KEY TEXT“And let us consider how we mayspur one another on toward loveand good deeds. Let us not give upmeeting together, as some are inthe habit of doing, but let usencourage one another – and allthe more as you see the Dayapproaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

CONTEXT“Obey your leaders and submit totheir authority. They keep watchover you as men who must give anaccount. Obey them so that theirwork will be a joy, not a burden, forthat would be of no advantage toyou.” Hebrews 13:17

CONTEXT“Keep watch over yourselves andall the flock of which the Holy Spirithas made you overseers. Beshepherds of the church of God,which he bought with his ownblood.” Acts 20:28

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

“Part of the confusion is that thegreek word ekklesia, which istranslated “church”, has a widerange of meaning.”

Mark Driscoll – Vintage Church

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?A “house church” is called a “church” inRomans 16:5 (“greet also the church in theirhouse”), 1 Corinthians 16:19 (“Aquila andPrisca, together with the church in their entirehouse, send you hearty greetings in theLord”). The church in an entire city is alsocalled “a church” (1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 1:1; and1 Thess. 1:1)....

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

...The church in a region is referred to as a“church” in Acts 9:31: “So the churchthroughout all Judea and Galilee andSamaria had peace and was built up.”Finally, the church throughout the entireworld can be referred to as “the church”....

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?Paul says, “Christ loved the church and gavehimself up for her” (Eph. 5:25) and says, “Godhas appointed in the church first apostles,second prophets, third teachers...” (1 Cor.12:28)....We may conclude that the group ofGod’s people considered at any level fromlocal to universal may rightly be called “achurch”.

Wayne Grudem

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking ofbread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filledwith awe at the many wonders and signsperformed by the apostles. 44 All the believerswere together and had everything incommon. 45 They sold property andpossessions to give to anyone who hadneed...

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?46 Every day they continued to meet togetherin the temple courts. They broke bread intheir homes and ate together with glad andsincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoyingthe favor of all the people. And the Lordadded to their number daily those who werebeing saved.Acts 2:42-47

(1) WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

POINT

A committed gatheringof Christ-followers.

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP? INCONVINENT

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP?“The effort it takes for overcommitted,overextended people to get to a 90-minute service or give time to programsand church events can be too much.Sometimes staying home on a Sundaymorning seems like the best way toremain sane”

Kelly Bean‘How to Be a Christian Without Going to Church’

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP?“It would be easy for us to join our neighbours andspend those precious Sunday morning hoursdifferently. We could stay in our pajamas and readthe paper while the kids watched cartoons. Wecould take a family hike. We could (and sometimesdo) say yes to the birthday parties and soccergames. We could go out for brunch. And we couldavoid the ordinary but difficult task of keeping ourthree wrigglers still and attentive for their thirty-minute stint in the sanctuary.”

Amy Julia Becker – ‘Why We Still Go To Church’

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP? INCONVINENT INCOMPETANCE IRRELEVANCE BAD EXPERIENCES ALTERNATIVE VIEWS REQUIRED COMMITMENTS

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP?“Many people like me, who grew upimmersed in church, have given up onit. Church is archaic, domineering,impersonal, hypocritical, irrelevant,contentious, petty, boring and stale...Itreally is enough to make one want tobail on church”

Barnabas Piper‘Why You Shouldn’t Give Up on the Church’

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP?

POINT

People give up onChurch for variousreasons.

(2) WHY WE GIVE UP?“The Church is a messy placeby nature. But it is a messyplace designed by God to behis face to the world.”

Barnabas Piper

(3) WHY WE STAY?

#1 – FOR OTHERSHeb. 10:24

(3) WHY WE STAY?“To say, ‘I don’t need to be part of alocal church because I AM the church’is like a football player standing aloneon a field saying I AM the team. It’s silly.

