Lifebridge Community Church

The Devoted Church
“Spur People To Serve”
January 18, 2026
Alan Scott - LBCC

BOTTOM LINE: Jesus’ finished work gives us access into the dance of the trinity where we spur, love, and serve.

INTRO: Do you know the difference between a congregation and an aggregation? (illus. - a bag of marbles / cluster of grapes PIX…) One is a random collection of spheres that are collected together, and they bang and bounce together with no apparent cause. The other is grown together organically, connected to one vine that is their source for life, and as one grape remains healthy or unhealthy, so go the other grapes. Which are we as a church?

We gather on Sundays a motley crew. There are those working hard, but not doing well. Those who aren’t working and aren’t doing well. People are here with sleepless nights and frustrating weight gain because of stress and cortisol levels. We gather with a hodgepodge of people, numbed by binge-watching, binge-drinking, and binge-scrolling. Debt is a choking issue that leaves marriages tenuous. We have husbands and wives who have become increasingly irritable and distant. Joyless, overburdened, co-existing marriages fill our seats. There are dads who are not there even when they are at home. There are moms drowning in identity issues, and nobody has a clue. The room may have lonely singles who are settling, and teens who are cutting to mask deeper pain. Sitting among us are people with a growing disparity between their public/social media persona and the real, private person. The smiles on Sunday mornings fade quickly with the parking lot exit as many are living out of fear instead of faith. Fears of me, others, circumstances, and the future debilitate us. There are unmet goals, dread, insecurity, and a sense of failure that we carry into church. We carry both physical and spiritual unrest. And for those who are doing well and feel blessed, this verse can haunt us: “This too shall pass.”

Does going to church even work? Some are quick to say, “I like Jesus; I just don’t like His church.” Did Jesus even go to church? And to crawl out from any guilt or shame attached to going to church in the past, many will claim: “Jesus didn’t come to start a religion and a church, He came to give us a relationship.” And so… any golf course on a Sunday morning will do to be with Jesus, but not His supposed Christians.

Our text highlights that we should not neglect meeting together. The Greek is ep-ee-soon-ag-o, and this is where we get the word, synagogue — a religious gathering place of Christians. Is the point simply to go to church? Is that what the Bible says?

Hebrews 10:19 is perhaps one of the most prominent and significant “therefores” of all of scripture. Leading up to this verse is the rich theology of the finished work of Jesus. Some want the practical and not the doctrinal. We want messages to help with parenting, finances, marriage, and our careers, but not theology. But what we believe impacts how we behave. Theology is critical to how we live… and Hebrews is evidence of this.

Hebrews 1-10:18 gives us rich insight into Jesus as our high priest who understands us. He is a high priest who, unlike the Old Testament high priests, offers a sacrifice once and for all. Jesus initiates a new will, a new covenant that’s better than the old one based on the blood of animals. The new will/covenant is based on the blood of Jesus. The Old Testament priests were always standing and working, but Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, because His work was completely finished. Jesus makes us perfect, and is making us perfect. These are the kind of lofty, Jesus-theology things that bring us to our “therefore” in Hebrews 10:19.

I. Does the finished work of Jesus get us in? PIX
The people of the Old Testament, under the old covenant, could not get close to the presence of God. They relied on the high priest to go into the presence of God for them once a year. The blood of animals atoned for their sin, but this had to be repeated year after year. It was an ongoing work. And there was tremendous fear and trepidation with the presence of God. The presence of God would kill you. Nobody could survive. The presence of God was separated by a veil that was 15x15 and a hand breadth thick. Even today, if you go to Jerusalem, there is a sign near the old temple that warns orthodox Jews. PIX

There was no boldness to go into the presence of God. Fear. Trepidation. A rope with bells even for the high priest. And then we read Hebrews 10:19-21. The confidence is NOT in our works, but in the work of Jesus that gives access. Jesus’ body and flesh was torn like the temple veil was torn. This gives us access… bold, confident access into the presence of God. This is a “new” way… pros'-fat-os in the Greek. It means freshly slaughtered. The sacrifice Jesus made 2,000 years ago still works today. It’s a living, resurrected sacrifice. And this is how Ephesians 2:1-2; 4-5 works.

