Faith & Fellowship: Biblical Fellowship
Faith and Fellowship • Sermon • Submitted
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· 3 viewsThis is the first in a series of lessons on the biblical concepts of faith and fellowship. This lesson will define fellowship and consider who and what we have fellowship with.
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Introduction:
Introduction:
Paul addressed Philemon by acknowledging his faith and love towards the saints -
Then he uses an interesting phrase, “the fellowship of your faith” -
Fellowship is an often misunderstood concept and idea.
Questions of fellowship and its proper application can be some of the most challenging to our work and progress as a local congregation of God’s people.
Because of this, it is especially important for us to study these questions!
Defining Fellowship
Defining Fellowship
To understand a concept correctly, we must define the term correctly
close association involving mutual interests and sharing, association, communion, fellowship, close relationship
attitude of good will that manifests an interest in a close relationship, generosity, fellow-feeling, altruism
participation, sharing
What Fellowship Is & What It Is NOT -
What Fellowship Is & What It Is NOT
What Fellowship Is & What It Is NOT
42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Based upon the above definitions, fellowship is...
...having mutual interests...
...associating with one another...
...close relationships...
...love...
...participation...
...sharing...
...communion...
…in spiritual matters (worship, brotherly love, truth, doctrine, sufferings with the Lord, and faithfulness! -
Fellowship is NOT (in the strict biblical way):
Entertainment
Social meals
Social
Our Fellowship
Our Fellowship
God and His Son - ; ;
The apostles had fellowship with the Father
The mutual fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ, becomes the basis of fellowship between fellow Christians
3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
God has called us into fellowship with Him through Jesus the Lord
9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Fellowship with Jesus requires conformity to His death - cf.
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
Holy Spirit - ;
Just as Christ gives grace and the Father gives love, the Holy Spirit gives fellowship and life!
Fellowship that the Spirit gives is through baptism into the one body -
We do not have fellowship with any who have not been baptized into the one body.
The Christian’s relationship with the Holy Spirit requires a life of holiness and righteousness -
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
The Gospel -
5 in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.
The brethren at Philippi loved Paul and were especially devoted to him because of his preaching of the gospel—they were partakers of the same grace (), standing firm in the spirit and faith of the gospel (), their obedience (), holding fast the word of life ().
Monetary support (shared, 4:15) for workers in the kingdom -
The preacher/church relationship is a picture of biblical fellowship.
The employee/employer relationship is not the idea of the church/preacher. We are working together in spiritual matters of faith, grace, devotion, worship, prayer, obedience, teaching others and spreading the gospel.
Church -
1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Aiding those who are poor and needy - ;
Righteousness (not unrighteousness) -
14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
We are to expose the works of darkness -
11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
Conclusion
Conclusion
Fellowship is one of the great blessings we have from God!
We have fellowship with fellow Christians. We have fellowship with Jesus our Savior and God our Creator.
Our fellowship we enjoy is built upon righteous living, opposing darkness, and sharing in the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Let us be faithful to this fellowship and do nothing that might cause harm to this fellowship we have in Christ Jesus.