What a blessing it is to be together again, and
I want to say thank you to the congregation for
Everything your participation last week in the
meeting. We had a phenomenal meeting from start
to finish We had great teaching great lessons,
but we had great participation from our congregation
We had a lot of other things outside of just
the services that we did and those were well
participated in and so I think overall we had
a fantastic meeting and I just want to thank
you for everything that was done because it does
take effort and it does take sacrifice to do
those things. So I'm very grateful. This morning
for a few minutes I want to continue with a series
that we started regarding the mission of the
church and the mission of the church is very
very simple. It's to save the lost and to keep
the same. to save the lost and to keep the saved.
Last time we talked about worship and the importance
of worship on the mission of the church and it
is important to come together to have time to
worship but it's also important that we worship
outside and how we live our lives and it's important
on how we worship that God has called us to worship
in spirit and in truth and it takes both of those
things. And I look at the thought the thoughts
about fellowship and I think well, we kind of
know what fellowship is We have fellowships we
get together. We like to get together. Obviously.
We love each other We like to eat some of us
a lot more than others. We like to eat Sometimes
when we think about fellowship, maybe the idea
popped in your mind was sire dough bread pizza
rolls Brenda's fried apples Something like that.
That's okay. That's fellowship to you. We can
fellowship around those things But you know fellowship
is much more than that And when I think about
fellowship and I just and I want to just try
to wrap up fellowship and into one sentence I
would say this I Can't do this alone. I Can't
walk alone And I need you to help me walk Then
you need us to help you walk And we were made
to be together It is God's divine plan that we
come together and we be together not just on
this time on a Sunday morning, not just a Sunday
evening service, not just a Wednesday night service,
but it is important that we come together as
the church to share our lives together because
we are better together. It's because that's how
we were designed. And I appreciate the reading
this morning from brother Matt and acts chapter
two verse 42. I want to go back over this one
more time. I just want to point out some things
in the scripture this morning. I want you to
think acts chapter two is the day of Pentecost
right after the day of Pentecost when Peter he's
been given the keys to the kingdom and he opens
up the door and it lets people into the church.
The first time the church is opened up to people
to come into and then what happens next? After
they heard the preaching of the gospel and 3
,000 souls were saved, what happened next? Because
now we see a picture of the church forming together
and what it's gonna become and how we're gonna
live our life and how we're gonna act in our
life. And it says in verse 42, and they continued
steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship.
They gave attention to teaching. They wanted
to learn what... God wanted for them and what
God desired for them for they to be pleasing
to God. And so they took attention to the apostles
doctrine and what he was teaching, but they took
attention also to fellowship, to being together.
They were now the church, the called out of this
world. And it was important for them to be together
in breaking of bread and communion. The word
that we use for communion is fellowship. Those.
Those words can be used interchangeably in prayers.
Prayers were important. Praying for one another.
Praying for those that were without. Having a
relationship with God. Being thankful to God
and showing him a heart of gratitude for all
that he's done. And fear came upon every soul
and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
And all that believe were together and had all
things common. They were living life together
and some and sold their possessions and goods
and part of them to all men as every man had
need. You know, many people had come a long ways
to come to Jerusalem for Pentecost. And you know,
when you pack for a trip, you kind of pack what
you need, maybe a little bit extra, but something
great had happened at Jerusalem and they weren't
going home anytime soon. They needed food. They
needed a place to stay. And I'm gonna tell you
what, the brethren came up and they said, you
know what, I've got extra. I'm willing to share
with those that they may be a part of this or
I'll sell a piece of land. That way we can have
money so we can distribute and take care of these
people here. That seems like a really odd concept.
Can you ever think about a time in your life
where you said, I'm gonna sell a piece of land
just so somebody else can meet and eat and worship?
It's kind of foreign to us, isn't it? But that's
what they did at Pentecost or when the church
was established here after Pentecost and they
continued daily with one accord You mean they
just didn't see each other the next Sunday So
well, see you next Sunday. That's when the Lord's
called us together daily They were a part of
each other's lives They were with one accord
in the temple when they went to worship breaking
bread from house to house They spent time together
outside of the worship times. They did eat their
meat with gladness and singleness of heart They
were of one heart these people Praising God and
having favor with all the people are having goodwill
or grace toward the people and The Lord added
to the church daily as such should be saved This
is a picture of the church This is the picture
of the New Testament church. This is a picture
of what our church Must pattern itself after
a group of people that have come together with
one mission one cause under one banner with one
savior Together Now one of great Satan's greatest
lies is that we can make it alone You know, I
like time alone Sometimes we need that time alone.
Sometimes we need to go into our prayer closet
alone and spend time alone But I will tell you,
for the majority of the rest of the time, I'm
much better with somebody else. I don't want
to feel isolated. I don't want to feel by myself.
