Living Church: Gathering as God's People

Reading Matthew chapter 27 verses 45 to 54 which is on page 999 of the Church Bibles.

Matthew 27:45–54

Page 999 of the Church Bibles, Matthew 27.

Starting from verse 45.

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness came over all the land.

About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice,

Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, which means, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, he's calling Elijah.

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge.

He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick and offered it to Jesus to drink.

The rest said, now leave him alone.

Let's see if Elijah comes to save him.

And when Jesus has cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The earth shook and the rocks split.

The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

They came out of the tombs.

And after Jesus' resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened,

they were terrified and exclaimed, surely he was the Son of God.

For the second reading, we'll be looking at Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

I don't know if Johnny has the page in the church Bible.

On page 1208.

Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews 10 · chapter mention

Starting in verse 19.

I'll read 19 to 25.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus,

by a new and living way open for us through the curtain that is his body,

and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith,

having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience

and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

for he who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one another, and all the more, as you see the day approaching.

Thanks very much.

Well, let's pray and ask for God's help.

Our Father God, we thank you for the church family.

Thank you that we can meet and gather together.

Thank you for the provision of this building.

Thank you for the gifts of all the people here

who serve in so many different ways to make this gathering possible.

Thank you for all.

Thank you for all that we've been able to do together so far,

for being able to sing,

to read, to pray,

to talk over tea and coffee.

Thank you, Father,

thank you, Father,

that we can meet in this way in freedom,

without fear of authorities,

without persecution.

And we ask that you would help us to better understand what it means for us

to meet together and to gather as your people.

Teach us then, through your word we pray.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

So, meeting with God's people or gathering as a family,

I want us to start with a question.

And it's simply this.

Why bother with church?

Why did any of us bother to get up this morning to come and meet?

Why did we do that?

Is it really worth all the effort?

Rushing around, trying to get the kids sorted,

in and out of the showers,

getting the lunch organised before you leave?

Or is that just our house?

Why bother?

Why don't we just stay at home?

After all, it is a lot warmer,

and so much more comfortable,

to be in our own living rooms.

We could just stay at home and listen to the sermon online,

in our own time,

or you could choose whoever you wanted to listen to,

online.

What's the point of gathering together like this?

Well, to be a Christian person,

is to be a church person.

Because the Bible's view is this.

If you are committed to Christ,

you are also committed to church.

You can't have one without the other.

It's two sides of the one coin.

You are committed to Christ,

and you are committed to church.

You can't separate them.

In fact, if we are to experience Christ in our life,

the Bible says we must participate in church life.

Because the way in which the Gospel,

the good news about Jesus,

gets worked into our hearts,

and the way it gets worked out through our lives,

is in our involvement and participation

with and in the church family.

The church family,

the gathering of God's people,

is God's means of enabling us

to experience the full effects of the Gospel.

So why bother with church?

Why bother getting up and coming together?

Well, without the church family,

we are never going to grow,

we are never going to change as people,

and we're never going to know Christ

in all his fullness

and all that he has to give us.

Because it is through the church family

that he works

so that we experience the full effects

of the Gospel.

So it's essential that we are gathering together.

But let's try and unpack this a little bit more

and get the connection between Christ on the one hand

and church on the other

and see how they are integral

and fit together.

First of all, our faith in Christ.

Look at verse 19 of our reading from Hebrews 10.

Therefore, brothers and sisters,

since we have confidence

to enter the most holy place

by the blood of Jesus.

Now, verse 19 is almost a summary

of all of chapters 1 to 9.

In chapters 1 to 9,

it goes into great detail,

looking back through the Old Testament,

to show us that without Christ,

without his sacrifice,

we can't come to God.

In the past,

people couldn't get close to God.

But now, again, look at verse 19.

Since we have confidence

to enter the most holy place

by the blood of Jesus,

by a new and living way

opened up for us through the curtain,

that is his body.

And we've got all this religious language

through here.

We've got this most holy place,

the blood of Jesus,

and the curtain.

Strange language.

But it's taking us back

to a miraculous event

of when Christ died on the cross.

we read about it

from Matthew's Gospel.

