In this message we want to have more fellowship concerning the group meetings.
Hebrews 10:24-25, 2 Timothy 2:2, and Ephesians 4:11-12 tell us a lot. Through these three portions of the Word, we can pick up some realization of the purpose of the group meetings.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another for inciting to love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom with some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day drawing near.” If we are going to be serious students of the Scriptures, we must analyze the language according to the grammatical construction. Many Christians are too light in considering the holy Word. Lawyers are very serious in reading the law. The nine members of the United States Supreme Court study the law by analyzing it thoroughly. We must be just as thorough in studying God’s Word.
In verse 24 “inciting” is a gerund, “to” is a preposition, and “love” is a noun. We consider one another for inciting to love and to good works. Verse 25 does not say, “Do not forsake.” It says, “Not forsaking.” This indicates that this verse is not a new sentence. If we are going to understand verse 25, we must go back to what it modifies. “Not forsaking” is an adverbial phrase modifying “let us consider” in verse 24. The way to consider one another is to assemble ourselves together. We must not forsake the meetings of the church.
Second Timothy 2:2 says, “And the things which you have heard from me through many witnesses, these commit to faithful men, who will be competent to teach others also.” The things Timothy heard from Paul were healthy words (2 Tim. 1:13). Timothy was to commit these healthy words to faithful men. The word “commit” does not only mean to give something to someone but also implies much training. At Mount Sinai, God not only gave the law but also committed the law to the children of Israel. This was His training them.
Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints unto the work of ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.” The ascended Head, Christ, who is now in the heavens, gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some shepherds and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints. This perfecting is unto something, which means that it results in something. It is unto the work of ministry, that is, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.
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