Christian Gathering: Not an Arbitrary Thing but of Great Importance

The practice of Christians meeting together may seem arbitrary to some. It is for this reason that individuals sometimes question this exercise, and some believe that it is not necessary. In the last few months, I met an individual who believes that meeting together as Christians are not necessary. At the time of our conversation, I reminded him of what is said in Hebrew 10 vs 24 and 25, where Christians were admonished not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together or not to give up meeting together.

After the initial conversation I had, I was prompted to look deeper into the importance of assembling as Christians. This led me to investigate the behavior of sheep; I know this may seem like a stretch but stay with me. In the Bible, believers are described as sheep.

In the natural, sheep are animals that have very strong flocking instincts- meaning they love to be in a group. You rarely see a sheep or a small number of sheep by themselves. It is ill-advised to rear a sheep in isolation. They should be in a group for these reasons:

1. They feel safer physically and emotionally when they are together. When sheep are in a group this offers protection from predators. Additionally, when a sheep is separated from the flock, it can become stressed. When they are stressed, they eat less thereby lowering their immunity and henceforth they become ill.
2. They can socialize and learn essential behaviors when in a group.

Christians are sheep and we follow the shepherd who is Jesus. As children of the great shepherd, we are commanded not to give up meeting together. We cannot live this Christian journey alone and at some point, we will need a community to call upon. We are not meant to be in isolation.

As Christians our chief predator is the devil. The devil in 1 Peter 5 vs 8, is described as a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Lions are very patient hunters, and not only do they use brute force to hunt; they are patient hunters who sit around and observe for any vulnerabilities- lonely and or weak prey. Christians, who isolate themselves by neglecting the meeting together of believers are likely to become weak and are therefore prone to get attack from the enemy. An isolated weak person is the ‘someone’ the enemy is likely to devour. They cannot withstand the wiles of the enemy, they have no immunity against his plan.

Proverbs 27 vs 17 reminds us that iron, sharpens iron

When we meet as believers it fosters growth, provides encouragement and we are also strengthened. We learn from each other experiences, and the testimony of others can serve as a motivation for us as we face situations that may or may not be similar. Verse 24 of Hebrews 10 tells us that we must consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds and verse 25 of the said chapter says we must encourage one another, and this is in the context of our meeting together.

Socialization and learning essential behaviors are important for flocking sheep. A sheep can only learn the ways of being a sheep by being around other sheep. If a young sheep associates itself with another animal, it will pick up the behavior of that non-sheep animal. So, as Christians, we must surround ourselves with individuals that will help to foster our growth and development.

Paul in his letter to Titus in chapter 2, encourages Titus to teach the older men and women how to behave respectably. These older individuals are then expected to teach their younger counterparts how they are to behave not only by their words but also by their actions. Having persons that we can emulate, will help us in our growth and development, ultimately we are called to emulate Christ, but having persons we are accountable to in the body of Christ will help in our growth and development.

The body of Christ is described as having many parts. As with the human body, a part of the body cannot exist on its own successfully, just as how a single sheep cannot survive on its own. 1^st Corinthians 12 vs 12-31, speaks to each of us being a part of the body and each having differing gifts and abilities- apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healing, gifts of leadership, tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc. One person is unlikely to have all the gifts of the spirit being in operation in their life, though they may have more than one gift. The gifts that are given are to be used to serve others (1 Peter 4 vs 10). We benefit greatly from each other’s gifts when we meet. If we isolate ourselves, we are not able to benefit maximally from the varying dispensation of the Holy Spirit

Some individuals choose not to assemble with believers because they believe that the church is full of hypocrites. Matthew 13 vs 30 reminds us that the wheat and tares, shall grow together until the day of harvest…the good and the bad, the sheep and the goat, will grow together until the coming of the Lord. Why wait until the day of harvest to remove the tares? In trying to remove the tare before the harvest – you may uproot the wheat. The wheat therefore will not be able to come to maturation- the Lord wants us to come to maturation despite what is taking place around us. The church is by no means a perfect place- there will always be good and bad, but the Lord will do the sorting on the day of the harvest. I will argue that not everyone in the church is a hypocrite and you will find persons whom you can trust and rely on.

I hope that as children of God we will understand the importance of meeting together, as we seek to grow in the faith and build each other up

Dear Lord,

I thank you for the opportunity that we have been afforded to come into your presence. May we not live in isolation- because it’s then we become weak and become prey for the enemy. Instead, may we harken unto your word which beckons us not to forsake the assembly of the believers together. As we meet may we strengthen each other, learn from each other and benefit from the spiritual gifts that each other possesses. Forgive us when we have erred in believing that there was no need for us to meet, may our perspective be renewed through the study of your word. Thank you, Lord, for your words because the entrance of your word gives us light. Bring light to our path so we no longer will walk in ignorance of your word. In Jesus’ name, I pray,

AMEN.

References

Can Sheep Live Alone? (Why It’s Not Ideal) – Fur, Wings, & Scaly Things. (2022, January 10). Fur, Wings, & Scaly Things. Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://furwingsandscalythings.com/can-sheep-live-alone/

Goodling, K. (2018, July 6). Five Things You Should Know About Sheep Behavior. Living With Gotlands. Retrieved November 12, 2022, from https://www.livingwithgotlands.com/2018/07/five-things-you-should-know-about-sheep-behavior/