February 11, 2007
Rev. Terry D. Campbell
Hearts and Hands Celebration

We’re In This Together!
Hebrews 10:24-25

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵Let 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.”

Our Bishop Coyner said that through the generosity of a layman he was able to attend the AFC Championship game.  He said it was the loudest crowd he had ever heard, especially when the Colts came back from being down so much.  In the midst of the noise and excitement of the game, he kept remembering the words of Hebrews 10:24-25:  “Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as we see the Day approaching.”  Then he asked, “I wonder what would it be like if every United Methodist congregation in Indiana would be filled with people who enthusiastically support and encourage one another?  What would it be like if our pastors knew that their congregants were praying for them and encouraging them?  How would our churches thrive if we focused upon “cheerleading” for each other, especially during the tough times?  If we caught even a bit of the enthusiasm of the Colts fans this past Sunday, then it would truly be Super.”

I.  We need to be around other Christians.
“²⁵Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing”

We’re in this life and work of Christ together!  We were never meant to live or grow in isolation.  It’s like when I tried to plant grow sweet corn after I first got married.  I didn’t have a rototiller and had to dig up the garden by hand—so the garden was comparatively not very big.  I wasn’t able to plant much corn—not enough to pollinate properly so it never developed right.

You know the power of groups.  Peer pressure affects the clothes we choose to wear, the music we listen to, the activities we choose to be involved in, the way we react to situations or people.  We need the influence of other Christians to counteract the pull of the world in our thinking, attitude and behavior.

Christian community expresses the family-ness of the Faith, connection of the body parts of the Body of Christ, enables us to witness to the love of Christ That’s one of the great things about having a signing ministry—more people are able to receive the message of God and share in the fellowship of God’s people.  It is another “You are welcome” sign.

We stimulate each other to be alive and complete disciples.  The world stimulates us just the opposite way—to live by self-strength, for self-goals, satisfying self-needs.  We need to be around those who will influence us for Christ!

II.  We need to be deeply connected to Christians.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
           
It’s not enough to just “BE AROUND” other Christians.  We MUST be deeply connected to Christians to help each other grow.

What is home field/court advantage?  The enthusiasm and support of the crowd is on YOUR side and against your opponent.  Cheering when you make good plays.  Some disappointment, boos, but support when you make bad plays, but a desire to see you win!  It is not just feeling comfortable in the physical surroundings, but more—in having all the people supporting you.  That’s why Colt’s quarterback, Peyton Manning, begged Indy fans not to sell their home tickets to opponent fans—so we could still have the home field advantage playing at home.

How can we learn to matter to each other?  We need places where we can develop intimacy, a more comfortable openness and honesty, and a deepened commitment to other people.  The best illustration of how this can happen is my experience in seminary in what as called S.C.O.F.E.  Pastoral students would regularly get together (for credit) and under the leadership of a staff member, talk about what they were going through in their local churches—joys, challenges, questions.  I didn’t want to be there and I didn’t care about being with those people or hearing about their problems!  And yet by the end of the semester, in spite of myself, after hearing some of their struggles and challenges, I found myself caring more about them and what was happening in their ministries.

Small groups are important—face-to-face opportunities with a small group of trusted people.  You may gather around study—of a book or the Bible, you may gather around some activity like helping the hungry or the disadvantaged, it may be around a life situation like parents of small children, or singles moms or , it could be around a common interest like scrapbooking or people who like the Alamo.  Whatever it may be, it is in those groups we can let the Spirit of the Lord deepen our relationships as we open up and share spiritually—rather than keep it always hidden from view.

The Greek term translated “stir up” literally means “to irritate, agitate, motivate.”  In essence he was instructing them to spur one another along, watch out of one another, take responsibility for one another.  Accountability and encouragement found in church small groups anchor us against the tides that work to sweep us away.  Your participation in a local church helps protect your personal fellowship with God.

III.  We need to be faith ports-in-the-storm.
“let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
In other words, Christian community is made for challenging times as well as normal discipleship development.

“It is said that the giant redwood trees of the Western United States have a relatively shallow root system.  Their enormous weight is supported, in part, by the interlocking of a tree’s roots with those of the other trees around it.  As Christians we need ‘interlocking roots’ with other believers in the church to withstand the enormous weight of life.”[i]

Christian community exists in great part to help one another hold fast—not just for worship!  This is especially important in times that test our faith or times that could stimulate us to have a tendency to drift away from deep and firm discipleship.

Today we see societies' values are in a state of flux.  They are sliding and we are not sure where they will end up—but more and more seem to be further from what we would consider acceptable to Christianity.  We celebrate the Lovie Smiths and Tony Dungys standing up for Christ and living the faith, but also see a very real push being made to compartmentalize or even eliminate Christianity from world issues.  More and more “scholarly” writers and publication are switching from denoting time by A.D.—in the year of our Lord—to using C.E.—the Common Era.

The word fellowship has been devalued in many churches. It must be more than a fellowship hour after church that turns out to be fifteen minutes’ worth of coffee and donuts, which most members of the congregation skillfully evade. It all tends to be superficial.

Most of us don’t like to be challenged by a stranger.  Also, beware of you offering unsolicited general advice.  Advice is best given within the context of a caring relationship—Within your covenant group.

God instructs Christians not to stop meeting together.  We are to find mutual encouragement, challenge and direction.  This is not just for worship!  If worship were the only reason we are commanded to meet, then those who claim they can worship at home would have a strong argument.  But worship is not the sole reason we are commanded to meet.  Nor is it so we can be taught the Scriptures.  It is to deepen our relationships through encouragement and challenge.

What will you do now?
So, let’s work at doing better at meeting together, let’s celebrate together, let’s cheer each other on, let’s provoke each other to love and good deeds, and let’s rejoice with one another as we see the day of Victory approaching!  Let’s read together Hebrews 10:24-25-“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵Let 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.”  Amen.

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