But Satan, he likes to isolate us and get us
alone. Historically, look at some things that's
happened. He asked isolated eaves from Adam's
council. Separate the husband and wife and take
the woman in and beguile her and and try to tell
her a lie. that she may eat and she did eat and
she took it and gave it to her husband. You remember
the story? I believe it's in first Kings chapter
19. Elijah, he gets this threat from Jezebel
that Jezebel says he's going to kill Elijah.
He's going to make his life as a life of one
of those prophets that Elijah and his prophet
slew there after the sacrifice, the contest.
Well, we see Elijah he gets out in the wilderness
alone He sits down up on it underneath the juniper
tree and he wishes for himself that he might
die Because he was alone But he got help what
about Judas Did you just take Peter with him
when he went to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of
silver? Who did he take with him? He didn't take
anybody with him He was isolated from the Apostles
and it gave him an opportunity to sin and to
betray the Lord of Lords Isolation is dangerous
for the Christian and The devil seeks to isolate
you away from the church You know one of Satan's
greatest victories is if he can take you and
drag you away from this group of people here
That's what he wants to do Don't you know that
it hate that it it? It wears on him and he hates
to see you and I gathered together in the name
of Jesus this morning as one people called into
one person and one purpose and one salvation.
Don't you know that he can't stand that this
morning because we're stronger together because
we have brothers and sisters together are looking
after the well -being of each other, not just
for worldly good. I want to see my brothers and
sisters be prospered in worldly ways that they
have enough, but this is more spiritual. Don't
want to see my brothers and sisters be weak.
I don't want to be weak Don't you get strength
by coming into the assembly? Don't you get strength
from talking to brothers and sisters people that
don't just have your best worldly Ambitions in
mind, but but your best spiritual ambitions in
mind Don't you know that you're sitting amongst
people that what they wouldn't do that you go
to heaven That's what matters The first thing
God said was not good. It was not sin. It was
not suffering. It was not sorrow It was this
fact here Genesis 2 and 18 and the Lord God said
it is not good that man should be alone. I Will
make for him a help meet for him or a helper
that is capable to take and help him God saw
man. He created Adam and he was by himself And
Adam looked around at all the other creations
said all this other creation has something to
Habitate with but here I am. I'm different. I'm
alone And you know God is the giver of great
good gifts He's the giver of all good gifts and
what he do he gave him to Adam this great gift
this helper So that he didn't have to be alone
anymore Someone that he could talk to and that
he could walk by and that he could labor with
in the garden What a precious gift When you think
about your marriage, can you think am I better
off or worse off with my spouse? I'm going to
tell you unequivocally this morning. I am better
with my spouse She provides for me things that
I need She cares about me. She looks to my good
She is the person that I dream with make plans
with The marriage the spouse is an awesome gift
from God. It's a built -in best friend. And that
best friend just doesn't say, I'm your best friend.
They make vows to stand with you, for better,
for worse, for rich or poor. No matter what happens
in this life, I will stand with you. God made
that, and he made that for you because you're
better off with that. God never intended humanity
to live in isolation because God himself lives
in eternal fellowship There's always been fellowship
inside the realm of God and we consider the Holy
Trinity the Father Son the Holy Spirit They enjoy
perfect communion before creation ever existed
It's not just God the Father, but it's God the
Father. It's Jesus the Son. It's the Holy Spirit
altogether You see a fellowship there even in
God's grander design. There is fellowship. There's
unity within Fellowship is not merely a church
activity again. We can't just think about the
Eaton's we have here We have family game nights.
I love family game nights hang out play games
You don't I mean if you've ever seen Daniel giggle,
I mean Daniel will giggle over certain games.
It's kind of funny But it's not merely that what
is it? Fellowship is the answer to man's deepest
loneliness and God's meth method for keeping
souls faithful It's intentional. It must be intentional
God create us for fellowship because he desired
our fellowship Fellowship begins in the heart
of God It does not start in our desires that
we don't want to be alone But it truly starts
inside of the heart of God before man desired
God God desired man We see that in the garden
after Adam sinned, God came seeking Adam. In
Genesis 3 and 9 it says, and the Lord God called
unto Adam and said unto Adam, where art thou?
Where are you at, Adam? Now why did he ask that
question? Because what we see before that, they
were walking hand in hand, there was no sin in
the world, there was no separation between God
and man, but man had sinned. And God had warned
man that if you sin, if you eat of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil, In that day you
will surely die Now we know that the aid of the
fruit, but they didn't fall over dead. So what
did God mean? It will cause separation between
you and I and that's what death is death is separation
when we die physically We are separated from
our loved ones. Our body is separated from our
spirit and our soul their separation, but this
separation that was caused is much deeper Separation
than just our loved ones being Torn away from
us from death. Where are you, Adam? See, God
wasn't seeking information. He was seeking relationship.
