The Assembly: Committed Congregation - Service (Part 1) — Scott MacLeod

New Testament Assemblies and the Meaning of “Gospel Hall”

Now just these two questions were asked and they kind of relate one to another so. Is it correct to say gospel hall assemblies? Would it not be better to say assemblies that follow New Testament principles?

So Yes, that would be the to refer to the New Testament in terms of a New Testament assembly I think what was at least trying to be said this morning was the fact of Practices that are done within association of these buildings.

The building does have a certain representation in a community and the people who meet there are known by where they meet and who they Are and so it would be scriptural to say New Testament assemblies.

Yes, that is the way that is a more proper way of saying it. I remember once a person was preaching at a conference and he said. He says, you know, he says the church down the street. He said not everything that the church down the street does is wrong.

He said we can learn a few things from the church down the street and I was like, okay. And then he said and you know, he says you can learn a lot. He said from the gospel hall too, and I'm thinking why is he saying it that way?

So maybe what this question is asking is the best way to say is don't refer anybody and to any certain place. Refer them to the New Testament refer them to the scriptures. That is where we are told what to do how to do it and who to do it for.

And so that would be the best answer for that. Is it proper to refer to assemblies as a gospel hall or is the gospel hall only the building in which an assembly meets? And so are we not distinct from denomination?

So it seems like both of these questions were asked by a person who kind of knows the answer already and The gospel hall is a designation to differentiate Correctly the building from the people that meet there.

And in fact when if you were to put on it such-and-such church. That would be incorrect because the building is not the church number one and when everybody goes home the church is home. Okay in their homes.

And so you remember that in the book of Acts we read that Certain things were told to the ears of the church and so on. So the building didn't have ears on it with eardrums. It was a building and so what?

People have done wisely and scripturally is to designate or call the building something that will designate it as just that. It is a gospel hall and so buildings like Massey Hall in Toronto Radio City Music Hall in New York City and so on have done the same thing.

The building is designated as a title that will call it just that it's not the people. It's not the it's the building and so the assembly meets in that building. The second part of this question says are we not distinct from denominations?

I would say that denominations are distinct from us. Okay in the sense of when I say us People who meet in accordance with the New Testament pattern. That's all they ever had so anything else is actually a separation from that.

It's not a matter of two companies being distinct from each other. It's a matter of. Well, I'll give you an illustration. I Was talking to a person one time and I said Okay, so I'm standing here and I said now you want to do certain things I said and so this is what the New Testament represents now.

You want to do for example, you want your women to preach so you take two steps forward two steps backward. I said now you want a clergy system. You want a one-man pastor system. And so take two more steps and we kept Using distinctions from what the New Testament is teaching and pretty soon.

She was about halfway across the room and I said now the question is who moved. Who moved. I didn't move. I'm the New Testament the New Testament says what it says and it will always say the same thing.

The question is Why are you moving? So I don't think really are we distinct from denominations is really the proper question is it's why did denominational systems or why does anyone? For that matter want to be distinctive from what the New Testament teaches.

So maybe that would be an answer to these to these two questions and it is important to differentiate. What we're trying to do is be scriptural as possible and differentiate between the building and the people.

Scripture, Tradition, and the Authority of the Bible

All right, let's open our Bibles to 1st Corinthians chapter 12. I think to something that does help us because sometimes when you Get into discussions like this the emotional Thing can get come in and sort of confuse things.

I think it's always good to remember. I know my brethren up here. When we use the word Christendom or denominational ism We are not condemning individual believers. Okay, but we are condemning a system a system that is opposite to the Word of God.

Even the Lord even God himself did that the deeds and the doctrines of the Nicolaitans God says in Revelation. I I hate it and That Doctrine those deeds was one man ruling over the people. So once you deny the truth of the priesthood The freedom of the Spirit of God to move on those brethren publicly.

You know that that is against the Word of God to deny that so it's just good for us to bear that in mind. We love every single believer. No matter where they go on Sunday because I have as brother Frank brought out I have a relationship with Christ.

