Partipants, Not Spectators

There are two kinds of people who enter a sports arena. There are the fans. With pompoms and face paint, they are excited and ready to be entertained. Then there are the players. They are not there to be entertained, but to compete. If you’re not a sports fan, this dichotomy also works in the arts. There are theater-goers, and then, there are the actors and the production team. In both worlds, there are spectators, and there are participants.

In Hebrews 10:24-25, the writer of Hebrews exhorts his readers to consider how to provoke one another to love and good works. We do this by (1) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves but (2) exhorting one another. So, instead of forsaking the gathering, we show up to the gathering ready to exhort one another. The gathering gives us the opportunity to exhort one another through at least five actvities:

1. Singing the Word to One Another

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16)

2. Praying the Word with One Another

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, (1 Tim 2:1)

3. Reading the Word to one Another

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim 4:13)

4. Seeing the Word with One Another

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

5. Sitting under the preaching of the Word together

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Tim 4:1-2)

Of course, we also exhort one another with meaningful conversations as we fellowship throughout. One of the lessons God is teaching us at our church is that the church gathering is game day, and we are to be participants, not mere spectators.