WEBVTT 00:00:10.029 --> 00:00:17.469 In verses 19 through 21, the author has presented 00:00:17.469 --> 00:00:22.570 to us the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in the 00:00:22.570 --> 00:00:29.870 Gospel. We see that Christ has reconciled sinners 00:00:29.870 --> 00:00:36.289 unto God. He's brought men to God. He's enabled 00:00:36.289 --> 00:00:42.659 men to... Come to God. And all of this is the 00:00:42.659 --> 00:00:50.100 result of Christ's gospel work. It's all the 00:00:50.100 --> 00:00:54.259 result of his sacrifice. It's all the result 00:00:54.259 --> 00:00:59.719 of his perfect life. It's all the result of his 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:05.640 death and his resurrection. It's the result of 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:11.170 the gospel. Now we've seen the author in verses 00:01:11.170 --> 00:01:17.109 22 through 25 give these exhortations. We've 00:01:17.109 --> 00:01:20.489 seen for the last several weeks, for the last 00:01:20.489 --> 00:01:24.909 two weeks, the author say, let us draw near with 00:01:24.909 --> 00:01:29.769 a sincere heart. Then we saw last week, the author 00:01:29.769 --> 00:01:34.049 say, let us hold fast the confession of our hope. 00:01:34.390 --> 00:01:38.769 And this week we see the author say, Let us consider 00:01:38.769 --> 00:01:44.450 how to stimulate one another or to stir up or 00:01:44.450 --> 00:01:48.609 provoke one another. The author is connecting 00:01:48.609 --> 00:01:54.349 these exhortations, these commands, to the work 00:01:54.349 --> 00:01:58.329 of Christ in His sacrifice and in the Gospel. 00:01:59.069 --> 00:02:02.069 He's saying these are the things that New Covenant 00:02:02.069 --> 00:02:06.819 believers ought to be about. These are the things 00:02:06.819 --> 00:02:09.819 that New Covenant believers ought to give themselves 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:13.840 to. These are the things that New Covenant believers 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:18.919 ought to be preeminently concerned about in their 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:22.500 lives. They ought to be concerned about drawing 00:02:22.500 --> 00:02:27.500 near to God in prayer. They ought to be concerned 00:02:27.500 --> 00:02:31.360 about holding fast the confession of our hope, 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:35.870 truth, and the Scriptures. But the author also 00:02:35.870 --> 00:02:39.150 tells us today, and this is our text for exposition, 00:02:39.330 --> 00:02:43.110 that New Covenant believers ought to be concerned 00:02:43.110 --> 00:02:49.150 about the New Covenant people of God. That they 00:02:49.150 --> 00:02:52.430 ought to be concerned about the assembly of the 00:02:52.430 --> 00:02:56.689 saints. That they ought to be concerned about 00:02:56.689 --> 00:03:04.379 those whom Christ died for. I would like to consider 00:03:04.379 --> 00:03:09.979 three things this morning. We're going to consider 00:03:09.979 --> 00:03:14.120 the exhortation to be faithful corporate Christians. 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:19.759 We see this in verse 24, where the author says, 00:03:19.939 --> 00:03:23.379 and let us consider how to stimulate one another 00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:27.719 to love and good deeds. This is the exhortation, 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:31.599 the command. But we're also going to consider 00:03:31.599 --> 00:03:36.580 the means. of obeying this exhortation to be 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:42.939 faithful corporate Christians. We find the means 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:48.080 of obeying this in verse 25. There's a negative 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:53.319 means that he states. He says not forsaking our 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:56.560 own assembling together. But then there's a positive 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:01.580 means that he states, which contributes to the 00:04:01.580 --> 00:04:08.099 command. And that is, but encouraging one another. 00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:13.360 Lastly, we're going to consider the great motive 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:21.319 for obeying this command, this exhortation from 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:24.899 the author of Hebrews. This is the last phrase 00:04:24.899 --> 00:04:30.240 in our verse where the author says, and all the 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:38.579 more. as you see the day drawing near. Here we'll 00:04:38.579 --> 00:04:46.600 find the author giving us motivation to be faithful, 00:04:46.759 --> 00:04:53.459 committed, corporate believers in the new covenant 00:04:53.459 --> 00:04:59.490 community of Christ's church. Beginning with 00:04:59.490 --> 00:05:02.750 the exhortation to be faithful corporate Christians 00:05:02.750 --> 00:05:09.230 found in verse 24. He says, and let us consider 00:05:09.230 --> 00:05:12.889 how to stimulate one another to love and good 00:05:12.889 --> 00:05:18.470 deeds. First, the command itself. Let us consider. 00:05:19.410 --> 00:05:25.990 This word consider has the idea of careful observation. 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:34.100 or fully understanding something. It has the 00:05:34.100 --> 00:05:40.139 idea of being considerate about something. Now 00:05:40.139 --> 00:05:44.199 immediately, we find in this text that the author 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:50.040 is implying that believers ought to be those 00:05:50.040 --> 00:05:56.439 people who are observant, who are... Considerate 00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:02.699 and thoughtful about particular situations, about 00:06:02.699 --> 00:06:09.680 particular things, about particular people. We 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:14.819 find this so clearly in the text. Now, what's 00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:19.839 the object of this consideration? What is it 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:23.360 that New Covenant believers are to consider? 00:06:24.399 --> 00:06:29.060 Well, in the NASB, it's a little tricky because 00:06:29.060 --> 00:06:33.819 it almost makes it look like the object is how 00:06:33.819 --> 00:06:36.639 to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:41.579 But that's not the object. The object of this 00:06:41.579 --> 00:06:47.680 consideration is one another. So New Covenant 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:54.379 believers are called here to consider. And to 00:06:54.379 --> 00:07:00.680 be thoughtful. And to carefully observe each 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:07.779 other. One another. Those in the covenant community. 