Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Present and unaccounted for

Hebrews 10:25

How do we assemble ourselves together?  I am afraid to many believe that this portion of text charges us to simply "show up".  The line of thought is if we are there then we are accounted for, and not forsaking the assembly.  What I have been thinking on this week is how to keep from forsaking the assembly.

The church is like an orchestra….hang on now…just bear with me on this.  Consider that great assembly of people; no two people in the orchestra are the same, although, two may play the same instrument.  They assemble together for the purpose of playing a beautiful musical piece that inspires and captivates the congregation.  They want the music to influence the audience.  However, if each musician was left to his own motivation, the symphony would not sound as it should.  At this point they are together but not assembled.  They need a conductor, a man to: lead, guide, and instruct the musicians; a man to lead his musicians through the complicated musical piece.  Each musician must play his part the best he/she can, all the while looking towards the guiding hand of the conductor.  When this happens the orchestra is finally assembled, and the result is beautiful and inspiring music.  So it is with the church of God.  We each have our own instrument and part to play; but we play not our own notes, we play at the command of the conductor. 

So how do we assemble ourselves together?  By assembling ourselves to him, to Jesus Christ.  The fact of the matter is you could have an orchestra of a thousand stringed instruments and two thousand wind instruments but if they are not following the conductor no music will be played.  Likewise, no matter how many "Christians" you gather together and how many times you gather them; without “true fellowship with the Father” there will be no assembling of ourselves.  We will be together, but ultimately there is still disconnect because we are operating on our own terms and for our own means.  Many may gather in to a church service or young peoples event; and the question is not are you there, but why are you there?    You can have social event after social event, gathering after gathering, meeting after meeting, but unless you have a group of people willing to follow the Spirit it will not profit.  It will not be music.  It will not captivate the congregation and cause them to want to turn over their life to God.  This willingness cannot come when you walk in the doors.  It must be present day in and day out.  I speak to myself, as I speak to all.   
The exhortation of the Bible is clear and simple.  There is no salvation without sacrifice, no progress without faith, Jesus said “the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life”.  We must read the Word and follow our great conductor.  Then and only then, will we truly be able to play music that will inspire the congregation out of sin and into a life of holiness and godliness.  Is that not the true motive?  Is that not the main thing?  To live holy and lead others to holiness?  If so, then let the church play that symphony, at the will of the conductor.  May we all endeavor to play our part.

Thoughts?.......respond to pgcollins65@gmail.com