Forsake The Tube, Not The Gathering

Forsake the Tube, Not the Gathering

Text: Hebrews 10:23-25

Church, what I’m going to be talking with you about this morning is very important. Of course I believe that when God’s Word is being exposited, it’s ALWAYS important. But what we’re talking about today is something that has become extremely relevant to us in this present day and age that we’re living in. So let’s not waste any time. Take your Bibles and open them up to the Book of Hebrews and follow along with me as I read our text - (READ Hebrews 10:23-25).

Ok… let’s break this passage down together.

It’s the Book of Hebrews… we aren’t sure who the author of this book is, but we know that ultimately it’s inspired by the Holy Spirit, and prior to this chapter, the Author has been spending most of His time explaining how Jesus Christ is better than Moses, better than Abraham, better than David, better than anything that has come before… that Jesus Christ is the One true God, that He is God’s Son, and that He is the only hope for salvation for man. And then… in chapter 10, in the verses before our text this morning, the Author makes it very clear that the animal sacrifices of Judaism were just a type and shadow… just a picture of the ultimate Sacrifice offered up by Jesus. His death paid the penalty for sin, once and for all, and because this sacrifice was made by Christ Himself – it is more than enough to justify us before the Father. And then He comes to our text… and He begins by saying – So, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering…” In other words, don’t back track on your confession of faith… don’t lose that hope of salvation. Why? “Because He who promised is faithful.” What that means is that God will bring it about… God will finish what He started. He is faithful. But then look what our text says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” So we need to be encouraging ourselves, we need to be stirring one another up… reminding each other that we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves. We are to love our brothers and sisters in Christ, because we are all part of the Body, and we are all part of the Bride. How can we now love the Bride of Christ? So that’s important. And then… and this is what I want us to really look at today… this is the way we do that. What He says next is how we stir up one another to love and to good works. Verse 25, “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.”

Now did you catch that?

We as followers of Christ are supposed to stir one another up to love and good works… and the way we do that is by gathering as THE CHURCH. And then we are told – do not neglect that gathering… I still like the way the New King James said it. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, as SO MUCH the more as you see the Day approaching.” That seems pretty clear to me… Don’t forsake the assembly! Don’t stop gathering with the Church! That’s what this verse says. It doesn’t say, “Watch it online.” It says WE MUST GATHER. And then it adds this little tid-bit. ESPECIALLY as you see THE DAY drawing near. Now what “Day” is it talking about? It’s talking about the Day of the Lord. The Day that Jesus returns and calls us to Him. So let’s be really clear here.

The Author of Hebrews, inspired by God the Holy Spirit clearly says to His Church, “DO NOT STOP ASSEMBLING TOGETHER AS THE CHURCH – ESPECIALLY AS YOU SEE THE DAY OF THE LORD DRAWING NEAR!”

So we should ask ourselves? Do you see that Day drawing near? What signs does the Bible give us, that it might be? Well here’s a few from Jesus – He says that “Nation will rise against nation, kingdom against kingdom, there will be earthquakes, famine, pestilence, as well as signs in the sun and moon, and the stars…”

The Apostle Paul says some of those signs will include “Wars, famine, disease, persecution…” He says, “Men will be lovers of their own selves, covetous, proud, boasters, blasphemers, children will be disobedient to their parents, people will be unthankful, unholy… they will be without natural affection (that’s homosexuality). There will be false accusers, people will despise what is good, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” The Bible tells us that the time will come when “Men will not put up with sound doctrine, instead they will heap upon themselves false teachers because they have itching ears.” And the Book of Revelation tells us that people will “rebel against God, they will not repent of their sin, they will worship demons, they will engage in idolatry, they will be addicted to drugs, sexually immoral, and wicked.”