Understanding God’s Will
My Response to the Cross:
Faithful Attendance
Hebrews 10:19¡X25
Introduction
The Musk Ox seems to have more sense than God’s family at times. When faced with danger the musk oxen form a circle with their heads and horns outward and their young and weak in the center. They gather for mutual protection rather that trying to go out on their own or running away.
We can learn a lot from the Musk Ox. When things get tough we have a tendency to withdraw from those who care for us the most. When trouble comes, instead of coming together to draw on our mutual strength, we stray from the pack and conjure up lame excuses to justify our actions.
Main Body
I. Let us Draw Near to God. Heb. 10:22
A. With a Sincere Heart.
1. No insincere person or hypocrite can draw near to God.
2. Deut. 4:29
B. With a Full Assurance of Faith
1. Hearts Sprinkled - willingness to accept what Christ has provided. Heb. 9:14
2. Bodies Washed - an unquestionable reference to baptism. Titus 3:5; Acts 22:16
II. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope of eternal life. Heb. 10:23
A. Definition: Hope - Confident expectation and anticipation.
B. We can trust in, know and anticipate eternal life based simply on the fact of God¡¦s promise. Heb. 3:6
C. This confidence does not come from our own merit or achievement; it rests in the faithfulness of God. Eph. 2:4¡V10
III. Let us consider how we may spur one another on. Heb. 10:24
A. Definition: Spur or Provoke - the act of inspiring or stirring something up. The promotion of a specific action.
B. The Hebrew writer¡¦s emphasis is not on what a believer GETS FROM the church, but rather on what he CONTRIBUTES TO the church.
C. The emphasis is on your presence at all functions of the church.
D. When we miss an assembly of the church, we are willingly ignoring God¡¦s commands.
1. We are giving up meeting together.
2. We are discouraging rather than encouraging.
3. The proper attitude toward worship. Psalm 122:1
Practical Application
č If both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful in attendance.
č If only Dad attends regularly, 55% remain faithful.
č If only Mom attends regularly, 15% remain faithful.
č If neither attend regularly, only 6% remain faithful.
č Excuses, Excuses, Excuses
č Do the same excuses you use for missing Bible Study, AM Worship, PM Worship, Wednesday Bible Study and other church activities work on your Boss Monday?
č Mandatory or Optional? It all boils down to priorities!
ƒç When did God¡¦s law become less important than man¡¦s law?
A Matter of Obedience
ƒç ¡§Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you¡¨ (Hebrews 13:17).
č God has commanded us to assemble.
č God ordained elders of this congregation have set certain times for us to meet.
č The elders of this congregation are concerned about the attendance of this family of God!
č This ought not to be!
Psalm 122:1
I was glad when they said to me,
¡§Let us go to the house of the LORD!¡¨
Mitchell Skelton-Minister
Midway church of Christ
http://www.TheLordsWay.com/Midway
