Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody

Hebrews 10:24, 25: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” From this verse we learn we stirred as we benefit from the different strengths, gifts and abilities God has given to each member of the church. This means that no Christian can be an individualist. We must give thought to how we can help each other. One way we serve one another is by being involved in the ministries of the church from volunteering to help clean the building or teach Sunday school.

There is a story about four people in the church whose names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. The church had financial responsibilities and Everybody was asked to help. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But you know who did it? Nobody. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Then the church grounds needed some work, and Somebody was asked to help. But Somebody got angry about that, because Anybody could have done it just as well and, after all, it was really Everybody’s job. In the end the work was given to Nobody and Nobody did a fine job.

On and on this went. Whenever work was to be done, Nobody could always be counted on. Nobody visited the sick. Nobody gave liberally. Nobody shared his faith. In short, Nobody was a very faithful member. Finally the day came when Somebody left the church and took Anybody and Everybody with him. Guess who was left. Nobody!

This illustrates what the author of Hebrews is telling us. We are to consider our place with other members in the body.

Verse 25 says: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”One thing this verse tells us is that we cannot worship God at home. Iain Duguid writes: “Why can’t we worship just as well in front of the TV set, where the music and the preaching may well be more inspiring? The reason is that as the covenant community together we are the new temple…there is something about corporate worship which is not present in individual worship, and that ‘something’ is a fuller expression of the reality of God’s presence.”

We are to come together to experience God’s Spirit in worship. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper we might be overwhelmed with joy and all our sins have been paid for through the blood of Christ.

As theologian Donald Whitney explains: “When a football team wins the National Championship, it gets more glory if the game is shown to millions throughout the country than if no one but you were to see it individually on closed-circuit TV…Public glory obviously brings more glory than does private glory. Likewise, God gets more glory when you worship Him with the church than when you worship Him alone.”

Hebrews 10:25 admonishes us to encourage one another. We cannot do that if we absent ourselves from worship. As we are surrounded by unbelief in the world, we need to gather with other believes and remind ourselves of the hope that is within us to pray for one another as we go out into the world and live for Christ. Fellowship with one another is important so that we learn from each other in matters of family and friends. We ask each other what would you do in this situation or that situation. We come together as Christians not only to worship but to share with one another.

The final thing the author says is that we do this “as we see the Day approaching.” There’s a progression here. As we go through life we remind each other of the goal that we strive for: Christ and His heavenly kingdom.

See you Sunday.

Dick