So do they. I have salvation they have salvation. But then as we move into the doctrines of the Bible there are different levels of Agreement with that individual but we have to always remember the Bible is the final arbitrator of everything.

I believe our young people Need to hear this. This is part of my opening. I'm not going to be very very long. I was talking to a young brother just in the lineup to dinner and this is very very important for today because of the Confusion we're living in a society that has told us that there's no absolute truth.

But there is. It's just a fact that has to be faced. And then something has to take place. Something has to replace if there's no absolute truth. What is there? Oh, well my understanding my perception becomes truth.

And you can see the wrong of that. You can see the extremes of that today in culture around us. We have to get back to the Bible brother and sister. We've got to start defending things. Not because preachers so I'm thankful that preacher so-and-so believes it.

But we have to get down to where the Bible Tells us what it's all about and we allow the Bible to interpret self so we have to learn using the Word of God to distinguish between doctrine and traditions.

Doctrines traditions of men now when you're on the traditional side. There can be beneficial traditions. I don't find in this Bible that them the breaking of bread has to happen at 10 o 'clock Sunday morning.

What's that. No see doctrinal who the Assemblies aren't what they used to be we can't break bread at 930. That's the extreme that some people go to. You're gonna get you're gonna chocolate this one. What's the temperature in the hall Frank?

Yeah. Freak out. Tradition. I leave that with the oversight. I really don't care what temperature the hall is. I care about doctrine doctrine. So once we start to use common sense this logic that God gave us and we allow the Bible to speak to us.

When a tradition is changed. Oh. It's just a tradition if If an assembly decides to use God forbid brown bread as opposed to white bread. There goes the purity of the Lord Jesus common word for bread.

Use what you have if it's raisin pumpernickel. I don't care. It's a loaf just use it doesn't have to be red wine. Oh Doctor and that's the color of the blood. If you've got white wine use it just has to be wine.

The fruit of the vine is what we find in the Bible. I Could go on and on and turn this into a ministry meeting these things matter brother and sister they matter. And we have to teach our young people we have to teach ourselves as well.

So just you keep that in mind. We're gonna start in 1st Corinthians 12 even though the outline shows 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, but I'm just gonna go chronologically Through the New Testament here from 1st Corinthians up to 1st Thessalonians chapter 5.

You will notice when William did up the outlines. He left at the bottom my outline original outline. Marcus Cain. He sent me his outline. I Just couldn't bring myself to throwing it out. Okay. I'm sorry I felt Marcus must have put a lot of effort into it and I said how can I just Trumble up his exercise and go no good.

Then I remember what my good friend said here normally five minutes after a Bible study starts. We don't follow an outline. You did pretty good though. I have to I have to give you credit. So I'm just gonna kind of have a running outline here.

I got certain ideas and we're gonna spend half of it on chapter 12. And then we're gonna spend half on 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 right now. I'm just gonna read the section here sit down make a few more comments.

Then we'll go into it and then when we come to 1st Thessalonians 5, I'll just read it again. And then we'll just go into that as well. So let's start in 1st Corinthians chapter 12 verse number 12 now.

The original outline I got was from 12 to 27, but I know it's the one that William he went 12 to 31. I'm gonna go up to the original. Okay 27 if you don't mind, but if you want to bring in something to a gift fine, so 1st Corinthians 12 verse 12.

For the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body. Be in many are one body so also is Christ for. Because I'm gonna give the reason now in verse 13. Referring to Christ the body of Christ the bride this wonderful universal thing that is being formed.

For by one spirit. Are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles? Whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit. For the body is not one member, but many if the foot shall say.

Because I am NOT the hand. I'm not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body and if the ear shall say because I'm not the eye am I not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body if the whole body were an eye?

Where were the hearing if the whole we're hearing where were the smelling? But now now here's here's a hinge a change in the chapter. We're gonna get another one in a minute, but now Have God set the members.

Every one of them in the body as it has pleased him and if they were all one member where were the body? But now are they many members yet one body and the eye cannot say unto the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet.