00:07:08.579 --> 00:07:13.699 Those who gather as God's people. The people 00:07:13.699 --> 00:07:17.860 of God are called to watch over and exercise 00:07:17.860 --> 00:07:24.279 an affectionate care and thoughtfulness. an observation 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:31.019 in the life of those they gather with as members 00:07:31.019 --> 00:07:37.579 of the new covenant community. This means there 00:07:37.579 --> 00:07:45.139 has to be intentionality. There has to be time 00:07:45.139 --> 00:07:52.939 taken to think about such things. What fills 00:07:52.939 --> 00:07:57.759 your mind, brothers and sisters? And how much 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.980 time do you give to thinking about those things 00:08:00.980 --> 00:08:09.160 that fill your mind? As believers who have been 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:14.300 bought by the blood of Christ, we ought to have 00:08:14.300 --> 00:08:17.120 a portion of our thoughts, a portion of our hearts 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:23.470 allocated for the people of God. We ought to 00:08:23.470 --> 00:08:27.410 have a portion of our mind dedicated to thinking 00:08:27.410 --> 00:08:34.230 and considering and observing the people of God 00:08:34.230 --> 00:08:38.509 that we have covenanted with. The people of God 00:08:38.509 --> 00:08:45.389 that we worship with. Now, obviously, we have 00:08:45.389 --> 00:08:50.100 to think about our jobs. We have to think about 00:08:50.100 --> 00:08:52.279 our careers. We have to think about our families. 00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:55.440 We have to focus our minds on certain necessary 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:59.419 realities in our lives. But how do we obey this 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:02.220 command, brothers and sisters, if we never take 00:09:02.220 --> 00:09:06.139 the time to get our eyes off of our own situation, 00:09:06.139 --> 00:09:10.100 our own lives, our own issues, our own problems, 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:15.179 and to take time to think about brothers and 00:09:15.179 --> 00:09:20.720 sisters in Christ? How do we fulfill this command 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:26.899 if we do not do that? Certain things in the Christian 00:09:26.899 --> 00:09:32.639 life just require time, brothers and sisters. 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:40.320 They just require us to slow down and to rein 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:46.879 in our thoughts and submit our hearts. And to 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:51.200 think and dwell and meditate on certain truths 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:55.320 and certain realities. And the author of Hebrews 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:58.899 is telling us that one of those things for the 00:09:58.899 --> 00:10:01.779 new covenant believer in Jesus Christ ought to 00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:06.340 be the people of God. Ought to be our brothers 00:10:06.340 --> 00:10:08.620 and sisters in Christ who we're sitting next 00:10:08.620 --> 00:10:15.200 to. Who we work in the same town with. This is 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:20.379 what the author is telling us. This same word 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:29.840 is used in Hebrews chapter 3, verse 1, where 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:33.559 the author says this, Therefore, holy brethren, 00:10:33.779 --> 00:10:38.360 partakers of a heavenly calling, consider, consider 00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:45.340 Jesus, the apostle and high priest, of our confession. 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:50.240 Now, there's that word consider again, and what's 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:55.500 the object in that text? Jesus, the apostle and 00:10:55.500 --> 00:10:58.879 high priest of our confession. So the author 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:02.500 is saying in that text that if we want to have 00:11:02.500 --> 00:11:06.240 a sturdy, steadfast, constant, balanced faith 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:10.860 in faithful life, then we need to have our minds 00:11:10.860 --> 00:11:16.070 set on Christ. But the same word is used in Hebrews 00:11:16.070 --> 00:11:21.330 chapter 10, verse 24, where he says, let us consider 00:11:21.330 --> 00:11:30.049 one another. This necessarily and inevitably 00:11:30.049 --> 00:11:37.269 leads to interpersonal relationships, the local 00:11:37.269 --> 00:11:45.860 church, and corporate Christianity. How can one 00:11:45.860 --> 00:11:58.600 fulfill this command? By themselves. How is it 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:04.740 possible? You cannot fulfill this command on 00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:13.529 your own. It requires group Christianity. It 00:12:13.529 --> 00:12:18.389 requires one another. It requires others be involved 00:12:18.389 --> 00:12:22.889 in your life. It requires that we be in relationship 00:12:22.889 --> 00:12:26.850 willingly and volitionally with others whom Christ 00:12:26.850 --> 00:12:32.870 has died for. It requires that we don't just 00:12:32.870 --> 00:12:36.309 be private Christians, but that we be corporate 00:12:36.309 --> 00:12:39.710 Christians who are invested and who are part 00:12:39.710 --> 00:12:45.279 of. the people of God, that worship together 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:52.759 in one place, under one name, in the name of 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:58.460 the Lord Jesus Christ. There's no way to understand 00:12:58.460 --> 00:13:03.720 this text without the local church, brothers 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:09.100 and sisters. No way whatsoever. The local church 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:14.549 is so... vitally important in the New Testament. 00:13:15.590 --> 00:13:21.610 Think about all the epistles. Think about Ephesians. 00:13:22.090 --> 00:13:26.610 Think about Philippians. Think about 1st and 00:13:26.610 --> 00:13:30.769 2nd Thessalonians. Who are they written to, brothers 00:13:30.769 --> 00:13:36.429 and sisters? The church at Thessalonica. The 00:13:36.429 --> 00:13:42.250 church at Corinth. The church at Ephesus. The 00:13:42.250 --> 00:13:45.850 local churches everywhere in the New Testament. 00:13:45.850 --> 00:13:48.590 We think about the book of Acts. What is the 00:13:48.590 --> 00:13:52.230 book of Acts all about? Brothers and sisters, 00:13:52.250 --> 00:13:56.350 it's about the inception and the establishment 00:13:56.350 --> 00:14:00.330 and the formation and the growth of the first 00:14:00.330 --> 00:14:04.590 century church in the world. Why? Because of 00:14:04.590 --> 00:14:08.840 the work of Jesus Christ in the gospel. That's 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:12.659 what this text is telling us. That because of 00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:15.480 Christ's work in the gospel, because of his once 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:19.879 for all effective sacrifice, the local church 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:24.000 becomes that much more important to the life 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:31.340 of the believer. Now, what is the aim of this 00:14:31.340 --> 00:14:36.179 exhortation or this command? What is the purpose 00:14:36.179 --> 00:14:39.820 of it? We know the object and we know the command 00:14:39.820 --> 00:14:43.159 itself, but what's the purpose of it? What is 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:47.179 the aim, the goal, the end of it? Well, it's 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:54.259 this. To stimulate one another to love and good 00:14:54.259 --> 00:15:01.399 deeds. To stir up. This word is really, really 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:08.879 fascinating. It's the word. Paroxysm. It carries 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:15.899 the idea of almost a convulsion. It carries the 00:15:15.899 --> 00:15:23.539 idea of incitation or provocation to provoke. 