1 Corinthians 11:22 KJV
"What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not."
1 Corinthians 11:34 KJV
"And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come."
1 Corinthians 14:35 KJV
"And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church."
(As a side note: I do not believe this verse disallows women from being leaders or speakers in the church in general. Please see this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFGoGAI65rI )
Jesus is the example we should follow in life. His custom was to meet in the public assembly. In His context, it was a Jewish synagogue. It was not in his own home.
Luke 4:16 KJV
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read."
"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read."
For us today, within our context we are invited to meet at a local Christian church. It is a place in which men and women of God can come meet in public, and worship, hear the word, pray, prophesy, and break bread, have communion and be baptized in water. If we will meet together regularly as Scripture tells us, we will grow together and be blessed. If we hide from each other, we will shrink and shrivel up spiritually.
We know some local churches started off in homes in the New Testament because of Roman persecution. They could not meet in public places or else they would be killed or imprisoned. But in places like Canada today, we should try our best to be like Jesus and meet in public as a habit. Paul shows the distinction between church and home. If you cannot get to a public meeting, due to special circumstances (such as being house-bound, or living in a country that persecutes Christians), then there are other ways to get into fellowship, such as home churches. After all, we are the church. Where two or three are gathered, Jesus is in the midst!
If however, you as a believer in Christ have the opportunity to get out to a local church, then I encourage you to go! You are an important body part in the Body! (1 Cor 12)
Heb 10:38 KJV
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
Let us press on and encourage each other in the public local churches! Be bold and press in to all that God has for you today!
Ephesians 2:19-22 1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners: but citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God.
20 And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 In whom all the building coupled together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord.
22 In whom ye also are built together to be the habitation of God by the Spirit.
God wants to fit us together in the local assembly of believers and cause us to grow into a Holy Temple. We are not only individual dwellings of God, but a joined corporate dwelling place for Jesus' Spirit! And of course it is not about the appearance of the church building. It may be a stand-alone structure with a steeple. Or it may be a unit in a multi-use building. The point is, it is in the open where all can access it freely. That building is just there to provide a practical place for us to meet in public. The actual church is the people inside who gather together, encourage each other, pray, and bless the Name of Jesus!
It is the public gathering of saints in churches that fulfills the words of Jesus:
Mat. 5:14 GENEVA
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill, cannot be hid."
When we gather, worship, and pray together in the public church assembly (as opposed to hiding in private), it is then that the world will see our faith and our light, Jesus Christ!
A local stranger will not simply walk into a private home (and they would not know a church is there). But they just might walk into a local public building designated as a church! If they do then this could happen:
1 Corinthians 14:23-25 GOD'S WORD Translation
23 Suppose the whole congregation gathers in the same place and you speak in other languages. When outsiders or unbelievers come in, won’t they say that you’re out of your mind?24 Now suppose you speak what God has revealed. When unbelievers or outsiders come in you will show them where they are wrong and convince them that they are sinners. 25 The secrets in their hearts will become known, and in this way they will quickly bow with their faces touching the ground, worship God, and confess that God is truly among you.
I love it when new local people just come in to our local church from off the street. We greet them, offer coffee and prayer. They are often touched by God and moved to worship Jesus, accept Him as their own Saviour and Lord. This is what it means to be a light to the world, a city on a hill!
God Bless,
Pastor Curtis
Sat July 11 2015 12:26AM EST
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