Church is About True Family, Not Performances

Hebrews 10

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.

Stimulate one another

The author of Hebrews gives us a second point of application. Since Jesus paid the only offering necessary for sin, we hold fast the confession of our hope and consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Selfish religion teaches us that salvation is merely a personal matter. I get saved, and I am guaranteed a spot in Heaven rather than Hell. I can go about my life. Church may be a good thing, and I can go when I have the time. To follow Christ is to be selfless in the way we live. Jesus considered how to give us life, and often squander it in the selfishness of our schedules. If Jesus died for us, surely we can consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. First, the author tells us to consider how. These two words give us much freedom in the church to dream and plan and change. There are people, and I was once one, who believe the Bible tells us exactly what to do and how to do it as we gather together. Right here, Scripture tells us to consider how to do things in an effective way—not effective by worldly standards, to get the masses in seats and create cult followings for ourselves, but effective in the way of stimulating one another to love and good deeds. The goal of the local church isn’t go grow in number, per se. It is to grow in our love and good deeds. I notice that this instruction is not particularly for pastors. The author instructs us to stimulate one another. There are many people in churches around the world only going to church to glean something for themselves. That’s like the player who goes to the game only to ride the bench, only people do it by choice. There is no real investment, no skin in the game. They just want to say they are on the team. So, they listen to the coach—but it doesn’t matter because they never step out on the field. If we are to stimulate one another, that means everyone has a way to participate and serve others when we come together. If you are currently riding the bench, consider how you man stimulate others. As a pastor, I want to put you on the field because no one who is truly in Christ can be riding the bench while the rest of the team is working together to run the ball. While we are on the field, our objective is simple. Consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Participate in Sunday School. Serve on Wednesday nights. Get involved with any community service projects. Volunteer for nursery or Children’s Church. Help with youth. Start a new ministry. Our response to Christ dying for us is not to ride the bench. If He could die for us, surely we can live for one another.

Not forsaking the assembly

The author continues his thought.

not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some,

It is as if we cannot be a benefit to one another if we don’t come together. How can we love our brothers and sisters in Christ if we are never with our brothers and sisters? How can we step on the field if we skip the game? At that point, we aren’t even riding the bench. We are simply choosing not to be on the team. We simply prefer to play our own game than be part of a team. But, the author connects stimulating one another to love and good deeds with gathering together. That means without gathering together, we can’t benefit others. It also means we don’t benefit from others. See, God doesn’t need us to go to church. We need it. The church was made for man, not man for the church.
I understand there are many people who claim to love Jesus but never gather with the saints for the purpose of stimulating one another to love and good deeds. There are a couple reasons people who claim to love Jesus habitually miss church:

They are too busy or tired.
Church isn’t entertaining enough for them.
They don’t see the advantages of going to church.
They don’t like going to new places.

Even when the author wrote Hebrews, probably in the 60s AD, some were in the habit of neglecting the gathering. The author juxtaposes neglecting the gathering and encouraging one another. Gathering together, then, is linked to a selfless life. We live to encourage one another, so we gather together. On the other hand, every reason people provide to not gather with Christ’s church is a selfish form of religion that prevents people from encouraging one another well. “I’m too busy.” “I’m too tired.” “I don’t care for the music.” “I’m not being fed.” “I’m not comfortable being around new people.” What’s the subject you see most there? “I.” Put simply, God hasn’t given us a selfish religion. He has given us religion that is actually mutually beneficial between people—and that requires we live in community. God doesn’t tell us not to neglect the gathering because of some matter of legalism. Going to church isn’t required for salvation. He has told us not to neglect the gathering because the gathering is good for us—much like His command to observe the Sabbath day of rest. It’s not a requirement for salvation, but we will suffer if we don’t engage. We need a day of rest every week. We need to gather and be an encouragement to one another, stimulating one another to love and good deeds. The more we invest, the higher returns we will see. The gathering should be at the top of our priority list and something we make our families do because it is good for us. We don’t bow to the idols of busyness, entertainment, spiritual gluttony, or comfort. When we do, we suffer spiritually, mentally, and in every other way.

Encouraging one another

The author keeps using this “one another” wording. There are many in churches today who go to church, sit in a pew, listen, and leave. The author’s instruction here is not merely for those in pastoral positions as if the pastor is the most important person in the room. He isn’t. This is for everyone. If you are going to church and not somehow being an encouragement to others, you are not part of the church. You are going to an event, not being part of the family. Every Christian is a minister of the gospel to his family in Christ Jesus. No member of Christ’s team rides the bench. He puts all of us on the field together because it’s good for us. Make good plans. Gather together. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Encourage one another all the more.

The day draws near

What day do you think the author of Hebrews is talking about? In verse 37, he refers to Habakkuk’s prophecy. Six-hundred years before Jesus was born, Habakkuk prophesied:

3 “For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay.

4 “Behold, as for the proud one,
His soul is not right within him;
But the righteous will live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:3-4).

Habakkuk goes on to describe how Israel failed its purpose. It was to be a blessing to the nations. Instead, it had plundered the nations to build itself up. Because Israel failed to be God’s blessing on the earth, God was going to lay the nation to waste. God is in His Temple rebuking His chosen nation, declaring its destruction because it did not keep God’s covenant.
Without this context, we might have thought the author of Hebrews was talking about Christ’s second coming. He is not. He specifically references a prophecy concerning the destruction of Israel. The day drawing near is the destruction of Jerusalem. If the author of Hebrews is writing in the 60s AD, Titus would soon bring the Roman war machine to Jerusalem and destroy the Temple. The author of Hebrews is also writing to the Hebrew people who know what Habakkuk prophesied. Context is important.
The author of Hebrews is not telling us to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds and encourage one another until Christ’s second coming. He is telling his direct audience to not neglect gathering together even when they know destruction is soon coming to Jerusalem. This is an encouragement for them. God will discipline Judah. Even though destruction is coming to His national people, God does not stop loving those who are in Christ, and He is not finished with His people. Don’t stop gathering. God isn’t finished with you yet. In fact, the closer they got to the fulfillment of Habakkuk’s prophecy in AD 70, the more they should’ve gathered and encouraged one another.
We can apply these words in our day. We can apply them in light of Christ’s second coming. People are in the habit of meeting less and even neglecting the gathering altogether. Those who are in Christ should be meeting more and encouraging one another more as that day draws near. Why? It’s good for us. All of our worldly pursuits that we prioritize so highly will one day be gone. Do the one thing that matters. Be part of Christ’s church.
If you spent any time neglecting the gathering, you know the difference it makes when you really get involved. You may not notice the difference if you merely attend church services. You definitely will if you were actually a functioning part of the body. To anyone who merely attends church or neglects the gathering, I issue this challenge. Find a healthy church. Get involved serving and not trying to have authority, don’t just attend. Make your family get involved together. Parents, it is good to make our children do things they don’t want. Otherwise, we raise a bunch of spoiled brats who eventually set cities on fire. After about a month, you’ll see how good it is for you and your family. If we are going to do church, let’s do it right.

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