Fellowship Series

The Habit of Fellowship

Gal 6:10, Eph 2:19, Rom 12:4-10, Heb 10:24, Eccl 4:9-10, 12, Matt 18:20, Heb 3:13, Gal 6:1-2

John 17:20-23, 1 Pet 4:10, 1 Cor 12:5, 27, Acts 5:42, Matt 6:11-13, Rom 12:13, Acts 2:47

October 20, 2003

I. I said last week that I was going to be talking about habits that we need to develop as Christians to replace the habits that we developed before we became Christians.

A. Today we are having a care group get together. Care groups are something that some people have put a lot of work into, to help you in developing the habit of fellowship.

B. As a Christian there is something that you need to drill into your head, and that is I BELONG IN GOD S FAMILY WITH OTHER BELIEVERS!

C. If you read through the New Testament, you ll notice that the word brothers and sisters and father and children are used a lot.

D. It s because there is a repeat relationship connection between us, and our father who is in heaven. As a matter of fact, Jesus says of His disciples you are my brothers.

E. Do you realize how incredible a thing that is? If you have a brother and sister, it s a special relationship.

F. Your Christian brothers and sisters are actually closer in reality than physical brothers and sisters.

G. We as Christians ought to be related to one another in such a way that we can relate as brothers and sisters in the most intimate sort of way -- sharing with one another, praying with one another, and caring for one another.

H. We have the same Father. And that Father has drawn us together in one family. Because, He knows that we really need each other.

(Gal 6:10 NIV) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

I. That s a strong statement. We need to focus on how can we help each other, how can we relate to one another in that special kind of way as brothers and sisters, especially those who are believers.

(Eph 2:19 NIV) Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,

J. What that means is, you are a member of God s very own family and you belong in God s household with every other Christian even more than your earthly brothers and sisters.

K. We belong in the same household. He s our Father. We re His children and we belong to each other.

L. There s a uniqueness to the body of Christ that goes beyond blood relations.

1. If I closed the car door on my finger. Immediately, that finger has let the rest of my body know that I am a knuckle head, because it has a common connection with the my head which connects the rest of my body and communicates to the rest of my body what is going on with the different parts.

2. My finger hurting is a really significant part of my life because it s painful. But in the same kind of way, each one of us, should relate to one another just like the parts of our individual bodies relate to each other.

3. Because Jesus who is the head of the body of Christ connects us just like my head connects all the other parts of my body.

4. We are all part of each other and we need each other, because we are spiritually connected in the body of Christ.

M. Ray Ortland makes this statement, "The Christian who is not committed to a group of other believers for praying, sharing, and serving, so that he is known, as he knows others, is not an obedient Christian. He is not in the will of God. However vocal he may be in his theology, he is not obeying the Lord."

N. I have talked to a lot of people who say they know the Lord. But when I ask where they fellowship-- what church they go to? "They say, I don t believe in church.

O. I commune with God out in nature." That s ok to a degree. I have written some good sermons in a deer stand. But I really question whether that person understands what it means to relate to Christ.

P. You cannot relate to Jesus the way you should, without relating to His church and His children. We are to be one in unity together because we are family.

Q. I like this one too. Some people have said, "I m committed to the invisible church."

R. I have to try hard to resist, and have not always been able to resist asking. Does this invisible church have an invisible pastor or invisible leaders, and members who visit when they re sick or hurting?