The most holy place

was a room in the temple

which marked or symbolised

the presence of God.

And blocking the way,

the entrance into that room,

was this large curtain.

It acted as a barrier,

an enormous signpost

that was telling everybody,

stop, no entry.

It's a little bit like

this room here.

If you could imagine

that we here are the people,

and in behind that screen

is the most holy place

which symbolised

where God's presence was,

where God dwelt.

And the screen here

is an enormous curtain

except for it would have gone

from top to bottom.

And it was this great big sign

that meant we couldn't enter,

we couldn't get to God.

God was making it clear

that our sin means

we can't enjoy God

as we are meant to.

We've been shut out.

We're here.

God is there.

Denied accent.

Barred from coming to God.

Just like Adam and Eve

were shut out of the garden

and it was barred from re-entry.

And it has been ever since.

But something has happened,

verse 20.

A new and living way

has opened up for us

through the curtain.

That is his body.

You see, the moment

that Jesus died on the cross,

and you'll remember that

from the reading in Matthew,

the moment Jesus died,

the curtain in the most holy place

was torn from top to bottom,

ripped open.

It was a divine intervention by God.

The barrier that stood in the way

was removed.

And access to God

was now possible.

Entrance into the family of God

was now open

to everybody

who had faith in Jesus.

Because Jesus,

through his death on the cross,

was taking the punishment

for our sin.

He was dealing with the wrath

that we deserve.

And we are forgiven.

His body

was the one that was torn open.

His body, if you like,

was ripped apart

on the cross

so that the way

is open for us now

to go through

to meet with God.

And now we can come,

verse 19,

with confidence,

without fear of rejection,

without God telling us,

no, you can't.

We can come

with confidence,

and that's why

we are gathered here today

because of what Jesus did

2,000 years ago

on the cross,

his people gathering

to God

because of what Jesus

has done.

So the way is open

for us to enter

by faith in Christ.

But not only

do we have access

to God

through our faith

in Christ,

we also become

part of the church

family.

Look at verse 21.

So we have access

to God

because of Christ,

but not only that,

we have access

to the church family.

Verse 21,

and since we have

a great priest

over

the house of God.

Now Jesus here

is our ultimate priest.

He's the one

who makes it possible

to come to God.

But he also makes it

possible to be part

of the house of God.

And the house of God

is simply another way

of saying

the family of God,

the church,

God's people.

Hold your finger there

in chapter 10

and go back

to chapter 3,

verse 6.

Where this is spelt out

clearly for us.

Chapter 3,

verse 6.

But Christ is faithful

as a son

over God's house.

And we are

his house

if we hold on

to our courage

and the hope

of which we boast.

Do you see that?

Christ is the faithful son.

He was the only

faithful one

who by his death

has not only

given us access

to God,

but he has welcomed us

into the house of God.

And it says here

that we,

the people,

are the house of God.

We are in his family.

Now it's crucial

for us to make

that connection.

There is faith in Christ.

That's one side

of the coin.

But through our faith

in Christ

we are also part

of the church family.

That is the other side

of the coin.

And look how

all of this works out

back in chapter 10,

verse 22.

Because of our faith

in Christ

we are now part

of the church family

so,

verse 22,

let us

together

draw near

to God.

It doesn't say

let me.

Our life

with Christ

is not an

individual exercise

that we sit at home

and do our own thing.

It says

let us

together.

Verse 23,

let us

together

hold unswervingly

to the hope.

The Christian life

is something

that we do

together.

Verse 24,

and let us

consider

how we spur

one another on.

We can't do

the Christian life

alone.

You need me

and I need you.

We need

each other.

Verse 25,

let us

not give up

meeting together.

together.

You see,

the church

family

is God's

means of

enabling us

to experience

the full

effects of

the gospel,

the good news

of Jesus

Christ.

And we're

never going

to know

all that

Christ

has to

give us

apart from

the church.

church.

That's why

we bother

with church.

That's why

we've gotten

up out of

our beds

this morning

and that's

why we've

gathered

together.

And of

course,

it's not

just a

couple of

hours here,

it's 24-7,

it's throughout

the week.

