September 27, 2009
Morning Worship
Text: Hebrews 10:23-25
Subject: The Church
Title: Why We Need One Another
Today’s sermon stems from a question that was asked at youth group on Thursday. Clint was encouraging the young people to be in church on Sunday and one of the girls who does not come to church (Thursday night is her church) asked this question, a question you have all heard before. “If we are saved, do we have to go to church and do all the “churchy” stuffy and do we have to be all about God all the time?” That isn’t that bad a question to be coming from an eighth grader. I’m pretty sure that the question didn’t originate with her but from parents who don’t attend church anywhere. But it made me start thinking about the real reason that people don’t come to church and the reasons that they should come to church.
Before I go any further I want to say this – your relationship with Jesus Christ is more than attending church. Having said that, now I’ll ask the question, “What kind of relationship do you really have with God if you repeatedly refuse His invitation to come spend time in His house?
There are as many excuses for not being in church as there are people.
I read this story on the Internet.
A pastor wrote, Football in the fall. Basketball in the winter. Baseball in the spring and summer. This pastor has been an avid sports fan all his life. But I’ve had it! I quit this sports business once and for all. You can’t get me near one of those places again. Want to know why...
Every time I went, they asked me for money.
The people with whom I had to sit didn’t seem very friendly.
The seats were too hard and not at all comfortable.
I went to many games, but the coach never came to call on me.
The referee made a decision with which I could not agree.
I suspected that I was sitting with some hypocrites -- they came
to see their friends and what others were wearing rather than to see the game.
Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.
The band played some numbers that I had never heard before.
It seems that the games are scheduled when I want to do other things.
I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.
I don’t want to take my children to any games, because I want
them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.
As we turn to Hebrews chapter 10 today, I want to help you understand how important it is for you to be in church regularly, and how important it is for you to encourage others to do the same.
Hebrews 10:23-25
Lord, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear what the spirit is saying to the church.
I. WE NEED CHURCH TO HELP US PERSEVERE. (23) . Let’s back up a few verses to help us understand what your individual role in perseverance is intended to be. 19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. As a follower of Jesus Christ you have these things to hold on to. 1)You can have confidence to enter into the presence of God whenever you need to. Matthew 27:50-51, 50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The death of Jesus Christ for your sin did away with the need for OT temple sacrifices. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice offered once and for all. Because you are saved from judgment through your relationship with Him you can now enter into the Holy Place – where God’s presence is - any time you desire. Since the OT sacrifices are no longer valid, this has become the “new way” for people to come to God. a new and living way opened for us… 2) Jesus has become your great High Priest. He is the one who now offers intercession for you in the presence of God, and He is doing it all the time. The OT Priest could only stand in for the people once a year. That sacrifice only covered sin. Jesus takes sin away. 3) Since that is the case we can draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith… “full assurance” is also translated “entire confidence”. “Faith” means “being fully persuaded”. Do you se the extent of work of the cross? Because sin has been removed (having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water) you can draw near to God without fear – with confidence, assurance and faith. That is your responsibility as an individual. Now let’s move on to verse 23 to see how the local church plays a role in persevering. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful… I want you to notice the plural pronouns – us and we. The hope that I have for the return of Jesus for His church is not a hope that I created in my own mind. It is a hope that was given for the entire church. We’ve moved from the personal responsibility of your salvation to the collective hope of the church. We can hold onto that hope because, he who promised is faithful… Although your salvation is God’s grace put into motion by your prayer of repentance and confession of faith, it is the whole church that He will come for. Your involvement in a local church is your confession of that truth. You need one another. Romans 12:15, Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Galatians 6:2, Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. The church is the institution that God has established in order for His people to be able to hold on till the end. Proverbs 4:13 says, “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Where do you get that kind of instruction? In the church! Help one another hold on to the promises that have been given them.
