Why do we hang out again? (Hebrews 10)

Why do we go to church anyway?

People get together for all sorts of different reasons. We form clubs all the time. We have a book of the month club, a shooting club, a gaming club. Sometimes we get together just to get drunk or shoot the breeze or watch a TV show. Special occasions are used to gather together. How many of you have a 4th of July barbeque planned? How many families or groups of friends with gather together this weekend across the US to celebrate and independence day from 1776 that we really don't remember. But we love to have a good time together and we love to share in the freedom to do whatever we feel like doing. Eat way to much food served on the barbe, drink way to much, light up the sky with explosive color. We really love to come together and do whatever we can think of as a reason for coming together.

I'll never forget getting together for one of my best friend's weddings. More specifically the bachelor party. I went to Walmart to help pick up the supplies. We rolled through the aisles and when we got done we had a cart full of clay pigeons, shot gun ammo, and beer...twelve cases each. Oh and one case of soda for me the preacher man. Sounds like a rather dangerous combination. It really wasn't all the dangerous, it was a lot of fun with 6 shot guns and lots of things to blow-up. What could a group of guys want more?

Hebrews 10 encourages us to not forsake meeting together as is the habit of some. Which seems a little strange all by itself sense we gather together all the time for all sorts of different reasons. As we take in more of the chapter we see there is a specific reason for gathering together. To encourage one another to draw near to God and to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Jesus' body is compared to the curtain in the temple when he was torn so was the curtain and we are no longer separated from God by our sin. We can draw near to God. But how often do we forget? How often do we get focused on the things of life and forget to draw near to God? How often do we forget to focus on the good and loving things?

I can get so focused on simply surviving in my day to day tasks, and then zoning out with some sort of entertainment. But life is more than this, there is a God who wants me to draw near and there are good and loving things to do. Spending time with my family. Playing with my daughter. Giving my time to those who are in need. We need to gather together to encourage each other on to these things.

Many times this verse is used to say, "You need to go to church! You should not forsake gathering together as is the habit of some." I think going to church is a good thing, don't get me wrong. I am a pastor after all. But what are we doing when we gather together in church? Are we really encouraging one another to draw near to God? Are we really spurring one another on to loving and good deeds? "Sure we are the songs and the sermon cover these things all the time." But is it personal enough?

It's easy to listen to a sermon and then expect that it's for everyone else. Do we gather together with others who can REALLY encourage us, hold us accountable, and know enough about who we are as individuals to actually see a difference in our lives? I know how my pursuit of God, good deeds, and loving things is greatly increased when I am accountable to others. It's hard to open up to let people actually speak into my life. But this is what it really means to gather together for the purposes expressed in Hebrews 10.

May we know we can come boldly into the presence of God. May we live in good and loving ways. And may we gather together to encourage one another on to these things.