I have no need of you. Nay much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary and those members of the body Which we think to be less honorable upon these we bestow more abundant honor and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

For our comely parts have no need. But God there's the second hinge, but God hath tempered balanced the body together. Having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked that there should be no schism Division in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another and Whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it or one member Be honored all the members rejoice with it now ye are the body of Christ and Members in particular now we do look to the Lord to give help.

The Body of Christ and the Local Assembly

Very brief in my introduction I'm going to be about five minutes, and then we're going to get into the Bible study. I Find it always Amazing what the Spirit of God uses to teach spiritual lessons. Isn't it something that God and what he'll do here is he's going to introduce three different bodies to us.

There's going to be the body of Christ. We'll show you that when we get there as brother Frank mentioned from Acts chapter 2 right up until the moment of the Rapture that is the bride the body of Christ doesn't matter how old you were it doesn't matter what you understood about Church Truth the minute you put your faith in Christ.

Unbeknown to you unbeknown to me the Spirit of God came into me and then I was taken and placed into the Spirit. And there was something formed in this world that never Existed before and it uniquely belongs to the Lord Jesus.

Then he's going to introduce us in verse 27 to the local a local body. That's made up of different believers in this chapter this section. I Wanted you to notice those two expressions, but God but God.

They come in at very significant places. I as well want you to notice another couplet. There's two emphatic pronouns. He's going to talk about we. Then he comes down to verse 27 ye. Oh. Why didn't he use the same word we?

Well, there's a reason for that. What God has given us is the human body. I want you to stop and think about that for a minute. Do you know what God has given us? Something that constantly speaks of unity.

Harmony balance. Design Purpose. Isn't it great that every part got out of bed with me this morning. Nothing was left. This is what has been bothering me. We have a Bible language talk. That we're not living if I stood in front of you right now.

How horrified would you be if all of a sudden this hand went bang? Punched myself right in the face. Something wrong with that body. What about in the car on the way home? Brother sister. Your kids hear you tear a strip off of Brody.

We're not living. What we say we believe. How many brothers and sisters have left God's assembly over doctrine? How many of leftover personality clashes. We'd have to have a building a hundred times this size if they were all here.

So, let's get real even if there's lots of faults in the past let's say from this day forward I'm going to us. I'm gonna start to look at my brother Brandon doctrinally. I Love that man because he wants truth.

I Don't really care if his personality is like me or different than me. Doesn't matter. But brother and sister the devil hates unity. Because it honors God. The flesh within hates unity because it honors God and Brother Frank just a moment there.

I forgot your name. Wow. Just going on about love. I gotta love you more brother, so don't forget your name. That's okay. Where was I with that? Exactly time to sit down. Okay. Let me see if I can get that thought again.

What was I going on there? Yeah, right. That was that was a little ways back. I was talking about harmony unity of flesh within. Yes, I Know enough of this Bible to know this. I'm the greatest Potential for air in the median.

I'm part of because I can divide her. Now that humbles me that makes me aware. I got to be careful because after all I am in God's house. So let's just break into. I know what's in in the chapter of gift.

I Don't know if someone's got some introductory comments. They want to add about that Obviously, it's very important where it's being found. So if someone wants to bring in a general comment, please do this section you read is bracketed by Gifts that are mentioned, right?

And so the point he's making here is how that they can function and function for the common good of the assembly. Amen.

He goes back to the Trinity though, even in the beginning. Amen, and that's the point of the unity of the Godhead. Very good.

So just I'll get you to second Brody. So you cannot help be it but be impressed when you read this chapter of how many times the word one? One self same spirit self same God self same Christ. There's just all these words that are showing Oneness that's important in the same Brody.

So you mentioned in your opening that you saw three different bodies presented here in the passage. Can you tell us what those are?

Or how they're distinguished. Okay, so in verse number 12, which is coming off of verse number 11. Which I'd like I said, I we got limited time here. So it's very important. We stick to what we have verse number 12.

You got the human body for as the body is one and have many members. So this truth that he's gonna try to get these people to get a hold of. It's almost like now stop for a minute and just look at your body.

And then he starts to give a little bit of into that then when he comes to the end of verse number 12 so also Greek has the definite the Christ I would encourage you to go through the New Testament find out how many times that lovely the Christ picturing that wonderful Universal Church the Bride of Christ and then on the heels of that for oftentimes in the Word of God for you substitute the word because This the Christ this unity for verse 13.

