Community Ablaze

Hebrews 10:19-25

Verses 24-25  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

    For the past few days we have been discussing key points of growing our worship in our closest friendships.  Let’s look at the 3rd point –working side by side, encouraging each other to deeper relationship with God and therefore an ever deepening of our worship life.  We have been learning how to pray for our friends to grow spiritually and while praying for them is the first step, it doesn’t mean much if we aren’t willing to work together about growing spiritually.  If our efforts to help each other grow stops with prayers to God, we may be missing playing our part in His plan to help our friends grow.

    Jesus said that the world would know we are His by our love for each other (John 13:35) and that love is shown brightest when we are doing life together.  When we talk about worshiping as a Church we are often referring to weekend church services and while these are vital to our spiritual growth, just going to a building one day a week isn’t what the writer of Hebrews was talking about.  When there are people getting together regularly, studying the word and holding each other accountable to God’s outline for living, it shows in how they live and the community will see the difference and be drawn to them, and ultimately to Christ, like a moth is drawn to a light.  Why?  Because they are different than the rest of the world and it is a kind of difference that reveals God in a very personal way.  Many people have been drawn to God over the centuries because of the way Christians lived and associated with each other.  Sadly the opposite is also true.  When people aren’t living in the light of God and His Word but are claiming to be His children, people are scared away from the Church.

    If you have ever witnessed a mission trip team sharing their experiences, you have seen the joy that comes from people having served God together.  Their relationships have deepened and their relationship with God has been sparked to new heights.  Just like a hot coal remaining hot as long as it is with other coal in the fire, so other Christians remain burning brightest when they are staying in close contact with other Christians that are burning hot for the Lord.  But the chunks of coal in the fire only remain hot as long as the fire is being kept going strong, the same proves true with Christian friends.  If they only base their friendship on things connected with this world, they will lose their flame for Christ.

Making It Personal

    What are you doing to keep your faith kindled through friendships?  What are you doing to keep your friend’s faith ablaze?  What is one thing you are going to change to keep growing with your friends in the faith?

Making It Personal Kids

    Do you have friends from Sunday School or maybe GEMS or Cadets?  Do you like learning about Jesus with your friends?  Do you have friends that don’t go to church?  Maybe you could invite them to come with you.

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank You for giving us friends that help us grow closer to You and that we can serve by helping them grow spiritually.  Please give us wisdom to know You better.  In Jesus’ name, amen.