Where are you, Adam? Adam, you've been separated
from me. He knew exactly where Adam was standing,
but he made the point that we are now separated.
Adam, your sin has separated us from each other.
Throughout scripture God repeatedly pursues fellowship.
He did it with walking with Adam in the garden
He did it with speaking with Abraham as a friend
dwelling among Israel in the tabernacle becoming
flesh in Jesus Christ He came and visited mankind
and had fellowship with mankind and he does it
dwelling within believers through the spirit
today This fellowship exists through us. The
story of redemption is the story of God restoring
fellowship That's what it is Salvation is ultimately
reconciliation many of you salvation only as
forgiveness and I won't tell you what Salvation
is forgiveness and coming to know Jesus Christ
in faith and obedience It does bring forgiveness
and it does take the burden of sin away from
us and man I tell you what if I had a burden
of sin, I'd sure want it gone If you're not here
today and you're not a member of his church,
if you've not been baptized into Christ, if you've
not confessed faith in him today, I'm gonna tell
you what, it's great to take a great burden off.
It's important that you can walk out of these
doors today, forgiven of your sins, that God
will no longer hold those things against you.
But I'm gonna tell you what's just as good today
as a relationship. That relationship with God
that we can enjoy and share forgiveness is the
means but fellowship is the goal here Isaiah
59 verse 2 says but your iniquities your sins
Have separated between you and your God and your
sins have hid his face from you that he will
not hear It separated Adam and I'll tell you
what it separated every man and every woman that's
ever lived ever since Our sins have separated
us or cause separation has caused us to go out
of fellowship with God Almighty. First Corinthians
one nine says, but God is faithful man. We can
spend a lot of time on that statement right there.
How faithful that God is. God is faithful by
whom you were called into the fellowship of his
son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. You have been called.
He has extended an invitation to you and I that
we might be brought back into fellowship with
God. God won't have to wonder where are you?
Because God knows where you're at and you know
where God sits and you enjoy that relationship
and that covenant relationship Think of all that
he's done to make that fellowship possible Do
you remember when you were separated those of
you that are Christian that you remember when
you were separated? And how guilty you felt that
you're seeing you're seeing Had separated you
from an almighty God that loved you but then
From hearing the Word of God faith came And you
understood that God loved you and that he sent
Jesus his son to be that sacrifice for your sins
That's your blood your your sins might be blotted
out by his blood For what purpose for forgiveness
of sins, but for that relationship to be brought
back That you could stand and you could call
God your father. That you could be called a child
of God. That you could be a part of the family
of God. Heaven is eternal fellowship just restored.
The greatest blessing of heaven is not golden
streets. It's God's presence. I've made that
argument before. I won't belabor it today. I
don't believe in golden streets. I think that's
just an analogy. I don't think you can put a
price on heaven. I don't think you can put a
value on heaven. I just think you have to use
words like gold to portray value of how awesome
it's going to be. First Corinthians two nine
says, but as it is written, I has not seen nor
ear heard nor entered into the heart of man.
The things that God has prepared for them that
love him. You've never seen it. You've never
heard anything like what it's gonna sound like
in heaven Your imagination can't dive deep enough
into what heaven is gonna be like one day You
just can't do it in a mortal mind The Bible says
in Revelation 21 and 3 and it says I heard a
great voice out of heaven saying behold The tabernacle
of God is with men and he will dwell with them
They shall be his people and God himself shall
be with them and be their God. What is heaven
going to be like? It is going to be pure unadulterated
fellowship with our God we're going to stand
there and we're going to be named his people
and We are going to look at him and we are going
to claim him as our God and there's going to
be nothing in heaven that's ever going to separate
that fellowship between us and God ever again.
There's not going to be any more temptation.
There's not going to be any more sin. There's
not going to be more regrets. There's not going
to be any more sorrow or crying or pain or anything
that would take us away from him. What a day
that'll be to be in full and perfect fellowship
with the father once again, like he was made
from the beginning. The church should reflect
earth on earth what heaven will be forever This
is our goal to be named his people to name him
as our God and we We distribute that we voice
that to where we go Christ demonstrated the necessity
of fellowship when he came he came as man A hundred
percent man in the flesh, but a hundred percent
God. Jesus intentionally surrounded himself with
people. And if anybody could have lived independently
in this world, it was Jesus. I mean, what did
he need from us? Right? What, what act of service,
what act of tribute can you give a God that literally
made everything that owns everything? It's like
trying to find the gift for the person who has
it all. What are you gonna give? He chose his
disciples, he ate with them, he walked with them,
he taught them, he served them, he prayed with
them, and he prayed for them. But we see a glimpse
in Gethsemane about the importance of fellowship
and how Christ felt about the fellowship of his
followers. Matthew 26 verse 36 says, then cometh
Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane,
and said unto his disciples, sit ye here while
I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter
and the two sons of Zebedee James and John and
began to be sorrowful and very heavy He took
three of his followers with him. He said I need
you to come I need you to watch while I go and
pray And the Bible says he was very sorrowful.
