MPC, 27th April 2003.Hebrews 10:24-25 - "Please Consider!"
Phil Campbell MPC, 27th April 2003.
When I was at Bible college my old Theology lecturer Doctor Broughton Knox used to love to stir up a good argument. And one of his favourite questions that he used to put to the class was, what do you go to church for?
It's a good question, isn't it? Especially if you're not regularly in the habit.
And some people in the class put up their hand and said, "We go to church to worship God." To which Dr Broughton Knox said, "But you can worship God on the beach. You can worship God under the stars. You can worship God on your own at home." And everyone in the class says, "Yes, I guess you can."
So why go to church for something you can do perfectly well somewhere else? Besides which, he said, the New Testament never says you go to church to worship God. Not anywhere. Romans 12 says you worship God by making yourself a living sacrifice. Every day. So what do you go to church for?
Someone else puts up a timid hand and says, "We go to church to pray." And Dr Knox goes through the same routine. "But you can pray anywhere, can't you? You can pray on the beach; or in the car. You can pray to God on your own at home."
And everyone in the class says, "Yes, I guess you can."
Someone else brings out the big guns. "We go to church so we can be taught the bible." And Dr Knox says, "Well, that's very good." But he said, you can listen to tapes. You can do Bible Studies on your own at home.
And everyone in the class says, "Yes, I guess you can."
Bible college students aren't all that bright. So on it went, one answer after another. Until finally someone came out with it. "We go to church... to encourage other Christians."
And in the end, that simple little answer was the only one that satisfied one of the greatest theologians Australia has ever seen. Because the reason we meet week by week, the reason Christianity is a team sport and not a solo event... the reason we're here today... is so that you... can encourage your Christian brothers and sisters. And it's the same reason we meet in growth groups. And youth groups. And any other times Christians get together.
We gather... to encourage. To encourage... one another.
Which brings us to part 3 in our holiday series on our core values as a church.
I saw an advertisement on the back of a bus the other day. For a job agency. Called Career One. And their motto says, Look after number one. Which is what most of us are very good at doing.
But you'll notice our core value doesn't say that. Our Core Value doesn't say, I value me and I'm here to get what I want. It says, "We value each other, and seek to encourage one another to grow in Christian maturity in everything we do."
Which is something we can only do in relationship. As we meet together.
And that... is being a church. The word church itself, you'll know already, it doesn't mean a building. It means a gathering. It means a meeting.
And right from the beginning, Christians have been gathering. To encourage one another.
Except it seems from just after the beginning, there were Christians who weren't. Because they had other priorities. And more important commitments.
So read our two verses from Hebrews chapter 10. And take it what they're saying. Two verses that sum up best what it is we're meant to about. Hebrews 10:24 and 25.
"And let us consider - put your mind to it - let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together - as some are in the habit of doing - but let us encourage one another. And all the more as you see the day approaching.
Did you get that? I mean, Christianity is only 30 years old, and they're getting sick of churching already. Sick of gathering. Prefer a nice sleep in.
Which in many cases is perfectly understandable, I know.
There's a fascinating Web site on the internet where they arrange mystery visitors to file reports on what's it's like being a visitor... at churches all around the world. And you can go to the website and read first hand accounts... of visiting St John the Evangelist Church in Hampshire. Or Sherwood Bible Church in Kansas. Among dozens of others. And the reports answer a bunch of standard questions. Like How was the welcome? How were the seats? Did anything distract you? And did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian? Listen to this one. I won't mention the church. But it's somewhere in the USA.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian ?
Enormously embarrassed for myself and anyone else who was there. Most people seemed unhappy to be there.What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time?
I am working very hard at not remembering any of this.
And maybe that's been your experience of church. Which has had very little to do with encouraging anyone else. Or being encouraged yourself. The sort of encouragement that makes you actually want to stick with it. That makes you glad to be a Christian. That makes you want to love people more.
See, we're not just talking about the sort of encouragement where somebody says, boy that's a nice dress, and you get nice warm feeling. We're talking about encouragement towards a goal. Which is to become more like our Lord Jesus. Full of love. Ambitious for good deeds.
But will you notice encouragement like that isn't something that comes automatically. It doesn't just happen.
Now I don't know the last time you really put your mind to working something out. Like a puzzle. Like a maths assignment question. Our Maddie was working on a maths assignment a few weeks back with a geometric shape full of triangles that you had to turn into algebraic expressions. And let me tell you I had to really had to think hard. And then ask Maddie for some help.
Has it ever occurred to you to put that sort of thought into what we're doing at church? Because God says, consider it. Think it over. How you can spur one another on, how you can prod one another, encourage one another to be more Godly people. More loving. Full of goodness.
Look at the verse again. It says, "And let us consider - put your mind to it - let us consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds." Toss it around in your head while you're mowing the lawn. Chew it over while you're lying in bed at 2am and you can't get to sleep. How can I urge on my Christian brothers and sisters? What can I do... to encourage someone else in their Godliness? What can I do to contribute to making our church time more productive? And helping people love?
