Why do we meet together as Christians? (Hebrews 10:19-39)

solodeogloria

Good morning all!

Thought this passage would be a good one for looking at on the Lord's Day.

My pastor preached on this one a few weeks ago and I thought it'd be good to encourage us as to why it is a good thing for us and for our brothers and sisters to meet together regularly.

Hebrews 10:19-39 ESV wrote:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,

“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

The passage starts off by reassuring us of the wonderful status that we have in Christ as a result of His all sufficient sacrifice. We have full access to God, or in temple language full access to the holiest places. The curtain has been torn in two. We no longer need priests to act as intermediaries between us and God but rather we have full access and full relationship with Him through our great high priest Jesus Christ. This is stressed particularly strongly earlier in Hebrews.

However things don't end there. This passage exhorts us to remain faithful to the gospel, the confession that we hold fast to. The passage exhorts us to meet together and to stir one another up to love and good works. As the day of Jesus' return edges ever so closer the passage encourages us to meet Christians "all the more" as the day draws nearer. The passage seems to be drawing a link between meeting together and remaining a follower of Jesus and being motivated to love and good works. Despite what some people say there is never such a thing as a lone ranger Christian. We need other believers and they need us.

The next passage stresses that all the more. It draws a logical connection "For" to link the next point with the necessity of meeting together. This is a strong warning. Although disobedience to the law of Moses meant death. Deliberately sinning after following Jesus means spurning the sacrifice of Christ that we learned was so wonderful. Turning our backs on Him after having known Him at first is spurning the blood of Jesus. The sacrifice is gone and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

The author exhorts the readers to notice how far they have come in Jesus. The pain and anguish that following Him has brought them has led to Christians being imprisoned and property taken away. After all they had been through already could they really turn back now rather than seeing things through till that last day when Jesus returns. But notice, even in this suffering they are following Jesus corporately. They are visiting people in prison, their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It is meeting together with the hope of that last day that is vital. Here that seems to extend beyond Sunday but "more and more" as the Day is drawing near.

How does this challenge our view of meeting together as the Day draws nearer?
How can we be stirring up one another to love and good works?
Why should we keep going as Christians?

Much thanks in Christ Jesus
solodeogloria