In this sermon, Pastor Vance teaches from the New Testament book of Hebrews and shares how vital it is for Jesus followers to gather together to worship and hear from the Word of God together.
Sermon Notes
Why Gathering Together is So Important
HEBREWS 10:24-25
“We are, all of us, meaning-seeking creatures. We seek not only to define the meaning of our lives by adopting, whether consciously or unconsciously, an over-arching purpose, but also to understand the reason for almost everything that happens in the course of each day…’Why’ is what drives not only everything we do, but also our emotional reactions to everything that happens to us.” – Alex Lickerman M.D. (Psychology Today, “Why we need to know why”, Nov 2010)
“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read.” – Luke 4:16
“On the day called Sunday there is a meeting in one place of those who live in cities or the country, and the memoires of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time permits. When the reader has finished, the one presiding in a discourse urges and invites us to the imitation of these noble things. Then we all stand up together and offer prayers.” – Justin Martyr (First Apology written in AD 155, or approx. 100 years aft her the death, burial, and resurrections of Jesus)
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
WHY DO WE GATHER?
We gather because God is worthy of our worship
“…for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23b
“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods… Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God…” – Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7a
We gather because God commands our worship
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
“One-third of practicing Christians have stopped attending church during COVID-19.” – Barna Research Group
We gather because worship is not just about us
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
“It is interesting to note that the emphasis here is not on what a believer gets from the assembly, but rather on what he can contribute to the assembly.” – Warren Wiersbe (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Logos)
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE GATHER?
We experience God’s presence
“The presence of God and the manifestation of the presence of God are not the same. There can be one without the other.” – A.W. Tozer
We worship with God’s people
“The greatest workings of God come by corporate prayer, and we will not see the power of God in sufficient measure to transform the world around us until we pray together… God in His sovereignty has determined that something happens when we pray together that transcends praying separately.” – John Franklin (And the Place was Shaken
