TOGETHER
Steve W. Reeves
steve@wschurch.net
stevereevesoutlines.blogspot.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. Is it important for Christians to be together? Is it important for the church to assemble
together for worship?
1. One of the most difficult consequences of the current pandemic has been the
inability of the whole church to come together in a physical setting.
2. According to research done by the Pew Foundation most religious groups in the
United States have about one third of their normal attendance present on a weekly
bbasis witth two thirds watching on line. Our average at West Side is about fifty
percent present and fifty percent viewing online.
3. According to the Pew Foundation’s newsletter on August 7, 2020 the majority of
those surveyed said they intended to return to their pre quarantine attendance
once the pandemic subsides.
B. As I look at the beginning of the church pictured in Acts 1 and 2 I am impressed with
the importance they placed on being together. The word “together” is found seven
times in these two chapters with six of these referring to the followers of Jesus.
1. In Acts 1:4 Jesus, “gathering them together.”
2. In Acts 1:6 we read, “So when they had come together they began asking Him,
‘Lord, at this time will you restore the kingdom to Israel?’”
3. According to Acts 1:15 a group of about 120 was there together…
4. In Acts 2:1, “When the day of Pentecost had come they were all there together in
one place.”
5. In Acts 2:6, “when the people heard this noise the crowd came together.”
6. Acts 2:44 records, “and all of the believers were together and had all things in
common.”
7. Finally, Acts 2:46 states, “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with
gladness and sincerity of heart,”
C. I want to remind all of us, whether we are physically present or watching on-line of
the importance of being together as soon as possible.
I. THERE IS PROTECTION IN BEING TOGGETHER
A. After Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples followed His instructions to remain
in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them.. According to Acts 1:15 a group
of about 129 were together. Ten days latter on the Day of Pentecost (fifty days
after Passover, Leviticus 23:15) they were all together in an upper room.
1. Throughout Acts you find believers coming together at critical times. In Acts 12
after James had been killed and Peter had been arrested believers came together
in the home of Mary the mother of John Mark to pray.
2. These first generation Christians faced their challenges together.
B. Although two thousand years have passed and we live in a different time, a
ddifferent place4 and a different culture this truth remains. We need the spiritual
protection that is found when we are together.
1. In Ecclesiastes 4:7 Solomon said, “If two lie down together they can keep warm,
but how can one be warm along?”
2. Penguins are fascinating creatures. They live in a climate where the temperature
reaches 40 degrees below 0 and the winds blow at over one hundred miles per
hour. How can they possibly survive? They huddle together in groups of
hundreds and thousands. Their body temperatures warm one another so much
that the temperatures inside the huddle is a toasty 70 degrees. They regularly
move in and out to the circumference of the group so none are exposed to the
cold for too long. How long would one last if it wandered away from the group?
3. When a herd of Zebras is threatened by a predator they gather together in a
circiple with their young on the inside of the ring and their hind legs facing
outward to kick against the danger. A Zebra by itself is easy prey for a lion.
4. Peter says tthat our adversary, the devil, is like a roaring lion seeking whom he
may devour. Who is better prey than one who is seperated from the protection of
being together?
II.THEREE IS SUPPORT IN BEING TOGETHER
A. Acts 2:44 says that all of the believvers were together and had all thinhgs in
common. A companion text is Acts 4:32-35, “And the congregation of those who
believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything
belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to
them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34 For there
was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or
houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the
apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each to the extent that any had
need.”
1. Most of us have seen a formation of geese as they fly. The “V” formation allows
each of the geese to take advantage of the air flow from the one in front of it.
This enables them to expend forty percent less energy in flight and cover longer
distances. In addition, they swap out the lead preserving their strength, they
encourage one another with incessant “honking” and if one drops out of the
formation it will be accompanied by another.
2. Can you be a good person by yourself. Yes. However, you will be a better
person when you receive the support that comes from being with others.
B. The writer of the book of Hebrews addressed Christians who were in need of
encouragement. Some of them were facing persecution. Some of them were
growing tired and weary in their faith….
1. In Hebrews 3:12-13 this writer said, “Take care, brothers and sisters, that there
will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the
living God. 13 But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called
“today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
2. In Heebrews 10:23-25 we read, “ Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope
without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let’s consider
how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, 25 not abandoning o
own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one
another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
C. A man went to visit a friend who had stopped attending church. It was a cold winter’s day and there was a roaring fire in the fireplace. The ttwo men sat quietly before the fire. Slowly, the visitor reached for the tongs and pulled a flaming coal away from the fire. Silently the two men watched the flame subside and thee coal grow dark and cold. It was them that he told his friend, “This is what is happening to your soul when you do not come together with the church…
D. I have been a Christian for almost fifty years and a preacher for forty years,. I have never known anyone who said they became spiritually sstronger by not coming together with the church.
III. THERE IS GLADNESS IN BEING TOGETHER
A. Acts 2:46 is such a great passage.” Day by day continuing with one mind in the
temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals
together with gladness and sincerity of heart,”
B. How do you viewe your relationship with the church?
1. Are you a spectator watching what happens? Spectators do not get excited.
They just watch. They don’t participage or contribute. They invest nothing and
receive nothing.
2. Are you a consumer? Do you attend or watch just to see what you can get out of
it? Maybe you go from church to church like shoppintg at the grocery store to
see what’s in it for you? Consumer Christiqns are usually not very happy or
reliable.
3. Are you a participant? Think of the difference between watching a ball game on
television and being in the stadium. In the stadium you are surrounded by
people who are excited about what is going on. They stgand, sit and yell. It may
be freezing but they sit for hours because it is enjoyable.
4. The early church was glad when they came together because of their common
love for Jesus.
CONCLUSION:
A. Acts 2:46 continues into verse 47, “Praising God and having favor with the peeole,
vand the Lord added to the church daily those being saved.”
1. There is a dynamic in coming together that cannot be duplicated by any other
means.
2. In August of 2005 Hurricane Katrina struck the southern United States. Teens of
thousands evacuated the Louisiana and Mississippi gult coast. The
congregation where I was preaching near the Mississippi and Tennessee state
linie received over 150 evacuees. For the better part of a month we housed
families in our 31 classrooms. We set up a food kitchen in our Family Life
Cemter and turned part of our lobby into a clothing warehouse. Our first lady,
Laura Bush came and visited us. The local newspaper ran a drawing of our
church building on their editorial page with a note of appreciation. I have never
experienced anything like it before or since. The thinkg I remember most is
when we came together for worship on Sunday morning. At the time we had a
worship attendance of 750. There were easily over 900 that morning with many
having never attended a worship service in the church of Christ. Sitting across
from me was a man from the Louisiana coast with his family. They were
shrimpersTheey were rough around the edges and tough. As we sang “The
Greatest Command” I glanced over and tears were streaming down this man’s
face. I told my youngest daughter (sixteen) “Always remember this. This is a
once in a lifetime occurrence.
3. How did we do such a thing? Together. It wasn’t even planned. Everyone came
together.
B. Knowing this church as I do. Knowing the talend and ability of each one. Knowing
what a great capacity you have to love God and love others I am persuaded that
there is no limit to what we can do for the Kingdom of God as long as we ddo it together.
