2. Our Assembling Together CONTEXT OF HEBREWS 10:19-31: “Let us draw near with a true heart” “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope” “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love” “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some” the assembling – not “the assembly”; denotes an action, literally “the gathering together” - includes the Lord’s Day, but does not exclude other assemblies of the church forsake – abandon, give up, desert, abandon something once and it is still abandoned (the Lord on the cross) custom, habit, manner – customary behavior, prescribed by habit or law

3. 3 1. We Submit to Our Family, To Stir Up, Encourage, Teach, Edify Them – 1 Tim. 3:15; Mk. 3:31-35; Eph. 5:18-21; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Thess. 5:11 2. We Grow Spiritually – Acts 20:32; 1 Pet. 2:2-3; 2 Pet. 1:8- 9 3. We Set the Best Example (children?) – Mt. 18:6-7; 1 Tim. 4:12 4. We Follow the Example of the Elders – Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:2-3 5. We Give God the Glory He Deserves – 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 3:21 6. We Obey God’s Commands – Heb. 10:24-25 7. We Seek First the Kingdom of God – Mt. 6:33; 2 Cor. 8:3- 5 When We Attend Services

4. 4 1. We Place Physical Desires Above Spiritual – Mt. 6:33 2. We Neglect to Submit to Our Family, To Provoke, Encourage, Teach, Edify Them – 1 Tim. 3:15; Mk. 3:31-35; Eph. 5:19; Heb. 10:24-25; 1Thess. 5:11 3. We Neglect to Set the Best Example – Mt. 18:6-7 4. We Neglect to Grow Spiritually – 1 Pet. 2:2; 2 Pet. 1:5-10 5. We Neglect to Follow the Elders – 1 Pet. 5:3; Heb. 13:17 6. We Neglect to Give God the Glory – Eph. 3:21 7. We Neglect God’s Commands – Heb. 10:24-25 8. We Neglect to Do Good, Even Though We Know to Do It – Jas. 4:17 When We Willfully Miss A Service

5. Our Assembling Together Reasons Offered For Not Assembling (Choices Reflect Priorities) 1. “I wasn’t feeling well.” (go to work? school? shopping?) 2. “I was going hard all week and I was tired.” 3. “My job/boss is so demanding and prevents me.” 4. “I live so far from the church building.” (work? school? pleasure?) 5. “The weather was bad.” 6. “My family is visiting from out of town.” 7. “My spouse is not a Christian; it is hard for me.” 8. “It is hard to get the children ready.” 9. “I wasn’t dressed properly.” 10. “I had something I really needed to do.”

7. Hear the Gospel (Rom. 10:17) Believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Mk. 16:16) Repent of Your Sins (Acts 17:30) Confess Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10) Be Baptized for Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 2:38) Live Faithfully until You Die (Rev. 2:10) Will You Become A Christian?