But the

emphasis here

I want us

to see is

this,

let us

come together.

Because to

cut yourself

off from

the church

is like a

deep sea

diver cutting

off his

oxygen supply.

we'll die

spiritually,

we'll drown,

we'll not

cope,

we won't

survive.

The church

family is

God's

means for

us to

experience the

workings out

of the

gospel in

our lives.

So we're

going to look

at four ways

this works

out in

practice.

You know

how we all

need our

greens to

survive,

don't we?

Our

vegetables.

We need

to have our

four vegetables

or whatever

to have

every day

if we're

to survive.

Well here

we've got

four

lettuces.

Okay?

The lettuce

of verse

22,

lettuce of

verse 23,

and lettuce

of verse

24,

and lettuce

of verse

25.

Four good

greens to

get into

us,

to help us

understand

what it

is to be

in church

family.

The first

one then,

the first

lettuce,

experience

grace

together.

Verse 22,

let us

draw near

to God

with a

sincere

heart,

in full

assurance

of faith,

having our

hearts sprinkled

to cleanse

us from a

guilty conscience,

and having

our bodies

washed

with pure

water.

Now because

of Jesus'

death,

we can

come

confidently

with

absolute

assurance.

The invitation

is open,

it's given,

by faith we

draw near

to God

to experience

his grace.

And coming

to God,

as the

picture here

in verse

22 is,

is like

stepping into

a hot

shower,

or into

a big

deep bath,

after a

muddy day

in the

garden,

or after

rolling about

in the

rugby pitch.

Look at

what it

says in

verse 22.

Our hearts

are sprinkled

clean,

our conscience

cleansed,

and the

sin that

ruins our

life is

washed away

with pure

water,

the pure

water of

Christ's

forgiveness.

It's an

invitation to

tell us that

there is no

sin that

is so

great that

God's grace

cannot

clean.

So together

by faith in

Christ,

it's an

invitation to

bathe and

wash in

God's grace.

But why

do we have

to do this

together?

together?

Why can't

I just

come to

God on

my own

and experience

his grace

without involving

other people?

Why can't I

just do this

at home?

Why is there

a let us

draw near?

Well, it

doesn't rule us

out coming to

God on our

own.

It's important

we do that.

But the

reality is,

on our own,

we are not

always going to

be people who

are seeking

after God's

grace.

You see,

when we

fail and

fall,

and we

do it all

the time,

Satan is

quick to

remind us

of just

how bad

and useless

we are.

And the

last thing

that we

want to

do is

come to

God.

When we've

messed up

and things

have gone

wrong,

we don't

want to

get anywhere

near to

God.

We feel

too ashamed,

we feel

too dirty,

too messed

up,

and we

kind of

withdraw and

we hide

from God.

And if

that cycle

continues for

long enough,

we'll end

up completely

away.

But when

we come

together,

we are

reminded that

we are

meeting with

a whole bunch

of messed

up sinners

and failures

dependent on

God's grace.

And that's

why I love

coming here

on a Sunday,

because I'm

meeting a whole

load of other

messed up

sinners,

because that's

what we all

are, and

we're all

dependent on

God's grace.

And when I

come here

with everybody

else, everybody

together is

focusing us on

the need for

God's grace.

Because when

my sin is

so great, and

when I've

lost sight of

God's grace,

meeting with

other people who

are talking about

grace, when

people are

singing about

grace, when

they're preaching

about grace, it

encourages me to

seek God's

grace.

Just a

personal

experience.

There are

times, it

doesn't happen

all the time,

but there have

been times where

the last place I

want to be is

standing here and

speaking and

preaching.

There's things

weighing in my

life.

I'm conscious of

sin, and I

just don't feel

good enough, I

don't feel worthy

enough, and I

just don't want to

do it.

But as I am

here, as I

hear people

singing, as

we're focused

in on God's

grace, it

lifts me, it

encourages me, it

builds me up, and

it says, it's

all been cleaned.

My sin has been

washed away, my

heart has been

sprinkled, my

conscience

cleansed.

That's why we

need to come

together, to

experience grace

together, because

without each

other, we will

lose sight, and

we won't do

it.

