{"id":499,"date":"2015-08-17T20:41:18","date_gmt":"2015-08-17T12:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/malaccagospelhall.com\/meetings\/?p=499"},"modified":"2015-09-07T22:59:27","modified_gmt":"2015-09-07T14:59:27","slug":"fragrance-of-the-assembly-5-by-dr-aj-higgins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/malaccagospelhall.com\/meetings\/fragrance-of-the-assembly-5-by-dr-aj-higgins\/","title":{"rendered":"Fragrance of the Assembly by Dr AJ Higgins"},"content":{"rendered":"

FRAGRANCE OF THE ASSEMBLY<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Focus of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Foundation of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Figures of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. Fragrance of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n
  5. Fruitfulness of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n
  6. Function of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n
  7. Fellowship of the Assembly<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men;
    \n1Ti 2:2 For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
    \n1Ti 2:3 For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
    \n1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
    \n1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
    \n1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
    \n1Ti 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, [and] lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.
    \n1Ti 2:8 I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
    \n1Ti 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
    \n1Ti 2:10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
    \n1Ti 2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
    \n1Ti 2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.
    \n1Ti 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
    \n1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
    \n1Ti 2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.<\/p>\n

    The subject of the chapter above is the Assembly Prayer Meeting.
    \nMay God add to the blessings of the public reading of His Word.<\/p>\n

    This is not about praying is general. This chapter addresses the Assembly Prayer Meeting.
    \nThree things will help to establish that.
    \nRemember Paul is writing with instructions for the Church of God.
    \nAnd what should happen in the local testimony.<\/p>\n

    Secondly verse 8 speaks of men everywhere and in every place.
    \nThis expression \u2018in every place\u2019 occurs 4 times.
    \nIt refers to local assemblies.
    \nRemember how Paul begins 1 Corinthians chapter 1?
    \n1Co 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,
    \n1Co 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:<\/p>\n

    Reason number one \u2013 Paul is writing to local churches everywhere about church order.
    \nReason number two \u2013 Paul speaks of everyplace and every local assembly.
    \nReason number three \u2013 Paul refers to sisters being in silence.
    \nThis is not speaking of life in general \u2013 that women should not speak \u2013 while it might have some advantages \u2026 but then the earth would move off its axis should this be the case.<\/p>\n

    So the first thing we establish is that we are looking at the local assembly.
    \nLast night we mentioned the \u2018House of God\u2019 conditions.
    \nAnd when the Lord Jesus went to the Temple He said \u201cTake these things from hence \u2026\u201d
    \nHe said My Father\u2019s House shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations.<\/p>\n

    So in this chapter Paul is telling us of things we have to remove.
    \nAnd he is also telling us that this house will be marked by prayer for all.
    \nLinked to this chapter is also the reference to the Tabernacle.
    \nRecall as you approached the Tabernacle there was a gate.
    \nThis gate was wide \u2013 it was for all to enter.
    \nAnd so Paul says to pray for ALL men.<\/p>\n

    As you pass through the gate you come to the brazen altar.
    \nIt reminds us that Christ gave Himself as a ransom for all.<\/p>\n

    Then you come to the Holy Place and the Altar of Incense.
    \nThis speaks of prayer.<\/p>\n

    Finally you come to the Most Holy Place where God is revealed.
    \nHere God lays His heart bare and we see what He desires.
    \nThese pictures give us the background for the chapter that is before us in our study.<\/p>\n

    Look now what the Spirit of God mandates \u2013 What He commands.
    \n1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
    \nThis is listed FIRST among the many instructions for the local assembly.
    \nSo we are reminded of the priority that God places on the assembly prayer meeting.
    \nWe tend to give different importance to different meetings.
    \nWe might think that the Breaking of Bread is the most important meeting or that the teaching of the word comes next in importance or may be even the gospel meeting \u2026
    \nBut the Spirit of God says the importance I WANT to impress upon you is the importance of the assembly prayer meeting. So we are reminded of the importance of the assembly prayer meeting.
    \nBut notice now it is not just the priority of the prayer meeting but the variety of prayer described.<\/p>\n

    Paul uses 4 different expressions:
    \n1Ti 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;<\/p>\n