He was very heavy You know, there's three words
in the Greek that describe heaviness right here
And of all those words that describe a heaviness.
This is by far the heaviest of the heaviest it
is somewhat described as depression jesus is
being brought very low why is he brought very
low at this time he quite literally has the weight
of the world and more specifically the sin of
the world bearing down on his shoulders and he
knows what the cost is. He knows what's coming.
And so he takes three disciples with him to stand
with him, to be with him during this difficult
time. Then saith he unto them, my soul is exceeding
sorrowful even unto death, tarry ye here and
watch with me. And he went a little farther and
fell on his face and prayed saying, Oh my father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass for me.
Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt and
he cometh into disciples and Findeth them asleep
and Seth into Peter. What could you not watch
with me one hour? His most desperate time the
weight of the world on his shoulders He's taken
three with him just to be some moral support
while he's going through this time And he comes
back out of the garden after he's been praying
on his face, and he looks at him and there they
are And they're asleep Man I Need you Peter.
I need you. I need you right now John Can you
not just stay awake just another hour? While
I go through this trial, can you not be with
me? This is Jesus If Jesus needed a friend In
a dark hour? How much more do you and I need
friends in dark hours? He said, watch and pray
that you enter not into temptation. The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And
he went away again the second time and prayed
saying, Oh my father, if this cup may not pass
away from me, except I drink it, thy will be
done. And he came and found them asleep again
for their eyes were heavy. He left them and went
away again and prayed the third time saying the
same words Then he cometh to his disciples and
said to them sleep on now and take your rest
Behold the hours at hand and the son of man is
betrayed into the hands of sinners Jesus desired
fellowship It was important to Jesus even though
he was the divine son of God. He was their creation
He created all things. He knew all things. He
is a god of infinite power and infinite wisdom
and infinite love. But yet he desired fellowship.
Be with me, watch and pray with me. The son of
God desired companionship. The burden was his
alone to bear in the garden, but he didn't want
to face the agony alone. Even perfect people
need faithful command companions. How about how
much more to imperfect people like you and I
need companions? I Tell you what if Jesus needed
fellowship if he yearned for fellowship, what
does that say for our? Well, but we need to yearn
for fellowship we need to be faithful in our
fellowship both asking for it and Giving it in
return the cross demonstrates the horror of the
separation Matthew 27 46 the Bible says about
the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice
saying Eli Eli Lamassabat tonight That is to
say my god my god. Why has thou forsaken me?
Jesus hung on that cross The sin of the world
had been laid on him the perfect spotless lamb
of God And he was there alone the father was
not going to come to his rescue Father was not
going to pull him down off that cross the father
was going to let his will be done Being the father's
will be done And he suffered The physical agony
was terrible But being separated from a holy
God is worse It's not just mere physical merely
physical suffering. It's the separation and what
sin does it? It destroys fellowship. You know,
if we let sin come into our marriage, it will
destroy our fellowship with our spouse. If we
let sin come into our home, it will destroy our
home. If we let sin come into the church, it
will destroy the relationships that we have in
our congregation. The cross -purchase restoration.
And it's for him, and it's for him alone that
you and I have redemption from our sins. Jesus
hated sin. And you and I as Christians, we ought
to hate sin equally. We need to keep it away
from our marriage. We need to keep it away from
our homes. We need to keep it out of the church.
Are we imperfect people? Absolutely. But we are
imperfect people with a realization that we are
a family of imperfect people. And everybody needs
support. everybody needs help there's no one
person looking down on another here because we're
all in the same boat and I'll tell you what this
world cries out for equality equality equality
I won't tell you we're real equality lands it's
in the gospel because you and I are all sinners
we're all equal we're all imperfect through the
cross we can all be saved Biblical fellowship
is more than just association. Fellowship is
sharing a common life. The word koinonia means
participation or communion or partnership. You
can absolutely attend church without fellowship
in the church. You can be a member of North Warren
Church of Christ and you can disregard fellowship.
