Hebrews 10:19–25
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
The desire to quit
To be human is to come to moments in our lives when we want to give up—to turn our back on something that we engaged with passion and enthusiasm at the beginning. Life goes in seasons. We often start something with excitement that is sustained through a season of enthusiasm and creativity and then it’s followed by discouragement and a desire to quit.
Whether we quit or not depends on the individual but the desire to give up is virtually universal. Those who study human behavior tell us that humans act on the pleasure principle, often called instant gratification. We are wired for immediate rewards. When there’s a delay in receiving benefits, we slow in our enthusiasm.
Wanting to give up is normal. Giving up is not. That’s true of so many things in life and it’s certainly true of faith.
It is precisely this issue that the writer to the Hebrews is addressing in Hebrews 10:19–25. Up to this point in the letter there has not been a lot of practical application. This new section has its readers turn to some things to do.
What we should do
The passage before us has four directives that begin with “let us”:
Let us draw near to God.
Let us hold unswervingly to hope.
Let us consider.
Let us not give up meeting together.
This is not a matter of picking one of four. These actions taken together puts us on the path to carrying on when others quit.
Notice the language of community that’s used here. When saying “let us,” the author isn’t saying to individuals, “do this and this and this.” When discouragement comes, we pull together with one another. Together we bring one another along on the journey to become more like Jesus.
Let us draw near to God (verse 22)
From Moses until the crucifixion of Jesus there was a heavy curtain that separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle. Sixty feet high and four inches thick, only the High Priest and only once a year could the Holy of Holies be entered by going behind that curtain.
In the most radical way imaginable (the tearing of the curtain) Jesus’s death provided access to God because His blood cleanses us and we are now able to come to God with full assurance of faith.
There is nothing that prevents us from drawing near to God. What a privilege and ongoing opportunity. If you want to experience staying power when quitting seems like an option, draw near to God.
Let us hold unswervingly to hope (verse 23)
The biblical definition of hope is a certainty that what God has promised will come to pass. Our hope is anchored to the unchanging, immovable reality of God’s faithfulness. He will not fail us.
Don’t let your desire to give up deceive you or blind you to the unchanging reality of God’s faithfulness. Hold onto God with full assurance that He will accomplish all that He has promised.
Let us not give up meeting together
The habit
The gathering for Christians was meant to be habitual: it happens on a regular basis. Like all good habits, I keep doing it until it becomes the normal, regular way that my life is organized. The way I fight the urge to give up my faith is to keep habitually gathering with God’s people.
Meeting together
What does that mean? Some have interpreted it strictly as attending a worship service. If your interpretation of this verse is narrowly defined as “get to a weekend gathering at church” then you’ll do whatever it takes to ensure the doors are open to everyone on a Sunday morning.
I contend that the writer to the Hebrews had much more in mind than attending a worship service on a weekend. In fact, the verse before and the phrase after helps us understand what the writer has in mind when he calls believers to gather. It’s not just about opening the doors and having a group of people attend a worship gathering.
The context of this verse tells me that coming together is much more than attending a gathering. There is a vast difference between a congregation and an aggregation. It’s the difference between a cluster of grapes and a bag of marbles. Both are coming together.
We aren’t separate, disconnected marbles who happen to be gathered in the same bag/box. We are much more like a cluster of grapes that are attached to the vine. The Apostle Paul uses several metaphors to describe the church of Jesus. The most prominent picture of the church (used seven times in Paul’s letter) is the church as a body.
The most comprehensive passage is, 1 Cor 12:12–31. As parts of a body each member depends on the others. The life of Jesus flows to each member through the other parts of the body. Each member has a part to play. Some are more visible, and others are not as visible, but all are important. No member can say “I don’t need anyone else.”
The New Testament knows nothing of solitary Christian faith. Our faith is personal but never private. Paul states it clearly that Jesus is the head of the body and the church is His body. So, when the writer directs us to not give up meeting together it’s way more than just showing up to the worship gathering.
It’s about lives being joined together. It carries the idea of knowing one another and being known. It’s rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep.
Historians tell us that most churches in the ancient world looked more like house churches. With no church buildings and with the ongoing reality of persecution, most churches were around 20 people. There were some that were larger, but the point is that an assembly of believers didn’t really allow for anonymity. Church was a community of believers where you knew others and were known by others.
While the sizes of our gatherings have been restricted, there have been no restrictions on our ability to care for one another, or to encourage one another. How we’ve had to do that has changed but the church didn’t cease to be the church just because we couldn’t gather in large numbers.
Let us consider
The word “consider” carries the idea of pondering, thinking, reflecting. What are we pondering, thinking, and reflecting on? How to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
The Bible dictionary tells me that the Greek word carries the idea of irritation. Biblical community includes the posture where I invite you to irritate me and to confront me when you see that I’m heading in an unhealthy direction (and vice versa).
I can’t do that with a stranger. That kind of loving confrontation requires a good relationship and high trust and a certainty that I’m acting with the utmost concern for you. It might mean that I see a brother, or a sister who is drifting, and I reach out with urgent intentionality. It might mean that I see a brother or sister who is struggling, and I reach out to bring a word that will spur them on in a good direction.
Encourage one another
The word “encouragement” comes from a couple of old French words that literally means “put in courage.” Encouragement is more effective and goes deeper when it’s from someone who knows you and knows your situation and who can contribute in a more meaningful way.
To do that effectively you’re actively engaged with other members of the body. You’re coming alongside them. It’s what authentic community actively practices.
You can see that the directive to “not give up meeting together”, is about far more than filling a large auditorium with people. This is about what happens in the atrium after the large gathering. This is about serving side by side and knowing the other. Considering and spurring and encouraging can happen with a phone call or a text.
I need you and you need me. Left on our own we’re vulnerable and the likelihood of our demise is greater. Standing together, God pours His grace out on us in ways that enable and strengthen us to live out our faith to the end.
— Notes from Pastor Marvin Wojda’s sermon on June 12th, 2021
CLICK HERE to watch the Hebrews 10 sermon on YouTube.