00:15:24.299 --> 00:15:29.679 It carries this idea of sharpness with it. In 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:32.899 the New Testament, we see it used different ways. 00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:38.500 Here, the NASB uses it as stimulate. There's 00:15:38.500 --> 00:15:43.220 another way that it's used as stir up. In the 00:15:43.220 --> 00:15:48.039 New Testament, it's primarily used with negative 00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:55.860 connotations. We could think of Barnabas and 00:15:55.860 --> 00:16:01.879 Saul or Paul. Remember their split? That's said 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:07.620 to be... A provocation. That was an abrupt thing. 00:16:08.059 --> 00:16:13.120 Almost a sudden, immediate, almost a violent 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:19.820 reality that came about. There, and I saw this 00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:24.659 from one pastor, he said there, that word signifies 00:16:24.659 --> 00:16:28.679 their separation. But in our text, this word 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:31.740 is used in such a way that it's meant to contribute 00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:34.980 and bring about men and women who know Christ 00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:39.519 and bring them together. Not to separate and 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:45.139 drive apart, but to bring them nearer, to bring 00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:50.299 them closer, to produce love and love's expression, 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:56.059 good deeds or good works in the life of the believer. 00:16:57.100 --> 00:17:03.200 Now, I don't think we should do away with the 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:08.920 negative connotations of this word. Because there 00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:13.200 are times, brothers and sisters, in Christian 00:17:13.200 --> 00:17:17.400 relationship inside the church where there are 00:17:17.400 --> 00:17:25.200 hard, difficult, challenging conversations and 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:36.430 interactions. which must take place. It can be 00:17:36.430 --> 00:17:44.769 said that this in and of itself is loving. One 00:17:44.769 --> 00:17:48.250 of the things that I'm fearful about in the life 00:17:48.250 --> 00:17:55.390 of the church is that our idea of love and our 00:17:55.390 --> 00:17:59.430 idea of... how to provoke one another to love 00:17:59.430 --> 00:18:04.250 and good deeds has been taught to us more by 00:18:04.250 --> 00:18:07.150 the world, the flesh, and the devil than the 00:18:07.150 --> 00:18:11.690 authoritative word of God. What do I mean by 00:18:11.690 --> 00:18:15.670 that? What does the world say, brothers and sisters? 00:18:16.369 --> 00:18:20.630 What is loving? And what brings about love? And 00:18:20.630 --> 00:18:23.250 what provokes good love and good deeds in others? 00:18:26.089 --> 00:18:30.470 You just give them what they want and satiate 00:18:30.470 --> 00:18:40.529 them. Take away the discomfort. Take away the 00:18:40.529 --> 00:18:43.750 difficulty of the situation. Do whatever you 00:18:43.750 --> 00:18:48.849 have to do. Just make the situation better. Do 00:18:48.849 --> 00:18:51.970 whatever you have to do to make them feel better. 00:18:52.529 --> 00:18:58.460 Then they will be loving. then they will be full 00:18:58.460 --> 00:19:03.099 of good works and good deeds. That's catechism 00:19:03.099 --> 00:19:07.559 by the world, the flesh, and the devil. That 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:12.579 is not loving, and that does not produce love 00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:15.259 and good deeds in brothers and sisters in Christ, 00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:21.079 friends. The Word of God says, That yes, we come 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:23.819 alongside and we encourage. We bear with one 00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:28.220 another. We love each other. But listen. Christ 00:19:28.220 --> 00:19:34.299 died for sin. That means that sin is never considered 00:19:34.299 --> 00:19:40.059 as light or insignificant. That means that sin 00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:44.380 must always be addressed and confronted. And 00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:51.200 that means truth in love. This is the Christian 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:55.099 church, brothers and sisters. We are the only 00:19:55.099 --> 00:20:01.059 place in the world that ought to do this. Do 00:20:01.059 --> 00:20:05.299 you understand that? There's nowhere else in 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:10.259 the world that has an objective, absolute, fixed 00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:13.099 standard that is authoritative and sufficient. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:18.380 Do you know that? But the church of Jesus Christ, 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:25.599 in fact, does the word of the living God. And 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:31.960 where the word of God speaks, we obey. This is 00:20:31.960 --> 00:20:36.039 the church. This is the people of God. Now I 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:39.980 think that when we consider this word, and especially 00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:45.119 with this negative bent of the word, we also 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:48.319 need to really recognize the context of this 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:53.529 verse. Right? We can't just say this is absolute 00:20:53.529 --> 00:20:55.910 across the board with everything. It is with 00:20:55.910 --> 00:20:58.789 regards to truth and love. That's consistent. 00:20:59.730 --> 00:21:05.369 But that doesn't mean that we always lead with 00:21:05.369 --> 00:21:09.789 a fist. We know parties and we know camps that 00:21:09.789 --> 00:21:13.609 do that. We know people in evangelicalism that 00:21:13.609 --> 00:21:17.589 are all too eager for a fight any day of the 00:21:17.589 --> 00:21:22.710 week. Everybody knows. There's those people. 