How to be Church when we can't do Church?

This Sunday, Steph Littlejohn brings us the talk in the latest of our EBC Online services. Once you have watched the video, we encourage you to reflect on the bible text and join us in the prayer that follows below.

To listen to the talk click here.
 
Readings:

Hebrews chapter 10, verses 19 to 25 (NLT translation)

A Call to Persevere
19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place
21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,
22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
 

Prayer & Reflection

Jesus thanks you for the ways that you brought an ordinary group of people together and showed them how they could give as good as they got.
Thank you for the potential in each one of us to bring encouragement to others and to stir each other up to love and good works.
Help me to see how, where and when I can do this.
Help us father to see ways to grow together to become more like Jesus
Amen



Questions to Consider

1. Read the passage a couple of times. What jumps out at you or surprises you? Why is that?
 
2. Make a list of the reasons that you gather with other believers?

3. This passage gives us 3 main reasons that we should meet together? How does this differ with the main reasons that you have to meet with others?

4. Is this something that you try to do when you gather with other believers?

5. There are many different ways that we can meet together despite the current restrictions. There are life Groups and friendship groups as well a Sunday morning gatherings. Are you taking seriously this call to encourage one another and stir up love and good works in each other? If not, what steps do you need to take to do this?

6. In the coming days and weeks what can you do to keep not only your focus on Jesus but others that you know? What will you do about it?

To listen to Steph's live talk from Sunday, click here. She refers to a video, which can be watched here.