And the practical instruction for us is “let us.” THEREFORE… LET US. Let us: draw near to God; hold onto our hope & not give up; and consider one another. Let us draw near, hold onto hope, and consider one another.

II. What do things look like on the inside? PIX
(illus. - the Delta seats at Truist Park - there’s another elite club inside the Delta club - we want in - we want to be insiders)

Here’s what the inside looks like with the presence of God. It’s the dance of the trinity PIX where the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dance and weave and shyly defer and point to each other. They serve each other. Creation gives evidence to a dancing trinitarian God creating. Look at how the ocean, sky, and land dance together. An atom, the smallest unit of matter is made of three dancing things: protons, neutrons and electrons. A husband marries a wife and they have a child. This is the dance of the trinity.

And when the dance of the trinity is broken, the pain of isolation pushes Jesus to cry out, “My God, my God… why have you forsaken me!?” This was the first time since creation Jesus had moved out of the dance circle. He stepped out of the dance so we could have access to step in.

And we are invited in. Some have asked why God created man in the first place. Was He lonely? Is He a cosmic narcissist who wants to control people? Or… did he enjoy the dance so much that He had to invite people in?! Why do so many treat the dance of the trinity like a jr. high / middle school dance? Why do we sit in the bleachers and think that’s ok?

What are we do to? Hebrews 10:22-23. Let us draw near… get in the dance. Proximity transforms us more than information can. Jesus has sprinkled and washed us internally, and now there should be external evidence. Let us hold onto our hope. We are to kat-ekh'-o or hug, resist and cling. This can be hard… like hanging onto a rope (demonstrate).

Sometimes we lose our hope through a loosened grip, not so much through loud rebellion. We hold and think about and talk about our hope of a new heaven and new earth. We hold tight and do not assume our eternities!

But watch this. We draw near. We get in the dance. We point to each other. The dance reminds us of who we are, whose we are, and our futures. We hold onto that hope. But this is a “LET US” exercise. We also dance with and point to each other. Hebrews 10:24-25.

We meet together in the synagogue… we don’t neglect meeting together at church, in Lifegroups and in life SO THAT we can consider each other. This is a studying of each other. A knowing each other. A loving people one at a time each other. This has to be communal because we are doing this to each other! (This is why sustained online church doesn’t work really well.)

We consider each other and do two things.
#1 we spur. This is a somewhat negative and violent word. “par-ox-oos-mos'” It means to agitate and irritate. Found elsewhere in only one place – Acts 15:39. Some of you have been a part of those kinds of churches. This is an accountability thing.
(illus. - young couple recently baptized - deciding to move to FLA and move in together - I spurred them - felt like what a cowboy does to a horse! - not sure they liked it… but knew they needed it)
(illus. - Mike Hill & Rodney - “Brother, what do you want me to say at your funeral?”)
This is the elders saying to me, “Alan, you can be too concerned about externals like chairs and carpet. Just stick to the Gospel!” This is someone here at church telling someone else at church about a blind spot. Bruh… you’re not seeing your wife. Sister… you shouldn’t talk behind that person’s back. Hey, are you spending time with God like you should?’

We also consider each other by…
#2 we encourage. “I see in you. God is using you. What you did was so incredibly important and impactful.” “par-ak-al-eh'-o” (illus. - Tina W. having a word for Deb. B. last week — and telling her - and it was spot on!)

SO DO I HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH? If you just come and sit, I would tell you that you’re not going to church anyway. Going to church is spurring, encouraging, and serving each other. If you come early, stay late, go to lunch and the whole time your asking God who you should spur and encourage — NOW YOU’RE GOING TO CHURCH!

We want to be an agitating and encouraging church. We want both. Encouraging without accountability is permission to just stay the same. Agitating without encouragement is just legalism and correction without care that only produces fear, shame, or burnout, So do I have to go to church? Did Jesus go to church? Luke 4:16. You think he was late, or ever slept in… or golfed instead?