00:21:22.809 --> 00:21:25.730 There are those individuals. They always want 00:21:25.730 --> 00:21:33.230 controversy. They always want drama. They always 00:21:33.230 --> 00:21:37.410 want to fight. Because they've always got a dog 00:21:37.410 --> 00:21:41.410 in the fight on everything. There's always those 00:21:41.410 --> 00:21:45.029 people. But we have to understand the context 00:21:45.029 --> 00:21:50.890 of this verse. The context of this verse is those 00:21:50.890 --> 00:21:56.289 who are consistently in the habit and customarily 00:21:56.289 --> 00:22:02.109 forsaking the assembly of God's people. So it's 00:22:02.109 --> 00:22:05.930 not a one and done thing. It's not a single act. 00:22:07.130 --> 00:22:11.829 It's not a single instance. There's a pattern. 00:22:12.910 --> 00:22:18.279 There's a habit. There's a... custom that has 00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:22.559 been established in their behavior. The author 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:26.779 of Hebrews is addressing this. And he's saying 00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:31.539 in that instance, it's especially important in 00:22:31.539 --> 00:22:37.140 the life of the church to stimulate one another 00:22:37.140 --> 00:22:43.359 to love and good deeds, no matter the difficulty, 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:51.240 the hardship. or how trying it might be. So, 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:55.980 we see in this text, to be a faithful Christian, 00:22:56.240 --> 00:23:01.000 brothers and sisters, we must be a corporate 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:06.700 Christian. There's no way of getting around it. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:10.980 If you are to be a faithful believer in Jesus 00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:15.140 Christ, that means that you have to be involved 00:23:15.140 --> 00:23:19.890 in a... corporate, new covenant, community, people 00:23:19.890 --> 00:23:26.650 of Christ. There's no such thing as a healthy, 00:23:26.769 --> 00:23:34.190 isolated Christian. Zero. I can say that with 00:23:34.190 --> 00:23:39.309 100 % certainty. Because it is completely contrary 00:23:39.309 --> 00:23:43.430 and antithetical to the New Testament doctrine 00:23:43.430 --> 00:23:51.660 of the local. We must be those who are involved 00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:56.839 in the people of God. We must be those who are 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:01.099 committed not just to private Christianity and 00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:07.180 personal religion, but we must be those who give 00:24:07.180 --> 00:24:13.579 ourselves to the local assembly of God's people. 00:24:16.109 --> 00:24:22.670 We have to be willing to give in such a way that's 00:24:22.670 --> 00:24:27.630 described in this text as believers. We have 00:24:27.630 --> 00:24:32.589 to be willing to encourage and provoke and stimulate. 00:24:32.690 --> 00:24:39.329 We have to. We as believers must be on board 00:24:39.329 --> 00:24:44.730 with giving of ourselves in such a way. That's 00:24:44.730 --> 00:24:49.150 part of this. But there's another side to that. 00:24:50.130 --> 00:24:55.890 Believers mustn't just be willing to give. Believers 00:24:55.890 --> 00:25:01.009 also must be willing to receive in such a way 00:25:01.009 --> 00:25:08.509 as described by Holy Scripture. There's a mutual 00:25:08.509 --> 00:25:13.769 interworking. There's a mutual interaction that 00:25:13.769 --> 00:25:18.779 takes place. in the one another's of the New 00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:23.440 Testament, brothers and sisters. We must be corporate 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:28.359 Christians, and we must be relational Christians, 00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:32.220 whatever that looks like for you and your personality. 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:37.980 We know that we're all made different. We know 00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:42.180 it. God made each one of us unique and distinct 00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:46.019 from each other. There's no two persons exactly 00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:50.240 the same. God has made us different. It's His 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:53.839 sovereign will for us to be different from everybody. 00:25:54.740 --> 00:25:59.839 Which means we're all unique. But, as believers, 00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:04.220 we must be willing to be in a corporate relationship 00:26:04.220 --> 00:26:08.019 with the people of God, with the group. And we 00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:13.059 must be willing to interact with that group. 00:26:13.690 --> 00:26:19.230 for their good and edification, and for our good 00:26:19.230 --> 00:26:24.910 and edification. I just want to read Romans 12, 00:26:25.250 --> 00:26:33.289 at least part of Romans 12. It's an incredibly 00:26:33.289 --> 00:26:39.450 edifying portion of Scripture. You know, Paul, 00:26:39.750 --> 00:26:46.059 oftentimes, he has these... of general exhortations 00:26:46.059 --> 00:26:48.559 throughout the Scripture. We find them oftentimes 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:53.759 towards the end of his epistles. Sometimes I 00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:57.099 just love just going and reading the general 00:26:57.099 --> 00:27:00.940 exhortations of the Apostle. Because they're 00:27:00.940 --> 00:27:05.380 so relevant. They're so edifying. But brothers 00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:11.069 and sisters, they are so convicting. They show 00:27:11.069 --> 00:27:16.450 me my failure and my weakness. They show me how 00:27:16.450 --> 00:27:23.589 far short I fall. But they also show me how to 00:27:23.589 --> 00:27:27.230 live in such a way that I can honor Jesus Christ 00:27:27.230 --> 00:27:31.569 in the life of the church. And they explain it 00:27:31.569 --> 00:27:35.150 and walk me through it and how it ought to be 00:27:35.150 --> 00:27:42.029 done. In Romans chapter 12, following Paul's 00:27:42.029 --> 00:27:46.349 doctrine, following all his theology, now he 00:27:46.349 --> 00:27:50.009 starts applying the gospel to the people in Rome. 00:27:51.130 --> 00:27:56.009 Here's what we read. I'll start reading in verse 00:27:56.009 --> 00:28:00.529 4. And take note of the corporate characteristics 00:28:00.529 --> 00:28:05.529 in this list. For just as we have many members 00:28:05.529 --> 00:28:09.029 in one body, and all the members do not have 00:28:09.029 --> 00:28:14.210 the same function, so we, who are many, are one 00:28:14.210 --> 00:28:17.950 body in Christ, and individually members one 00:28:17.950 --> 00:28:23.109 of another. Since we have gifts that differ according 00:28:23.109 --> 00:28:27.130 to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise 00:28:27.130 --> 00:28:30.750 them accordingly. If prophecy according to the 00:28:30.750 --> 00:28:35.130 proportion of his faith, if service in his serving. 