Not forsaking the gathering of the saints
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Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1678 Lesson from the Bees
1678 Lesson From The Bees
One bee always seems ready to feed another bee, sometimes even one of a different colony. Mutual feeding among bees, who are very social insects, is the order of their existence. The workers feed the helpless queen who cannot feed herself. They feed the drones during their period of usefulness in the hive. Of course they feed the young. They seem to enjoy the social act.
Bees cluster together for warmth in cold weather and fan their wings to cool the hive in hot weather, thus working for one another’s comfort.
When swarming time comes, bee scouts take out to find suitable quarters where the new colony can establish itself. These scouts report back to the group, executing a dance (as they also do to report honey) by which they convey the location of the prospective home to the colony. As more than one scout goes prospecting and reports back, the bees appear to entertain the findings of all scouts and at last the entire assembly seems to reach a common conclusion on a choice. Thereupon they all take wing in what is called a swarm.
1678 Lesson From The Bees
One bee always seems ready to feed another bee, sometimes even one of a different colony. Mutual feeding among bees, who are very social insects, is the order of their existence. The workers feed the helpless queen who cannot feed herself. They feed the drones during their period of usefulness in the hive. Of course they feed the young. They seem to enjoy the social act.
Bees cluster together for warmth in cold weather and fan their wings to cool the hive in hot weather, thus working for one another’s comfort.
When swarming time comes, bee scouts take out to find suitable quarters where the new colony can establish itself. These scouts report back to the group, executing a dance (as they also do to report honey) by which they convey the location of the prospective home to the colony. As more than one scout goes prospecting and reports back, the bees appear to entertain the findings of all scouts and at last the entire assembly seems to reach a common conclusion on a choice. Thereupon they all take wing in what is called a swarm.
English Standard Version Chapter 10
19 pTherefore, brothers,3 since we have confidence to enter qthe holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by rthe new and living way that he opened for us through sthe curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have ta great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts usprinkled clean vfrom an evil conscience and our bodies wwashed with pure water. 23 xLet us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for yhe who promised is faithful. 24 And zlet us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 anot neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ball the more as you see cthe Day drawing near.
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 441.
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 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, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Last week we talked about the importance of being devoted to the Word
This week - Fellowship
We all have had those kindard spirits
those who would stick closer than a brother
Why was the early church so passionate about Fellowship?
Why was the early church so passionate about Fellowship?
What is the purpose of fellowship?
When we think of fellowship today, many think of people gathering in the fellowship hall for some donuts and coffee
Or those who have a like desire for a good pizza
When we think about fellowship, we think of good times, good friends, and sunny days
When I look at fellowship in the bible, I see warriors gathered together, side by side ready to do battle as the body of Christ.
They are like the heroic men of Normandy, Pearl Harbor, or in the deserts of Falujiah? side by side, fighting for their life and their country.
SO WHY WAS THE EARLY CHURCH SO PASSIONATE ABOUT FELLOWSHIP? Because they understood why God created it, and where it has its foundation!
It is directly related to the very nature of God
God is triune
The Father is in perfect union (perfect fellowship) with the Son and Holy Spirit
The word fellowship is used 9 times in the NT
One who participates with another in some enterprise or matter of joint concern.
One who comes alongside you and joins in the effort to accomplish a specific task
The passion the believers had for fellowship was birthed out of a right understanding of why God created us, to be in fellowship with him
The Westminster catechism states it this way, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.”
When the church grasp that God created us to be in community with him, then we will enjoy the body of Christ, and the community of faith around us.
When the church set’s aside self and focuses on others, then we will experience greatness of the body of Christ.
Illustration of the Bees
How do we adopt the attitude of the early church?
How do we adopt the attitude of the early church?
Man was created in the image of God
We were created to be in fellowship with God
Adam sinned
Sin entered the world and because of sin, humanity relationship with the Father was forever broken
We were in need of redemption
Redemption brought about renewed fellowship with the Father, and with those in the family of God
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 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, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
NIV19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Fellowship is not something we can accomplish in and through ourselves
It is not something we can accomplish in and through ourselves
It comes through the transformation of the Spirit in our lives.
It comes through the transformation of the Spirit in our lives.
I LIKE WHAT CURTIS JONES SAYS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES:
The Holy Spirit has transforming power, uplifting power. That power makes us more than we are and fills us with energy. He makes a home for God in our hearts. He gives us purpose, direction, and stability.
G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 164.
When we begin to think we can take over for the spirit, to often, as Paul says,
What begins in the Spirit can and will be made perfect in the flesh
We will not accomplish the level of fellowship without the Spirits work in our lives.
Why? B/c we are flawed individuals
We need the work of the Spirit in our lives, and that comes from a faith founded in Christ Jesus, and Him alone
Verse 19-21
Because of what Christ has done we now have access, but not only access we can confidently comes to the throne of grace.
literally the word carries the idea in this context, having confidence in the presence of persons who are of high rank.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves punishment and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because he first loved us.”
Verses 22-23
Notice that the author of Hebrews is addressing a church of believers here
What we notice about biblical fellowship
1. Fellowship happens when believers meet for worship
Drawing near to God takes the focus off of self, and redirects our hearts as a church toward the living God
Remember what we learned about God and His word last week
The closer we draw to God the more aware we become of his
holiness
our sinfulness
how we become clean
lastly the transformation
That transformation becomes evident not only to us, but those around us as well
This aspect can be seen The ten commandments, as we drawn near to God, we are transformed, and we deal with our neighbors differently
2. Fellowship happens when believers speak about God things
Both in and here, the believers are drawn together not only by a common faith, but also as they share and profess concerning the great things God is doing in and through their lives
Through the proclaiming of God’s great works
We refocus our thoughts from me to Him
We provide testimony of God’s faithfulness
Teach others about God’s goodness
3. Fellowship happens when believers focus on others rather than self
Consider = to think about very carefully, to consider closely, to take careful notice
Literally stoking the fire in those around us, encouraging them in the gifts and ministry that God has called them too
In the beginning of Hebrews the author writes, “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (, NASB95)
Do we gather to church with the attitude of how I can encourage my brothers and sisters in the faith, or what I can get from the church?
God gave the body of Christ as a gift to us, but each person has a part to play
Illustration of the bees
IF WE ARE CHAPEL WHO ARE LIVING OUT BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP, THEN WE WILL BE A PEOPLE WHO WILL REFLECT GOD TO A WORLD WHO ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED AND WANT OF A GOD WHO LOVES AND DESIRES TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH HIS CREATION.
In closing, my desire for us as a chapel
That we would be a chapel and a people who are devoted and saturated with the Word
That we would be a chapel and a people who are passionate about fellowship and showing the world the greatness of God through his church.
Next week,