Church, We Must Gather In Person (Part 3)

My goal in this series of posts is to show why gathering together in person is one of the most important things a Christian could ever do in life. In each post, I am giving one reason. Here are links to the various parts: part 1, part 2.

The third reason gathering together with other Christians is one of the most important things a Christian will ever do in life is:

3. Because we can’t obey God if we don’t gather, and obeying God is a blessing.

Let me put together two passages of Scripture to make this point. The first is Hebrews 10:24-25:

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.

Hebrews 10:25

The main instruction is in verse 24—“consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” Verse 25 then, about meeting together, is the context in which we are to stir up one another. The command isn’t simply to gather for the sake of gathering. The command isn’t even to gather! It’s to consider how to stir up one another to love and good works as you cherish gathering together.

Oh, by the way, look at the end of verse 25. This behavior is to happen more and more as it gets closer to the day of Jesus’ return.

The second passage is Psalm 119:1, which says:

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the Lord!

Psalm 119:1

Notice what the Psalmist says. Those who walk in the law of the Lord (God’s Word) are “blessed.” It is better for us to obey God, as His redeemed people, than it is for us to live for sin.

Let’s put these two truths together. If we’re commanded to stir up one another to godliness while we gather, and it’s a blessing to walk in the Lord’s commands, then stirring up one another to godliness while we gather together is a blessing.

And for those of us in Christ, we realize this.

I have gathered with God’s people thousands of times in my lifetime. Sunday School, Children’s Church, Patch the Pirate Club, Youth Group, Church Camp, Potlucks, Worship services, Wednesday night Bible studies, retreats, fellowship times, VBS, revivals, conventions, conferences—you name it, and I’ve gathered in that setting with the Lord’s people. Except for rare times when God’s Word was abused by someone in authority, I can’t think of one time I left thinking “that was a bad idea.”

Church, we must gather in person. It’s a blessing.