00:28:35.980 --> 00:28:39.559 Or he who teaches in his teaching. Or he who 00:28:39.559 --> 00:28:42.940 exhorts in his exhortation. He who gives with 00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:45.960 liberality. And he who leads with diligence. 00:28:47.180 --> 00:28:52.160 He who shows mercy with cheerfulness. Let love 00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:57.539 be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling 00:28:57.539 --> 00:29:00.640 to what is good. Be devoted to one another in 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:03.339 brotherly love. Give preference to one another 00:29:03.339 --> 00:29:07.549 in honor. not lagging behind in diligence, fervent 00:29:07.549 --> 00:29:11.609 in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, 00:29:11.869 --> 00:29:16.289 persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 00:29:16.589 --> 00:29:20.230 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing 00:29:20.230 --> 00:29:24.269 hospitality. Bless those who persecute you and 00:29:24.269 --> 00:29:27.930 bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who 00:29:27.930 --> 00:29:31.549 rejoice and weep with those who weep. Be of the 00:29:31.549 --> 00:29:35.529 same mind toward one another. Do not be haughty 00:29:35.529 --> 00:29:39.369 in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not 00:29:39.369 --> 00:29:43.130 be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back 00:29:43.130 --> 00:29:47.630 evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right 00:29:47.630 --> 00:29:52.210 in the sight of all men. If possible, so far 00:29:52.210 --> 00:29:57.329 as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 00:29:59.650 --> 00:30:05.569 Do you see the corporate? character of all of 00:30:05.569 --> 00:30:11.230 those exhortations. Paul is writing to those 00:30:11.230 --> 00:30:15.049 who are under the expectation that they are a 00:30:15.049 --> 00:30:21.289 part of a new covenant community birthed in the 00:30:21.289 --> 00:30:26.829 gospel of Jesus Christ. These cannot be obeyed 00:30:26.829 --> 00:30:32.480 apart from the local church. and corporate Christianity. 00:30:33.940 --> 00:30:37.660 This leads us to the second thing, the means 00:30:37.660 --> 00:30:41.660 of obeying this exhortation. Naturally, the question 00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:50.839 comes up, well, how exactly do I obey this exhortation? 00:30:52.019 --> 00:30:57.319 How do I obey this command that the author of 00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:59.619 Hebrews is giving to me? What do I need to do? 00:31:00.970 --> 00:31:03.529 What needs to take place in my life? What do 00:31:03.529 --> 00:31:08.130 I need to change? What do I need to adjust? How 00:31:08.130 --> 00:31:12.910 do I need to act, live, think, whatever it might 00:31:12.910 --> 00:31:18.750 be, to be in conformity with the command of Holy 00:31:18.750 --> 00:31:23.730 Scripture? There's two things, according to verse 00:31:23.730 --> 00:31:30.130 25 in Hebrews 10. The first... is found in verse 00:31:30.130 --> 00:31:34.869 25, the first part, where the author says, not 00:31:34.869 --> 00:31:41.049 forsaking our own assembling together. Now, when 00:31:41.049 --> 00:31:45.769 the author says this, he's using a negative to 00:31:45.769 --> 00:31:50.089 express what he desires and what he wants in 00:31:50.089 --> 00:31:54.609 the positive. Meaning he's saying, don't do this. 00:31:55.170 --> 00:31:59.099 And I'm saying, don't do this. Because I want 00:31:59.099 --> 00:32:06.619 this. So the first thing, the first way that 00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:09.640 we obey this command is through a commitment 00:32:09.640 --> 00:32:14.519 to the gathered assembly of the local church. 00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:28.690 Why is the author saying this? Why is he pushing 00:32:28.690 --> 00:32:34.029 this matter? Well, he has good basis for it. 00:32:34.930 --> 00:32:41.569 He has good reason for it. He says, as is the 00:32:41.569 --> 00:32:46.730 habit of some. So we think back to the first 00:32:46.730 --> 00:32:50.750 century when the great Apostle Paul was still 00:32:50.750 --> 00:32:54.210 ministering. We think back to the first century. 00:32:54.640 --> 00:32:57.259 when the voice of the apostle could be heard 00:32:57.259 --> 00:33:02.500 by Jew and Gentile. We think back to the first 00:33:02.500 --> 00:33:06.980 century when Peter, the apostle that spent so 00:33:06.980 --> 00:33:10.000 much time with our blessed Lord, was still roaming 00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:12.640 the earth and ministering to the people of God. 00:33:13.640 --> 00:33:16.220 And people would see them and people could be 00:33:16.220 --> 00:33:19.160 around them and interact with them when the gospel 00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:27.380 was first landing on ears. Immediately, the church 00:33:27.380 --> 00:33:34.539 starts dealing with issues, does it not? Immediately, 00:33:34.599 --> 00:33:44.920 men and women start caving to pressure and persecution 00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:51.759 and rationales and all kinds of carnal justifications. 00:33:53.869 --> 00:33:59.190 for not faithfully attending the assembly of 00:33:59.190 --> 00:34:04.029 the local church. The author has good reason 00:34:04.029 --> 00:34:08.869 to put this forward. You know, I think of Acts 00:34:08.869 --> 00:34:22.130 chapter 18. In Acts chapter 18, it's Paul at 00:34:22.130 --> 00:34:29.030 Corinth. We read this of Paul and his co -workers, 00:34:29.210 --> 00:34:36.710 starting in verse 5. But when Silas and Timothy 00:34:36.710 --> 00:34:42.230 came down from Macedonia, Paul began devoting 00:34:42.230 --> 00:34:46.190 himself completely to the Word, solemnly testifying 00:34:46.190 --> 00:34:51.230 to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. But when 00:34:51.230 --> 00:34:54.429 they resisted in blaspheme, He shook out his 00:34:54.429 --> 00:34:57.210 garments and said to them, Your blood be on your 00:34:57.210 --> 00:35:00.949 own heads. I am clean from now on. I will go 00:35:00.949 --> 00:35:06.670 to the Gentiles. So, Paul is interacting with 00:35:06.670 --> 00:35:10.730 the Jews, and he's having no success, and they're 00:35:10.730 --> 00:35:12.989 being ignorant and hard -hearted, and he says, 00:35:13.030 --> 00:35:16.309 Listen, judgment be on you. I'm done. My hands 00:35:16.309 --> 00:35:20.329 are clean. And so what does Paul do? We read 00:35:20.329 --> 00:35:24.829 this. Then he left there and went to the house 00:35:24.829 --> 00:35:28.250 of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of 00:35:28.250 --> 00:35:31.989 God, and listen to this, whose house was next 00:35:31.989 --> 00:35:36.250 to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the 00:35:36.250 --> 00:35:39.070 synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his 00:35:39.070 --> 00:35:43.590 household, and many of the Corinthians, when 00:35:43.590 --> 00:35:46.510 they heard, were believing and being baptized. 