Gather in His Name

[Opening Hook]
I was glad when they said, “Let us gather in His name”
Joy is rising in my heart to praise Jesus with His saints

[Verse]
The weight of weary days had turned my eyes upon myself
Then through an open doorway came a welcome from the saints
Not because the walls could hold the presence of the Lord
But Jesus lives within His people; we are one body

[Chorus]
I was glad when they said, “Let us gather in His name”
Joy is rising in my heart to praise Jesus with His saints
Not as one who watches, standing silently apart
With Christ within, I bring a word to strengthen faith

[Verse]
We may gather in a home or beneath the open sky
The place is only shelter while His people share His life
With Jesus Christ within, I put all fault-finding aside
With reverence I listen, and with mercy I respond

[Bridge]
Let psalm and prayer and doctrine build His people up in love
Let every gift be governed by the truth and love of Christ
Steadfast, we continue now in fellowship and prayer
And gladness overflows in service to the Lord

[Final Chorus]
I was glad when they said, “Let us gather in His name”
Joy is rising in my heart to praise Jesus with His saints
Not as one who watches, standing silently apart
With Christ within, I bring a word to strengthen faith
Jesus Christ, Your life within has made us one body
Complete in You, we walk together in Your light

[Outro]
I was glad when they said, “Let us gather in His name”
Joy is rising in my heart to praise Jesus with His saints

GROUP 1 — WHY DO WE BELIEVE THIS?

Doctrinal belief

We must know from the Scriptures why we believe what we believe.

It is not enough to say:

“We do not practise water baptism, communion and feet washing.”

We need to understand why we do not practise them and be able to give a clear Scriptural answer. This is one of the main purposes of the first study.

Scripture

1 Peter 3:15

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

Discuss

Why is it not enough for us simply to know what our church practises or does not practise?
What danger is there if we believe something only because previous generations believed it?
If someone asked you, “Why don't you practise the ordinances?”, what would you want to be able to explain from the Bible?

The study specifically teaches that the question must ultimately be, “What does the Word of God teach?”, rather than simply what earlier brethren practised.

ACTION

As a group, complete this sentence in your own words:

“We do not simply want to know what we believe. We want to know why we believe it because…”

Choose one person to share your group's answer.

GROUP 2 — FROM THE SHADOW TO THE REALITY

Doctrinal belief

The Old Covenant shadows were given by God for an appointed purpose and an appointed time, but they pointed forward to Jesus Christ.

They were not wrong.

They were God-given.

But something can be God-given for a particular purpose without being God-given for all time. Hebrews describes these outward ordinances as being imposed “until the time of reformation.”

The great turning point is:

“But Christ being come.”

The shadow pointed forward; then the Person came.

Scripture

Hebrews 9:10–11

“Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;”

Discuss

How can something be given by God and yet not be intended to continue for all time?
Why is the word “until” important?
What changes when we come to the words “But Christ being come”?
Why would we continue looking to the shadow after the Person to whom it pointed has come?

ACTION

Imagine someone says:

“But God commanded these things in the Bible, so shouldn't we still do them?”

As a group, prepare a one- or two-sentence Scriptural answer.

One person will give that answer to the fellowship.

GROUP 3 — WE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM

Doctrinal belief

Our spiritual completeness is found entirely in Jesus Christ.

Paul does not say that we are nearly complete or partly complete.

He says:

“Ye are complete in him.”

The study therefore asks the important question:

What can be added to something that is already complete?

The study also stresses that fulfilment has not left us with less. It has brought us from the shadow into something greater — the reality in Jesus Christ.

Scripture

Colossians 2:9–10

“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Discuss

What does “complete in Him” mean to you personally?
If I am complete in Christ, can an outward ceremony make me more complete?
Does leaving behind an outward shadow mean that we have lost something spiritually?
Where should my confidence be — in something I have performed, or in Jesus Christ?

The study states that righteousness, sanctification and redemption are all found in Christ rather than being produced by outward religious performance.

ACTION

GROUP 3 — ACTION

Imagine someone asks you:

“What does it mean when the Bible says that we are complete in Jesus Christ?”

As a group, prepare a simple two- or three-sentence explanation.

Try to include these ideas:

Everything necessary for our spiritual completeness is found in Jesus Christ.
An outward ceremony cannot add anything to what is already complete.
Our confidence is therefore in Jesus Christ, not in an outward religious act.

Choose one person to share your group's explanation with the fellowship.

GROUP 4 — CHRIST LIVES IN ME

Doctrinal belief

The New Covenant reality is not simply an outward picture of Christ. We have Christ Himself living within us.

Paul said:

“Christ liveth in me.”

The former covenant presented the shadow outwardly; the New Covenant brings the reality inwardly.

This does not mean that obedience has disappeared.

The study is very clear:

“THE NEW COVENANT DOES NOT REMOVE OBEDIENCE.”

Rather, obedience now has an inward source — the life of Jesus Christ within His people.

Scripture

Galatians 2:20

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Discuss

What is the difference between performing an outward religious act and Christ's life being expressed through us?
If we no longer practise an outward symbol of humility, does that mean humility is no longer necessary?
If we no longer perform an outward ceremony representing fellowship, what should genuine fellowship look like?
What should people be able to see in my life if Christ really lives in me?

ACTION

Imagine someone asks you:

“If we do not practise outward ordinances, does that mean obedience is no longer important?”

As a group, prepare a simple two- or three-sentence explanation.

Try to include these ideas:

The New Covenant does not remove obedience.
Jesus Christ lives within us, and His life is expressed through us.
We do not obey in order to produce spiritual life; our obedience flows from the life of Christ we have already received.

Choose one person to share your group's explanation with the fellowship.

GROUP 5 — PASSING TRUTH TO THE NEXT GENERATION

Doctrinal belief

We have a responsibility not only to know the truth ourselves, but to teach it clearly to those who come after us.

The study makes an important point:

Our children must not simply know what we believe. They need to understand from the Word of God why we believe it.

Truth can gradually be lost when one generation knows the practice but no longer understands the Scriptural reason behind it.

Moses gave the same principle when he instructed Israel not to forget what God had shown them, but to teach it to their children and grandchildren.

Scripture

Deuteronomy 4:9

“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;”

The Psalmist also wrote in Psalm 78:4–6 that the truth was to be made known to the generation to come, so that they in turn could declare it to their children.

Discuss

What could happen if our children know only, “We don't practise water baptism, communion and feet washing,” but do not understand why?
Why is it important that each of us understands this teaching rather than depending upon the pastor or older members to explain it?
How can a Scriptural truth gradually be lost from one generation to another?
Could you explain “from the shadow to the reality” in simple enough language for a child or a new believer to understand?

ACTION

Your group has been asked to explain this teaching to a young person who knows nothing about the subject.

Prepare a simple two- or three-sentence explanation answering:

“Why don't we continue the Old Covenant shadows and ordinances?”

Try to include these three ideas:

The shadows were given by God for an appointed purpose.
They pointed forward to Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ has come, and the reality is now found in Him.