Exhort One Another Daily

I was inspired to write this post by my beautiful friend Brittany Jude. She is godly friend, amazing speaker and writer!

She has a powerful testimony in regards to overcoming social anxiety and being intentional with her church family (I would encourage you to message her for more details).

In this post, I want to emphasis the importance of fellowship by sharing a few words from our online Bible study today.

First, let me start by pleading: please do not stop searching for God and His church because someone who claimed to represent Him, misrepresented Him.

I get it.

The church is far from perfect.

But as popular as the idea of “writing off” the church may be, it’s a mistake.

People argue the idea of church isn’t even biblical.

But if you are a Christian, church is not something you go to. It’s something you are.

You do not go to church. You are the church.

A glimpse into the New Testament reveals that the church was not a human invention, it was God's idea.

In fact, most of the New Testament is about the work of the church that Jesus initiated and ordained.

So, if you want to get rid of the church, you also need to get rid of Jesus.

You cannot have one without the other.

Maybe what bothers you about the Church, should actually amaze you.

I understand that the idea of the church being imperfect, pushes people away.

But rather than pushing us away, the fact that Jesus started the church with imperfect people like Peter, should draw us nearer, and make us marvel at God’s incredible grace.

Today in our online study group, Brittany taught on Hebrews 3 and we were discussing the contrasts between Jesus and Moses, specifically in vs 5-6. Moses was a servant over the house God gave him. But Jesus is a Son over His own House--and as members of the church, we are His House.

Brittany said and wrote, “one writer summarized it like this: “Moses delivered the Israelites from bondage of slavery in Egypt; while Jesus delivered all believers from the bondage of sin and damnation (2:14-15). Through Moses God constituted the Israelites as the people of God, while Jesus constitutes all believers as sons of God (2:10). Moses brought the Israelites the Old Covenant, whereas Jesus brings all believers into the New Covenant, establishing a greater access to God for them (4:14-16) which had once only been a privilege for Israel --until Jesus came. In Jesus’s superiority, He replaced and exceeds all that Moses did.” --B.R. Scott.

Now, we know that Christians are mutual heirs with Christ, He calls us brothers. He is the founder and perfecter of our faith. HE is the chief cornerstone ! WE are HIS HOUSE: this thought is so deep: one writer described it like this:

“As I was reading, I was struck by the image of God being the builder of everything and His people (us) being His house.

As I continued to sit with this passage, I started to think about what a builder is and does and what a house is and does.

A builder has a blueprint—a unique layout of his creation. The builder is dedicated to his building project and the process from the pouring of the foundation (apostles and prophets Ephesians 2) to the finishing touches (me and you!). The builder does not change—he is faithful and constant. If something breaks inside the house or starts to fall apart, the builder refines and mends the many parts as they submit to His hands. He restores the brokenness. The builder knows the house inside and out—the nooks and crannies, the hidden spaces. The house bears the image of the builder--people know who built it.

A house has a door. That door lets people in (Jesus is the door-John10:1-10).

A house has many rooms, many purposes, gifts, and desires(1 Corinthians:12:12-27, Romans 12--many members, various functions & gifts, but ONE).

A house has a table where people eat and fellowship and converse together.

A house is a community holding families and friends(Acts 2 fellowship of believers)

A house lives in community with its next-door neighbors and people around the block(Matt28-go into all the world).

A house has a foundation—rooted in cement and poured by the builder.

A house goes through wear and tear.

A house goes through ups and downs—holds good memories and bad memories.

But the house endures and supports and protects.

God is the builder of everything.

As the Church, we are His house.

Brittany goes on to say and write, "God has a unique layout for each of us, for each of our hearts, for each of our lives.

As individual bricks, we each have different gifts, purposes, and desires.

We the church are His house—a community inviting others in, feasting at the table together, experiencing life together, living in His glory, rejoicing in our hope, anchored by it, and sharing it with anyone who will listen. We, the bricks, go through triumph and grief. We are constantly being refined by our helper, our builder. Through it all, the builder returns again and again and never abandons his creation.

God is our builder and if we hold firmly to the foundation that He so graciously gives us, then we are His house.--Trust the builder.

So, We are HIS House,(individual bricks, making up One House--just as we are many members--but ONE body) but there is a big word there is IF.

IF we hold fast to the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firmly till the end.

That phrase “hold fast” is figurative for: “keep, retain in one’s heart and mind”. And we know scripture says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he!” we are urged to “think on these things”(Phil 4:8) we are also urged to “take every thought captive making it obedient to Christ (2Corinthians10:5) thus we can apply this to our daily walks today!

What is the hope that we ought to be “holding fast” to or keeping/retaining in our heart & minds FIRMLY to the end ? It is the hope of the Gospel: Forgiveness of Sins through Jesus, resurrection from the dead to eternal life with Him."

Part of the key to holding fast to the end, is holding fast to each other.

A beautiful picture of this is written by Cynthia Guy: “You’ve heard the illustration about a pile of hot coals, from which, one was removed and set aside by itself. The question is asked, ‘what will happen to the isolated coal? Of course it will [more quickly] lose its heat and grow cold. When we are baptized, we join the [hot coals] of Christians journeying together toward heaven. Those who fall behind and are separated from the others become more easily lost or fall prey to enemies. Satan attacks lone Christians. Hebrews instructs us to encourage one another daily.

Without help, many drift and doubt. We have a responsibility to look out for one another. How many sisters do you know that are hanging on by a spiritual thread in your local circle? Do we notice? Do we care? Do we ask “how are you”? Are we willing to listen and offer the help that is needed? The word exhort means (parakaleo) “appeal to, encourage”.

We must help one another trust the Lord and stay on the path together.

Our shared goal is to persevere in faith all the way to the end.

Hebrews repeats the word “TODAY”. Every single day we face the thorns and thistles of this life, and every day we need support."

So please do not give up on the church. Instead, remember that it often starts with YOU. If you see something needs to be changed in the church, make it your goal to be the change.

Be the encourager. Be the vulnerable one.

Sometimes it only takes a spark to get a fire going.

I hope this encourages you to examine yourself, make it a point to be at fellowship when the church meets for assembly, not out of duty, but as a desire to see the church flourish in love, spiritual growth and unity..

Make it a point to make that phone call of encouragement or send that text. Make it a point to grow in love and develop deeper relationships with the women you call a “sister in Christ.”

Weekly fellowship is not enough; early Christians met daily in each other’s homes--they had relationship with one another.

This relationship helped them remain strong.

Let’s be the change in the Church.

Let’s be the spark that gets the fire going.