Have you ever wondered why we gather together in this capacity each week on Sunday morning and evening and then again on Wednesday? It is because of tradition? Habit Some other reason? Is there any New Testament instruction for us to assemble together Hebrews 10:22-25 says: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” This is called the “worship” service. We have come together as a corporate body, a church body to offer our praise to God by singing, by giving an offering, and by praising His name. This is not the only time we should be worshipping God. We should worship Him every day, individually! Ephesians 5:18-20: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (19) Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . ” But, as we gather, what is the purpose for the preaching? “Couldn’t we study the Bible just as well at home?” “Does the preacher have some insight into the Scripture others don’t have?” You can know God’s Word as well as the preacher does - if you are willing to put in the time to study it. Remember what the apostles said in Acts 6:2, 4: (2) “It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.” (4) “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.” (MINISTRY = attendance (as a servant); service.) “Is there a purpose to the preaching other than just filling up time?” I NEVER want to be guilty of just trying to fill up the time between the end of the song service and the final ‘Amen.’” I Corinthians 1:21: “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” The order of New Testament church worship services largely follows the order of Jewish synagogue services back to the time of Jesus. There was the singing of the psalms. There was the reading of Scripture. Then there was the exposition of the Scripture (Luke 4:16-22). The verse we read is a part of Moses’ charge to the Levites prior to Israel’s entering the Promised Land. Moses was coming to the end of his life. Because of his sin, he would not enter Canaan. This charge reveals the purpose and the importance of teaching and preaching of the Word of God. In this verse Moses tells the Levites that they are to gather the people together. There is a biblical precedence for assembling to hear the Word of God. Note who is to be present: “ . . . men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates.” We should not be satisfied with just “our little group” (“me and you and our two”). We are to seek those who are not a part of our family or our church family -- strangers, visitors. Moses gives four purposes, four duties in presenting God’s Word. They are: 1) That they may hear. 2) That they may learn. 3) That they may fear God. 4) That they may “observe to do.”

I. THAT THEY MAY HEAR.

II. THAT THEY MAY LEARN.

III. THAT THEY MAY FEAR THE LORD.

IV. THAT THEY MAY OBSERVE TO DO ALL THY WORDS.