To Praise God

A second very important reason that God’s people must assemble together is perhaps best summarized by three verses in Psalms: “Let them exalt Him also in the congregation of the people” (Ps. 107:32), “Sing unto the LORD a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints” (Ps. 149:1), and “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about Him” (Ps. 89:7).

These scriptures make clear that God’s people come together to praise God and to learn to fear and reverence Him—and they are to do this with other brethren, assembled as the Church! In the next chapter, we will discuss how one who has decided to keep the Sabbath can observe it correctly.

Vital Fellowship

The third purpose for attending Sabbath services is to enjoy right, godly fellowship. It is a weekly opportunity for those who fear God to speak “often one to another” (Mal. 3:16).

This is one reason the New Testament records so many accounts of the brethren being “together” (1 Cor. 5:4; 11:18; Acts 20:1-6). You have already seen several.

You may become part of a small congregation, one at the stage where you feel you are like Archippus, “The Church in your house” (Philem. 2), or as Paul wrote to the Romans about Priscilla and Aquila, “The Church that is in their house” (Rom. 16:5). Do not forget that Noah was alone. So was Lot. Like these men, you may be among a very few scattered in the “Sodom” of this world, but you are very important to God.

Do not “despise the day of small things” (Zech. 4:10). While the Church will grow larger, the New Testament era will almost certainly end as it started—many small home congregations full of zealous people. But in this age, when a minister cannot always be present, brethren must often gather around a tape recorder, CD player, or computer to be fed God’s precious truth.

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