Yeah, the title sounds bad. Spur one another. OUCH! It’s what often seems to happen here in blog land, right?
That’s not where I’m going with this, though… “spur one another” is a portion of a Scripture passage that came to mind late Saturday evening as I was pondering, prior to bed, what I was going to teach in Sunday School the following day. You see, we had finished our last study guide two weeks prior, and had not yet settled with 100% certainty on new material. So our lesson plan was up in the air. I thought that perhaps I’d teach something I had previously taught, or maybe something new that I could find on the net or in one of the many study guides I have laying around. But I did the smart thing (for a change), and prayed.
God answered that prayer almost immediately by bringing “spur one another” to mind, seemingly out of the blue. At that moment, I knew exactly what I needed to teach, so I went on to bed, knowing it wouldn’t take long Sunday morning to put it all together.
The Scripture passage? Maybe you’ve figured out by now, but it’s Hebrews 10:24-25…
24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let 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.
You’re wondering, of course, why this was such an applicable passage.
Simply put, Sunday School is typically a place of discipleship. Discipleship, discipleship, discipleship. Yeah, we throw in a bit of prayer, and some fellowship on occasion… but it’s primarily discipleship.
It’s certainly not a bad thing! But don’t we often disciple ourselves to death? What do we do once we’re prepped to go to battle for the Lord? We’re ready to go… we’re eager to engage… but we find ourselves merely partaking in training exercise after training exercise, always prepping, but never fighting. We never enter the fray to battle for lost souls… to search out the sheep that have gone astray… to love and serve people God loves.
Instead, we sit in our Sunday School classes and disciple away… wondering why we find we’re losing all passion to really make an impact in our world.
What’s to wonder? We’re equipped to make a difference, but we’re sitting on the sidelines. How depressing is that?
It’s obviously where Hebrews 10:24 comes into play… “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
Scripture tells us in James 2:17, “faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.” Hebrews 10:24 makes clear that we’ve got to take action out of faith… to love and do good deeds. It seems that living in community, “spurring one another on”, is critical to keep our faith alive. And that’s not even mentioning how much more effective we are in serving God when we have the encouragement of others driving us forward, holding us accountable, praying for us, and lifting us up when we’re weak.
So… the tough questions remain…
- Are you involved in any sort of real relationships where you have opportunities to be the kind of encourager Christ expects?
- If not, what can you do to develop such relationships so that you’ll be able to encourage fellow believers to step out and exercise their faith in a practical manner?
Think about it.
Good stuff! It seems like the only time I see that passage used is when we talk about people missing church. It’s amazing what you can allow your mind to miss when you think you already know what the passage is about.
“let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”
That’ll preach, er, teach.
On the right side of Missouri,
Mike Woodward
Yep…preach it! My ears are open and I’m listening and hearing.
As I consider what to write about how to inform the women of our church that Women’s Ministries is going dark this summer so that we can be light in our community, this scripture came to mind and low and behold, I found this sight. God is SO good!!
I couldn’t agree more…believers need to get out there and let God do His work in and through their lives. That is the way it’s supposed to be. I like the tie in that faith without works is dead.
Today after work I’m going out to walk with a friend who claims to be an atheist. He is angry with the church and Christians…thinks horrible things and rightfully so, in some ways. Anyway, I’ve been praying for Him to come to know Jesus for about 5 years now and praying that God would open his heart. He said he needed to exercise for his health, but was having a hard time sticking to it, so I offered to walk with him 3 days a week this month to help him get started. This is week 2. Please pray for Grant.
Keep on keepin’ on my brothers and sisters!
Love from the OC
Psalm 71
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.
Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.
For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.
I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.
For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,
Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.
O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.
Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.
Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.
Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!
Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.