Introduction

Good morning, dear church family. It's a joy to stand before you today, not as a stranger, but as a fellow traveler on this road of faith we walk together. We gather here, not as individuals, but as a family united by the love of our Heavenly Father, bound by the promise of His grace, and guided by the light of His word.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to a poignant moment in the life of our Savior, Jesus Christ, as He hung on the cross. The Scripture passage we will be focusing on is John 19:26-27, which reads, "When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to her, 'Woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' From that time on, this disciple took her into his home."

In this brief, yet powerful exchange, we see Jesus, in His final moments, not only providing for His mother's physical needs but also emphasizing the value of spiritual kinship. He was creating a family, not of blood, but of faith.

Charles Spurgeon once said, "The church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones." And isn't that the truth? We are not here because we are perfect, but because we are loved by a perfect God, who calls us to love one another as He has loved us.

Let us bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the opportunity to gather together as a family of believers. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to Your word, that we may gain a deeper understanding of Your love for us and how we can better love one another. Guide our thoughts and our words, Lord, that everything we say and do may be pleasing to You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Fostering Family Fellowship

In the heart of the Gospel, we find a profound sense of community, a bond that goes beyond mere acquaintance or casual friendship. It's a connection that transcends the boundaries of our earthly families and extends to our brothers and sisters in faith. This connection, this fellowship, is what Jesus was emphasizing as He hung on the cross, entrusting His mother to His beloved disciple.

When we look at the early church, we see this fellowship in action. Acts 2:42 tells us that the believers "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." They shared their lives with each other, not just on the Sabbath, but every day. They ate together, prayed together, learned together, and supported each other in times of need.

This is the kind of fellowship that we, as a church family, should strive to foster. It's not just about attending services together or participating in church activities. It's about genuinely caring for each other, being there for each other, and growing together in our faith.

Now, let's look at the first aspect of fostering this kind of fellowship. It starts with love. Not the kind of love that is based on feelings or emotions, but the kind of love that is a choice, a commitment. It's the kind of love that Jesus demonstrated when He laid down His life for us.

This love is not easy. It requires sacrifice. It requires patience. It requires forgiveness. But it is this love that binds us together as a family of believers. It's this love that enables us to bear with each other, to encourage each other, and to build each other up in our faith.

The second aspect of fostering fellowship is communication. Communication is the lifeblood of any relationship, and it's no different in our church family. We need to be open and honest with each other, sharing our joys, our struggles, our doubts, and our victories.

But communication is not just about talking. It's also about listening. It's about being there for each other, not just to offer advice or solutions, but to offer a listening ear, a shoulder to lean on, a comforting presence.

The third aspect of fostering fellowship is service. In Galatians 5:13, Paul writes, "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love."

Service is not just about doing things for others. It's about putting others before ourselves. It's about looking out for the needs of others and doing what we can to meet those needs. It's about being the hands and feet of Jesus in our church family.

The fourth and final aspect of fostering fellowship is unity. In Ephesians 4:3, Paul urges us to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Unity does not mean uniformity. We are all different, with different backgrounds, different experiences, different gifts. But we are all part of the same body, the body of Christ. And just as the different parts of a body work together to function as a whole, we, too, need to work together, in unity, to fulfill our purpose as a church family.

As we reflect on Jesus' words on the cross, let us strive to foster this kind of fellowship in our church family. Let us love each other, communicate with each other, serve each other, and strive for unity. And in doing so, let us become a true family of faith, bound not by blood, but by the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Fulfilling Fraternal Functions

As we reflect on the words of Jesus on the cross, we see a powerful demonstration of His concern for the well-being of those He loved ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO