The Pilgrim Path---Hebrews 10: 24, 25 

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.

“NOT NEGLECTING TO MEET TOGETHER…”

These were saints that I’ve written about previously: Evergreen Baptist Church, close to Michigan City, Indiana. When my mom did some considerable damage to her shoulder years ago---I spent around 17 days in this community. I really needed a local church to “juice me up”---and they did the job. They helped me on Sunday Morning, Evening---and Wednesday night. I was in a difficult spot. Away from home. Trying to navigate some new challenges and different “tests” not yet encountered. Being with God’s people was encouraging and settling to my soul. Looking back, I must say---I may well have “crashed” without being with them as often as I could. Christians are not designed to do everything on their own. We are members of the Body of Christ. Take a look at those verses in Hebrews 10 again. They are true---and they are meant to be believed and followed. Ask the LORD to help you believe them and follow them with delight.

From Charles Haddon Spurgeon: Alone, the fine old beech yields to the blast, and lies prone upon the sward; in the forest, supporting each other, the trees laugh at the hurricane. The sheep of Jesus flock together; the social element is the genius of Christianity.

From John Brown: The Apostle exhorts the Hebrew Christians to be regular in attending on the stated meetings for instruction and worship: “Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.” It is by means of the public assemblies or churches of the saints that the visible profession of Christ’s name is kept up in the world; and the exercise in which Christians there engage---reading, preaching the word, prayer, the Lord’s Supper---are all well calculated to strengthen their faith and hope…

From Thomas Case: We must call the Sabbath a delight and prefer it as our greatest joy as all the saints of God in all ages have done (Psalm 122: 1). We must observe it as a holy time. It is a day in which God bows the heavens and comes down and offers himself in ways of sweet and friendly communion with his people. By reserving one day in seven for his own immediate worship, we actually acknowledge him as Sovereign Lord of ourselves and of our times. In this we seek things eternal and enjoy spiritual rest for our soul.

From Joel Beeke: In a day when many Christians are focused only on their own individual relationship with God, this passage reminds us of the importance of the church. The church is not just a means to advance our own walk with God, but a divinely appointed institution. Connecting with the church is therefore not an option, but a requirement for true believers.

From John Duncan: Those who love the Lamb must love the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. They have no true love to the Lamb who have no true love to the Bride, the Lamb’s wife…this poor, puny, selfish Christianity is no Christianity at all.

From John Calvin: We should not separate ourselves from those to whom God has joined us but embrace with brotherly kindness all who are united to us in faith. Surely it behooves us even more earnestly to cultivate unity, since the goal of the more eagerly watchful Satan is either to tear us by any means from the church or stealthily seduce us from it…

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason