Paul Davison

Gathered On Earth

In Hebrews 12, God describes the consequences of his gathering work. Israel was gathered at Mount Sinai:

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned. The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear. (Hebrews 12:18-21)

The author is describing the Israelites being led out of Egypt by Moses through the desert to Mount Sinai. There the Lord established his covenant with Israel – but it was a terrifying experience – fire, storm, judgement. The people heard the voice of God – and begged that God stop – they were so fearful. This was the day of the church as the author of Deuteronomy describes it in several places. This was the church in the desert as Stephen describes it in Acts 7.

Gathered In Heaven

But the writer of Hebrews points New Testament Christians to something better.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24)

• The Israelites gathered at Mt Sinai, Christians gather in heaven
• The Israelites gathered for a few days, Christians gather permanently (in heaven)
• The Israelites gather as just one nation, Christians gather as people from all nations

This is the heavenly assembly that we have already come to, not the assembly we are going to when we die. Christians have already come to it in this lifetime. This heavenly assembly, this heavenly church is a present reality that Christians have already come to. For heaven is not so much about a place or location as it is about a relationship. Heaven is not so much about a place or location as it is about timing.

Once Jesus had come and died and risen and taken his seat in glory, then those that have been ransomed by him are gathered together around him. Gathered from every nation, every language, every tribe, every people – gathered together around him, where he is. Seated at the right hand of God with all power and glory. Gathered by the sound of the gospel call. The Lord sends his messengers out to the ends of the earth so that people will come into his great gathering. Gathered by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit – giving new life to people, raising them from spiritual death into spiritual new life. Gathering them into heaven, while still on earth.

For we have come to the heavenly assembly, the heavenly church. For if you have been born of the Spirit of Christ, then you have been raised up to sit with him in the heavenly places where: “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6)

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

Gathered on Earth and Gathered In Heaven

You can’t physically see who is part of that heavenly assembly, that heavenly church. We all look the same, because the physical resurrection hasn’t taken place, but the spiritual resurrection has already happened. For now our life is hidden with Christ, but when he appears, then we also will appear with him. Then it will be seen, then it will be visible.

Physically, bodily – the Christian is on earth. But spiritually the Christian is in heaven gathered with all the angels, gathered with Christ, gathered with all the people who have been born again, those who acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Heaven is not just the place that Christians go to when they die. Heaven is the place that Christians live in while they are still in this world. Which is why it’s better not to think of heaven as a place at all, but rather as a relationship with God that we already have and will continue to have when we die.

So we see the two churches in the Bible. The Old Testament church gathered by and around God at Mount Sinai – and the New Testament church which has been gathered by and around the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.

Here then is the Christian church. It is the gathering of all Christ’s people around his throne in heaven, listening to his covenantal word speaking of the mercy that is in his death. And whenever we gather here on earth to listen once more to the gospel message, to pay attention once more to the covenant in his blood, to consider once more his mighty salvation – we are participating in that heavenly gathering. We are physically being the spiritual community that is in heaven. We are on earth being the church that is in heaven. And so when we gather as a church here we are affirming our presence and participation there. When we gather with Christians on earth we are expressing our gathering with all God’s people in heaven.

If I’m indifferent to gathering with Christians Sunday by Sunday - am I saying: I’m indifferent to participating in the heavenly church? Am I saying: I’m apathetic towards Christ’s work of gathering his people together in heaven? How can I have an assurance that I am part of the spiritual community in heaven if I’m reluctant to gather together with the physically community that is on earth? Can I be confident that I am part of the church in heaven if I am lax about gathering with the church on earth?

God’s plan of salvation is to make for himself a people. It is a sign of God’s favour and blessing that he gathers individuals together to make his body, his bride, his church. To have been drawn by God to meet with his people is a continuing reminder of the Lord’s gracious and generous kindness to you.

Whenever you gather with other Christians around the Lord Jesus – whether it’s on a Sunday morning, or as part of a Bible study group, or even two Christians seeking to encourage one another in Christian faith – it is a sign to you that God is at work in your life. Be comforted and encouraged by that.

You have a responsibility to put legs to your Christian faith by meeting with other Christians. You have a role to play in expressing on earth the reality of your heavenly participation. Your response to God’s work of gathering should be to gather. Just as your response to a new life in Christ should be to live as a new person. So as someone gathered by the Lord to the heavenly assembly, your response should be to willingly gather with the earthly assembly – his church, his people. The expression of my participation in the heavenly church, takes the form of my participation in the earthly church.

Gather because you know the Lord’s kindness to you; gather because you are already gathered in heaven.

• To reflect more on what happens when Christians gather ...
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