Mission is an outgrowth of, not analternative to, our churchly identity”

Gavin OrtlandThe Gospel Coalition

(3) WHY WE STAY?Christ left us with the church tocarry out His plan. He even refersto the churches as “the body ofChrist”.

Sam ReinerTen Reasons Why I’m Not Giving Up on Local Churches

(3) WHY WE STAY?28 Keep watch over yourselves andall the flock of which the Holy Spirithas made you overseers. Beshepherds of the church of God,which he bought with his ownblood.

Acts 20:28

(3) WHY WE STAY?

27 Now you are the body of Christ,and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Cor. 12:27

(3) WHY WE STAY?18 And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build mychurch, and the gates of Hades willnot overcome it.

Matt. 16:18

(3) WHY WE STAY?

#1 – FOR OTHERSHeb. 10:24

#2 – FOR OURSELVESHeb. 10:25

(3) WHY WE STAY?“God’s plan for our good is thatmuch of our encouragement comefrom other Christians speaking theword of God into our lives andpraying for us.”

John Piper‘Encouraging Each Other at the End of the Age’

(3) WHY WE STAY?

POINT

We stay for the benefitof others and ourselvesfor Christ’s Glory.

APPLICATION1. Avoid Criticism.

APPLICATION“Cynicism is too easy. Itdemands very little of us andcontributes nothing...What is noteasy, however, is entering in andactually contributing to thechange we long to see”

Aaron Lay

APPLICATION1. Avoid Criticism.2. Expect Disapointment.

APPLICATION“The church is a messyplace by nature. That’swhat happens when abunch of sinners cometogether anywhere”

Barnabus Piper

APPLICATION1. Avoid Criticism.2. Expect Disapointment.3. Remember that Jesus

loves His Church.

APPLICATION“Anyone, therefore, who lovesChrist must also love the church.And make no mistake: if weabandon the church, we areabandoning Jesus.”

Gavin Ortland

APPLICATION

“The journey of discipleship willnever lead us to divorceourselves from Jesus’ gatheredpeople”

Aaron Lay

TO SUM UP

POINT

Don’t give up – justbecause it’s messy.

TO SUM UP“Be encouraged, have hope,vocally tell the stories of God’sgrace, be the church, and donot stop plowing until you seehim face-to-face. Jesus is alive.Anything can happen”

Mark Driscoll – Vintage Church

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Don’t Give Up: On Your Church

Intro

Story: Anglican Church

1st yr @ Bible College we we’re tasked to visit different denominations

One night we visited an Anglican Church (btw – I love them!)

All the youth sat at the back row of pews near the exit

The service was a classic definition of boring

I could understand why the teens remained – surely they cud slip out?

Until @ the end we all went up for communion – served w/real wine

...then I understood

Obviously there needs to be more reason why we commit to going to church.

Q. How do we resist giving up on the church?

I’m praying that the message tonight would again stir and awaken:

(a) a love for, and

(b) generate great hope in

...the church of Jesus.

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Key Text

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not

give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another

– and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Context

Keep in mind the framework within which we are being told to remain under:

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must

give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of

no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17)

Church members are told to submit to those in lead the church.

Good thing because, if they do their job right, they take seriously their

responsibility and they remember that they are accountable to God in their

role.

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)

Also keep in mind the responsibility of church members:

[That God has given the church leaders] “...to prepare God’s people for works of service, so

that the body of Christ may be built up.” (Eph. 4:12)

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So members are also expected to be participators in the life of the church.

Not just spectators

The idea is not:

(a) to make us miserable, nor

(b) to make God happy

It’s because we have needs, and so church is actually for our good.

Ultimately church helps us to find our joy in Jesus.

1. What is the Church?

More specifically: Q. What does a church ‘look like’?