You're not supposed to, but I'm saying you're
capable of it. You can come and share a building
together and you can still failed to share a
life together. I will tell you what, brother,
we were called for much higher than that. The
life that we've been called to in the example
that we see there in Acts chapter two, what the
church did, how they come together and had all
things common and they broke bread from house
to house and they had singleness of heart and
they were in one accord. That's what God is calling
us to. There's no sex in the church. There's
no clicks in the church. There's no groups. There's
no hierarchy in the church. There ordained offices
of elders and deacons in this church, but I'm
gonna tell you what elders and deacons are not
any better than anybody else If it were just
up to elders and deacons to do the work of God
and that would leave everybody else out But it's
not the way God set up the church It's our job
to do the work of the church it's everybody's
job to do the work of the church and to function
Biblical fellowship is much deeper A few things
that God has called us to do to each other. Share
burdens is one. Galatians 6 and 2. Bear ye one
another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
You know, it's not just suggested. It's mandatory
to bear one another's burdens. You know how you
do that? You share each other's burdens. You
know what each other's burdens are. You spend
time together and you figure that out. You build
trust and relationships with other people so
that you can share those things and those things
can be shared with you. We share joys here. Romans
chapter 12 verse 15, it says, rejoice with them
that do rejoice and weep with them that weep.
I'm gonna tell you what, in real thing, when
you have a victory in your life, I have a victory
in my life because I enjoy being a cheerleader
for my brethren. When I see somebody do good,
let's say somebody else's kids. Now, I like my
kids. I want to see them do good. But you know
what? I get excited when I see your kids do good.
That makes me excited because, hey, that's my
people. That's my people. We are the same congregation.
We have the same promises together. We have the
same wants and desires together. And I enjoy
when you get a promotion, man, it may not affect
my bottom line, but I tell you what, I get excited
when you get a promotion. I get excited when
you have something good happen to you. I want
to be a cheerleader for you. And I'll tell you
what, you've been a cheerleader for me and my
home and my family, my kids. You come to my kids
ball games. You come to my kids graduations.
I appreciate that. And we need more of that We
need more those opportunities to intertwine our
lives rejoice with them that rejoice We share
struggles and vulnerabilities around here Bible
says in James 5 16 confess your faults one to
another and pray one for another that you may
be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much You ever walk up to complete
strangers and tell them all your dirty laundry
No, I don't either You know who I tell people
my deepest and darkest secret secrets to people
I trust people I know People that I know love
me people that I know that care for me You know,
it's it's difficult even to come up to a brother
and sister to share your faults that it really
is It's embarrassing to be honest with you I'll
tell you what the times in my life that I give
myself over to that. There's always been blessing
attached to it Let me tell you what it does.
It does a couple of things that are really important.
One thing is it gets it off of you. There is
freedom in confession. To get something out in
the open and not just hold it and hide it to
yourself, there is freedom in that. I'm gonna
tell you something else it'll do. It will bind
you closer together with that person that you
confess to. Because you have relayed that there
is a trust there that I can trust you. Can trust
you with my deepest and darkest secret and I
know that you're not gonna go tell everybody
I know that you're not gonna look down or judge
me for it But I know that you have true care
and compassion that you're gonna try to help
me with whatever problem I've come and whatever
fault that I've laid on you that I trust you
to try to help me with that I'm gonna tell you
what? I'm not saying you got to do that every
day. I'm saying if you will practice that in
your life blessing Blessing will come from it
Not only just you personally but relationships
around you if you will humble yourself and confess
your faults one to another We share resources
acts chapter 4 verse 32 and the multitude of
them that believed were of one heart and of one
soul Neither said any of them that ought to things
that which were possessed was his own But they
had all things common and with great power gave
the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all
Neither was there any among them that lacked
for as many as were possessors of lands or houses
sold them They then brought the prices of the
things that were sold and laid them down at the
Apostles feet and distribution was made unto
every man according as he had need There should
never ever be anyone that goes hungry in the
church Minimum. Now we can't make boat payments
here. We can't do a lot of things. But I'm going
to tell you what, the attitude of the first century
church when it was established was a very sharing
group of people. They shared. You know, they
were concerned about people that had need and
they tried to fill those needs. We can do that
too. We are a blessed people. We have much more
than we need. We always look for more there's
always an attraction for more more more, but
we have plenty we have plenty to share and I
believe wholeheartedly that God will bless us
and we will be fruitful and multiply in those
things if we share Why would God bless you with
more material things if he knows you're a stingy
person to begin with? That makes sense Why would
he give you more just so you would hold it up
and hoard it up? God will bless us if we continue
to share of those things that we've been given
and sharing responsibilities first Peter chapter
4 verse 10 says as every man hath received the
gift Now these gifts were several different things,
but they were gifts of ministry Even so minister
the same one to another as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God You know how powerful and
effective that we could be if we all use our
gifts. Now he's not talking about money here
per se. He's not talking about money. He's about
the abilities that God has given each of us to
do ministry, to help other people, to serve in
the church, to be a light in the world, to share
the gospel, all those things. Man, what would
happen if a group of people use the gifts that
God gave them? for his glory. What would happen
to the congregation? What would happen to that
group of people? There's no telling what could
happen to a group of people that put their minds
to it, put their hearts in it, and took what
God gave them and used it to his glory. There's
no telling. The early church practiced real fellowship.
