Good Morning Beloved Family,
Heavenly Father,
We acknowledge that You have forgiven us for our sins
and that process was initiate before time began
Help us to be more like You,
may we forgive others, out of the forgiveness we've been freely given
It needs to happen, in Your church, in some families
because our unforgiveness is grieving You
let it also grieve us
Deliver us Lord, from our offenses, our iniquities,
our transgressions
That our hearts might be full of You,
full of joy, a joy that is evident to those around us
may our lives reflect Your glory
that it may not be hidden from worldly view
In the precious name of Christ Jesus
we sincerely and earnestly pray
Amen
"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
Hebrews 10:19-25
Today's Message: The Church - Some Assembly Required
We have all purchased a product that was advertised with the words "(Some assembly required)."
Therefore, we knew that it would come in pieces, and we would have to "assemble" those pieces together. Isn't that true?
And in the box, it has a whole list of all the pieces, that require being assembled, and often urged us in the instruction manual to ensure each piece was present, for without them, it cannot be then, assembled. Therefore the product would not be able to be completed, and so it wouldn't work.
So let's begin with defining the word "assemble, assembly."
DEFINITION OF "ASSEMBLE" : 1. To come or bring together; collect or congregate. 2. To fit or join together, as the parts of a mechanism.
"ASSEMBLY": 1. The act of assembling, or the state of being assembled. 2. A number of persons met for a common purpose. 3. The act or process of fitting together the parts of a machine, etc.; also, the parts themselves.
Beloved, there are far too many believers today, who have become complacent in their faith.
They have become prone to indifference to the church, living on the periphery of the church, attending, worshiping and observing without ever really becoming an integral part of the body. There are a great many who profess faith in Christ, yet... they remain totally impassive about the church.
This is to the shame of the whole evangelical movement, the Church...
The Church is called an ASSEMBLY.
It is the ASSEMBLY of God's people, all the pieces must be accounted, and assembled together, in order for the church to work.
Unfortunately, far too many Christians have adapted of the popular notions about the church, which are laden with human traditions, superstitions, and other holdover remnants from the medieval Catholic Church.
It thrills me beyond my greatest means of expression to serve the church, I, love the church!
In fact I have such a deep love for the church, it practically runs through my veins.
As an incurable lover of the Christ, the church, is ingrained into the very fibers of my being, my soul.
And though I am involved in a number of parachurch ministries, the church is the primary focus of my ministry. The church is a very, very large portion, and important part of my life.
The people of God, assembled together, are indeed, the church. It is not a particular building...
it is the people of God. Therefore, the church, some assembly is required!
We read in our text today, that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
Hebrews 10:23-25
In fact, the church, is so critically important, it is the New Testament counterpart of the Old Testament Temple, again not the building but the people of God. The church is the nucleus, the focal point of our spiritual life and worship for the community of the redeemed. It is the spiritual dwelling place, where God's glory is most clearly manifest on earth. That is why I love the church.
Therefore, I believe that it is impossible to overstate the importance of the church in the eternal plan of God. So much so, that Christ said, "upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."
Matthew 16:18
As many of you already know, "The gates of Hades" was a Jewish expression for death. It the place of the dead, and the gates of Hades represent the portal into that horrible, horrible place.
And although, Satan is walking upon the earth, in this present day, Hades is also the domain of Satan.
And since we each have a particular position, or role in the Church, and as such, the ASSEMBLY must each fit ourselves together. Assembly is, therefore required, in order for the whole Church to be complete.
We should also take note, of Paul's use of the plural terms used in our text in Hebrews 10:
Let us draw near to God.
A way is consecrated for us.
Let us hold fast
We must consider one another.
And.. We must nor forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
Christ assures the triumph of the church’s evangelistic mission. He is building the church, and the work will not be thwarted by the evil wiles of Satan. However, it is important, that Christ's promise not be misconstrued. He is in no way suggesting that any particular church will be infallible. He is not teaching that any of the leaders of a particular church will be free from error...
And it is critical to note, Christ does not promise success and prosperity to every congregation!
Something that has become prevalent in today's teaching ... the prosperity gospel.
However, Christ does pledge that the church; that universal body of believers under Christ’s headship, will have a visible being and a testimony in this world as long as the world itself shall last. And all the enemies of truth in their combined efforts, shall never secure the defeat or destruction of His church.
Christ is still building His church, therefore it is important to also note, that the church is... still a work in progress. It is to this present day, yet under construction.
There is however, is a spirit in the world that is gripping the church, the Christian world with an emphasis on individuality. And although, it appears so good and virtuous, it is inherently evil.
