give us strength for tomorrow, today. He gives us strength for today, today.

5.Don’t quit. No matter how afraid you are, no matter how anxious you are about tomorrow, no matter how depressed and hopeless you feel, don’t quit! I promise that God will never, ever give up on you. The lie of depression is that it will never end. DON’T BELIEVE IT. Depression may last a long time, but it is almost always temporal.

Depression is a huge problem these days. If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, don’t battle it alone. Reach out to a trusted friend or family member. Talk to a professional counselor or call a suicide prevention line. It’s never too late to ask for help.

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Genesis 1:26-31

What does it mean to be made in the image of God? There are a few things we can see from this text that can help us understand the answer to that question. In reality there are so many things here that we could talk about, we could be working through this short passage for days.

When we kill the image of God we kill the family, we burn down the church and we destroy society.

1 How to Kill the Family

The family is the very representation of the trinity. You say what do you mean pastor? Well just in these few verses we see the God of glory, of majesty, of power, and perfection create human beings in His image. In the image of a triune (that is 3 persons in 1 God), He created us. In the image of this eternal being who has always existed He created us.

2 How to Burn Down the Church

When we kill the image of God we burn down the church. Each one of us is made in the image of God. We commune together at a central location to worship and adore our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Church was redeemed by God through the blood sacrifice of His Son Jesus because God is zealous for His image, His glory and is a just God. The church is the body of Christ,

3 How to Destroy Society

Because we have multiple generations raised in a world that has killed the image of God they worship only that which appeals to their flesh. Don’t like someone, yell at them, call them names, shut them down forcibly. Don’t like the system, kill, steal, and destroy. Literally bite the hand that feeds you and then blame the hand for getting in your way. No accountability, no responsibility! Pure and utter madness is the result.

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Hebrews 12:1

12 Wherefore seeing we also are

compassed about with so great a

cloud of witnesses, let us lay

aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so

easily beset us, and let us

run with patience the race

that is set before us

The Christian life is not a

stroll through the park.

Nor is it a 100-yard dash.

It is a long-distance marathon,

and we are called to run with

perseverance the race

marked out for us.

I) As a Christian God does not promise

you an easy life

A) We live in a fallen world.

Romans 8:18-21

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this

present time are not worthy to be compared

with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19 For the earnest expectation of the creature

waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

20 For the creature was made subject to vanity,

not willingly, but by reason of him who hath

subjected the same in hope,

21 Because the creature itself also shall

be delivered from the bondage of corruption into

the glorious liberty of the children of God.

B) We should expect trials

John 16:33; Acts 14:21-22

“In the world ye shall have tribulation:

but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

(John 16:33)

21 And when they had preached the gospel to

that city, and had taught many, they returned

again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22 Confirming the souls of the disciples,

and exhorting them to continue in the faith,

and that we must through much tribulation

enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:21-22)

II) As a Christian God does promise to be with you

"God never promise a smooth flight just a safe landing".

(Howard Jones)

A) Jesus gives you his peace.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer

and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests

be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God,

which passeth all understanding, shall keep your

earts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 4:6-7)

B) Jesus gives you His presence

"lo, I am with you always, even

unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20)

III) For the Christian God promises

great benefits to those who persevere

A) Sticking with it shows our faith to be genuine

1 Peter 1:6-7: 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice,

though now for a season, if need be, ye are in

heaviness through manifold temptations:

“7 That the trial of your faith, being much

more precious than of gold that perisheth,

though it be tried with fire, might be found

unto praise and honour and glory at the

appearing of Jesus Christ:”

B) Sticking with it develops character

James 1: 2-4 says this: “2 My brethren,

count it all joy when ye fall into divers

temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the

trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

C) He who stick with it to the end will be saved

“12 And because iniquity shall abound,

the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But

he that shall endure unto the end, the

same shall be saved.” (Matthew 24:12-13)

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation:

for when he is tried, he shall receive the

crown of life, which the Lord hath promised

to them that love him.” (James 1:12)

Daniel 3:16-18: 16 Shadrach, Meshach,

and Abednego, answered and said to the king,

O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer

thee in this matter. 17 If it be so, our God

whom we serve is able to deliver us from the

burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us

out of thine hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it

known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve

thy gods, nor worship the golden image

which thou hast set up

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John 2:1-11 | When You Run Out

1. It has been a very long time.

2. Silence is golden, but when we are silent we say less.

3. Incomplete obedience is complete disobedience.

4. Beginning vs the end or is there one?

5. Just bring me what you have.

6. What does water make possible?

7. You can live without wine, but you gotta have water.

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Acts 17:21-32

I) Paul's Cultural Environment

I.1) It was a city given over to the pursuit of physical and sensual pleasure

I.2) It was a city associated with learning and culture

II) Paul's Conviction that Motivated Him

II.1) He knew God's truth

II.2) He was indwelt by God's spirit

II.3) He was constrained by God's love

III) Paul's Christ-centered message

III.1) General observations

III.2) Gospel presentation

III.3) Personal Invitation

Don’t Check Your Brain at the Door!

The Evidence of Holy Scripture

Opening Statement:

I've got a question for you this morning.

Do you trust the Bible? If so, why?

I. Jesus’ View of Scripture

A. Jesus Taught that Scripture Was About Him (Luke 24:25)

Everything before the cross and the resurrection

is leading up to the cross, and everything

after it is in light of it

B. Jesus Taught that Scripture Is the Word of God

“All Scripture is inspired by God.” 2 Timothy 3:16

C. Jesus Taught that Scripture Contains True History

II. 5 Types of Evidences for the Holy Scriptures

A. Early Evidence

5,800+ full and partial copies

of the Greek New Testament

Date to AD 50 to AD 70,

within 20 to 40 years of Jesus' life

B. Eyewitness Evidence

Luke says, Forasmuch as many have taken

in hand to set forth in order a declaration

of those things which are most surely believed

among us,even as they delivered them unto us,

which from the beginning were eyewitnesses,

and ministers of the word (Luke 1:1-2)

C. Extra-Biblical Evidence

Flavius Josephus, Jewish historian

Lived ~AD 37 to 100,

Wrote several works chronicling

he history of the Jews.

D. Embarrassing Evidence

E. Excruciating Evidence

Many people will die for something they

believe to be the truth, but no one dies

for something they know is a lie

2 Timothy 3:14-17 | KJV

14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast

learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom

thou hast learned them;

15 And that from a child thou hast known the

holy scriptures, which are able to make thee

wise unto salvation through faith which

is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,

for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

17 That the man of God may be perfect,

thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

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