Let us… (Hebrews 10:19-25) 080509

My daughter doesn’t like to be ordered around. If I want to get her away from her mother so that she can do something else, it would work if I simply ask her to come to me. I will have to go to her and say to her, “Let’s go!” Then she will almost immediately get up and follow me. I don’t know where she learns it from, she doesn’t like to be told what to do, but like to be involved in making the decision to follow me.

The author of Hebrews seems to understand this aspect of human psychology and in today’s passage, after he has expounded on the necessity and sufficiency of the work of Jesus Christ, which is sacrificing His blood to enter the Most Holy Place as our High Priest (v19-20); he goes on to issue a call to his reader. He calls them to persevere.

In this short passage, he uses four “let us” phrases (v22, 23, 24 and 25). I don’t think we can miss them: 1) Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith (v21), 2) Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (v22), 3) Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (v23) and 4) Let us not give up meeting together.

I think the call is simple: Let us stay together as we stay close to God. I want to stay close to God. I want to draw near to Him and be intimate with Him; but I can’t do it alone. I have to do it with you. I want to do the will of God and follow Him, but I can’t do it alone; I have to do it with you.

One of my gifts is the gift of encouragement; but I will never be able to exercise my gift if there is no one around me to let me encourage. My calling from God is to teach and preach; but I will never be able to fulfill my calling if there is no one wants to learn from my teaching and there is no congregation wanting to hear me preach. If I need to grow in my gifting and calling, I need you.

Likewise, you need me too. If your gifting is to be generous, you need me to receive your generosity. And if your calling is to be a good parent, you need your child or children to be there for you so that you can fulfill your calling. You do not only need me, you need others. We need one another.

Therefore, let us.

Don’t forget to go for your small group meeting, don’t neglect attending fellowship meeting, and don’t give up meeting each other for lunch or dinner. Shall we?

Let us.

HHS…
Abe…