Hebrews 10:25, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of some is.”
This week, Michael writes that despite the government’s orders for social distancing, isolating, and locking down, Christians meet together in person or on-line to encourage one another in the Word of God. Jesus himself chose twelve disciples. He also had an inner circle of three: Peter James, and John.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
God created Adam and Eve for each other so that they could share fellowship with each other, and with God himself. However, they sinned and broke fellowship with God. They separated their hearts from God and died spiritually the day they disobeyed God by doubting God and eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
“Who’re your six?” Men and women need to bond with other men. It’s unhealthy for men and woman to be isolated and “socially distanced” from other men. Therefore, let us consider how to stimulate one another, how to encourage one another to love and good deeds. If you claim to be a Christian and yet there is no evidence of good works to God’s glory, then the church has not stimulated you to the love of God. Jesus said, a new commandment I give to you that ye love one another even as I have loved you. In this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, that ye love one another.
A man named Phillip Keller, a sheep rancher, wrote transliteration about Psalm 23 from a shepherd’s perspective. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Jesus said, why art thou cast down? A sheep of the flock has fallen into a ditch and turned over on his back. In this “cast” position, the sheep cannot get off his back. A cast sheep will die in this position unless his shepherd picks him up and sets him back on his feet.Sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd for their lives and well-being. Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice and they know me and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
A minister is one who runs to serve. Christian fellowship groups influence our walks with God. Our purpose is to stimulate one another to walk in fellowship with each other and with our Lord Jesus Christ. The Navigators Press publishes a diagram to illustrate our relationship with God using a wheel as an analogy. The spokes of the wheel transfer power from the hub to the wheel so that the wheel can turn and progress forward. Jesus Christ is the hub, the power source. The power of God’s Holy Spirit is Christ in us the hope of glory. There are two vertical spokes and two horizontal spokes that transfer God’s power to the wheel so that we can “press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The two vertical spokes are prayer and the word of God. These spokes transfer power by connecting our hearts with God’s heart. The two horizontal spokes are witnessing and fellowship. These two spokes connect our hearts with others within the body of Christ.
When we live according to God’s word, we are the witness of the Holy Spirit... We are God’s epistles, His love letters known and read of all men and women. Fellowship is living transparently, sharing our hearts with other faithful Christians. The wheel symbolizes living in obedience to His will, proceeding according to the purpose to which we have been called. The wheel analogy is summarized in Acts 2:42, “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” The new commandment Jesus gave the church is to stimulate one another in love and good deeds. Loving God and loving others start with attitudes. Godly attitudes are summarized in the beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12.
Let's continue Michael's message on the need for Christian Fellowship in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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