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Understanding the Assembly

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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1. The Whole Nation of Israel

(Exodus 12:6; 16:3; Leviticus 4:13;1 Samuel 17:47)

2. The Gathered People of Israel

(Numbers 10:2; 20:6; Deuteronomy 9:10; 18:16; Nehemiah 5:7)

A. Old Testament Usage

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B. New Testament Usage

1. A Gathering For A Common Purpose - Not Necessarily Worship (Acts 19:29, 31-32; 23:7)

2. An Assembly For Discussion Not Worship (Acts 15:25)

3. A Place Or Setting For Worship (James 2:2)

4. Times Christians Assembled For Worship (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 5:4; Hebrews 10:25)

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    • The Lord's Supper Was Observed When the Church Came Together (1 Corinthians 11:20)
    • Regulations Governing the Assembly (1 Corinthians 14)

C. Assembly = Coming Together In "One Place"

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a. The Whole Church Comes Together In One Place (v. 23)

b. "If" Implies Times When They Are Not Together

c. When Assembled, They Are Called "the Church" (vv. 34-35)

Regulations Governing the Assembly

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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A. Order (1 Corinthians 14:33,40)

B. One Speaker at a Time

(1 Corinthians 14:27-31

    • Prophets And Tongue Speakers Were to Speak In Turn
    • Teaching In the Assembly Cannot Involve Multiple Speakers At Once

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C. Women Are Not to Address the Assembly (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

    • Women Are Not to Teach Or Exercise Authority Over Men (1 Timothy 2:11-12)
    • Women Are Not to Speak to or Address the Assembly in ANY WAY (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)
    • They Are to Be Submissive. (1 Corinthians 14:35; 2 Timothy 2:11-12)

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D. Men Are to Lead

(1 Corinthians 14:24-25;

1 Timothy2:8)

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E. The Lord's Supper

    • The Lord's Supper Was Taken When the Church Came Together (Acts 20:7)
    • Instructions Concerning the Lord's Supper Says It Was Done When They Came Together In "One Place" (1 Corinthians 11:20)
    • You Cannot Find Where Christians Partook Or Were Told to Partake of the Lord's Supper Except When the Church Was Assembled!

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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A. Forsaking the Assembling

    • Hebrews 10:25 Does Not Use the Word "Assembly"
      1. Some Think it Is Saying "Do not Forsake the Assembly"(Sunday Morning)
      2. "Assembling"
        1. "The Act of Assembling" (Vincent)
        2. Same Word is Translated "Gathered Together" (2 Thessalonians 2:1)

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A. Forsaking the Assembling

    • Hebrews 10:25 Does Not Use the Word "Assembly"
    • This Includes Every Time the Church Meets Together
      1. Sunday Morning
      2. Sunday Night
      3. Wednesday Night
      4. Gospel Meeting
      5. Singing
      6. Etc.

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Auditorium

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

B. Bible Classes

    • Objection By Some Brethren: All Teaching Must Occur In the Assembly So You Cannot Have Bible Classes (1 Corinthians 14:23)
    • The "If" Implies the Church May Gather Without Being In One Place (As In Bible Classes)
    • Teaching Was Done In Divided Groups On Pentecost (Acts 2)

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C. Women Teaching In Classes

    • Objection By Some: Multiple Women Teaching Bible Classes Equals Women Speaking In the Assembly
    • Divided Classes Are Not the Assembly - Not All In One Place (1 Corinthians 14:23)
      1. Multiple Classes Going On - You Have Multiple People Talking (Not Permitted In the Assembly)
      2. Thus In Bible Classes, Women Are Not Addressing the Assembly

Auditorium

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

Classroom

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D. Worship at Home

    • No One Argues That You Cannot Worship or Praise God In Home Or Any Place (Acts 16:25)
    • Some Argue That Any 2 Or 3 Coming Together Is An Assembly (Matthew 18:20) So Each Family Can Just Worship At Home (At All Times)

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D. Worship at Home

    • If Meeting At Home is the Assembly -Then We Have Effectively Eliminated the Local Church!
    • If Each Family Met In Their Own Homes - How Are We In "One Place"? (1 Corinthians 11:20; 14:23)

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E. Virtual Worship

    • No One Argues You Cannot Have Virtual Services
    • The Point: Virtual Meetings Are Not the Assembly - Not All Gathered Together In One Place (1 Corinthians 14:23)
    • Thus, Activities That Are Limited to the Assembly Cannot Be Done Virtually
    • Thus, Virtual Worship Cannot Be A Substitute or Replace the Assembly

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F. Lord's Supper at Home or Hospital

    • Common Practice to Take the Lord's Supper Outside the Assembly
      1. Used to Be A Practice to Take the Lord's Supper to Sick And Shut-Ins
      2. Many Take the Lord's Supper In Their Home

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F. Lord's Supper at Home or Hospital

    • Common Practice to Take the Lord's Supper Outside the Assembly
    • Only Biblical Example Or Instruction - The Lord's Supper Was to Be Taken In the Assembly (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:20)

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G. Social Gatherings of Christians

    • A Group of Christians Meeting For Other Purposes (Recreation, Entertainment, Meals, Etc.) Do Not Constitute the Assembly of 1 Corinthians 14
    • If It Did The Restrictions Would Apply:
      1. Women Could Not Address the Group
      2. All Could Not Speak At the Same Time

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Understanding The Assembly

Defining the Assembly

Restrictions For the Assembly

Issues Concerning the Assembly

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Understanding the Assembly