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Introduction:
We have had lots of sermons on Hebrews
10:25. Such that, we may think the most important lesson
in the Bible is to attend the assemblies. While that lesson is
important, vs.
24 is more important. Hebrews
10:24 says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one
another to love and good deeds.” Discussion: I.
Our goal is love and good deeds. A.
According to I
Timothy 1:5, the goal of our instruction is love. We are
to love God (James
2:5). We are to love each other (I
John 4:7). We are even to love our enemies (Matthew
5:44). We are to love. As we gain this love, we become
more like our Father in heaven. B.
When we grow in love, good deeds follow. According to Ephesians
2:10, when God saved us, He recreated us to walk in good
deeds. When Paul wrote Titus, one of his repeated themes was good
work. In Titus
2:7, he exhorted Titus to be an example of good works. In 2:14,
he said Jesus died to redeem us from lawless deeds and make us
zealous for good ones. In 3:8,
he claimed believers should be careful to engage in good deeds. In
3:14,
he said “our people must also learn to engage in good deeds.”
Of course, our good deeds are not about us. According to Matthew
5:16, our good works are to cause others to glorify God. II.
We must stimulate one another to love and good
deeds. A.
One of the natural problems with love and good deeds is
burn out. The path of love and good deeds is narrow and difficult.
Many times we love those who will not return our love. Often we
cannot see the results of our good deeds for a long time. No
wonder Paul exhorted us to “not lose heart in doing good, for in
due time we will reap if we do not grow weary” (Galatians
6:9). B.
To keep from losing heart, we need to stimulate one another
to love and good deeds. We are to be a stimulant that rouses and
incites others to action. “Stimulate” is the word used by the
New American Standard translators. Some of the other translations
are very interesting. 1.
The King James Version says to “provoke” one another to
love and good works. Most of the time, when we speak of provoking
someone we mean we have made them angry. Here we are to provoke
one another to love and good deeds. 2.
The New King James says to “stir up” one another. Most
of the time, when we say somebody stirred up something we mean
they caused some trouble. Here, we are supposed to stir up love
and good deeds. 3.
The New International Version says to “spur on” one
another. That may not be often used in a negative context.
However, have you thought about what it means to be spurred on? We
spur on a horse by jabbing it in the flank with a sharp metal
object. C.
The Greek term translated here is also interesting. The
only other time the root word is used in scripture is Acts
15:39 in which Paul and Barnabas had a sharp disagreement.
The word used in Hebrews
10:24 is translated “sharp disagreement” in Acts
15:39. D.
In Hebrews
10:24, we see a picture of Christians actively making sure
other Christians are growing in love and good deeds. We see a
picture of Christians getting actively involved in each others’
lives, challenging one another, jabbing one another in the flank
with sharp objects to push them down the path of righteousness. It
is almost as if the Hebrew writer says we ought to be getting in
each other’s faces and saying, “Look here, I am not going to
let you be a loser Christian. Buck up, get off your backside and
start loving and growing in good deeds.” III.
We must consider how to stimulate one another to
love and good deeds. A.
Before we just set about getting in others faces, however,
we need to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good
deeds. Fulfilling this passage will not take place on the spur of
the moment. We need to give consideration to one another. That is,
we must pay careful attention to the spiritual needs of those
around us. Based on that careful consideration, we need to
determine what is most needed to help our brethren grow in love
and good deeds. B.
Let us consider what will stimulate us to love and good
deeds. Clearly, the Hebrew writer provides one avenue through
which we can stimulate one another. In Hebrews
10:25, he says we need to maintain the habit of assembling
together. However, that is only one way. How else can we stimulate
one another to love and good deeds? C.
While we could brainstorm many specifics, we will note the
threefold approach given in Titus
2:14-15 to spur others on to be zealous for good works in
Jesus Christ. He said Titus should “speak and exhort and
reprove.” 1.
“Speak”—Sometimes, to stimulate one another, we need
to simply open our Bibles and teach one another what is found
within them. 2.
“Reprove”—Sometimes, to stimulate one another, we
need to reprove and rebuke one another, exposing error and
challenging each other to repent. When we take this approach we
are to do so gently, looking to ourselves to be sure we do not
also sin (Galatians
6:1). 3.
“Exhort”—Sometimes, to stimulate one another we need
to encourage one another. This is perhaps the most overlooked
approach to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. We need
to catch one another doing things right. It is so easy to
constantly pick apart all the bad things others need to change. We
need to spend more time complimenting and encouraging the good
things we see in each other. D.
Finally, as Paul encouraged in Titus
2:7, we can stimulate one another to love and good deeds
by being an example of them. IV.
We
must stimulate one another to love and good deeds. A.
Please notice that the Hebrew writer did not say, “Let
the elders consider how to stimulate you to love and good
deeds.” He did not say, “Let the deacons consider how to
stimulate you...” He did not say, “Let the Bible class
teachers consider how to stimulate you…” He did not say,
“Let the preacher consider how to stimulate you…” He said,
“Let us consider how to stimulate one another to
love and good deeds.” B.
We are equally responsible for stimulating one another to
love and good deeds. This is your job. This is my job. Not because
we are elders, deacons, preachers or Bible class teachers, but
because we are Christians. According to Ephesians
4:12, God did not give some to be elders or evangelists in
order to do the work of ministry for saints. He gave elders and
evangelists to equip saints for the work of ministry to build up
the body. C.
We must approach this responsibility practically. For the
most part we cannot have this kind of relationship with every
member of this congregation. How could one Christian possibly know
what more than a hundred other Christians need to grow? To
accomplish this, we all must purposefully and intentionally get
involved in stimulating relationships. You will never be able to
stimulate everyone else. Further, you will rarely be stimulated by
everyone else. However, you should be stimulating some and some
should be stimulating you. The questions we must ask are: Who is
stimulating you to love and good deeds? Whom are you stimulating? D.
One final thought on the one another nature of this
responsibility. We might all find it easy to try to stimulate
others. However, we must learn to accept stimulation, provocation,
spurring on and stirring up from others first. Before looking
around to see who you can spur on to love and good deeds, look for
people to stir you up. Conclusion: Can I stimulate you right now? Please do not go home and let this lesson slip into mental oblivion. If you do not already have multiple brothers or sisters who are purposefully and intentionally holding your feet to the fire and challenging you to grow in love and good deeds, think of some who can and call them this week. Find others who will push you and challenge you to grow. The Hebrew writer explained how important it is to fulfill this exhortation when he wrote, “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10:26-27). This is important. Who is stimulating you to overcome sin and grow in love and good deeds?
Glory
to God in the church by Christ Jesus
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