Acts 2 and 44. We already read this, but I want
you to look at it one more time. and all that
believe were together and had all things common,
sold their possessions and goods, parted them
to all men as every man had need, and they continued
daily in one accord in the temple, breaking bread
from house to house, did eat their meat with
gladness and singleness of heart. They were together,
they shared possessions, they shared meals, they
shared worship, they shared daily life. Christianity
was never to be a once a week activity. If we
have it in our minds that What God expects for
us is to go to church once a week To see those
people to ask how they're doing even if it's
truly genuine if we ask how they're doing Brother,
we're missing an opportunity We're missing what
God has blueprinted for our lives You know We
need to find opportunities to bring people to
our house share a meal We need opportunities
to go out to eat in other places. We need more
opportunities that we can get together Study
the Bible Formally informally you can have a
study sheet you can hey invite somebody over
to the house and say hey I've just got a question
Let's talk about this. Tell me what you think
about this Maybe you've got an idea about it
that you want to share with somebody else to
see if they they agree with the same thing There
are all kinds of opportunities Maybe it's going
somebody's house mowing the yard. Maybe it's
going picking up sticks at somebody's house.
That's fellowship. That's ministry That's the
work of the church There's a lot of opportunities
to do that and but if we're shutting it down
to say it Hey, my Christian walk is one hour
a week. That's my family time. It's not enough
We never see that in Scripture where an hour
a week was enough Fellowship is God's design
for keeping the same Christianity was never designed
as a solo journey I want you to consider all
these passage right here of one another one another
one another Love one another Encourage one another
bear one another's burdens forgive one another
pray for one another admonish one another None
of these commands can be filled in isolation
And I'm gonna tell you why they're important
one It's on me I've got to love. I've got to
encourage. I've got to bear. I've got to forgive.
I've got to pray. I've got to admonish. Because
you know what I need? I need somebody to love
me. I need to be encouraged. I need help with
the burdens that I bear. Because I can't bear
them alone. I need forgiveness. I need prayer.
I need admonishing. We're gonna live by the rule.
We're gonna treat others how we want to be treated
I'm gonna tell you what we've got to be willing
to give these things Because every one of us
need these things in return So let's set an example
Let's set the pattern Let's do those things one
to another, but you'll never fulfill any of them
any of them If you don't spend time together
If you don't make part of your life part of your
brother and sister's life and vice versa Isolation
creates spiritual danger coal removed from the
fire soon grows cold You take a month off and
you don't talk to anybody here You see where
your spiritual well -being is You need to be
close to the Coles A sheep that's separated from
the flock becomes vulnerable. We see that all
throughout scripture when somebody's isolated
away from God's people, how vulnerable they become.
We know that a branch detached from the vine,
it dies. And you will too. And how can this be
fixed? Fellowship. Coming together. Interwoven
your life into the life of those that you go
to church with that you worship with Satan oftentimes
off Tax isolated believers Hebrews 3 and 13 says
but exhort one another daily as it is called
today lest any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin Exhort one another once
a week. Is that did I read I read that wrong?
exhort one another daily Exhort one another daily.
It's important Why? Because the enemy, you know
what he does? He is daily trying to tear you
and I down. He is daily trying to tear the church
down. He is daily trying to tear relationships
down. He is daily trying to drive a wedge between
you and I. So what must we do? We must build
each other up. We must encourage each other daily
so that we can overcome the deceitfulness and
hardened hearts of sin. that it causes. God uses
believers to sustain faith. When Elijah wanted
to die, God provided companionship. After that
spot under the juniper tree that day, God, he
had a meal fixed for him. He said, you're going
to annoy some kings. He said, but you're also
going to go and find Elisha and he's going to
be prophet in your stead. And Elijah and Elisha
walked together for a while. until Elijah was
taken up in a fiery chariot. When Paul needed
encouragement, God sent brethren. Do you think
Paul went on all those missionary journeys by
himself? What about Barnabas and Silas and John
Mark and Priscilla and Aquila? How about all
those that walked with Paul? See, he never went
alone. Can you imagine having to do all that
traveling all by yourself? I guess it would be
okay. I guess you'd get by, but boy, it sure
would be better with somebody with you. You know
when the Lord sent out those disciples, how do
you send them out one by one? No, he sent them
out two by two He said you need some help When
Timothy struggled Paul wrote letters to him An
older apostle reaching out to a younger evangelist
to give him support God often answers prayers
through people one of the greatest evidences
of God's care is the church family This Goodness
that you and I enjoy It comes from God These
relationships that we enjoy that we've got somebody
that encourages and somebody that looks out for
us and somebody that truly cares about this our
soul This is all evidence of God's love for his
people Because he's not called us to walk in
isolation after our salvation, but he's called
us to walk together Fellowship is essential to
saving the lost the lost are watching our relationships
People that don't know what we do here don't
understand why we do the things that we do here
I'm going to tell you what they may not know
all those things and understand those things.