It stresses the significance of "self," and "you" and "me" but not us. It is devoid of the truth, sound doctrine and minimizes the importance of the body, the assembling of ourselves... the church.
But take note, God is not finished yet, in the building of His church. The current imperfections and blemishes in the visible church are still being refined by the Master Builder, in accordance to the blueprint that was drawn in eternity past.
"Upon this rock I will BUILD my church", we are lively stones that are being shaped and constructed, and are being assembled together, to form His perfected, glorious church.
Therefore, the Church Is the Outworking of an Eternal Plan of God!
He must bring the pieces together while still outside and compare their relationship to one another so he can see how perfectly they fit together. And if there be any stone that is out of shape, so that they do not fit together, while the church is being assembled temporarily, He must then order chiseling and shaping upon certain places for the perfecting of these stones.
Long before time began, before anything was created, God already determined to begin and to finish His redemptive plan for man.
I have had some ask, "If time had not yet began, if there was not yet creation, no creatures or people, to whom did God make the promise? " We can find the answer in 2 Timothy 1:9.
"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,"
Now some still think, that since Christ had not yet been "born", how did God make this promise to Him? Christ existed long before His becoming incarnate.
That's why we find in John 8:56-58, Christ said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." "
And so beloved, from this we can know, with great assurance, the promise was given to Christ Jesus, which was granted to us through Christ. The eternal pledge of our salvation, the divine covenant of redemption, involved a promise that was made by the Father to the Son long before time began, before the formation and creation of the world.
Beloved, that is a staggering reality, is it not?
Therefore in the mystery of the Trinity we see that there is an ineffable and eternal love between it's Members.
Christ refers to this promise in His prayer, in John 17:24.
"Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."
We were then extracted from the QUARRY of Christ's side and were shaped there, at the cross, and formed. And as such, we are to assemble together so that the Master Carpenter can work on us spiritually, perfecting us into His image. Not that we will ever arrive upon perfection here, but the point is, we are progressing toward it, with the ultimate perfection, taking place upon the resurrection.
The Word of God, therefore, is like a chisel, shaping our lives, the living stones of His church.
Jesus said "TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, DENY YOURSELVES AND FOLLOW ME."
It is that message of the cross, being one of self denial and comprehending that the overall goal, the fulfillment of redemptive plan of God. We must each do our part.
Hebrews 13:12-14 says, "Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come."
True love always seeks expression, it seeks ways to give. It is in expression of His perfect love for His Son, the Father made a pledge, a promise to the Son, Christ Jesus, a collective body, of a justified, sanctified, and glorified people, His Church.
The redeemed of humanity, are then, a gift from the Father to His Son.
Believe it or not, beloved, you are indeed a gift from God. A gift to Jesus.
And so in order to accomplish the divine plan, the Son would have to go into the world as a member of the human race and pay the penalty for sin. The redemptive plan is not the work of the Father alone, the Son fully committed Himself, to the will of the Father, in order to fulfill the redemptive plan.
And that is what Jesus was referring to in John 6:38-39 when He said,
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day."
That is why as the day, the hour is drawing nearer to Christ's return, Satan is working overtime, in effort to get us to forsake the BRIDE, the overall will of God's plan and our part in a BODY and the need to fit together, and concentrate instead upon our individuality and what might distinguish us apart from the whole.. the Church.
It breaks my heart, it saddens me deeply, just how many so-called-believers are unknowingly playing a significant role in Satan's destructive plan. Focusing on self, rather than the bride of Christ.
Especially those standing in the pulpit, using the church to exalt self, rather than Christ.
For collectively, we are the church, the body, the ASSEMBLY and are indeed, the bride of Christ!
Therefore, it is Christ Jesus, the headship of the church, Who is to be exalted!
Beloved, what all of this means is that our salvation as individuals is almost incidental. But it is the church as a whole, that is something so monumental, so vast, so transcendent, that our poor finite minds can scarcely begin to comprehend and appreciate its significance in the eternal plan of God.
How then can Christians possibly be apathetic about the church?
That is just astonishing to me... it is incomprehensible.
"For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
1 Corinthians 6:20
A great price indeed, your were bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
No higher price has been paid for anything, by anyone in all of human history!
It is not then of the utmost, vital importance for each of us to behave like it?
I believe it is.. Scripture tells us that it is!
God's Church will be a bride.
Satan's people are a HARLOT.
Beloved, it really doesn't matter what denomination a person attends, if they are simply there and will not truly and inwardly give their lives to God, become a part of the BODY, they are part of the harlot.
My question to you today is, which one are you?
Christ's Bride? Or Satan's harlot?
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord life up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever in Jesus' name
Amen.
Brian Monzon Ministries