As We Gather

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Psalm 122:1, ESV

Some have reduced the gathering of the church to be a spiritual duty, others an accessory to the Christian life, others an opportunity to refuel to survive another day, and others an option to be selected as need. But we see it as so, so, so much more. We believe that Heaven sees it much differently, and as we do also, our gatherings will take on greater impact in our lives and those who enter the room where we meet with Him!

God’s agenda has always been to meet with his people!!!

• the garden - And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8, ESV

• the Tent of Meeting - Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Exodus 33:7–11, ESV

• the Tabernacle - Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:34–38, ESV

• the Temple - And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. 1 Kings 8:10–11, ESV

• our Temple, as we gather together with Him!

  • And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16–17, ESV

  • When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1–4, ESV

As We Gather TOGETHER WITH Him:

• LIFE IS PRESENT

• Salvation Comes

• Miracles Happen

• The Word Has Power

• We Lean Into Mission

Mankind is born on this earth, blind. It’s not physical blindness. It is spiritual blindness: But God is the great revealer of hidden things. He gives VISION to see what actually is:

• Matthew 13:44, ESV  “The kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

2 Corinthians 1:19–20, NLT For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

One of the most effective tactics of every demon in hell is to suggest and insist that God is the one to blame every time the Devil steals, kills, or destroys. This tactic further characterizes him to be against us and ultimately, the God of NO. 

• 2 Corinthians 4:4, ESV  In their case the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

GOD wants to show you what Heaven already sees – HE is the GOD of YES!

1.    God’s Says YES to Everyone & Jesus Is the Proof 

• John 3:16–18, ESV  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

• Luke 4:19, ESV  “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

• Matthew 11:28, ESV  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

• John 12:32, ESV  “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

• 2 Peter 3:9, ESV  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

2.    Seeing His YES Invites Our YES

• Mark 2:14, ESV  And as he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

3.    Our YES Puts the Rest of Heaven’s YESES Within Reach

• 2 Corinthians 1:20–22, The Message  Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.