AND LET US CONSIDER | Northstar Church

“ 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.” – Hebrew3s 10:24-25 (ESV).

“And let us consider…”

The word “consider” means “to give careful consideration to some matter, to think about it very carefully, to consider it closely.” So when we encounter this word in Scripture, we are to pause and think carefully about whatever comes next. What is also implied in the word “consider” is that we will not think about others naturally. We have to remind ourselves to do it. We must train our minds to think of others.

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…”

We need to think deeply about how to love God more, love each other better, and how we can encourage each other to do good deeds for God. Then, it tells us the best way to do this. You can’t be a long-distance Christian. It is hard to have long-distance relationships. If we want to encourage each other to love better and do good works we have to be in relationship with each other, we have to gather together regularly, and the primary way we do this is by the gathering of the church or in small groups.

Stirring upon one another often challenges us to go somewhere where we don’t naturally want to go. We need to pursue each other and push each other to be godly. On your own, you can learn more about God and grow in your love for God, but at the same time, you must realize that you can’t see everything on your own. We all have blind spots. In order to grow in the Christian life, you must spend time alone with the Lord and be around other believers. We need community, and the community needs us.

“but encouraging one another…”

Over and over, the Bible emphasizes the importance of spending time with other Christians as a source of encouragement. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” Sometimes, the best way to encourage isn’t through words at all—it’s through listening. It’s by trying to understand the other person. Dallas Theological Seminary professor Howard Hendricks once said, “You can impress people at a distance; you can only impact them up close.” The general principle here is this: the closer the personal relationship, the greater the potential for impact.

The Christian life is meant to be lived in company with others, not alone. Hebrews 10:19–25 urges us to live in community with other followers of Jesus.

Even our most difficult days can become a meaningful part of our journey of faith when others share them with us.

Discussion Questions:

When did you keep going through a struggle because other people faithfully walked with you?
Who are the people in your life that you can walk alongside? How will you show them today that they are not alone?
What are some of the benefits of having meaningful relationships with other believers?