Have you ever noticed that there are some things that are impossible to do by yourself? No matter how you hard or creatively you try, you find that the activity cannot be done with having one or more people, involved. This is true about our Christian life. Despite popular rumors, it is impossible to lie the Christian life by ourselves. Christianity by its very nature is corporate and communal. This fact is greatly emphasized in the verses for today. The wonderful reality that we can enter the Most Holy Place with confidence through our Savior and Lord Jesus and that He is our great high priest grants to us not only gracious privilege, but awesome responsibility. That is why the passage continues with five distinct exhortations. The words used are strong and emphatic and the New International version helps them stand out by beginning each injunction with "let us": 1. let us draw near to God; 2. let us hold unswervingly to the hope we have; 3. let us consider how spur one another on; 4. let us not forsake gathering together; 5. let us encourage one another.

The words that are used are clearly plural, corporate. These activities are not to be done in isolation, by oneself, but together. Indeed, some of these are impossible to do by an individual alone - spurring, gathering, and encouraging takes a minimum of two people, and is even more effective with more people. Drawing near to God can be done by an individual, but this does not negate the reality that there is a nearness to god achieved by the worshiping body of believers that cannot be achieved by an individual. Holding unswervingly to the hope we have is a mutual exercise, for when and individual's hope grows dim, his hope is renewed and rejuvenated by the Spirit through other believers.

Is it any wonder that there are many who are very concerned about the dwindling opportunities for the people of God to gather together for worship, hearing God's Word, fellowship, mutual encouragement, learning, growing, developing...? In light of passages like this one, such a fact should raise more than concern, but a fear for the people of God.

Beloved, let us draw near to God, hold unswervingly to our hope, spur one another on, assembly ourselves, and encourage one another - Together!

Keep Close To Jesus
Pastor Gerry