Exhorting One Another
Today’s Verse:
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. ~Hebrews 10:25
When Covid-19 was declared a pandemic, indoor in person worship was deemed a risk in spreading the disease and this type of service was banned. After several weeks of non-indoor in person assembly, at the prodding of Christian leaders our President publicly declared that church is essential. Church is more than essential; church attendance is commanded by God of His people.
We see the failure.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” There were believers who stopped attending church. There were numerous reasons. Some stopped attending because they were being pressured by family or peers. Some stopped because they were discouraged. As we read Hebrews 10, many stopped because they were not living for God. For every believer, church attendance is a necessary component of our faith. Biblically, church attendance must be with a local, visible assembly of believers of like precious faith. Non- attendance is a sin against God, and abandonment of that local assembly.
We see the fundamental.
Church attendance is where we sit corporately to worship God. We worship God through congregational singing, reading of the scriptures and the preaching of God’s Word. Preaching is the engine that drives the church. The centrality of preaching lifts our Lord, proclaims sound doctrine, exhorts the believers to live for God, and rebukes sinful living. Church attendance is where the Holy Spirit works among a corporate body in making disciples of Jesus Christ and calling our servants for His work.
We see the fellowship.
Church attendance is where we exhort one another through our assembly. One of the ladies in our church was so glad to return to a recent in person service. She said, “I miss the fellowship.” We must be clear that fellowship is much more than a group of people socializing. Fellowship in its truest terms is when as God’s people, our Lord Jesus Christ is the centrality of our meeting together. Our praying, encouraging, meals, service and soulwinning must be about Him. Modern day ideas of fellowship have drifted into socializing and very little to do about Jesus or the work of the church.
We see the frequency.
Church attendance should be “so much the more.” While the independent Baptist model is twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday, the church of the first century assembled as much as every day. God’s people need to be in church more and not less. We need more prayer meetings. We need more organized soulwinning. We need to do more work around the church. We need to have more preaching conferences. God’s will is that we build our lives around the church, and not the church around our selfish lives.
We see the fervency.
We should assemble “so much the more as we see the day approaching.” Jesus is coming soon to take his bride the church to Heaven. I think it would be awesome for God’s people to be assembled in a church service, holding their Bibles, singing and “Amening” to preaching when Jesus comes. The thought is God’s people must be fervent about church attendance. Be fervent about the mission and purpose of the church.
Have a church-centric God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Ezekiel 23-24