“The Gathering – Part 4” with you

Introduction 

Ecclesia means something close to what we call Congress. 

• We are a Congress of legislators. 
• We are a Congress of ambassadors. 
• We are a Congress of judges. 

The writer or Hebrews tells us explicitly, gathering is a remedy for Christian stagnation and hypocrisy:  

• Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV):24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

3 Keys to a More Meaningful Gathering 

• Gathering must be a matter of devotion, not culture.
• Acts 2:42 (ESV):42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 
• We must gather bearing gifts.

• Psalm 100:4 (ESV):4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
• Esther 4:11 (ESV): 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepterso that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
• Nehemiah 2:2 (ESV):2 And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 
• Psalm 122:1 (ESV):1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” 

Praise is our sacrifice: Hebrews 13:15 (ESV):15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 

Gift bearing requires that we maintain loving relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.  

Matthew 5:23–24 (ESV):23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 

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Heart Preparation When We’re Not Gathering 

Church gatherings are to address God’s priorities, but we won’t do that if we are preoccupied with our priorities.  

• Matthew 13:18–23 (ESV):18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” 
• Matthew 6:33 (ESV):33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 

Three Types of Hustles 

The three categories are as follows: 

• Stability, Stuff, and Status 

We’ll address them one by one: 

• The hustle for stability is about survival 
• The hustle for “stuff” is about securing the good life.
• The hustle for status is about achievement.
• Things are lower-order concerns.
• God wants to address higher-order concerns.  

Higher Order Concerns 

What are higher-order concerns? 

What Do We Do About Our Spheres of Influence?  

Four things: 

• Seek God 
• Serve people  
• Solve problems 
• Share the gospel 

I’ll go over them one by one: 

• Seek God
• Acts 26:15–18 (ESV): 15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 

• Ephesians 1:15–20 (ESV):15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 
• Colossians 1:9–11 (ESV):9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 
• Ephesians 3:14–19 (ESV):14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 

• Serve People
• Matthew 5:16 (ESV):16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. 
• Colossians 3:22–24 (ESV):22 Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 

• High-quality work and a high-quality witness
• Solve Problems 
• Examples of Kingdom problem-solvers 
• Joseph 
• Esther 
• Daniel 
• Daniel’s reputation for solving problems: 

• Daniel 5:10–12 (ESV):10 The queen, because of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting hall, and the queen declared, “O king, live forever! Let not your thoughts alarm you or your color change. 11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him, and King Nebuchadnezzar, your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and astrologers, 12 because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.” 
• Share the Gospel

• Mark 16:15 (ESV):15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 
• Ephesians 6:18–20 (ESV):18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.