FELLOWSHIP

Acts 2:41-47

To teach the Importance of Fellowship to the life every believer.

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine if you are member of basketball team, yet you are playing alone, performing the position of a guard, center, and forward. Isn’t a hard time? Expecting that you have a team and a part of it, yet you’re playing alone?

What if you are born in a family, yet you’re an orphan, no immediate family to be depend on, no mother, no father, and no brothers and sisters. Or you may be like this, you have a complete family member but you decided to be alone, not being connected or not making an effort to be united with your family because of unavoidable circumstances, or any reason. Isn’t a bad situation for you?

Christian who are isolating from the church, decided to be alone, and decided to depend from himself alone is like an orphan child, a one-man team basketball player, a part of the body detached from the whole body, a branch of a vine detached from the vine, and an astray sheep separated from the flock. A tragic moment for a Christian, a moment when a Christian decided not to have a fellowship from the Church and other believers. From book of Acts, let us examine the value and importance of fellowship from the early Church.

TEXT: ACTS 2:41-47

What is Fellowship?

1.        A group of people united to follow Christ’s  Teaching and Apostle’s Doctrine (Acts 2:42) and they surrendered their life to Lord Jesus (Matt 18:19-20)

2.       It is a Body consists of many parts. (1 Cor 12:12, 27)

3.       The Center of their gatherings and unity is Christ (1 Jn 3:3, Matt 18:20)

What are the Importance of Fellowship?

1.      Develops Relationships (Acts 2:41-47, 1 John 4:19-21,  Romans 12:9-18, Jn 13:34-35)

Christianity is a relationship, and our Christian living rooted from these two commandments; to love God and to love others (Matt 22:37-40). We may be very religious and pious but without conforming from these two commandments will turn to become Pharisees and teachers of the law like the time of Lord Jesus.

Early Church continues to grow in faith through their continues fellowship with other believers, when they fellowship, it brought a chance for each other to serve and minister to the needy fellows. (Acts 2:41-47)

Jesus said that to show to the world that the person is truly a disciple of Him is by loving each other. This type of character can only be express through proper relationship to other disciples it is the relationship that cannot be taught and found from the world, only from the true disciples of Christ.

Apostle Paul said that as a Church we must grow in love (Romans 12:9-18), other positive character of a Christian will develop through fellowship that promotes love, and it can be extended even to the enemies. (Romans 12:19-21)

2.     Promotes Unity (Acts 2:41-47, 1 Cor 12:12-27, ) and Purpose (Eph 4:11-13)

Early Church experienced the Spirit of unity; they find a way to give time for fellowship, addressing the needs of every member of the Church. When they fellowship, they pray together, exercise giving and sharing, and they worship and praise God together as one and united Church. Together they become devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching. 

In Ephesian Church, Apostle Paul said that Lord Jesus gives different types of ministries for the following purpose:

1.        To Equip and Prepare the Chosen (Christian) for the Welfare and Edification of the Church. (Eph 4:12)

2.       For the Unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God (V. 13)

3.       For the Maturity of the Church like the Fullness of His Son (V. 14)

3.     Experience Fullness (Eph 4:13, 1 Cor 12:12-13,27, Jn 15:5-9, Col 2:10)

Some people try everything to find happiness, they tried wealth, fame, power, influence and other drugs just to experience fullness of life. Yet, all of those were just a bit of temporary happiness and pleasure but demands lots of sacrifices, hurt and shame. But according to apostle Paul fullness of our being can only be found from Christ alone (Eph 4:13), by uniting with Christ, Christian will find fullness of his life. (Col 2:10).

Lord Jesus said, “…apart from me you can do nothing”, fruitful life, the love of God and His blessing can only be found by abiding in Christ.(Jn 15:5-9) Remaining to Christ and to His body will reach and experience our fullest potential as a part of the body, designated for certain ministry and purpose as individual Christian designed to become part of the Body of Christ. (1 Cor 12:12-13, 27)

“Nobody can Experience Fullness separated from Christ, nobody can find Maturity separated from the Body of Christ” – (Eph 4:13)

CONCLUSION:

Hebrews 10:25

The Bible Encourage us not to forsake Fellowship.