II. WE NEED CHURCH TO CHALLENGE US. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. That is a great challenge to the church. Too often we are afraid to say anything to one another for fear of offending. But Paul, who wrote 2/3 of the New Testament for the purpose of correcting and challenging the church, as did other apostles. They didn’t just challenge in one area of life but in all areas. 1) They challenged in the area of sin. 1 Corinthians 6:9-12, 9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 2) They challenged in the area of spirituality. Ephesians 5:18-19, 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 3) They challenged the church in the area of good works. James 2:14-20, 14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless… 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. They word translated “spur” in the NIV or “provoke” in the KJV, means to incite (as to do good). Your challenge (and mine) to other Christians is not a form of condemnation, but is a way to move the church toward becoming more effective. What would happen if you went up to someone who you know is good in one area of ministry but they aren’t using their gifts, and you said, “I’m not very good a nursing home ministry but I know you are. How about if I go with you?” or “I’m not very good a witnessing, but I know that God has given you a way with people. I’ll go with you if you want.” Or, You are a really good teacher. How about if we start a bible study so you can use your gift?” What would happen if the church were a church like that? Our challenging one another also contains an element of encouragement.
III. WE NEED THE CHURCH TO ENCOURAGE US. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. One of the spiritual gifts that I believe God gives to pastors is the gift of encouragement or exhortation. I try to encourage you in the things you are going through in your life. I try to encourage you to overcome your addictions. I try to encourage you to be used by the Spirit. I try to encourage you when you are doing the things that you do well. But it doesn’t say “let the pastor encourage you…” it says let us encourage one another. And here is the reason. The church needs to be operating at its full potential in these last days. We need all the gifts of the Spirit in operation. We need prophets, evangelists, apostles, pastors and teachers. We need prayer warriors. … and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Here is why. 1 Timothy 4:1-2, 1The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 2 Timothy 3:1-5, 1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Timothy 4:3-4, 3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. Encouragement comes in the form of teaching. We need to be in church so we can be made aware of the word of God as compared to the traditions of men or the false teachings that sound good but carry no authority. Matthew 24:4-8, 4Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ, and will deceive many. 6You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are the beginning of birth pains. 24:24, For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. The last days are upon us. You don’t have to look very hard to see the evidence of it in world events. You also don’t have to look very far to see the evidence of it in a last days church that preaches a gospel that is pleasing to the ears. If ever we in the church needed encouragement it is now – as we see the Day approaching.
When Jesus said in Matthew 16, on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it, He was referring to the steadfast church, the church that would never lose its first love, a church that would never give in to sin, a church that would not be deceived.
In the Greek Islands, one can seek out the home of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. In the area, one can also find an olive tree, supposedly dating from his time. If this is so, this tree would then be some 2400 years old. The trunk of this tree is very large but completely hollow. The tree is little more than thick bark. There are a few long, straggling branches, but they are supported by sturdy wooden poles every few feet. It has an occasional leaf here and there and might produce a few olives each year. In the fields around, however, are olive groves in many directions. The strong, healthy, young trees with narrow trunks are covered with a thick canopy of leaves, under which masses of olives can be found each year. The tree of Hippocrates can still be called an olive by nature, in that it still shows the essential unique characteristics, but it has long since ceased to fulfill an olive’s function. Tourists file up to inspect this ancient relic, having some link to a dim history, but the job of the olive tree passed long ago to many successions of replanted trees. Do you know any churches (or even people) like the tree of Hippocrates? The form is there, but the function is not. They have stopped reproducing and are satisfied just being big, or having a noble history.
Keith Copley.
So which kind of church are you going to be? The church that Jesus said He would build, or the church that looks good but is hollow on the inside? We must continue to meet together. I’ve seen too many people who have stepped away from church only to see their lives end up in a shambles. I’ve seen too many who say they don’t need church because they can meet with God out in the woods. There are too many who won’t persevere, who can’t take the challenge and who refused to be encouraged because they have traded the greatest institution in history – the church of Jesus Christ – for a few more minutes in bed, or a night of partying on Saturday. In doing so they are trading the foundation of faith that can only be built on the word of God as it is taught to you by someone who is anointed and called by God.
We need one another!
And we need to be in church.