Then he goes and he explains that and then your main section versus 14 down is looking at the human body, right? And then when you come to the very last Verse of the section verse 27 now ye our body of Christ.

Why did Paul exclude himself? Because he wasn't a member in the Church of Corinth. Why did he include himself in verse number 13? Because he was a member in the.

Universal Church the body. You had anything else there Brody. Just two things to to just clarify in my own mind you see that By one spirit we were all baptized into one body could divide the gathering here if we get into that.

But I see it as the Lord Jesus baptizing in the spirit placing in the body. I'm so that conversion absolutely, but where the article is missing here in verse number 27 is he our body like in character, right?

So you're going to function like a body, but there there are not little bodies all over, right? There's one body right, but the assembly functions like a body.

So as you know, we know that from the book of Ephesians one faith one baptism one body and For the younger ones. Well, you said about the what was the big often in Scripture when you have the definite article?

Ah, it's looking like at the person the thing. But when the definite article is removed, it's looking at the characteristics. Right, so that is a helpful thing and going through that anything. Yeah, it's nice to notice.

The one in the oneness. But also equally when you go back not to take you back Scott, but versus eight to nine. It's another of the same kind another of a different kind. Yes. He was going through that.

So it shows that What we have in a sense been made equal yet. There is distinctions given as to how those gifts are given. Absolutely.

Absolutely, there's a distinction of time that that's important to see that what was initiated at Pentecost is Now contrasted in terms of okay verse 12 is referring back to again What was what happened to Pentecost baptism of the Spirit, but now verse 18?

I know you you took us down to verse 27 for the local company, but I wondered verse 18 in Contrast what you were saying God but God but here it's but now but now verse 20, but now and so he's really Contrasting again what began at Pentecost with what now God is doing locally in Somewhat trying to mirror the unity of what God initiated and established.

It's not the same thing. But God wants those characteristics to be seen locally in what he has established in unity on the day of Pentecost.

Yeah, yeah, so that's something that we need to work very hard at is Coming to a place a local assembly. Am I conscious that this needs to reflect? Unity harmony because it is linked with God it belongs to God, right?

So that will help guard my words my comments how I interact with each other.

Yeah, this is a wonderful brother Scott that God created human bodies. For the purpose of illustrating what he wants to see in a church. Very good. So that in the body we have unity. Between all the members.

What. That's not uniformity. Diversity. Even the diversity of our members of our body. Contribute to the unity. Yes, the united function of the body. What was happening in Corinth was that they were using diversity and it was breaking down the unity.

Yes, you're feeling to appreciate different gifts and they're only concentrated on one direction. That's very good.

Yes, and it's something even how science has caught up to the Word of God, you know. Remember years and years ago. They said the appendix move. It's really not an important organ. Well, they've they've changed their mind on that science.

It isn't this whole body was designed by God. There's nothing that is home. Don't really need that. What we're trying to illustrate your brother and sisters this everyone is needed in the assembly. Amen.

Can we please get that into our heads? Why do we emphasize public gift? over private gift. There's very little. Privately you're seeing going on here. Thank God. You can't see my heart be dead. But look at the work it's doing.

Why can't we look at one another like that?

Unity, Diversity, and the Importance of Every Gift

So that's that's the challenge. Maybe we could have a little test of our unity. I would never think of standing a Bible reading on its head or being remembered because Murray McCandless disagreed. But I picking up that you brother and believe that these but you know, it's coming.

All right. Let's just make it play for the sake of all believe that When I trusted Christ, I was placed in that body. I was baptized in that body. Whatever way you want to say it I see it different. I see one birthday of the church one baptism.

Of the day of Pentecost and I believe that I came into the good of that when I trusted Christ. Here's your example. I wasn't in the Garden of Eden. I came into the effect of it. I was born into this world All right, so same thing you see the same peril.

How could I be forgiven sins that I haven't been committed yet? How could the Lord Jesus say I have finished the work which shall give us to me to do hadn't been to the cross in Anticipation so just for the sake of the reading.

