Benefits of Meeting Together

Transcript

Rob McFarlane: 0:58

The title of my sermon today is The Benefits of Meeting Together. We're going to spend our time in Hebrews chapter 10, and I'd like to start today by reading Hebrews chapter 10, verse 25 from the contemporary English version of the Bible. It says, Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer. We're told in this verse to meet together regularly to encourage each other. This is even more important as we get closer to the return of Jesus Christ. I don't know whether you think Jesus is coming soon or not, but certainly we're getting closer day by day to that wonderful event when He will return. And it's important for us to meet together and encourage one another. Now we see three reasons or benefits of meeting together in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 22 to 24. Let me read it to us out of the New International Version of the Bible. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the promise we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. We see the phrase let us used three times in these three verses. And we will look today at three benefits of meeting together, and they all start with this invitation, let us. We all need to respond to this invitation. Let's look at three benefits of meeting together. And number one is in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 22, where it says, Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings. So number one, let us meet to draw near to God. We meet together to experience God's presence in worship and in prayer. As we draw near to him, the Bible says he draws near to us. And he specifically says that there's a promise that he will be with us when two or more of us gather together in his name. I like the way the New Living Translation puts Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 22. It says, Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts, fully trusting Him. And as we gather together corporately, there is a wonderful presence of God that we can respond to, we can expect, and we can enjoy. Now worship is both individual and corporate. Notice the words, I will, my lips, and always. God wants us to develop a lifestyle of worship, something that we do all the time. But there are times when we should gather together with other believers and worship the Lord together. In Psalm 34, verse 3, we read, glorify the Lord with me, let us exalt his name together. Notice the words with me, let us and together. It's important for us to recognize that there is a presence of God that we can only experience in community with other believers as we gather together in his name to worship him. In that presence, we begin to see him move in wonderful ways through prophetic words, through healings, and through him whispering his promises into individual hearts and lives. It's a wonderful thing for us to gather with other believers and glorify his name together. So, number one, we've seen that when we gather together in his name, we can experience his presence. So the first benefit of us gathering together in his name is that we meet to experience God's presence together in worship and prayer. As we draw near to him, he draws near to us. Number two, we see in Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 23, it says, Let us hold unswervingly to the promise we profess, for he who promised is faithful. So secondly, we meet together to hold on to God's promises. Now, how do we do that? I believe we do that by meeting together to be edified, equipped, and encouraged by teaching from the Bible. Hebrews 10 verse 23 in the message Bible puts it this way: let us keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. And it's important for us to gather together in his name to hear Bible teaching. Bible teaching encourages us, strengthens us, gives us faith and hope for the future. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16 and 17, we read that all scripture is breathed by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. We have a passion for life application teaching, not just teaching to get knowledge or to get understanding, but to learn how to live the scriptures, to be doers of God's word. And we do that together so that we can keep one another accountable, so that we can grow together in our relationship with Jesus. Number three, Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24 says, and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. I like the way the Passion Translation puts this verse. It says, discover creative ways to encourage others and motivate them towards acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. When we gather together, we meet to hear testimonies of God's goodness and love demonstrated in and through our lives. Now, there's different ways that we meet together. We can meet together on Sundays where we experience God's presence together, where we hear teaching from the Bible, and we have opportunities to fellowship and encourage each other. And that's wonderful to have corporate worship, teaching from the Bible, and less of an emphasis on one-on-one fellowship. But there's another way that we can meet together, and that's in small groups, life groups or connect groups that meet during the week in homes or over a cup of coffee or doing something together. And there we meet for prayer, to share with one another, and to care for one another. There are great opportunities as we gather in small groups for us to encourage one another and spur one another on to love and good deeds as we share testimonies of his goodness and love demonstrated in our lives and through our lives to others. So, in summary, there are three reasons we meet together. Let us meet together to do these three things. Number one, we meet together to draw near to God in worship and prayer. Number two, we meet together to be encouraged through Bible teaching. And number three, we meet together to share God's goodness and love and spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let's pray together. And as we do, ask the Holy Spirit to highlight for you what he wants you to do as a result of today's sermon. Let's pray. Father God, thank you that we can gather to experience your presence together in worship and prayer. Thank you for the Bible that gives us faith and hope. Help us to encourage each other to live in a way that demonstrates your goodness and love. We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.