Why We Gather

There are many reasons and occasions people come together as a family.  Holidays, birthdays, family reunions, weddings, Sunday dinners and death are all events that bring us together in our natural family setting.

Let’s talk for a moment on what brings our Spiritual Family together; Worship Service, Bible Study and Prayer time would rank at the top of most peoples list and all of these generally take place in the local House of Worship or the “Church”.  The question of why we gather has a lot to do with where we gather.

Most people who profess to be Christians gather in the these places to be strengthen, taught and ministered to and would be quick to tell you that their gathering is biblical.  While it is good to meet with other like minded people to learn of the new life you have committed to when you accepted Christ in your heart as Lord, this is only the beginning of what we have been called to do.

Truth be told, if the only place you gather with your spiritual family is in the Church setting then the verse of scripture so often quoted about assembling your selves together is not being properly adhered to.  To fully understand why we gather, we must look at more than just the 25^th verse of Hebrews 10.  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.

Looking at this verse, there are a couple of factors we need to look at beyond assembling ourselves together.  First is exhorting one another.  What are we urging or encouraging each other to do?  The second issue in question is; “the day approaching”.  Exactly what day is being spoken of here? As I said, to understand, we must look at more than just this verse even to fully discern the intent here.

Let’s back up a bit to verse 23 of this same chapter, I promise I won’t leave you hanging on the questions I posed, we will answer them but remember that in all our getting, we must get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).  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: Heb 10:23-24 (KJV)

What is your profession of faith?  As a “Christian” your faith is to be built upon your relationship with God.  Not just that there is a God, but that there is one true and living God who loved you so much that He sent His Son here to the earth to sacrifice Himself that our sins may be forgiven once and for all.  Why was the remission of our sins so important, because God wanted to reinstate His relationship with us as our Father.

Our faith is not built on religion; in fact, religion has nothing to do with it.  It is wholly about relationship.  When Christ prayed for us in John 17, His prayer was that we would become one with Him and the Father, not that we would join in a new religious movement!  Jesus came through the lineage of David as an Israelite.  He never renounced His Jewish faith.  His mission was to reconcile   us back to the Father and reverse the curse we were put under through the sin of Adam.

What was the promise God made?  His covenant was to be our God and we would be His people.  7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Gen 17:7 (KJV)  So as we are holding fast to our profession of faith, that faith is tied to the promise of God who is always faithful to His promises.

Now to the provoking, exalting and encouraging each other to love and good works; here is where the first portion of our gathering comes in.  We gather in our Houses of Worship to learn how to carry out those good works and to be empowered with the Holy Ghost with strength, but that is only the first leg of the coming together.  The next place we are to gather is out in the communities to put the lessons we learn to work in actions and deeds.  Far too many of us have become complacent and to comfortable inside when we need to be outside working the work.

We have been given a mandate from Christ Himself to be His witness.  7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:7-8 (KJV)

Our witness unto Christ is to go and show forth His love in this hurt, diseased and dying world.  We are so quick to point fingers at those who aren’t living life as God’s Word mandates, but God did not draw us to Him by condemning us and pointing out all our wrongs, He drew us with His loving kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3) Yes, we need to be taught His word and understand what is and is not pleasing to Him, but first; we need to teach of His kindness, grace and mercy He shows to His children.

That leads us to the day which was spoken of.  That day could be any day.  As Christ said no man knows the time or the seasons, but keep in mind that Christ also said: 4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. John 9:4 (KJV)

The time will come when our labor on earth is finished.  What will be the legacy you leave behind?  Will it simply be that you attended church regularly or will it be that you went out and did the work assigned to you and made a difference in the lives of others?

Thus far, our discussion has been our gathering in general as the Body of Christ.  Let’s now look at it in a more specific term.  Why are we gathering in the “Million Christians March on Washington DC”?

I believe that everyone who joins in this will have their own personal reasons for doing so.  I would hope that the primary reason would be the prompting of the Holy Spirit to do so.   Let me give you my reason for doing so and what this movement is based on.

In all that God has mandated us to do, all through the Old Testament He has told us to be His witness, in the New Testament, Christ carried on the same instruction.  However, our society is evolving into a place where being His witness is becoming more and more difficult.  Teachers are no longer allowed to pray, teach or even discuss His existence in schools.   The Ten Commandments have been removed from the court rooms and can no longer be referenced in our Halls of Justice.   Teaching what sin according to the Bible is on Sunday morning in the pulpit is being threatened because certain groups claim it promotes hatred.  All this has been going on while we, the Children of the Most High have sat back and for the most part did nothing.

As a witness to God, it is time we show forth our solidarity and let the powers that be in Washington know that we will not sit quietly by while our fundamental rights as citizens of America are taken from us.  This is not an anti-anything gathering, it is a PRO GOD assembly.  So many groups have come together in DC for what they believe in, don’t you think it is high time the Body of Christ did the same.

I did some research and found that in the last census, there are over 314 million people in America out of which 246 million profess to be Christians.  Those numbers are staggering, yet we have not showed unity in our belief.

It is time we took a stand just as they did in Nehemiah’s day and worked to build a better society in our part of the world on one hand and with our weapon, the BIBLE in the other.  17 They all builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon; Neh 4:16-17 (ASV)

There is strength in numbers and when THE BODY OF CHRIST COMES TOGETHER, the Power we possess will be undeniable.  We will see Signs, Wonders and Miracles take place in our land.

For more on the march, log on at www.gospelthon.com.  See you in DC on April 27, 2013!