“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Jesus gave the Disciples a new commandment. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Jesus would very shortly show His love for them and for us as He would go to the cross  and, in love, die for all our sins. As He continued to teach the Disciples while He prepared for the cross, He would tell them again “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12). And again He would say, “This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:17) Their love for each other would show the world they were His disciples.

With the importance of believers’ love for each other in their witness to the world, the writer of Hebrews would say, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24) The word translated by the NIV as spur is also translated as stir up (ESV), provoke (KJV), be concerned about (CSB), consider how to stimulate (NASB), think of ways to motivate (NLT), and see how inventive we can be in encouraging (Msg). However we can, we are to help each other love each other and do the good deeds, which God has prepared for us. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

The writer of Hebrews would tell of three ways we can be used to stimulate and motivate each other to love and good deeds. He begins by saying, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” (Hebrews 10:25a) Already people were not seeing the importance of meeting together. In the church, we need each other. John would remind the church, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) If we are walking with Jesus, then we will fellowship with each other. As our fellowship with Him and each other Jesus will not only forgive us, but He will purify us which will make us more like Him that we may love each other. As John would conclude his letter, he would tell of the result of our time with Jesus and each other.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:1-4)

His second way of stimulating and motivating each other is by encouraging each other. In his letter he would say, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13) As long as the day is today, then encourage each other. We do have those who desire to stop the church. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) However, God has given us weapons to win the battle. “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) Today we need to encourage each other that we will not be hardened by sin, but encouraged with our love of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us through Jesus Christ.

The third way we are to stimulate and motivate each other is by more. Everything we are doing, we do more of it. The difference here is that we look to the promise of God. We look to what Jesus promised as He gives us eternal life. The Day is when we get what He is preparing for us. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:3) In that day, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” (Revelation 21:4-5) Until then, let us spur one another on!

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block