Television, Live Streaming, or Assembling?
Did you stop going to church because yours closed down with the COVID lockdown? Have you been having “church” from your TV or computer in the comfort of your living room? If so, that is very, very sad. You see, the Church is made up of the people of God who come together in fellowship to worship the Lord. Whether they worship together in a building or a home or under the trees, it is believers in Jesus assembling together in fellowship. They meet together to learn, sing songs of praise to the Lord, pray, love one another, encourage one another, and so forth. Nothing can replace the assembling of the men and women, boys and girls, who consider Jesus their Savior and Lord. To assemble means to gather together!
There’s so much fear of that word assembling! If we are leaders in the Kingdom of God, we are accountable to stand firm on the word assembly and teach the people in our fellowship to continue to assemble, not in fear but in faith. Fear comes from the devil and Faith is of God! We cannot have both. Here are a few scriptures to back this up:
Psalm 89:5 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. Do we really believe that is done from a live stream or TV program?
Psalm 111:1 Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. This is certainly not fulfilled on live streaming or TV.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Forsake means to leave something! We cannot be together encouraging one another, praying with one another by live streaming or TV.
We were not created to be loners who “do church” sitting in front of a TV or computer! God created us to bless and be blessed by gathering together. I know a habit can be broken in 30 days and one can be formed in 30 days! A lot of people are not going back to their fellowship to gather with other believers IN PERSON because of the new habit they have developed -- staying home and watching a sermon on TV or computer! If a person cannot get to a local fellowship, that is totally different than just staying home due to laziness. We are the Body of Christ and the whole body needs to assemble.
Jesus is coming back. What do we think He will say?
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