Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not neglect 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.
I have been studying the background issues relating to the book of Hebrews and it has opened my eyes to this particular verse. For a long time I thought this verse was just a word of general encouragement about church attendance. It is an exhortation not to neglect meeting with other believers that some were in the habit of doing.
I assumed that there were a group of people whose attendance at church was sporadic at best.
The issue goes much deeper than that.
This sermon was probably sent to a group of believers in Rome. There was probably a great Jewish element to this church, thus the title of the book. Although this is not definitive, it was probably written in the mid 60’s A.D.
This is very significant for several reasons. This letter was written near the time of the famous Neronian persecution in Rome. And, it wasn’t just the Romans who persecuted these followers of Jesus Christ. Even though they had a Jewish background, the Jews distanced from this group as well.
This means that these followers of Christ were facing all kinds of persecution from many different angles. They were unfairly taxed, had their property seized, faced arrest, physical harm, and even death.
How did the persecutors know who the followers of Christ were? They had a habit of meeting together on the first day of the week. We call it church. When the followers of Christ met together to worship their Lord they were putting themselves in danger of some form of persecution.
It is understandable that a certain group of these church goers started missing the weekly gathering.
It is in that context that they receive the instruction in Hebrews – don’t neglect meeting together! Yes, you may face physical persecutions but the benefits of meeting with other followers of Christ to worship the Lord far outweighs anything society might do to them.
I don’t think there are any people that are in the same situation today in America. The only hindrances we have to faithful church attendance are barriers of our own making. Rest, recreation, a ball game, a hard week, I need to spend some time with the family, or whatever else – is a flimsy excuse in the eyes of the text of Hebrews.
As a pastor, I sometimes feel like people see me as the attendance police. This is not true. I do have the responsibility to care for the sheep that the Lord has given me. And, when they go missing I do take notice. But, I don’t have a secret little attendance book with your name written in it.
Here is the flip side of that coin. Your faithfulness does speak about your relationship with Christ. A follower of Jesus is a lover of Jesus. That means that we are going to love the things that Jesus loves. Jesus loves His church. He died for her. If you cannot be faithful to His bride, the church, that does say something about the nature of your relationship with Christ. Besides, the church is good for you and it needs you.
Don’t neglect meeting together!
I have been studying the background issues relating to the book of Hebrews and it has opened my eyes to this particular verse. For a long time I thought this verse was just a word of general encouragement about church attendance. It is an exhortation not to neglect meeting with other believers that some were in the habit of doing.
I assumed that there were a group of people whose attendance at church was sporadic at best.
The issue goes much deeper than that.
This sermon was probably sent to a group of believers in Rome. There was probably a great Jewish element to this church, thus the title of the book. Although this is not definitive, it was probably written in the mid 60’s A.D.
This is very significant for several reasons. This letter was written near the time of the famous Neronian persecution in Rome. And, it wasn’t just the Romans who persecuted these followers of Jesus Christ. Even though they had a Jewish background, the Jews distanced from this group as well.
This means that these followers of Christ were facing all kinds of persecution from many different angles. They were unfairly taxed, had their property seized, faced arrest, physical harm, and even death.
How did the persecutors know who the followers of Christ were? They had a habit of meeting together on the first day of the week. We call it church. When the followers of Christ met together to worship their Lord they were putting themselves in danger of some form of persecution.
It is understandable that a certain group of these church goers started missing the weekly gathering.
It is in that context that they receive the instruction in Hebrews – don’t neglect meeting together! Yes, you may face physical persecutions but the benefits of meeting with other followers of Christ to worship the Lord far outweighs anything society might do to them.
I don’t think there are any people that are in the same situation today in America. The only hindrances we have to faithful church attendance are barriers of our own making. Rest, recreation, a ball game, a hard week, I need to spend some time with the family, or whatever else – is a flimsy excuse in the eyes of the text of Hebrews.
As a pastor, I sometimes feel like people see me as the attendance police. This is not true. I do have the responsibility to care for the sheep that the Lord has given me. And, when they go missing I do take notice. But, I don’t have a secret little attendance book with your name written in it.
Here is the flip side of that coin. Your faithfulness does speak about your relationship with Christ. A follower of Jesus is a lover of Jesus. That means that we are going to love the things that Jesus loves. Jesus loves His church. He died for her. If you cannot be faithful to His bride, the church, that does say something about the nature of your relationship with Christ. Besides, the church is good for you and it needs you.
Don’t neglect meeting together!
1 comment:
O.K.
This looks like an appropriate time to give you a heads up that we won't be there next Sunday, but it's a legitimate absence.
You'll have to assemble without us.
Off to Chicago,
The Stuckeys
:)
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