Why should the community of believers gather together?
Deuteronomy 16:16“Each year every man in Israel must celebrate these three festivals: the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest, and the Festival of Shelters. On each of these occasions, all men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he chooses, but they must not appear before the Lord without a gift for him.”
1 Corinthians 10:16-17When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body.
1 Corinthians 11:33So, my dear brothers and sisters, when you gather for the Lord’s Supper, wait for each other.
Ephesians 3:21Glory to [God] in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
You gather with a community of believers to celebrate and give glory to God, to remember all he has done for his people. It’s so easy to focus on your own needs and goals; you need others to remind you of where your true priorities should be. By coming together for the purpose of worshiping him, and by bringing your gifts and offerings to him, you remember whom you serve.
Galatians 3:26-28You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3:10God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
Revelation 5:9You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
When you gather with a community of believers, you demonstrate that in God’s church, all people from all races, classes, languages, and nations are together as one. God’s people are not known by the color of their skin or the status of their job but by their faith in Jesus. This unity of believers brings a wealth of collective wisdom that you could never get from a few individuals.
Acts 4:24When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—
Acts 12:12When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.
You gather with a community of believers for prayer.
Matthew 18:20“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
Ephesians 1:23The church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
You gather with a community of believers because a group of believers can experience God’s presence in a unique and powerful way.
Matthew 16:18“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
You gather with a community of believers to celebrate victory over sin, Satan, and death—now and forever.
Revelation 1:11It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Revelation 2:7“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God.”
Revelation 2:11“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”
Revelation 22:16“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”
You gather with a community of believers to see what message God has for you. God speaks specifically to various communities of believers. To some he has words of warning. To others he has words of commendation. To some he has words of correction. To others words of wisdom or counsel.
1 Corinthians 12:28Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
Ephesians 4:16He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
You gather and take part in a community of believers to experience wholeness, growth and love. Individually, each person can’t do the wide range of work the church needs. Collectively, believers can and must.
Hebrews 10:25Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
You gather with a community of believers to encourage, warn, and prepare to meet the challenges of the world and to learn how to better fellowship with the Lord.
