Not forsaking our own assembling together...all the more as you see the day drawing near

Hebrews 10:18-25 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. ¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” There are many people who have for many reasons determined that they believe in God and receive the redeeming work of the cross of Christ, but have no interest in church. I understand this feeling. I have myself experienced some of the negatives and even the cruelties of the institutional church. It truly is possible to see, experience, fellowship with, pray to and worship God without entering through the doors of a church building. Yet as believers we are called to have fellowship with other believers.

The institutional church continues to see it’s numbers decline throughout the country. Several dynamics are involved in this struggle and it will likely only get worse as pressures from our society, our culture and our government are increased, calling or requiring the church to no longer declare the truth of God’s word. Many churches have already begun to “soften” their message in order to be more acceptable to the world. Paul warned that this would happen. In 2 Timothy 4:1-4:     I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, ⁴ and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.  

It is up to each church to determine how they will respond to the changes in our society and our culture. Will they create plans and programs to attract members in order to grow the church? Or will they faithfully follow the Spirit and continue in the truth of God’s word? There have been many books written and many programs developed to guide church leaders in growing their church. There really is only one that the church should follow, it’s found in Acts 2:37-47

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” ³⁸ Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” ⁴⁰ And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” ⁴¹ So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. ⁴² They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

⁴³ Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. ⁴⁶ Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Peter, having been filled with the Holy Spirit, preached the truth of the gospel and about three thousand souls were added. Many signs and wonders were taking place, just like Jesus had said in Mark 16:17-18:     These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”; And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

That kind of growth isn’t what most churches envision. Is it because they don’t believe God would still move that way? Or is it because their programs and plans, their building will not accommodate the kind of growth God desires for His kingdom. Again each church will have to determine what God wants for them, what is their mission. As individuals though, we need to understand that fellowship is important to our faith.

Along with the encouragement from today’s text which says: and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says: Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.   Ephesians 5:18-20 says: be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; ²¹  and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.          Colossians 3:15-16 says: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God       Galatians 6:1-2 says: Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.      Certainly I could go on with the list of scriptures that encourage fellowship and community of believers.

Let’s just consider a few final things. 1 John 4:19-21 says:  We love, because He first loved us. ²⁰ If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. ²¹ And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. The word community that we use to describe the relationship and fellowship that we should have with one another is really the combination of two words, common and unity. Jesus Himself says:

 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. ²⁰ “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; ²³ I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. (John 17:17-23)

The community that we have with other believers is founded in the common unity which we each have with Christ. In order for the world to see the glory of God through believers, it will need to see believers unified with each other. God doesn’t need our buildings, our plans or our programs. He simply desires that we be unified; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit help us as believers, as Your church to be unified in Your love and in Your truth. Enables us to be rooted and grounded in Your love and to shine the light of Your truth into the darkness of the world. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.   Amen.