Saturday 24 October 2026

Psalm 4

Background
The majority of the passages from Hebrews we have been reading this week are focused on what Christ has already done. Today is all about our response, the daily choices we make. We are urged to 'hold fast', reminding us that this is not a simple, easy thing. Indeed, it may take all the strength we have, and sometimes we may still fail. That is why verses 24-25 are so key. If we are able to hold fast, we are required to support, encourage and lift others so that they do not feel lost or a failure. These are the marks of the very best of communities, where we 'provoke one another to love and good deeds'.

We often experience people egging each other on in negative ways. Here we are challenged to do the opposite: to be the ones who recognise, affirm, celebrate and encourage. In other words, we should be people who are actively looking for and encouraging each other to show the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23 "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control"). We can probably name people in whom the fruits of the Spirit are very visible, but what does it take to be a community that together builds these in each other? One pointer would be a community that notices and comments on the positive in each other far more than the negative. It is often said we should praise a child four or five times more than we criticise them – maybe the author of Hebrews is suggesting the same (or even more) for our churches and communities.

Sadly, praising each other is not something that I have experienced very often, but I am reminded of a small church in one of the most deprived communities in the UK. Visitors to the worship would often say they experienced the Holy Spirit more there than anywhere else. I am confident that the members' acceptance, appreciation, support, love and kindness towards each other and those who joined them was deeply intertwined with their experience of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, we are charged not to neglect to meet together (v. 25). When we see someone who hasn't been to church for a while, our welcome and every word and gesture is so vital. We shouldn't make them feel bad that they haven't been, but so safe, comfortable and accepted that they return again and again. This takes thought, care and love as the same approach does not work for everyone. In particular, extra care is needed for those of us who are neurodivergent, from other cultures, or who are going through difficult experiences.

To Ponder:

• Thinking about the communities we belong to, what makes some better than others? Do we have a part to play to make them better? What is that?
• What difference would it make to see the fruits of the Holy Spirit as communal rather than individual?

Bible notes author: The Revd Dave Warnock
Dave is a Methodist minister without an appointment. After much DIY, he and his wife Jane have now launched their 1977 sailing boat and are building up to sailing around the world as sustainably as possible. Their intention is to model sustainable living and help encourage connections between sustainability and faith. They also want to see sailing have a positive impact on vulnerable coastal communities. For more information, see their blog and YouTube channel