What Are We Doing Here?
Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. (Acts 19:32)
The above verse is taken from the KJV. Paul was in the city of Ephesus having considerable success in preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His words about idols were making a powerful impact in the city. Craftsmen, who made silver shrines of a pagan goddess, were working themselves into a rage because they were losing their business. This soon ignited the whole city into mass confusion. A mob formed and rushed into the city theater, now inflamed with hysteria. At this point in the narrative we have the Scriptures tell us that the majority did not even know why they had gathered together.
This is a characteristic of pagans, to rush forward being led by a mob mentality without having a clear idea of what is going on. Actually, it's a human trait. We see it in the Church, even.
I was acquainted with a few house churches at one time. These were not cell churches but actually house churches that had no association with any group. I discovered, over time, that there were several thoughts as to why they met together.
It's a prayer and praise gathering.
It's a time we all get together and drink coffee.
It's to be the Body of Christ.
It's a sing-a-long.
It's to hear a Bible message.
It's a chance to get new business contacts.
It's to use spiritual gifts.
It's a general social and fellowship time.
All of these things are fine but everyone thought they were there for a different reason. There were hardly two people who were in agreement on their main purpose for gathering. “...the majority did not know for what reason they had come together.” (NASB)
A friend accompanied me on a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. On a Wednesday night we decided to see if we could find a church meeting to attend. That proved to be not difficult. In just a few minutes we found a prayer meeting. My friend did not speak Spanish so I said I would try to interpret everything for him. The pastor called everyone up front to pray at the altar. The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
We were kneeling with all the other people. I said to my friend, “In the name of Jesus.”
The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
I said, “In the name of Jesus.”
The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
I said, “In the name of Jesus.”
The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
I said, “In the name of Jesus.”
The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
I said, “In the name of Jesus.”
The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
I said, “In the name of Jesus.”
The pastor said, “En el nombre de Jesu's!”
I was going to interpret. My friend said, “Do you mean 'In the name of Jesus'?”
I said, “Well, yes. That's what he said.”
Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mat 18:20) Jesus promised a special blessing upon those who would gather “in my name”.
A hypothetical illustration: There are two drunks that meet each other unexpectedly in a gay bar. Through almost unintelligible slurs they discover that they lived as children a block away from each other. They also realize that they both attended a VBS for several summers at a church near where they lived. One of them says, “You know, where two or free are gattered together in my name, there am I in the mivthsh....”.
Does this unlock this special promise of Jesus, to bless them with His manifest presence?
Another illustration: 500 religious people meet together in a steeple-house on a Sunday morning. Does this activate the special promise of Jesus, either?
Jesus promised us that His special manifest presence would be with us whenever two or three people were gathered together in His name. The idea many have is, if we can get enough people together all shouting “In the name of Jesus” loud and long enough, He will bestow a special blessing upon us.
What does it mean, to gather in the name of the Lord? It means that we gather together with the intentional, deliberate purpose of lifting up the name of Jesus by worshiping Him and hearing His words. It means that whatever other good things may be accomplished, we gather, knowing beforehand that we are expecting His special manifest presence because we all determine that we are purposed to honor Him above all else.
...where two or three are gathered together...
Well, is it two or is it three? Maybe Jesus was not sure which it is.
You have probably heard the saying, Two is company, three is a crowd. When I was a kid this was always said to your little brother or sister. There really is a difference between two and three. Two is relationship. Three is community. If a man and a woman get married, that is relationship. When a child comes along, that produces community. So, is it two or is it three that Jesus talked about?
When you have three people together, you automatically have community.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!... for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Ps 133:1,3)
For there the LORD commanded the blessing. Where? There! Where brothers dwell together in unity. That is, when they all have the same understanding of why they are together. The blessing is “life for evermore”. It's the blessing of the Father's life that can be shared when brothers are together with the agreed upon purpose of honoring Jesus above all else.
Wait. Jesus said this special blessing can be present when there are two as well as a community. How can this be? It can be true when both of the two recognize the presence of a third person among them. When two Christians are together and when they both acknowledge the very real presence of the Holy Spirit, there is community. What happens when a community honors Jesus? There the special blessing of the Father's life is manifest among them.
As believers let us acknowledge that we have the same faith in the same Lord by the same Spirit in us all. When this our understood purpose in coming together, then the powerful presence of the Lord Jesus is promised to be with us.
Aug 1, 2023