Which for many Christians is a novel idea. Because we've been raised with this sort of Victorian era idea that matters of faith are somehow intensely private and nobody else's business. Which the Bible flatly contradicts. This is a team sport. And it's all about urging each other on.
Which is something you just can't do... without meeting together.
And so right from the beginning, Christians have been meeting together. Encouraging one another by praying together, sharing together, hearing God's word together. And just being together.
Let us not give up meeting together - as some are in the habit of doing - but let us encourage one another. And all the more as you see the day approaching.
Now I want to spend a bit of time this morning actually doing what the verse asks us to. Which is to actually consider some ways we can be encouraging one another.
Think through some practicalities of things that can happen in a church family that are encouraging. And work out ways to do more of it.
Or that are discouraging. And work out ways to do less of it.
So have a think about these. You'll see them listed on your sheet.
I wonder if you've ever really thought about the fact that when you don't turn up for church, when you're casual about your commitment to meeting as a church... it's saying something to your church family. It's encouraging that you just turn up. Whether it's to your growth group, or your youth group, or your leaders meeting, or Church on a Sunday. When you make meeting with other Christians a priority in your life, it's obvious. When you make it a low priority it's just as obvious. Which makes everyone else feel, why should we bother? So let me put it this way. If your number one reason for getting together with your Christian brothers and sisters is to love them and encourage them, you'll do whatever you can to turn up. Even when you'd rather sleep in. Because you know that you can't love and care for and encourage other people if you're not there.
But just getting here is only half the battle, isn't it? Let me ask you, what is it that you do as soon as you walk through the door up the back on a Sunday morning? If you're anything like normal you'll look for someone you know to sit with. Back in the old days it wasn't an issue. Back in the old days, you'd pay rent for your pew. And you'd get a little card on the end with your name on it. And you'd sit in it week by week. And if some poor visitor sat in it by mistake, you'd kick em out. Actually, it's not that long ago I saw it happen. In a little country church in New South Wales
But here it's different. Which means every week, there's a choice. Every week the same opportunity. To ask yourself the question, "How can I choose where I sit in a way that's going to be encouraging to others?" And I know there are people week by week who actually do this. Which is a huge encouragement.
Who look around, and ask the question, is there anyone new here? A new guy, maybe. Sitting on his own. Or the couple over the side who haven't been for a while. Or the family at the back who you know have been having a tough time. There are all sorts of ways that where you sit can be an encouragement. Because it shapes where you're going to invest your time and energy. And whether you're going to invest it in encouraging someone else... or in just making sure you're comfortable yourself.
Now what if you do end up sitting next to someone new? I hope that's something that happens fairly often. We get lots of visitors. People here for the first time. I overheard a conversation between a lady regular at church and a friend of hers. "You should come along to church sometime." And her friend says, "No way! I'd just be embarrassed, because I wouldn't know what to do."
Now just imagine this is the Sunday she turns up. And you find yourself sitting next to her. What do you do... if it suddenly strikes you that you're not at church for you. You're here for her. Maybe you can explain what's happening; help out. When to stand up and sit down. Where to find the childminding. Where to find the milk once you've got your coffee. Maybe you can introduce her to some of your friends and make sure she's included. Maybe even invite her home for lunch.
Now here's a top tip. If you're putting your mind to working out how to encourage people, think back to what's encouraged you. So for instance, I know someone who cooks afternoon tea each week for our Year 8 girls bible study. Trying to figure out why our Susie never wants to be late. I found out. Every week, someone who's got absolutely nothing to do with the group, brings along a freshly made cake. Or biscuits. Or slice. And drops it in for the girls.
I asked her why she did it. And she said, "When I was a teenager, someone did the same for the group I was part of. And it made me feel our group was really special. So I was thinking... why don't I do the same?" And so she does. And there's one bunch of teenage girls who feel their group's so special that there's someone cooking for them. Every week. If you've ever been encouraged... pass it on.
One more. Because it seems to me the art of encouragement has got a lot to do with how we speak. Words are potent, aren't they? But isn't it funny how easy it is just to talk about the weather or the football, and never really get down to talking to each other about how we're going at following Jesus. Maybe you can try it out this morning.
Just one more point, too. If you want to see people growing in love and good deeds... tell them when they're doing it right. If we want to grow a church full of people who are encouraging one another, make sure you encourage the people who are actually doing it. I love it when people tell me someone else has done a great job. But don't tell me... tell them. Second thoughts, tell me as well. Cause I love it. And keep an eye out for people actually doing the sort of things I've been talking about this morning. Being at church for others. Instead of for self. Being here for what they can give. Instead of what they can get. tell them you're noticing. And follow their example.
So what are we doing here? What are we on about as a church? We're meeting here today, we meet in our growth groups, we meet in our kitchens and around our dinner tables... to encourage each other to be more like Jesus. Which is a long term project. And those are just a few practical starting points. As we put our minds to the challenge.
And that's what we're saying in our core value statement. That we need to keep putting into practice. "We value each other, and seek to encourage one another to grow in Christian maturity in everything we do."