00:35:47.309 --> 00:35:52.349 So Paul has no success with the Jews. So what 00:35:52.349 --> 00:35:57.690 does he do? He goes across the street and he 00:35:57.690 --> 00:36:01.789 plants a church in this man's house. Now I bring 00:36:01.789 --> 00:36:07.750 this up to emphasize this point. Imagine the 00:36:07.750 --> 00:36:12.690 Jewish converts that would come to Christ who 00:36:12.690 --> 00:36:17.090 used to worship at the synagogue. The Jewish 00:36:17.090 --> 00:36:22.019 converts who used to go this way. Who are friends. 00:36:22.199 --> 00:36:26.300 Who have grown up with these individuals. And 00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:30.840 now they come to know Christ. And they go this 00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:38.980 way. They go to Justice's house. Not the synagogue. 00:36:40.039 --> 00:36:46.219 Imagine the pressure. The peer pressure. The 00:36:46.219 --> 00:36:51.829 anxiety. Imagine the fear of man. Those converts 00:36:51.829 --> 00:36:56.150 would have to wrestle with. Walking this way 00:36:56.150 --> 00:36:58.510 when all their Jewish friends are walking that 00:36:58.510 --> 00:37:02.530 way. Identifying with Christ here and not the 00:37:02.530 --> 00:37:07.110 Jewish worship here. Now let's say that one of 00:37:07.110 --> 00:37:13.150 these converted Jews decides to cave. Say one 00:37:13.150 --> 00:37:15.449 of these converted Jews says, I don't want this 00:37:15.449 --> 00:37:18.309 pressure anymore. I don't want the mocking. I 00:37:18.309 --> 00:37:21.329 don't want the scorning. I don't want the pressure. 00:37:21.550 --> 00:37:24.889 I don't want to deal with all of the things that 00:37:24.889 --> 00:37:29.230 come with knowing Christ. So they stop coming 00:37:29.230 --> 00:37:35.650 to the worship of God on the Lord's day. That 00:37:35.650 --> 00:37:40.050 very same thing, very likely is the same thing 00:37:40.050 --> 00:37:43.949 that's taking place in the book of Hebrews. Now 00:37:43.949 --> 00:37:47.949 here's what I want to ask you. According to the 00:37:47.949 --> 00:37:56.829 author of Hebrews, is that justifiable? Is it 00:37:56.829 --> 00:38:02.570 okay for them to forsake the assembly of God's 00:38:02.570 --> 00:38:10.789 people because of the pressure on them? No. The 00:38:10.789 --> 00:38:17.550 author of Hebrews in this text is implying, culpability 00:38:17.550 --> 00:38:22.570 and negligence and fault for those who forsake 00:38:22.570 --> 00:38:28.610 the people of God. He's saying it's unacceptable. 00:38:29.269 --> 00:38:38.929 Now, we think about the many reasons we don't 00:38:38.929 --> 00:38:46.050 go to church today. What would the author of 00:38:46.050 --> 00:38:51.050 Hebrews have to say, brothers and sisters, about 00:38:51.050 --> 00:39:00.309 our reasons? Are they justifiable? Are they reasonable? 00:39:00.969 --> 00:39:08.130 Are they acceptable? This command necessarily 00:39:08.130 --> 00:39:14.250 requires not just corporate Christianity. This 00:39:14.250 --> 00:39:19.230 command requires committed, faithful attendance 00:39:19.230 --> 00:39:26.969 of the worship of God. How else can we view this 00:39:26.969 --> 00:39:32.469 text? How do we get around it? You say, well, 00:39:32.570 --> 00:39:36.449 I believe everything else the Bible says, but 00:39:36.449 --> 00:39:41.389 this one, I'm just not sure. You're telling me 00:39:41.389 --> 00:39:47.070 that... As a believer, I have to be committed 00:39:47.070 --> 00:39:53.769 to attending church. Brothers and sisters, if 00:39:53.769 --> 00:39:57.650 this portion of Scripture is not authoritative, 00:39:57.869 --> 00:40:02.409 then none of the rest of Scripture is authoritative 00:40:02.409 --> 00:40:08.230 whatsoever. It just takes one verse. That's it. 00:40:09.889 --> 00:40:13.579 Brothers and sisters, New covenant believers 00:40:13.579 --> 00:40:22.280 are called and exhorted to be committed to corporate 00:40:22.280 --> 00:40:27.860 Christianity and faithful attendance of that 00:40:27.860 --> 00:40:35.179 local church. Don't buy into the lie of the world, 00:40:35.260 --> 00:40:40.699 the flesh, and the devil that you can do it on 00:40:40.699 --> 00:40:46.550 your own. That is a lie from the pits of hell. 00:40:48.789 --> 00:40:51.110 Don't listen to the whisper of Satan when he 00:40:51.110 --> 00:40:58.530 says, you don't need them. Don't listen to the 00:40:58.530 --> 00:41:01.170 whispers of your sin and your carnality and your 00:41:01.170 --> 00:41:03.530 flesh. Brothers and sisters, don't listen when 00:41:03.530 --> 00:41:05.949 he says, you're better than all of them. You're 00:41:05.949 --> 00:41:12.630 fine by yourself. You don't need the church. 00:41:14.920 --> 00:41:21.199 Lies. That is not true. That is not what the 00:41:21.199 --> 00:41:25.599 Word of God says. That is not what God's authoritative 00:41:25.599 --> 00:41:28.599 and errant and sufficient Word teaches about 00:41:28.599 --> 00:41:32.280 Christians and the people of God. You need the 00:41:32.280 --> 00:41:36.480 people of God. And the people of God need you. 00:41:37.639 --> 00:41:41.559 And God has so ordained it that you intimately 00:41:41.559 --> 00:41:45.320 be involved. and committed as you wait for the 00:41:45.320 --> 00:41:51.079 day of the Lord to arrive. Don't listen. Don't 00:41:51.079 --> 00:41:54.019 give in. Don't submit to the lies of the flesh, 00:41:54.199 --> 00:41:57.440 the lies of arrogance, and the lies of the devil 00:41:57.440 --> 00:42:05.579 himself. Give yourself to the local church. Be 00:42:05.579 --> 00:42:09.460 joyful and cheerful and love the local church. 00:42:09.929 --> 00:42:14.309 as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself does. Christ 00:42:14.309 --> 00:42:19.090 loves the church more than any of us could ever 00:42:19.090 --> 00:42:23.409 think about loving the church. He is more faithful, 00:42:23.510 --> 00:42:26.809 and He is more committed to the assemblies in 00:42:26.809 --> 00:42:30.230 His name around the world than we ever will be. 00:42:31.150 --> 00:42:38.980 He holds dear the people of God. Let us... emulate 00:42:38.980 --> 00:42:43.199 and seek after that same love, that same commitment, 00:42:43.320 --> 00:42:48.539 and that same dedication to worship Him and to 00:42:48.539 --> 00:42:52.480 be with the people of God. I think it's also 00:42:52.480 --> 00:42:57.980 important that we recognize from this text that 00:42:57.980 --> 00:43:02.360 though what church we attend is a matter of conscience, 00:43:02.460 --> 00:43:08.639 I believe that wholeheartedly. In God's providence 00:43:08.639 --> 00:43:13.239 and opportunity. And is leading. New covenant 00:43:13.239 --> 00:43:15.900 believers. In the freedom of their conscience. 00:43:16.460 --> 00:43:21.739 Have the ability. To decide. Which church. They 00:43:21.739 --> 00:43:27.559 go to. That's within orthodoxy. No heresy allowed. 00:43:28.800 --> 00:43:34.699 Within orthodoxy. And preaches the gospel. But. 00:43:35.159 --> 00:43:41.920 Once. A believer enters into relationship with 00:43:41.920 --> 00:43:48.579 that church. Their attendance of that church's 00:43:48.579 --> 00:43:53.199 worship is no longer a matter of conscience. 00:43:54.360 --> 00:44:02.539 It's a matter of duty and command according to 00:44:02.539 --> 00:44:10.150 Scripture. It's not dogmatic to say that. It's 00:44:10.150 --> 00:44:13.590 not legalistic to say that. Because that's what 00:44:13.590 --> 00:44:17.369 the Bible teaches, brothers and sisters. Christ 00:44:17.369 --> 00:44:24.110 wants His name worshipped. Christ wants you among 00:44:24.110 --> 00:44:28.690 the people of God. He wants your soul edified. 