But Alan, I go twice… sometimes three times a month. I’m killing it. But if your car only started twice a week, or if the mail only came three times a week, or your wife only cooked once a week, or if you only showed up at work twice a week, or if your air conditioner only worked once a month during August — would that be OK?

Jesus’ finished work gives us access into the dance of the trinity where we spur, love, and serve. You need the church and the church needs you. I’m asking you to spur and encourage and to serve each other? The reach of our compassion will never exceed the depth of our service to one another. (illus. - Tony Campolo PIX Hawaii story…)

CONCLUSION: B.B. Warfield PIX - “Our greatest privilege may become our greatest danger.” Don’t serve in the kids' area, being bored with Jesus. You must love what Jesus did for you and hope he does that through you right to the kids! If you set up chairs or greet and don’t do this to honor Jesus and bring Him glory… then you’re greatest privilege has become your greatest danger. Perhaps we don’t have a serving problem as much as a fear-of-God problem.

Will you serve one another? Spur, encourage… agitate and irritate and love to serve and grow and make all things about Jesus – would you do this? WHY WOULD WE DO THIS? Hebrews 10:19-21… and let us draw near, hold onto hope, and consider one another.

I’m going to ask you to serve. To recommit, sign up again, or sign up for the first time. The church needs you, and you need the church. Stop just GOING to church… decide this morning to BE the church.

The elders will be up front to set you apart to BE the church. Then take communion, remember what Jesus did to give us access – and then go out in the lobby and classrooms and take a look at our ministry areas. Ask questions. Engage with people. Spur. Encourage. If you already serve, recommit. If you’re not serving, find an area to try. If you serve elsewhere, please let us know! If you don’t see something, and you have a passion – let us know by writing a note and putting it in the joy box. But if you do this, expect to lead the area you are passionate about!


LIFEGROUP QUESTIONS:
1. Aggregation or Congregation?
Hebrews 10:24 says we are to “consider one another.”
Where would you honestly place yourself right now—more like a marble in a bag or a grape on the vine? What practices (or absences) have shaped that reality in your life?
You can also look at: John 15:4–5; Acts 2:42–47
How do you sort out relational proximity and not guilt?

2. Bold Access or Cautious Distance?
Hebrews 10:19–22 says we now have confidence to draw near because of Jesus’ finished work.
Where do you still approach God with fear, hesitation, or self-performance rather than bold trust? What does that reveal about what you believe Jesus actually accomplished?
You can also look at: Romans 5:1–2; Ephesians 3:12

3. What’s Slipping from Your Grip?
Hebrews 10:23 calls us to hold fast to our hope.
Where has your grip loosened—not through rebellion, but through weariness, distraction, or disappointment? What would “clinging” look like in this season?
You can also look at: Colossians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18
Can you name one concrete hope they’re fighting to retain?

4. Who Has Permission to Spur You?
Hebrews 10:24 uses paroxysmos—to agitate or provoke toward love and good works.
Who in your life has earned the right to lovingly irritate you? And where might you be resisting correction because it feels uncomfortable rather than unloving?
You can also read: Proverbs 27:5–6; Acts 15:39
Ask the group to talk through these ideas: Accountability without love wounds; love without accountability stagnates.

5. Encouragement That Actually Builds?
Hebrews 10:25 says encouragement should increase as the Day approaches.
Who has spoken courage into your life recently—and who might God be inviting you to intentionally encourage this week? What keeps encouragement from flowing more freely among us?
You can also look at: 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13
Could your group go around the room and affirm each person?

6. Going to Church or Being the Church?
The text assumes gathering has a purpose: spurring, encouraging, and serving.
If someone watched how you participate—before, during, and after Sunday—would they say you attend church or embody it? What one shift would move you from consumer to contributor?
You can also read: Luke 4:16; 1 Corinthians 12:12–27
What step of service or commitment is God asking of you now?