#DailyDevotion Don’t Be Like Some, Gather Together On Sunday
Heb. 10 24And let us consider how we can stimulate one another to love and to do good works. 25Let us not stay away from our worship services, as some are regularly doing, but let us encourage one another, all the more because you see the day coming nearer.
So how shall we stimulate one another to love and good works? Shall we not point to Jesus and His great love for us and the Father’s love for us? 1John 3 says, “16This is how we learned what love is: He gave His life for us. We, too, should give our lives for our fellow Christians.” In ch. 4 of the same he writes, “9God has shown us His love by sending His only begotten Son into the world for us to live through Him. 10This is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the payment for our sins. 11Dear friends, if that’s how God loved us, then we should love one another.”
In John 13, Jesus says, 34“I’m giving you a new commandment: Love one another! Love one another as I have loved you.” In the same chapter earlier we have the example of Jesus’ love, “4So Jesus rose from supper, laid aside His outer garment, took a towel, and tied it around Him. 5Then He poured water into a basin and started to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel that was tied around Him.” If Jesus is our LORD and master and He humbles Himself to wash our feet, should we not follow in His example and love one another with service? Jesus did all sorts of good works and we should follow in His footsteps. First, because He did the greatest work for us by going to the cross. Secondly, He is our example.
When we get together, we have our training grounds for loving one another. Here we receive God’s Word, participate in Christ’s sacrifice through the LORD’s Supper, and receive God’s blessing. Sure there is the command, “Honor the Sabbath Day.” But as we have seen earlier in chapters 3 and 4, Jesus is our Sabbath. We don’t have a fixed day by command when to gather. The early church from the beginning chose to gather on the first day of the week in order to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on that day. Everyone knows what day of the week we are gathering. They should adjust their lives accordingly so they can hear God’s Word, receive the Sacrament, and to encourage and be encouraged by one’s fellow saints.
Some in the author’s day were already slacking and their love growing cold as we can see from verse 25. We should not be like them. We see in Acts 2 the Church gathered, “42They were loyal to what the apostles taught in their fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in the prayers.” This is what we do when we gather. We cannot do it alone and solitary. It is a selfish thing not to gather with the saints of God. We gather to “encourage one another, all the more because you see the day coming nearer.” You may not think you are doing much in Church. Some members may actually complain you don’t do much. However, if all you can do is add your presence to the congregation, that encourages them to be there as well. It gives them hope to see you there. It lets them know they are not alone out there when they see they are not alone in here, the Church. But while you are there, you can encourage one another to love and good works. You aren’t doing that sitting on your recliner, on the gold course or on the water. But you can do that when you gather with your fellow saints.
Heavenly Father, You showed us what love is by sending Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. May we believe in this great love for us and follow His example by loving one another with humble service and sacrifice. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.