SUNDAY: Bible Study - 9:00 AM | Worship - 10:00 AM | PM Worship - 6:00 PM WEDNESDAY: Bible Class - 7:00 PM ~ 8110 Signal Hill Road Manassas, Virginia | Office Phone: 703.368.2622

meetingIn Hebrews, the writer takes an opportunity to instill some personal responsibility in the early church membership.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I have often wondered what the writer had in mind when he penned those words. Do we really have an understanding of them as we attempt to apply them to our lives today?

Just what is meant by “spur one another”?  I know that those who ride horses typically were a pair of spurs attached at the bottom of their boots to tap the horse to get its attention to do what he/she wanted it to do.  I know that if someone poked me with one of them, I would definitely pay attention and respond accordingly.  I think the church today has lost this art of spurring one another.

Just what is meant by “not giving up meeting together”?  Did they have a special place and time as we have today?  Did their meetings have similar activities as we do today in our times together?  What was it about their meetings that made them so special?  Just what was expected to be gained by being there?  Unfortunately, this topic is seldom, if ever, spoken to those who need to hear it.  If you don’t believe that to be true, compare those in attendance on Sunday morning, to those on Sunday night, to those who come on Wednesday night.  Perhaps folks don’t feel a sense of urgency to be with the family more than once a week. And when they do come, those of us, Like Linda and I, often approach them as visitor only to be reminded they are members here.  I wonder who is more embarrassed, us because we didn’t know them, or them because they are not here enough to be associated with the membership.

Just what is meant by “encouraging one another”?  What type of encouraging were they to provide?  How did they know what the individual needed?  It is really hard to encourage someone without knowing that person.  We don’t encourage because we don’t know our brothers and sisters. How are we to provide encouragement to those whom we don’t know?  Oh!  We may say – that is the job of our elders…aren’t they the one charged to keep watch over our souls.  Surely they know the needs of all the members.  As one who served for 20+ years as an elder, this is impossible task.  But wait a minute – surely the minister has time to know the needs of all the members…isn’t that what we pay him to do?  We sat by each other during the various periods of attendance, and yet we don’t take the time to get to know them much less encourage them. 

Hebrews 3:13 - But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Just what is meant by “as you see the Day approaching”?  What day is being referenced here?  Was the writer trying to indicate they needed to get ready for some troubling times ahead?  Were they all aware of what “the Day” meant?  Is there a Day coming in our lives?  It amazes me the reaction of people when severe weather is being forecast.  Grocery store shelves empty out very quickly.  Big box stores run out of material to help us prepare for the event. But there are those of us who simply didn’t prepare for that day to come.  Like weather forecasters, God’s word is warning us there is a Day coming and we better be prepared.

Hebrews 2:2-3 - We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.  For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishmenthow shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?

Are we ready for that day? 

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