00:44:29.469 --> 00:44:32.949 And He hasn't left it open to whether you want 00:44:32.949 --> 00:44:38.320 to or not. He's saying, worship me, gather me, 00:44:38.420 --> 00:44:42.059 be a committed, faithful, corporate Christian. 00:44:43.079 --> 00:44:48.440 Give yourself to the people of God. So the first 00:44:48.440 --> 00:44:52.699 way we do this is how? Through a commitment to 00:44:52.699 --> 00:44:56.559 the gathered assembly of the local church. But 00:44:56.559 --> 00:45:05.440 the text continues. And the text says this. One 00:45:05.440 --> 00:45:10.119 another. So we might think. Well I can show up. 00:45:12.460 --> 00:45:17.460 I can be there. I'll give them my presence. And 00:45:17.460 --> 00:45:23.260 my person. I'll be among. The people of God. 00:45:24.420 --> 00:45:29.280 But we all know. Because we have children. Because 00:45:29.280 --> 00:45:33.039 we are husbands or wives. We all know. That it's 00:45:33.039 --> 00:45:39.260 very very possible. To be present and still be 00:45:39.260 --> 00:45:49.440 absent. To be here and still be elsewhere. To 00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:54.840 physically be in a place. To physically be among 00:45:54.840 --> 00:46:02.159 a group, yet not be engaged and be inactive. 00:46:03.740 --> 00:46:09.519 uninvolved, and not participatory. We see another 00:46:09.519 --> 00:46:14.559 way that New Covenant believers are to fulfill 00:46:14.559 --> 00:46:17.639 this command. It's through active involvement 00:46:17.639 --> 00:46:23.360 and participation in the gathered assembly of 00:46:23.360 --> 00:46:27.519 the local church. When the author says, but encouraging 00:46:27.519 --> 00:46:31.000 one another, notice something about that. He's 00:46:31.000 --> 00:46:37.559 contrasting it. with not forsaking your assembly. 00:46:38.619 --> 00:46:41.980 There's a clear contrast that's taking place. 00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:46.239 So there's two things assumed in this encouraging, 00:46:46.460 --> 00:46:50.340 but encouraging one another. The first, I believe 00:46:50.340 --> 00:46:52.719 the author is saying this, this is an encouragement 00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:58.519 that can be given and enjoyed, but it's dependent 00:46:58.519 --> 00:47:06.280 on one's commitment to gathering with the local 00:47:06.280 --> 00:47:09.760 church. So it's only an encouragement that can 00:47:09.760 --> 00:47:13.320 be enjoyed and experienced and be a blessing 00:47:13.320 --> 00:47:19.619 to the soul for those who are committed to the 00:47:19.619 --> 00:47:24.519 faithful gathering of the saints. But it also 00:47:24.519 --> 00:47:31.099 assumes that it's more than simply one's presence. 00:47:31.710 --> 00:47:36.829 In the gathering. There is active. Encouragement. 00:47:37.670 --> 00:47:42.949 Exhortation. Pleading. And edification. That 00:47:42.949 --> 00:47:46.889 is meant to be derived. From that person. That 00:47:46.889 --> 00:47:53.070 is present in the assembly. Otherwise. It could 00:47:53.070 --> 00:47:59.190 just be. Be there. The author knows. That there 00:47:59.190 --> 00:48:04.659 is always. A temptation. To fall into these ceremonial 00:48:04.659 --> 00:48:08.000 rituals. Just like those in the old covenant. 00:48:08.360 --> 00:48:12.380 To go through the motions. To make things outward 00:48:12.380 --> 00:48:15.719 and external and physical and natural and material. 00:48:16.559 --> 00:48:20.900 But that's not what is being called for here. 00:48:21.539 --> 00:48:24.920 It's not just being present in the people of 00:48:24.920 --> 00:48:30.340 God. It's being engaged. It's your spirit. Humbly 00:48:30.340 --> 00:48:34.239 being in submission to God as we come to Him 00:48:34.239 --> 00:48:37.300 and the Word of God and as we gather with other 00:48:37.300 --> 00:48:48.280 saints. It's engaging our minds, our hearts, 00:48:48.300 --> 00:48:56.480 by faith, in corporate worship as we gather. 00:48:57.639 --> 00:49:00.510 So it's not just being here. It's being here. 00:49:01.170 --> 00:49:07.489 And it's being present. And it's thinking. It's 00:49:07.489 --> 00:49:12.570 being intentional. It's making sure you're listening 00:49:12.570 --> 00:49:17.909 and hearing and loving and caring. There's intentionality 00:49:17.909 --> 00:49:22.130 that is present in it. What are some ways that 00:49:22.130 --> 00:49:27.449 individuals can be present and still be absent? 00:49:28.969 --> 00:49:31.630 What are some ways that individuals can be in 00:49:31.630 --> 00:49:36.309 a place but be completely in another land? Well, 00:49:36.369 --> 00:49:38.730 there's being physically present while your mind 00:49:38.730 --> 00:49:41.050 is off here somewhere else doing something else. 00:49:42.769 --> 00:49:45.849 There's being present but being distracted by 00:49:45.849 --> 00:49:49.250 everything else. There's being present but having 00:49:49.250 --> 00:49:52.550 no intention of hearing or listening to anything 00:49:52.550 --> 00:49:56.349 that's said. There's being present, there's being 00:49:56.349 --> 00:50:00.269 here, but no love or edification or encouragement 00:50:00.269 --> 00:50:03.090 being given to brothers and sisters in Christ. 00:50:06.369 --> 00:50:10.130 Christ wants a people who don't just gather. 00:50:10.969 --> 00:50:14.610 He wants a people who don't just come together 00:50:14.610 --> 00:50:17.289 and physically be in the place, but he wants 00:50:17.289 --> 00:50:20.809 a people who come together and give their spirits 00:50:20.809 --> 00:50:25.840 to worshiping him in one spirit. Where they come 00:50:25.840 --> 00:50:29.440 together and they love one another and they hear 00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:32.179 Christ and His voice and they give themselves 00:50:32.179 --> 00:50:36.239 to that. Where they shut out everything else 00:50:36.239 --> 00:50:41.420 and they concern themselves with singing the 00:50:41.420 --> 00:50:46.179 music that praises Jesus Christ. Where they shut 00:50:46.179 --> 00:50:49.099 out everything else and they turn their ears 00:50:49.099 --> 00:50:51.659 to the pulpit to hear the preaching of the Word. 00:50:52.719 --> 00:50:55.460 A people who gather together and they listen 00:50:55.460 --> 00:50:59.159 as the Word of God is read. And they're careful 00:50:59.159 --> 00:51:02.219 in their hearing. They're careful in what they're 00:51:02.219 --> 00:51:07.019 watching, what they're observing. They're intentional. 00:51:08.239 --> 00:51:13.019 We cannot obey this command without intentionality. 