sermon 6th Feb 2011
Intro; a new series on “The marks of a healthy church’ based around Acts 2;42 ‘They remained in the apostles teaching and fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayers.’
Today we are going to think about fellowship, on Sun 20th worship and on 6th March before Jinny’s induction that afternoon in the morning service we will look at prayer.
When Daphne and I came to visit CPAC to see whether we would come to this church we were immediately welcomed into the warmth of the genuine fellowship here; that first tentative Sunday we felt free to worship here and when Danny and Linda invited us for lunch and listened to our story we felt embraced by the fellowship.
(1) What is fellowship and why is it so important?
- is it fellows in a ship together? That’s one way of picturing it.
The NT Greek word for fellowship is ‘koinonia’ which means sharing together in something very precious. The Apostle John, the youngest one who lay next to Jesus at the last supper, in his first epistle writes about sharing in Christ and the life He came to give. To begin chapter 1 he says, “We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life- this life was revealed and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us- we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that both our joy and your joy may be complete.”
So first and foremost Christian fellowship is fellowship with those who have experienced the living Jesus.
When I committed my life to Christ and was filled with the Holy Spirit a new level of connectedness with every believer began for me.
(2) Examples of fellowship
In Acts 2:44 says, “All who believed were together and had all things in common” that word ’in common’ is another version of word koinonia used in verse 42. Here the emphasis is on sharing things in common with one another particularly with those in need.
We have had the privilege of both sharing material blessings with other Christians and of receiving material help when in need. Each time this has happened in small fellowship groups we have been a part of. 2 examples are when we moved back to Wgtn with 3 young children I did not have a regular job and when we rented a house it was touch and go whether we would be able to meet the rent. The home group we attended put a collection together for us one Easter including food and things for the children and 2 gold sovereigns which we used to cover the rent. We were so blessed and the verse came to me,’ the silver is mine and the gold is mine’ says the Lord.( Haggai 2:8) I few years later a young couple in another home group with us were struggling to get the deposit for their first home and we were able to help them.
In fellowship groups we can share our real needs and together with the Lord’s help we can share all Gods blessings with one another. Galatians 6;10 says, ‘So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially those of the family of faith.’ When I first went to a large church in ChCh volunteers were called to paint a single mother’s house. I joined in and it immediately made me feel part of that church.
(3) Obstacles to fellowship:
1. People will let you down. That’s life both in the world and in the church. The problem in the church is that we share more deeply and so can be hurt more deeply. We expect Christians to be like Jesus and always understand us and never turn against us. Sorry to tell you that although we serve a perfect Saviour and we Christians seek to emulate him we often fail. In fact all Jesus disciples did and he forgave them and restored them to serve again. St Paul wrote, ’We have this heavenly treasure in earthen vessels’ (2 Cor 4:7)
Learning to live with people who are different to you and sometimes fail you is how God matures us to be like Jesus who even forgave those who crucified Him.
Guard the fellowship and don’t allow disappointment to harden your heart and cause you to pull back.
2 Another obstacle to fellowship is what Galatians 5 calls ’party spirit’ when we form cliques and gossip about the failings of people outside our cligue. Then you get circles of people looking inwood when true fellowship is always looking out for the new person or the person on the edges. True fellowship is always wanting to share the love of God and be a host to the outsider. I believe CPAC at it’s best is a host church through it’s members looking for ways to welcome new families into the church and into the suburb.
Isn’t that part of ‘connecting people and Christ…’ This how we connect with the greatest cry of the human heart, “Who will love me?”
(3) How can we promote fellowship in CPAC and beyond this year?
Ÿ Pray for one another for starters.. Why not use the church directory to pray for a page of members each day?
Ÿ Welcome people especially those new to you at church and to your street
Ÿ Join a fellowship group
Ÿ Do things together
Ÿ Take time to listen to how people are
Ÿ Be a fun person with a smile and a Hi and a laugh
Ÿ Be quick to forgive people who let you down
I believe one of the keys to CPAC past and present and future success is that we are a church that values fellowship. Let’s commit ourselves with the Spirit’s help to be passionate about fellowship this year. It could be the adventure of your life!
Fellowship Prayer
Lord, I stand in fellowship with my brothers and sisters today
Thank you for your death which saved me from my sins.
As you have forgiven me,
I choose to forgive those who have let me down.
Bind us together in the love poured out by your Spirit.
Make us a mighty army who can receive and share your love and power with one another and with those in need.
In Christ we commit ourselves to be hosts to welcome people amongst us and to share your blessings with them.
May your Kingdom come more and more through us in Jesus name. Amen