I'll tell you what they watch how we live They
watch how we love they watch how we care for
each other and how we treat one another John
13 35 says by this shall all men know that you're
my disciples if you have loved one to another
All men those that are inside the church, those
that are outside the church, sinners of all kinds,
they will understand that you're my disciples
by the way you love each other. We are that light
set up on a hill. We treat people different.
We care about people. You know what people in
the world that live for the world do? They really
just care about themselves. They really just
care about their own well -being, about their
own bank account, about their own entertainment.
But you know what? I know you people here. You
people care about more than that. You people
care about the church as a whole. You people
care about the relationships inside the church.
You care about people. You want to see people's
physical needs met, yes. But you know what the
desire of this people that I know here is? You
care about people's souls. You want people to
go to heaven. and you're willing to reach out
a hand and take somebody by the hand and lead
them and Encourage them and pick them up when
they've fallen down so that they could meet that
goal People don't won't judge us by our building
They won't judge us by our budget. They won't
budget by programs that we have It's because
how we love each other and the church becomes
visible proof of the gospel The way you and I
treat each other and love one another Is a loud
voice to the rest of the world We belong to Jesus
We believe in Jesus and That is the message that
we're campaigning on people often belong before
they believe When they come in they can see genuine
care and they can see real love for each other
And they can see people sharing each other's
burdens and they can see this mutual support
and I'm gonna tell you what you don't get that
everywhere You know where you get a lot of that
outside of the church in a gang a Gang is somewhere
where people can go to belong and They all have
one creed and they all have one goal. It's all
about the club all about the club all about the
game But I'm gonna tell you what you and I is
the church by the way the gang world got that
from the church It's not vice versa. We didn't
get this from the gang world But you and I we
are a place where people can come and belong
No matter who they are. No matter what background
they come from no matter what kind of sin they
committed This is a place where everybody belongs
This is home And we have one purpose here. We
have one mission is the church That's to save
the loss and to keep the same. That's what we
do and we're unified in that People might ask
what's different about these people. The answer
is Jesus The answer is Christ our Lord Because
he is our Savior. He is our Redeemer Acts 2 and
47 They said praising God and having favor with
all the people and the Lord added to the church
daily such as should be saved Now Matt read it
this morning. I started with it this morning
We've read other parts of that this morning all
that was going on all that fellowship that was
going on all that Singleness of heart all that
one accord all breaking bread from house to house
all those Was just the precursor to what was
about to happen The Bible says and more people
came People saw what the church was doing people
saw the attitude of this this early church and
they said you know what? I think I want to be
a part of that And the Bible says the Lord added
the church daily as such should be saved a Big
part of that was because they saw the fellowship
of the church They saw these people and they
were radical people. They were radical. They
were taking care of people They didn't even know
who would sell a piece of property So that somebody
they didn't even know could have something to
eat who would do that. That is crazy No, that's
love That's love for the church. That's love
for people's souls. That's what that is That's
what we want to have here fellowship creates
an environment where the gospel can flourish
And when people on the outside sees what the
people inside here doing they'll want to be a
part of it, too And the gospel will have its
roots And many people can come to be saved the
mission of the church is to save the lost keep
the saved Fellowship serves both of these purposes
Fellowship is that example to people that are
outside to come in and people that are inside
it keeps us here It keeps us grounded Why would
I ever want to leave a group of people that loves
me so passionately? That cares about me at my
deepest level people that I can be vulnerable
with people that I can be why would I ever leave
that? You won't you won't you will fall in love
with this group of people And you'll say this
is my family and I don't walk away from my family
And that's how we'll keep the saved It draws
the loss toward Christ while strength and believers
to remain faithful behind it all stands a God
who always desired fellowship with his people
We don't do this because it's a good idea. We
don't do it because it's my idea We don't do
this because it was another smart man's idea.
This was God's plan And that's why we're gonna
follow it the invitation of the gospel is ultimately
an invitation into relationship We want you to
be saved, but we want you to be in fellowship
with God The Bible says in first John 1 3 it
says that which we have seen and heard Declare
we unto you that she may also have fellowship
with us He's talking to to Christians, to believers.
He's talking about that fellowship that those
believers have with the apostles and those that
are working in the church here, John the writer.