So that's our

first letter that

we need to get

into our lives.

The second is

this, experience

support together,

verse 23.

Let us hold

unswervingly to

the hope we

profess, for he

who promised is

faithful.

You know, the

reality is, as you

and I go about

this week, and

it's probably been

the experience of

the past week, we

face pressure

after pressure,

challenge after

challenge, to

let go and to

give up of the

hope of the

gospel.

Because we live

in a world where

people live in

opposition to the

gospel, and they

think that Christ is

irrelevant.

Think about it, how

many times did

somebody in your

work or one of

your neighbours

come round and

say, go on, keep

going as a

Christian?

It doesn't

happen very

often.

And if that's

what we're

facing every

day, just the

sheer struggle of

being a Christian

in the world,

holding on to the

hope is going to

be very hard.

And of course, we

can try and play

the Lone Ranger

and do it my

way, but

experience shows

it doesn't

work.

That's why we

need to hold on

to the hope

together.

Look at what

it says.

Let us

hold unswervingly

to the hope.

we're to hold

on to it for

all that we

are, everything

that's inside of

us, and

everything that's

inside of you

together, we are

to hold and

grasp this hope.

Because on our

own, we're

weak.

We give in and

we give up.

But with the

support of other

people, we are

able to hold on

and we are able

to keep going.

people.

In fact, that's

what chapter 11

is all about, as

it goes through

all this great

big list of

people of the

past and how

they had held

to the faith.

It is

encouragement for

us.

So when we

gather together,

as we do like

this, when we

come early, and

that's one of the

good reasons to

come early, or

whether we stay

late, one of the

good questions to be

asking is this, of

each other, how

is your faith?

Nobody else is

going to ask you

that question.

The only person

who's going to ask

you that is

somebody within the

church family.

How is your

faith?

How are you

getting on?

And one of the

greatest supports

that we could give

to help each

other, look at

the rest of

verse 23.

He who promised

is faithful.

You know what?

We give up and

we fail.

We mess up and

we let go.

But here's

encouragement.

He who promised

is faithful.

God is faithful

to us.

He will never,

ever let go of

his people.

And sometimes it

takes one other

person to remind

us that he is

faithful to us.

So we experience

this support

together.

we hold on to

the hope

that we have.

So we experience

grace together.

We experience

support together.

And third, we

experience compassion

together.

Verse 24.

And let us

consider how we

may spur

one another

on towards

love and

good deeds.

I'm summarising

love and good

deeds there as

compassion.

Compassion is

responding to

the needs and

concerns of other

people in

active love.

Not just words,

but action,

in deeds.

So the church

family is to be a

place where we do

experience compassion.

compassion.

Now there's a

difficulty with that.

And that is because

we're all naturally

selfish people.

Looking out for

others, surprise,

surprise, is not

always the top of our

agenda.

We're looking out for

me, for number one.

In fact, the truth be

told, we don't even

know what the needs

of other people are.

We could maybe do a

mental check of that

right now for the

person sitting beside

you.

What are their needs?

Do you know what

they are?

Do I know what

they are?

And that's why we

gather together.

That's why we come

together as God's

people, not just on

a Sunday.

That's why we meet

in our home groups.

That's why we

encourage people to

meet throughout the

week.

Because by meeting

together, we get to

know each other.

We get to know what

the needs are.

Not just about the

weather or what did

you think of the

rugby and wasn't that

disappointing that they

did.

Yes, important

conversation, but it's

not as important as

knowing what are the

real needs and what are

the real concerns that

we have in our lives.

And when we know what

they are, then we're

able to respond with

compassion, love and

good deeds.

So again, before the

meeting starts, or even

over tea and coffee,

that's why we have tea

and coffee.

an opportunity to talk

to each other and to

ask each other, how

are you?

And don't give the all

too common phrase, fine,

I'm sure I'm grand.

Hmm?

Well, I'm sure we are

grand and I'm sure we

are fine, but how are

we?

Is there anything that I

can do to help in that

situation?

And one of the

responses to that might

be to pray for that

person.

Might be just praying

quietly for them in your

own time.