00:51:14.400 --> 00:51:19.679 And it's more than simply being present. I believe 00:51:19.679 --> 00:51:23.110 the author is referring to the same thing. That 00:51:23.110 --> 00:51:27.809 Paul is, in Ephesians chapter 5, verses 15 through 00:51:27.809 --> 00:51:32.250 21. Listen to what Paul says in chapter 5, verses 00:51:32.250 --> 00:51:36.989 15 through 21. Therefore, be careful how you 00:51:36.989 --> 00:51:42.489 walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making 00:51:42.489 --> 00:51:45.949 the most of your time, because the days are evil. 00:51:46.170 --> 00:51:50.099 So then, do not be foolish. but understand what 00:51:50.099 --> 00:51:52.360 the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk 00:51:52.360 --> 00:51:57.039 with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled 00:51:57.039 --> 00:52:01.360 with the Spirit. Speaking to one another in psalms 00:52:01.360 --> 00:52:05.639 and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making 00:52:05.639 --> 00:52:09.380 melody with your heart to the Lord, always giving 00:52:09.380 --> 00:52:12.679 thanks for all things in the name of our Lord 00:52:12.679 --> 00:52:16.480 Jesus Christ, to God, even the Father, and be 00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:20.059 subject to one another. In the fear of Christ. 00:52:20.860 --> 00:52:23.239 Brothers and sisters, that's mutual encouragement. 00:52:24.519 --> 00:52:28.099 Mutual admonition. That's mutual edification 00:52:28.099 --> 00:52:33.139 that takes place in the worship of God. It's 00:52:33.139 --> 00:52:36.820 not just vertical between man and God. What do 00:52:36.820 --> 00:52:39.420 we see in that text? That there's a horizontal 00:52:39.420 --> 00:52:42.760 element. To gathering together as the people 00:52:42.760 --> 00:52:45.820 of God. That's edifying. That's building up. 00:52:45.900 --> 00:52:48.460 That's encouraging. And that's strengthening 00:52:48.460 --> 00:52:54.340 to God's people. And it takes place in the assembly 00:52:54.340 --> 00:53:02.659 of the saints. So if we want to obey this command. 00:53:04.340 --> 00:53:10.900 Then we must do it through a commitment. To the 00:53:10.900 --> 00:53:14.900 gathered assembly of the local church. And we 00:53:14.900 --> 00:53:18.719 must do it through active involvement. And participation 00:53:18.719 --> 00:53:25.260 in. The gathered assembly. Of the local church. 00:53:25.840 --> 00:53:31.699 And we have good reason. And good motive. To 00:53:31.699 --> 00:53:37.420 obey these things. The author says all the more. 00:53:38.159 --> 00:53:42.389 Referring to the coming. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:53:44.389 --> 00:53:50.829 We need. Motivation. In our lives. Unto diligence. 00:53:50.949 --> 00:53:55.989 And faithfulness. We need reason. And we need 00:53:55.989 --> 00:53:59.670 encouragement ourselves. To be encouraging. To 00:53:59.670 --> 00:54:03.909 others. And the author gives us this. In this 00:54:03.909 --> 00:54:10.079 statement. He knows. That it's motivating. And 00:54:10.079 --> 00:54:13.519 it induces faithfulness and commitment in us. 00:54:14.679 --> 00:54:18.739 And he knows that the return of Christ motivates 00:54:18.739 --> 00:54:24.179 us because the church is the appointed means 00:54:24.179 --> 00:54:31.460 that God has given for Christians to persevere 00:54:31.460 --> 00:54:37.280 in this world. But the church is also the appointed 00:54:37.280 --> 00:54:40.739 means that God has given to believers, to grow 00:54:40.739 --> 00:54:46.619 and to be strengthened while we wait on the return 00:54:46.619 --> 00:54:53.760 of Christ. There's a lot of positive things taking 00:54:53.760 --> 00:54:57.239 place in the world right now, largely due to 00:54:57.239 --> 00:55:03.019 the election. A lot of positive things. A lot 00:55:03.019 --> 00:55:05.699 of beneficial things. But brothers and sisters, 00:55:05.760 --> 00:55:07.659 that doesn't change the fact that we still live. 00:55:08.030 --> 00:55:12.230 In a fallen world. It doesn't change the fact. 00:55:12.289 --> 00:55:16.889 That we still have sin. In our hearts. And we 00:55:16.889 --> 00:55:22.210 have a tendency. To hardness of heart. It doesn't 00:55:22.210 --> 00:55:24.550 change the fact. That we have a tendency. To 00:55:24.550 --> 00:55:28.610 unbelief. It doesn't change the fact. That we 00:55:28.610 --> 00:55:34.699 have a tendency. To waywardness. But God has 00:55:34.699 --> 00:55:38.360 ordained it that we not wait on Christ alone. 00:55:39.579 --> 00:55:42.159 He has ordained it, brothers and sisters, the 00:55:42.159 --> 00:55:47.019 risen Lord Jesus Christ has designed it to be 00:55:47.019 --> 00:55:52.679 in such a way that you as a believer do not persevere 00:55:52.679 --> 00:55:57.519 and struggle and wrestle in this life as we near 00:55:57.519 --> 00:56:02.489 the day of the Lord by yourself. He has given 00:56:02.489 --> 00:56:06.150 you a band of brothers to lock arms with that 00:56:06.150 --> 00:56:09.670 is led by our elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:56:11.409 --> 00:56:16.650 You don't have to persevere by yourself. The 00:56:16.650 --> 00:56:21.889 local church is given as a great blessing to 00:56:21.889 --> 00:56:27.010 the people of God. Where we can love one another 00:56:27.010 --> 00:56:31.300 and provoke one another to love and... Good deeds. 00:56:31.980 --> 00:56:35.639 There's all kinds of motivations to give yourself 00:56:35.639 --> 00:56:38.059 to the local church and the assembly of the local 00:56:38.059 --> 00:56:40.699 church. There's many that are beneficial for 00:56:40.699 --> 00:56:42.519 your own soul, but there's many that are beneficial 00:56:42.519 --> 00:56:46.500 for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Nothing 00:56:46.500 --> 00:56:50.199 good comes for your own soul or the souls of 00:56:50.199 --> 00:56:55.699 other saints by forsaking the assembly. Positives 00:56:55.699 --> 00:56:59.860 come. Blessings come as a result of faithfully 00:56:59.860 --> 00:57:04.519 committing yourself to gathering together with 00:57:04.519 --> 00:57:09.840 the saints. And if those aren't cause enough 00:57:09.840 --> 00:57:15.039 to motivate us, remember that the one who loves 00:57:15.039 --> 00:57:18.719 the church perfectly and knows the hearts of 00:57:18.719 --> 00:57:24.679 all men will arrive and enter into this world. 00:57:26.860 --> 00:57:31.360 And He will make known the motives of our heart. 00:57:31.800 --> 00:57:38.639 He will reveal the justifications, the rationalizations 00:57:38.639 --> 00:57:42.380 in our mind and our hearts. He can't be fooled. 00:57:44.300 --> 00:57:47.980 He knows the intent and motives of our heart, 00:57:48.000 --> 00:57:54.280 brothers and sisters. And He is coming. He will 00:57:54.280 --> 00:58:03.579 arrive. And he loves his people. He loves his 00:58:03.579 --> 00:58:09.599 people dearly. And on that day, he will separate 00:58:09.599 --> 00:58:18.960 the sheep from the goats. Many who say they are 00:58:18.960 --> 00:58:21.519 a part of the church will be revealed that they 00:58:21.519 --> 00:58:27.150 were a goat in sheep's clothing all along. Christ 00:58:27.150 --> 00:58:31.889 will come and sift every human being on the planet. 00:58:32.510 --> 00:58:36.010 You will either be a part of the true church 00:58:36.010 --> 00:58:40.429 because you have believed in Christ and His perfect 00:58:40.429 --> 00:58:45.989 sacrifice, or you will be judged according to 00:58:45.989 --> 00:58:52.030 your sin as you deserve as one who never knew 00:58:52.030 --> 00:59:01.039 Jesus Christ. So the author gives us this exhortation. 00:59:01.059 --> 00:59:05.139 He tells us how we can bring it about and obey 00:59:05.139 --> 00:59:10.920 it. And he gives us great motive for obeying 00:59:10.920 --> 00:59:15.519 every single one of us.