Gathered to Christ and one another

Below are some comments from Charles Spurgeon, whose sermons and writings as a British Baptist pastor in the 19th Century remain influential, on the centrality of Christ in the gathering of His church. Ray Ortlund, lead pastor of Immanuel Church in Nashville, Tenn., recently quoted this passage on his blog from a Spurgeon sermon titled “The Lord With Two or Three.” Spurgeon said:

The way to be gathered together is to be gathered by him and to him. If all press to the center, they all press to one another. If each man’s aim be personal fellowship with Christ, personal knowledge of Christ, personal trust in Christ, personal adoration of Christ, personal service to Christ, and the getting of a personal likeness to Christ, then we are all coming together. While our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ, we also have fellowship with all the saints. This should be the great object of all our gatherings, to be brought more fully into Christ; and all of us must meanwhile believe that Jesus is in the midst and we must come together unto him. . . .