And he says, and truly our fellowship, both mine
and both your fellowship is with the father and
with his son, Jesus Christ. That's where I want
my fellowship. My fellowship belongs amongst
God's people, but my fellowship is with God himself.
He has accomplished what he set out to when he
called out to Adam and said, where are you? That
separation existed, but Jesus Christ has come
and he has filled the gap of that separation.
He has brought you and I now And now we can enjoy
a covenant relationship. We can enjoy real fellowship
with God our Father our Creator Jesus our Redeemer
and with his people Started out by saying I can't
do this alone You can't either Ecclesiastes chapter
4 the Bible says two were better than one because
they have a good reward for their labor You ever
had a job where you were working on something
by yourself And you said man, I just had another
hand. I Just had somebody here to help me. This
would just be a lot smoother I'm sure you've
had that time. Well, if I could just have somebody
here to hold this steady for me, I'd get this
done. You know, if we work together, we will
get so much more done. I was a young man. I told
an old man one time, I said, I'm done with these
crazy women. I said, I want to live single. I'm
going to save all my money. I'm going to have
all my money. And I'm not gonna get married He
said you're a fool He said let me tell you something
son He said there's no way in the world. I could
have what I have if it not be for my spouse I
Wouldn't have my children I Wouldn't have this
home that we have that we share I Wouldn't have
the blessings of having a helper walk through
life with me He said you need a helper And he
was right And I have thanked him for that several
times for that good advice You know us as a congregation
If one of us try to do a little work you'll get
something done, but how much more if we all work
together How much more could we accomplish? And
I'm gonna tell you something. I won't tell you
another reason why you need each other He says
verse 10 for if they fall The one will lift up
his fellow but woe to him that is alone when
he falleth for he hath not another to help him
up in verse 11 again if two lie together then
they have heat but how can one be warm alone
and If one prevail against him to shall withstand
him and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
I Want to tell you what this really scripture
is really getting at You're gonna fall You're
gonna find times in your life where you feel
cold Your zeal grows cold You're gonna have times
that you want somebody to fight for you and with
you Now it's not it's not maybe circumstances.
I'm telling you this morning. You're gonna fall
down And you're gonna need somebody to help you
get back up And you're gonna have times in your
life where your zeal is gonna grow cold And you
need somebody to help you fire back up And there's
gonna be times in your life where people are
gonna fight against you and you're gonna want
somebody in your quarter And I will tell you
you're gonna get all that with fellowship in
the church You're gonna have somebody to help
you up. You're gonna have somebody to fire you
up and you're gonna have somebody to fight with
you That threefold cord that's you And that's
me and that's Jesus And that's what binds us
together and when you take those three and you
braid them together That is a cord. That's not
easily broken And you need that and I think that
And we can't do it alone One little strand You
fall down and you'll stay down You'll get cold
and eventually you'll go out You'll get in a
fight And you won't get back up because nobody's
there to fight with you and for you Fellowships
important this morning Fellowship is required
to fulfill the mission of the church And it's
going to help save people the way we live our
life is going to help save people That otherwise
might not be saved And it's going to be good
for the church It's going to be good for you
individually if you'll put your heart into fellowship
and fellowship in God's people There's going
to be great Unspeakable blessing if you'll do
that That's what God's Word tells us to do. That's
the pattern. That's the blueprint of what the
church should do That we have all things common
That we come together in one accord singleness
of heart And we do it in the name of Jesus If
you need something this morning, perhaps you
feel like you've been isolated you've isolated
yourself Maybe you've been knocked down. You
need somebody to help you get back up Maybe you
need to help some have some prayer this morning
that your zeal not grow cold Maybe this morning
you need somebody to fight with you and I tell
you what prayer warriors will fight with you
We'll pray for you this morning. We'll pray with
you this morning and not just today, but from
here on out We'll be your champions will be your
brothers and sisters. We're gonna hold together
lock tight together We're gonna remain together
until the Lord comes back If you haven't got
a relationship with Jesus today, I'm gonna tell
you what today's the day Jesus is calling this
morning He's begging for you to come in back.
He wants fellowship with you this morning He
wants to walk with you. He wants to be your Savior
And if you believe that Jesus Christ is the son
of God If you'll confess that and if you're willing
to turn away from your sin and turn towards him
and be washed Acts 2 and 38 after they'd asked
the question men and brethren. What shall we
do? Peter said repent be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for remissions
of sins And you shall receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit It's what he's told him to do repent
be baptized wash away your sins So when God calls,
where are you? I'm right here I'm right here
father And I'm yours If you have a need this
morning, you won't come sit on the front. We'll
pray with you The water is ready. We'll baptize
this morning will wash away your sins This morning
today is the day of salvation if you have a need
won't you come as we stand the same?