[social_warfare buttons=”Facebook”]Sermon for the service of January 15, 2016 by Pastor Steve Hopkins
(Acts 2:42-47, NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
New Year, New You: Fellowship
v Fellowship is…
1. Part of God’s Nature…
o In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2, ESV)
o In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1, NRSV)
o And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens town apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heave, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:10-11, NRSV)
2. …and Part of Our Nature…
o Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (Genesis 2:18, NLT)
o As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17, NIV)
3. …and Thus, Important.
o As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will
send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:16-17, NIV)
o At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. (Luke 6:13, NLT)
o For where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them. (Matthew 18:20, CEB)
TQ: How have I previously considered the biblical implications of fellowship?
v But what do we do with it?
< 1. We join together
o You are my friends if you do what I command…This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:14, 17; NIV)
o “Which of those true Christians had any such fellowship with these [false Christians]? Who watched over them in love? Who marked their growth in grace? Who advised and exhorted them from time to time? Who prayed with them and for them as they had need? This, and this alone, is Christian fellowship.” (John Wesley, A Plain Account of the People Called Methodist)
TQ: Has someone ever watched over me as disciple in love? Have I done this for others?
<! 2. Life Support @ KCUMC
o Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. (1 John 4:20, NIV)
TQ: So, how can I love the God I have not seen when I do not love the people I have seen? How can I love the neighbor I do not know if I fail to adequately love the neighbor that I do know?
o They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42,47; NIV)