It's just a slight little disagree not disagree. But why would you say it Brody? Distinction.

First 13 then Murray you would see it this way and I agree with you. This is thank you, this is the mechanism that incorporates a believer into the body of Christ. For by one spirit Are we all baptized into one body.

That body was formed. One body was formed on the day of Pentecost. That body has grown to this day. But it's been formed and it is existed all the way through that one body. It occurred once. And then we come into the good of it when we drink in the one spirit.

That's when we're born again. That's when we're regenerated by the spirit of God. That's when we become the possessor of eternal life, which is shared in common throughout the body. Right, but that one body has existed and we come into the good of it at conversion.

So you were just aside with Brody because I do This that you were immersed into that body though, right. And it does say here. I don't see any doctrinal problem. No, that's the other thing. So we're all.

So it says we were all baptized. That's the exact word we were baptized into that one body. So when you were saved you were literally immersed into that body, which is baptism. That body was formed at Pentecost.

I was immersed into it. Yeah, it wasn't a deformed body. No, if it was then they wouldn't have it in this chapter because I'm speaking about all the members. Yeah, so God knew all the members go to Psalm 139.

That's right. Where God knew it was a human body God knew all about it before it was even formed. Yeah, so I think that would be.

Quite obvious right a few years ago. We had the the feasts of the Lord here in the Bible readings. There was only one day for Pentecost. Oh, yeah, a one-time event. Yeah.

Yeah, I think Frank is right to mention that nobody is denying the one-time event of Pentecost, right?

Yeah, and and I know I for the record I am with my brother Brody now. This is where you can have a difference of opinion, but we're still brothers. We're still I would hope in my mind I'm still able to huh, I'm gonna take away and consider what you've said.

Okay, so let's let's look at verse 13 for by the preposition is in in one spirit. We are all baptized. So go through the four Gospels. The Lord Jesus is identified as the baptizer. That's right. So in your mind, I'm sure everyone here has been at a Baptism and you see the man walk out with the baptizee.

And there's the element they're waiting into and what happens the baptizer takes the baptizee and puts them down into the element. But takes them out of the element, right? You have a very different thing here.

The spirit of God is the element. See, we get a lot of ministry on the spirit in me. Thank God Ephesians chapter 1 sealed in dwelt by the Spirit of God. But there's a lot in the Bible dear child God of you and I in the spirit.

That's what produces this body this unity. I simply take the grammar of verse 13 are baptized and The grammar is identical to having been made to drink both in the airs. Something that happened it's complete.

So I simply believe that at the moment of conversion. Yes, I believe in it wasn't a foreign body. I Was put into the spirit and the spirit into me. So there's your two different views and.

You know, but John John the Baptist he spoke of the Lord didn't he? He did. Yeah. Yes, very clearly.

Yeah, see another thing and it sounds like I'm pushing my side, but I just give it for you to think. Romans chapter 8 ties together. The spirit in me and me in the spirit all happened in the same moment.

If I were to follow your line, and you don't know. I love you Bert Murray. If I was to follow your line Was I in the spirit?

Before I was saved. Well, see I look at it anticipatively. Okay, the whole thing has to be. The other thing is this.

Put the question back on you. When did the body of Christ commence? Body acts chapter 2, right? I don't see. Has it ceased to exist since. No, but I don't think we're disagreeing.

But I'm looking at it grammatically It just says you were about everybody even people that weren't at Pentecost. You were baptized and it's that's the word that you yeah. So again, I the effect I think is really what we want to see that We've been added to a spiritual body the body of Christ and what that has produced now and I think there's two things to emphasize here is The bodies that you've said I appreciated that as very I agree with that and the secondary body here that he's bringing which is for Illustration purposes only exactly the human body because he brings in members of the assembly there or believers who are actually Part of a head and if it were the truth doctrinally, there's only one head and that's Christ.

Right. Yeah, but several of these believers are linked with a nose and eyes ears all part of in fact He actually says one part the head. Yeah, he's emphasizing the fact that we've been bring brought into an environment of unity functionality Responsibility and diversity all acting for the benefit and blessing of yes, I missed your earlier.