There are various and conflicting definitions and expectations:

“Part of the confusion is that the greek word ekklesia, which is translated “church”, has a wide

range of meaning.” (Mark Driscoll – Vintage Church)

To help explain this Wayne Grudem helps summarize the different uses of the

word “church” in Scripture:

A “house church” is called a “church” in Romans 16:5 (“greet also the church in their house”), 1

Corinthians 16:19 (“Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their entire house, send you

hearty greetings in the Lord”). The church in an entire city is also called “a church” (1 Cor. 1:2;

2 Cor. 1:1; and 1 Thess. 1:1). The church in a region is referred to as a “church” in Acts 9:31:

“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up.”

Finally, the church throughout the entire world can be referred to as “the church”. Paul says,

4

“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25) and says, “God has appointed

in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers...” (1 Cor. 12:28)....We may

conclude that the group of God’s people considered at any level from local to universal may

rightly be called “a church”.

But there doesn’t seem to be a standard format of what a church does when they

meet together (e.g. length of service, style of music, order of service)

Hence different expressions, traditions, and denominations.

What we can say is that a church constitutes of:

Christ-Followers

Organized under qualified Leadership (Pastors/Elders/Deacons)

Preaching & Teaching God’s Word

Practice of Sacraments (Baptism & Communion)

Unity

Characterized by holy living

Takes seriously the Great Commandment TO LOVE

Takes seriously the Great Commission TO GO

Example:

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread

and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the

apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold

property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet

together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and

sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to

their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

POINT – A committed gathering of Christ-followers

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2. Why We Give Up

(A good way to start is to be honest, and maybe even laugh?)

Q. What makes it hard to stay at a church?

#1 INCONVINIENT

“The effort it takes for overcommitted, overextended people to get to a 90-minute service or

give time to programs and church events can be too much. Sometimes staying home on a

Sunday morning seems like the best way to remain sane” (Kelly Bean – ‘How to Be a Christian

Without Going to Church’)

“It would be easy for us to join our neighbours and spend those precious Sunday morning

hours differently. We could stay in our pajamas and read the paper while the kids watched

cartoons. We could take a family hike. We could (and sometimes do) say yes to the birthday

parties and soccer games. We could go out for brunch. And we could avoid the ordinary but

difficult task of keeping our three wrigglers still and attentive for their thirty-minute stint in the

sanctuary.” (Amy Julia Becker – ‘Why We Still Go To Church’)

#2 INCOMPETANCE

(Here I ‘vent’ some personal ‘pet-peeves’)

Media video doesn’t play

Words misspelt on screen

White font on a yellow background

Running out of coffee-filters

Sound mix (too loud/too soft)

Channelling 300+ ppl through a single door – “Open the friggen door!"

New ppl’s ‘walk of shame’ – if you’re not new, pls fill up from the front!

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#3 IRRELEVANT

“It was so boring”

“I didn’t get anything out of the sermon”

“I didn’t like the choice of songs”

#4 BAD EXPERIENCES

Unnoticed

Unwelcome

Unloved

Division

Gossip

Leaders

#5 ALTERNATIVE VIEWS (of church)

“You can be a Christian without going to church”

“I can experience God on my own”

(while both carry some truth – we’ll challenge both later)

#6 REQUIRED COMMITMENTS

Danger that church becomes your home.

I always advice not committing to more than 2-3 ministries: Burnout!

“Many people like me, who grew up immersed in church, have given up on it. Church is archaic,

domineering, impersonal, hypocritical, irrelevant, contentious, petty, boring and stale...It really

is enough to make one want to bail on church” (Barnabas Piper – ‘Why You Shouldn’t Give Up

on the Church’)

POINT – People give up Church for Various Reasons

“The Church is a messy place by nature. But it is a messy place designed by God to be his face

to the world.” (Barnabas Piper)

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3. Why We Don’t Give Up?