If you know them well

enough and you're

comfortable enough with

it, it might be to pray

with that person right

there.

It might be to arrange

to meet up for coffee or

for lunch during the

week.

We've all got to eat,

haven't we?

Why don't we meet at

lunchtime or at a coffee

time and meet up with

that person?

Read with them, pray

with them, encourage

them.

We try to develop what

we call one-to-one,

which is simply meeting

with another believer,

another Christian within

the church family, just

to read 15 minutes,

whatever time you have,

to pray together.

In some cases, there

might be practical help

that's required for

people.

There might even be

financial assistance.

Who knows?

We don't know what the

needs are, the concerns

are, until we talk.

And let's be full of

grace in all of this.

We are sinful, aren't

we?

We are failures.

We don't always look out

for people as we ought

to.

So look what it says in

verse 24.

Consider, think about,

apply, work it out, how

we can spur one another

on towards love and good

deeds.

I've got to be thinking,

how can I motivate each

other to be compassionate?

How can I help us to do

that more and more?

Well, you know what?

The best way that we can

spur each other to be

compassionate is to be

compassionate to one

another.

If you come and you're

thinking, nobody shows me

compassion around here.

Well, demonstrate that

compassion and maybe

others will follow you.

We're in it together.

We're a church family.

And this isn't a kind of

beat us on the head.

Because there is

compassion, there is

support, there is

grace, there is

encouragement.

It's just simply

reminding us of why we

are gathering together.

So, grace, support,

compassion.

The fourth lettuce that

we need is verse 25.

Let us not give up

meeting together as some

are in the habit of

doing, but let us

encourage one another

and all the more as you

see the day approaching.

You know what?

None of what we've

looked at so far.

Grace, support,

compassion can happen.

None of these things

can be experienced

unless we are actually

meeting together.

Sounds obvious,

but that's the truth.

So we've got to be

encouraged to make

our gathering together

formally on a Sunday

morning, through the

week at home group,

and at other informal

times through the week,

to make it a priority.

Now, I understand

that it's not always

possible.

I am married,

and I've got children,

and family,

there can be family

concerns.

Some people might even

have to be working.

I understand all of

that.

There can be genuine

reasons, but as verse

25 is saying,

let's be in the habit.

Let's set good

habits.

Let's plan our

diaries.

Let's think about what

we're going to be doing

as a family, where

we're going to be,

who's going to be

going out on Wednesday

to home group.

Let's make that

effort.

Why do we need to

make the effort?

Well, life is tough,

isn't it?

We're going to face

pressures at work.

There's difficulties

in relationships.

We have the demands

of family life.

We might even be

struggling with health.

And all of these

things can weigh us

down, but in God's

grace is given to us,

the family, one

another, a source of

constant encouragement.

Let us encourage

one another all the

more as you see the

day approaching.

The day, capital D,

is the day of Christ's

return.

And it says it's

happening soon.

He's coming soon.

As Christ is coming,

be encouraging each

other.

Because the only

things, or the only,

all that's going to

survive are people.

So we give our

efforts and our

attention to people.

How do we encourage

each other then when

we do meet?

Well, by bringing

each other back to

grace.

To have our hearts

sprinkled, to remind

each other of the

depth of God's

amazing grace.

By getting

alongside each

other, giving that

vital support to

hold on to the

hope that we have.

By responding to

the needs and

concerns of each

other with

compassion.

And by making it a

priority to gather

with God's people.

The church family

is God's means of

enabling us to

experience the

full effects of

the gospel, the

good news of

Jesus Christ.

And we're never

going to know all

that Christ has to

give us.

We'll never explore

the depths of the

riches of Christ

apart from the

church.

He's given us the

church so we can

go deeper with

all that he has

to give us.

That's why we

bother with

church.

That's why we

meet together.

Let's pray.

This is a prayer

that comes from

2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 2:16

chapter 2

verse 16.

Just listen to

this prayer.

May our Lord

Jesus Christ

himself and God

our Father who

loved us,

and by his

grace gave us

eternal

encouragement and

good hope.

Encourage our

hearts and

strengthen us in

every good deed

and word.

And all God's

people said,

Amen.