Hebrews 10:19-25 Is the church nonessential?

We get concerned (rightly) that some in the government view the church as nonessential. The impact may get worse in the days ahead. We condemn them. However, do we ourselves really believe that the assembled church is nonessential?

Perhaps in trying to accommodate the fear that is rampant in our world, I have been part of the problem. Today, I want to go on record to say that the church is essential. That you cannot fully prosper as a Christian without the assembled church. In this age the Lord has created the assembly of Christians (called the church) as the primary means for the growth and ministry of the body. This gathering is essential for the Christian life.

Can I make some observations?

Some won’t come to church because they are afraid of the virus --- Yet, they go to Walmart, ball games, see grandkids/great grandkids, restaurants funerals, and almost everywhere else --- Where we go reflects what we view as essential. Do we believe most of life is essential – but assembling in church is not essential. ---- Because church is not essential, I won’t go.

The truth about coming to our church - everyone is sitting with social distancing / people wearing masks when coming in going / the environment has been disinfected / people attending are careful to stay home when sick or exposed and most are low risk to be carrying the virus ---- the church is lower risk compared to almost anywhere else. Not only is it more essential than anywhere else, it is safer.

On the reverse side, some won’t come to church because they have to wear a mask. Yet, the same people go to stores even though they have to wear a mask. Do we believe most of life is essential and masks are worn and the places are visited – However, assembling in church is not essential. I’ll just stop going to church because it is not essential. I won’t go because it makes me uncomfortable.

The truth is at our church we do ask for masks to be worn for the sake of others. However, we mostly focus on mask wearing when coming / going / interacting with people. Commonly, when people are seated and separated many remove their masks or lower them to breathe more easily. And that is okay.

And the other truth about masks is that we wear them to protect others. Masks are not so much to protect me – otherwise I personally wouldn’t wear one --- but if they might help protect others if I was to unknowingly be contagious, I absolutely want to wear one. I am uncomfortable, but I do it for the sake of others.

The truth is that we live in a world, where many don’t believe the assembled church is essential. That was not true in the early church. They read the Bible and knew that the assembled church was essential for spiritual growth. Human Christian interaction was essential.

The interaction of every other spiritually gifted Christian was the means by which spiritual growth occurred. Church wasn’t just watching some audio/visual thing. It wasn’t just reading a book. It wasn’t just a personal / inner thing. For them the assembled church was essential to the life and prosperity of the Christian.

The early church --- had no separation of faith / works --- Being a Christian / identifying as a Christian --- They professed Christ and assembled together to worship and minister to one another.

The church in Jerusalem was under heavy pressure. The Jews sought to force the Christians to at least outward reconform to Judaism. It was okay whatever they might believe within. But externally they must conform. And the most obvious external was meeting together as Christians in an assembled church body.

Was meeting together essential? Was the physical gathering essential? Many justified in their minds that it wasn’t. They could avoid many risks, if they just stopped gathering. And many did. So the writer of Hebrews composed his letter. In it he gave many grave warnings for them not to move back to some other system. Warnings to not remove the public display of their faith. To not withdraw in an attempt to be ultra safe.

So he gave a reasoned account. He repeatedly offered essential responses that are required of Christians. This morning we will look at three of them. They provide a trio of truths of what is expected of the Christian.

Hebrews 10:19-25 Do we really believe the assembled church is nonessential?

A Trio of essential Christian responses

Through out the book of Hebrews, the writer demonstrates the superiority of Christ to other religious systems (Judaism specifically). Now he draws conclusion. Because Christ is superior to the other system He gives three expected responses.

I. A trio of essential Christian responses: Personally draw near to Christ

A. Pursue genuine intimacy with the Lord Heb 10:22

(ESV) Hebrews 10 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

1. Decide to draw near – a choice / in the midst of the uncertainty draw near to Him rather than medicating or wandering around or moving away (this is the specific temptation they face) Intentionally move your self toward Christ - active

2. Come with a true heart – must be sincere - best you can come ---- from the heart, an act of the will rather than emotion

3. By faith – trust – active faith

4. Complete assurance that He will act

5. Because Cleansed – by Christ thus a clear conscience --- and in practice dealing with our conscience – when the Spirit raises an issue we deal with it – to Him, to others

And we can pursue this intimacy with the Lord because:

B. Because He provided the way Heb 10:19-20

(ESV) Hebrews 10 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

1. Confident to engage the Lord – by the blood of Christ

2. Access to the Lord – we ourselves enter the place of God with confidence – unafraid of death or rejection

C. Because He is the great high priest Heb 10:21

(ESV) Hebrews 10 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

1. Access through Christ, our high priest

2. Still stands and makes intercession for us – nothing can now separate us from the Father

And when one truly draws near to Christ personally, he will of course identify with Him publicly --- the two can’t be separated

II. A trio of essential Christian responses: – Regularly identify with Christ publicly

A. A public response Heb 10:23a

(ESV) Hebrews 10 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

1. Continue faithful / don’t back down under pressure

2. Hope is positive but implies that the reality is not yet here – Faith substance of what is not seen

3. Confession – outward profession and act based on what we believe

B. In spite of the pressure Heb 10:23b

(ESV) Hebrews 10 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

1. Pressure will come – winds blow that could distrupt

2. Temptation to back away

3. Don’t waver from what we are saying we believe

C. Because He is faithful Heb 10:22c

(ESV) Hebrews 10 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

1. Driven by our faith in Him rather than fear of the problems

2. Do we believe He will deliver to His promises? Do we believe He is faithful? He is!

And when one truly draws near to Christ personally, identifies with Him publicly in spite of the opposition, he will assemble together as a physical body to worship and to minister to one another as a body

III. A trio of essential Christian responses: – Assemble to worship/minister to one another

A. Meet together for each other’s sake Heb 10:24

(ESV) Hebrews 10 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.

1. Focus on each other

2. Encourage

3. Spark love

4. Produce good works in one another

5. All about the other person --- how can we influence them

B. Meet together in spite of the risk Heb 10:25a

(ESV) Hebrews 10 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.

1. Entire letter – pressure to cease publicly being Christian

a) Just be religious - Jewish

b) Not meet and identify with Christ

2. Some promote just stay at home and be safe – have your private devotion to Christ, but don’t keep making it public

C. Meet together knowing what is ahead Heb 10:25b

(ESV) Hebrews 10 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.

1. The more the pressure – the more the need

2. The more the risk – the more the need

3. The more the chaos – the more we know that Jesus is coming soon – be faithful

We can’t segment our lives. We must draw personally near to Him. We must continue to identify with Him publicly, We must assemble together to worship and minister to one another (it’s about each other).

We cannot live alone. We need to engage in worship and ministry together. At times we might need to withdraw for the sake of others (if sick for example). However, there is a price we pay. We need each other to prosper. Those around us, need us so that they can prosper. Times may even get worse. It’s time we decided how critical it is to assemble together, regardless of the opposition.