Christian Fellowship – Dave Johnson lifehopeandtruth.com

The Sabbath was set aside to be a day of rest from secular work, but it is more than a day of rest. It is also a holy convocation. What is a “holy convocation”? It means a divinely commanded assembly, a summoned assembly. Hebrews 10:25 is a vital chapter of the Bible partly devoted to church attendance. Many are familiar with Paul’s words to not forsake assembling but to exhort one another. What is often overlooked is what the other verses of this same chapter say. Notice the subject is our access to the Father in Heaven. Under the Old Covenant, there was only a constant reminder of sin enacted by the priests in their daily rituals. But under the New Covenant, we have access through Christ to the Father. We are to draw near to Him “with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (verse 22), and to “hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering” (verse 23), and to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (verse 24). We are not to neglect assembling ourselves together. We simply cannot exhort and encourage others when we are not in church regularly. Regular church attendance is important. It is good for you and good for the other brethren! They have as much need of your presence as you have of theirs, and all have need of the presence of Jesus Christ and His messages.