WHY ARE WE HERE?

By David J. Riggs

Intro.
   A. Why are we here in this assembly?
      1. We could easily be out doing something else.
      2. We are here by choice; we are here because we want to
         be here.
   B. Let's give reason as to why we are here.

I. WE ARE HERE TO PARTAKE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.
   A. A long time ago a great God and Savior instituted a supper
      which commemorates His death.
      1. He commanded His disciples, "This do in remembrance
         of Me."  Luke 22:19
   B. Those early disciples, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
      "broke bread on the first day of the week."  Acts 20:7
      1. As often as we partake, we show forth the Lord's death
         until He comes again.  1 Cor. 11:26
      2. Partaking every first day fulfills this command, and we
         want to do it to remember what our Savior did for us.

II. WE ARE HERE TO SING PRAISES TO OUR GOD.
   A. Through our songs we praise God and admonish one another.
      1. We will do as the palmist did.  Heb. 2:12; also Col. 3:16
      2. Let us all sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.

III. WE ARE HERE TO GIVE AS WE HAVE BEEN PROSPERED.
   A. The Lord Jesus Christ gave Himself for us.  John 15:13
      1. We are here to give back to Him.
   B. According to the Scriptures, we are to give on the first day of
      the week.  1 Cor. 16:1-2
      1. This is the only way the church is to raise it funds to
         carry out its work - by free will offerings of the saints on
         the first day of the week.
   C. No specific amount is stated in the New Testament.
      1. We are simply to give as we have been prospered.  1
         Cor. 16:2
      2. We are to give as we have purposed in our hearts,
         cheerfully and liberally.  2 Cor. 9:6-7; Rom. 12:8
   D. If people are badgered into giving, they are prone to give
      "grudgingly and of necessity" the very thing unacceptable to
      God.

IV. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO ADDRESS GOD IN PRAYER.
   A. There is power in unified payer.  Matt. 18:19
   B. We want to be united in mind and voice in our praise to God. 
      Rom. 15:5-6; Heb. 13:15

V. WE WANT TO HAVE A PART IN EVANGELISM.
   A. Our assemblies provide an environment where lost souls can
      come and hear the gospel taught.
      1. By being here, we have part in the work of spreading the
         gospel.
      2. We want to be zealous in bringing others to Christ as
         were the early Christians.
         a. Although we have no one who can prophesy, we can
            have the prophecy read to us in the assembly.  1
            Cor. 14:23-25

VI. WE WANT TO BE INSTRUCTED IN THE WORD OF GOD.
   A. Acts 10:33 - We likewise want to hear the things commanded
      by God.
      1. We want to receive spiritual food for our souls.  John
         6:27
   B. Our worship services, including our Bible classes, are an
      effective way for all to learn more about God's Word.  1 Pet.
      2:1-2; James 1:21
      1. We don't want to be mere babes, but strong, mature
         Christians.  1 Cor. 3:1-3
      2. We want to better arm ourselves for the hardships of life. 
         Rom. 15:4

VII. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE MORE PLEASING TO GOD.
   A. The holy Scriptures reveal God's view of man.
      1. They enable the students to see themselves as God sees
         them.
      2. There are a lot of counterfeit Christians in our world and
         we don't want to be one of them.
         a. We want to look into the mirror of the soul, as we
            said, and see ourselves as God sees us.  James 1:21-
            25
   B. We know that we someday will stand before God to be
      judged.
      1. We want to have a good knowledge of the standard by
         which we will be judged.
      2. We want to correctly understand what the will of God is. 
         Eph. 5:17
      3. Things learned in connection with our worship services
         help us to think and mediate about spiritual things as we
         go about our daily lives.  Psalm 119:59-60
      4. We want to have the approval of God, to be ready
         workmen, handling correctly His Word.  2 Tim. 2:15
      5. We want to learn ways to be of greater service to God
         and man.  John 15:8

VIII. WE ARE HERE TO BE STRENGTHENED AND ENCOURAGED.
   A. Our worship services are an effective means of encouraging
      and strengthening one another.  Rom 14:19; 1 Cor. 10:33-
      11:1; Heb. 10:24-25
      1. We want to establish and increase our faith.
      2. We want to be able to comfort and encourage others.
      3. We want to be able to edify the discouraged and
         brokenhearted.  Col. 4:6; 1 Thess. 4:18
      4. We want to grow in our ability to teach and exhort.  1
         Pet. 3:15
   B. God designed the church for spiritual fellowship.
      1. Members are drawn closer as they enter into worship and
         serious, reverent study and discussion of God's word. 
         Acts 2:42
         a. This spiritual fellowship helps us to be a close knit
            family.
      2. We want to be an active part of God's spiritual family,
         conducting ourselves in the proper way.  1 Tim. 3:14-15

IX. WE WANT TO HAVE A SAFEGUARD AGAINST FATAL ERROR.
   A. We know there are many evil teachers in our world.  1 John
      4:1
   B. We want to know the truth, to have light and understanding
      of the will of God.  Psalm 19:7; 119:104
   C. We want to be able to discern between good and evil.  Heb.
      5:14
   D. We want the ability to teach and encourage others, including
      those of our own families.
   E. We want to be strong so that we can rightfully expose sin and
      error.  Eph. 5:11

X. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE ENJOY IT.
   A. As we said, we could easily be out doing something else if we
      so desired.
      1. However, we are here by choice; we are hear because we
         want to be.
   B. We find pleasure, satisfaction, and happiness in the things of
      God.  Phil. 4:4
      1. It is a joy expressible and full of glory.  1 Pet. 1:8
      2. It is an inward joy that is lasting.  John 16:22
   C. Some can't imagine that we could enjoy the worship services.
      1. Their view of God is that God prohibits people from
         having fun.
      2. However, all that God requires of us is for our lasting
         good.  Deut. 10:12-13; Rom. 6:21-22

XI. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE SAVED ETERNALLY.
   A. Heaven is real to us, and we very much want to go there.
      1. We want to reminded and built up so that we can stay in
         the way which leads to eternal life.
      2. We want to keep our minds on the goal.  Phil. 3:13-14;
         Acts 20:32 1 Pet. 1:13
   B. It matters not what else we do in life, if we miss heaven we
      have been a complete failure.
      1. We might gather about us great riches and fame, and
         leave thousands of friends to mourn our departing, but if
         we are not ready for heaven we have been a miserable
         failure.
      2. On the other hand, we may die in a charity home for the
         poor and be buried in a potter's field without a single
         friend to mourn, but if we receive heaven, our lives have
         been a marvelous success.
   C. None of us can afford to miss heaven for if we miss it, we
      miss all.
      1. It is the place of eternal rest.  Heb. 4:9-11
      2. It is a place where pain, sickness, and death will not be
         known.  Rev. 21:4
      3. It is an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that
         does not fade away.  1 Pet. 1:4
      4. It is that city which has foundations built by the Living
         God.  Heb. 11:10

Concl.
   A. With such high, lofty, noble, and important goals, surely our
      worship services deserve our enthusiastic support.
   B. Think of the error and loss of the one who forsakes the
      worship services.
   C. Let us all continue to worship God, and make our services
      what they ought to be.