四：因为我们彼此交接而从中获得鼓励
独木不成林。孤掌难鸣。单纱不成线。同样的道理，一个基督徒单独存在，很难变成成熟的基督徒，又很难保持他与耶稣基督的关系。身为基督徒的我需要跟别的基督徒交往而从中获得信心和鼓励。我需要见到基督徒的微笑，听到他们的声音，感觉到他们对我的关怀和爱心。星期天基督徒聚会，不只是为了敬拜天上的神而已。不是。基督徒聚会也是为了与其他的基督徒打成一片，彼此交接，互相关怀，而从中得到他独自一个人无法得到的。
圣经旧约传道书有一句话说：“两个人总比一个人好，因为两个人效益更好！ 如果其中一个人跌倒了，他们同伴可以扶他起来；如果孤身一人就糟了，他跌倒了，不会有人扶他起来。两个人睡在一起都能暖和，一个人独睡又怎么能暖和？ 一个人可能受人欺压，两个人就能保卫自己，三股拧成的绳子不容易断”（传道书4:9-12新译本）。
把这句话用在基督徒聚会上，意思是一个基督徒，不跟别的基督徒往来，他就会失去一种力量，叫做合力和协力(synergy)，是几个人在一起才有的共同作用。是一个人没有办法产生的力量。这又是基督徒时常强调的灵性上的力量。这种力量会帮助他在耶稣里面长大。如果基督徒不跟别的基督徒聚会，他就失去这些。
哥林多城的基督徒聚会，但是他们不团结，所以他们也得不着这种祝福。他们分派，分彼此，分阶级。他们没有爱心。他们的罪孽包括告弟兄状，看不起贫穷姐妹，犯奸淫，参与偶像敬拜。所以，主日聚会对他们无益。难怪使徒保罗劝他们说：“弟兄们，我凭着我们主耶稣基督的名，劝你们大家要同心，在你们中间不要分党，只要在同一的心思、同一的意念上团结起来”（哥林多前书1:10新译本）。一个团结的教会才会让个个基督徒从聚会当中得到鼓励、劝勉和安慰。
基督徒不但要聚会与别的基督徒团结，他还要积极的与其他的弟兄姐妹交往，才会获得聚会当中的属灵力量。聚会时，要欢欢喜喜的唱诗歌，要迫迫切切的祷告，要积极的聆听传道人讲道，要高高兴兴的奉献金钱，要用心灵吃主餐，回想思考我们有没有辜负耶稣在十字架上为我们所付的代价。
在周围的基督徒跟您一样积极的聚会做礼拜，让那种属灵的“合力”和“协力”产生，那么，大家就彼此从中获得造就和鼓励。
同时，您知道聚完会以后，他们要跟您一样面对生命上各种挑战。他们跟您一样有一本难念的经，受撒旦魔鬼的试探，面对工作上的苦处和社交方面的不公平。他们跟您一样面对生老病死的问题。他们跟您一样家庭有经济问题，家人生病，孩子要参加联考等等。但是您跟他一同向天上的真神表示赞美和感谢，向这位神祷告祈求帮助和安慰，而服侍这位神。因此，您和他都从敬拜聚会过程中获得仪器无法测量的力量。
但愿您也要参加每周主日的聚会。敬拜神，造就跟您一块儿聚会的信徒，而自己从中也获得信心、鼓励、帮助、快乐、安慰和希望。
Why Christians Attend Worship Every Sunday
04: For Fellowship and Encouragement
By Edward Short
One tree doesn’t make a forest. It takes two hands to clap. A single thread does not a garment make. Similar logic suggests that it’s difficult for a Christian, who is all by himself, to be on fire for the Lord and to maintain a close relationship with Jesus Christ. I, as a Christian, need personal contact with other Christians and the encouragement that such contact gives. I need to see the smiles of other Christians and hear their voices; I need to feel their love and concern for me. When Christians assemble on Sundays, the purpose is not only to worship, but also to fellowship with other Christians, to merge themselves together as one, and to receive the encouragement from such fellowship that it would be very difficult for a single individual to get by himself.
The book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament tells us that, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken” (4:9-12, NRSV).
Let’s apply this Scripture to Christians and the worship assembly. If a Christian doesn’t have fellowship with other Christians, he looses a strength that we term “synergism.” Synergism is a kind of energy that comes when several people pool their strengths; the total is greater than the sum of what each individual brings to the situation. So it is with the “spiritual strength” of which Christians often speak—a strength which can help a Christian grow in Jesus Christ. If a Christian doesn’t assemble with other Christians he looses an opportunity for this type of spiritual growth.
The Christians in ancient Corinth assembled, but they weren’t united, so they were unable to obtain the spiritual blessing that they could have otherwise. They were factious, divisive and discriminatory. They lacked love. Their sins included taking other Christians to court, and looking down on the poor. Some committed adultery and some were idolatrous. Because of their divisive spirit and their other sins, the Lord’s Day assembly did them no good. No wonder that the apostle Paul admonished them, “Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NRSV). A united church allows individual Christians to receive encouragement and comfort from the assembly.
A Christian not only assemblies to unite with other Christians, he also should be very positive in his relationships with the other Christians, since this is what produces spiritual growth. When he worships, he should sing joyfully, pray fervently, and listen to the sermon with a positive attitude. He should contribute his money cheerfully, and partake of the Lord’s Supper with a thankful heart. When one worships, he should think deeply about whether or not he has failed to live up to the sacrifice that Jesus made for him on the cross.
If the other Christians who are in the assembly also worship with this same positive attitude, then “synergy” develops, and each person receives encouragement and spiritual blessings from the experience.
Again, everyone knows that after the service is over, everyone present will go into society and face similar challenges of life. Like you, they too live in the state of Hard Knocks. They’re tempted by Satan, have problems at work, and face unfair practices in society. Like you, they too face illness, old age and death. They too have economic woes; too much month is left at the end of the money. Their children want to go to test into a good college, as do yours. In spite of all the problems of life, all present bow before God’s throne of grace in praise and thanksgiving. Everyone prays to God for help and comfort, and expresses their desire to serve him. A strange thing happens as consequence—you and everyone present receives spiritual strength from this worship experience—a strength that scientific instrumentation cannot measure.
I hope you’ll want to participate in worship each Lord’s Day. Worship God and encourage other believers who are present, and in the process you yourself will receive strength, encouragement, help, peace, comfort and hope.