Various, but I what to use Heb. 10:24-25 as a framework to mention 2 reasons:

#1 FOR OTHERS

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (24)

“To say, ‘I don’t need to be part of a local church because I AM the church’ is like a football

player standing alone on a field saying I AM the team. It’s silly...Mission is an outgrowth

[product?] of, not an alternative to, our churchly identity” (Gavin Ortland – Editor at The Gospel

Coalition)

The local church has been God chosen instrument since the ascension of Christ:

“But you [context: the collective group of apostles] will be my witnesses in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8)

“Christ left us with the church to carry out His plan. He even refers to the churches as “the

body of Christ” (Sam Reiner – ‘Ten Reasons Why I’m Not Giving Up on Local Churches)

The local church is not just a ‘hideout’ to escape the world, it is an army that

transforms the world.

The church is a blessing to the world.

We need to remind ourselves:

(a) Jesus died for the church

28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you

overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

(Acts 20:28)

(b) Jesus’ presence on earth is represented through the church

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Cor. 12:27)

8

(c) Jesus advances his redemptive mission through the church

18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the

gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Mt. 16:18)

#2 FOR OURSELVES

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage

one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (25)

(a) Not only to we gather for corporate worship, but it also affords the

opportunity to minister to one another.

“God’s plan for our good is that much of our encouragement come from other Christians

speaking the word of God into our lives and praying for us.” (John Piper – ‘Encouraging

Each Other at the End of the Age’)

(b) It is also strongly implied that it will not get easier to be a Christian in

this world, therefore we need to keep meeting.

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.” (2 Tim. 3:1)

We will encounter difficulties (broken hearts, abuse, illness, failures) and

church community will be for us a place of refuge & restoration.

(c) It asks more of us than going fishing

“Go into all the world and makes disciples...” asks more of us than “Go into all the

world and fish/hike/sleep in”

Church, therefore, teaches us to be more like Jesus in that Jesus came to

serve the world.

POINT – We stay for the benefit of others and ourselves for Christ’s glory.

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Application

(1) Avoid Criticism

Difficult when there are valid reasons to criticise

“Cynicism is too easy. It demands very little of us and contributes nothing...What is

not easy, however, is entering in and actually contributing to the change we long to

see” (Aaron Lay)

(2) Expect Disappointment

You will get wounded, and some wounds take time to heal – and that’s

okay!

Remember that you’re part of a community of “Sinning-Saints” – at times

you will fail them, at other times they will fail you.

“The church is a messy place by nature. That’s what happens when a bunch of

sinners come together anywhere” (Barnabus Piper)

(3) Remember Jesus Loves the Church

Meeting together is part & parcel with holding on to the faith we profess

– it shows our allegiance to Jesus.

“Anyone, therefore, who loves Christ must also love the church. And make no

mistake: if we abandon the church, we are abandoning Jesus.” (Gavin Ortland)

“The journey of discipleship will never lead us to divorce ourselves from Jesus’

gathered people” (Aaron Lay)

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To Sum Up

The church is messy.

But when I see...(for example)

Flashback Fridays (SWBC fb page)

I see a beautiful diverse church family united in their love for Jesus

Visit Melkbos Baptist

And the pastor’s daughter says to me God gave her a dream that the

ministry I do off-stage will be more important than what I do one-

stage...I’m reminded about what really matters in ministry (people vs.

Performance)

After service conversations

Once had a friend weep in remorse because he’d slept with his

girlfriend – and in that moment he found grace.

Adoption&Birth of both our children

To know the support of a church family brought such peace.

Authentic Salvation

Young Teen unsettled because he doesn’t know what he believes –

but he’s not in a church forcing him to believe, he has the space to

make up his own mind about Jesus.

Mourning of the Smit family

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Who for 9 months fostered Kiara as if she was their own daughter –

who could call on the church to hold them up in prayer as that season

ends

Don’t give up on your faith – just because it’s hard #lastweek

Don’t give up in the church – just because it’s messy

“Be encouraged, have hope, vocally tell the stories of God’s grace, be the church, and do not

stop plowing until you see him face-to-face. Jesus is alive. Anything can happen” (Mark Driscoll

– Vintage Church)