Comment. Frank. It wasn't entirely clear what you were saying. I take it that the human body illustration is brought in again verse 14 all the way down to verse 26. I used to I know.

There's a reason brother that he is emphasizing the one body. Is that that unity is perfect? Absolutely Yes, so we're not body of Christ in the full sense of the word. But we are an expression of that body and if it's functioning properly it will express the unity.

Showing showing that all are needed. Yes and the local assembly. And if you look at the body in the wider Aspect some members are missing not even in it. Yeah.

He's using his the illustration to bring in the members of the body so that's why he says but now. Well wasn't this true before. Why would he say. But now if he were only talking simply about and singularly about the human body the but now wouldn't make sense.

I mean he did that a creation. So he's bringing the two spheres together. He's not divorcing the believers from the truth of a human body.

I think that he wants him to pick up the lesson. Yeah, get a hold of this. Right, but the thought now is a figure of speech. As you know, he's drawing a point. He's making a point now.

Yeah, he changed it. They were ignorant of this. Yeah, so but now is the change. But listen Sidney Maxwell says something I never forgot. If you're gonna change your mind don't do it in a Bible read. Oh, yeah.

Okay, and I'm gonna got a little work for you two boys that I live very close to when they are converted straight to my brother.

I might not even tell you if I do change my mind.

Anyways, let's move on. I was just thinking of great but now we see in a glass darkly. That's all.

The Assembly’s Unity Across Social Distinctions

I'll give you my understand that in just a minute just before we leave verse number 13. Just just notice. Neither June or Gentile. Okay, neither bond nor free. Can we please stop caring what a person's last name is.

It has destroyed assemblies. When it comes to someone coming on the oversight, I don't care what your last name is. I don't care if your father was an elder your grandfather was an elder or they weren't.

We have to start looking at things according to the Bible. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 of any man be in Christ. He's a new creature dear brother and sister. I've heard this. There's no such thing as a saved Jew.

Mm-hmm. That's like saying there's a saved American. I'm a saved Canadian. We're in Christ. All of those distinctions are gone. But we allow them to creep in and that's why versus 14 now look look at this thing.

Look at it. The diversity the unity, but it's all working for the benefit of this one body.

So let's move into the human body. Brother you've been coming back to your comment on the private Aspects of function. Yeah, and in the body a human body the private unseen members. I Should say the public ones would never function without the private ones.

Exactly, but sometimes we feel to put the emphasis where God is putting it right here. Exactly says the unseen ones are the ones we give more honor. Yeah. Yeah, I'm going to give you a very simple illustration.

I'm sure there's it really impressed me over kovat. I was helping my son-in-law renovate his house. My wife and I and one of the Christians in The assembly where he would know her well made a lovely lunch for us, you know.

Mac and cheese. Best I ever had. Anyways, it came to the house and right in the kitchen was the local seam filler not saved. So he's working away and I said, oh, where'd this come from? And the name was mentioned.

He said huh that woman sends me free food, too. And I never said a word, but I remember thinking well good for her. There's a heat. I knew what I knew why she was giving him food trying to get him out to the gospel meeting.

There's a private thing that I didn't know until that point but God knew. So don't think for a minute. What I do is insignificant. It might be insignificant to me, but it's not to God. That's the balance of the out the public and the private that you see Functioning here in every one of us.

Can I say that?

Idea that you're just putting in our minds right now is in chapter in verse 14 down to about verse 20. Yes, we have the problem of inferiority. Yes. But then you come down to verse 21 because in the inferiority part it says I am NOT I am NOT I am NOT Right, and and that's an extreme.

But then the other extreme is superiority, right? And then it's that from about 20 down to the verse what birdies 26.

Excellent. See this is where the first but God comes into play verse 18. What just preceded that? What does a? sense and attitude of inferiority produce discouragement, oh well I'm not really important here.

At least I'm keeping the seat warm. Then he says but God God has set the members. You would you actually say that when you look at this world? Huh? Why did God what guy put the Sun there? Why did God put the moon there?