We need each other. Not the needy kind where one person never contributes, but the kind soldiers on the battlefield need to march forward together.
The rugged individual is often rugged and haggard. Far more can be accomplished when we work together. God made a helpmeet for Adam from his rib, so it should be no surprise that Jesus invites us to be part of His body, the Church.
The Church is a place to be encouraged and energized. Without it, we stand alone like an island, exposed to the enemy and everything he throws at us for our destruction.
Provoke Each Other
The author of Hebrews shows the supremacy of Christ, then continues with this challenge: keep meeting together and stir one another up for love and good works.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV)
Divisions Are Possible
Sometimes that provocation leads to divisions, but even then the gospel keeps working between brothers. The same word used in Hebrews for stir up or provoke appears in Acts for the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas.
After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” Barnabas wanted to take John called Mark, but Paul thought best not to take one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. (Acts 15:36-40 ESV)
Paul and Barnabas were stirred up so much they parted ways, not to stop the work but to multiply it in new directions.
Buttons Pushed
What is a little provocation between family? Family knows how to push our buttons better than anyone. Paul provokes the Corinthian church by challenging them to excel in generosity after the example of the Macedonians.
“But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.” (2 Corinthians 8:7-8 ESV)
Two Rules Before We Provoke
1. Encourage First It is easy to criticize when someone does a job poorly or differently than we would. Never do that to your church family. Instead, help others use their strengths and encourage them in whatever God has called them to do.
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14-15 ESV)
2. Glorify God When we work in the Church and accept challenges to do more, we keep Christ first. We worship Him together, study His Word together, and give thanks to God together.
“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. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:16-17 ESV)
Onward Christian soldiers.
