ENHANCING OUR FELLOWSHIP - PART 4 OF 5
1. INTRODUCTION
1. So far we have looked at the doctrinal basis of Our Life Together by:
a. Noticing the intimacy and interdependency of our fellowship in the local church
b. Examining acceptance and freedom in Christ
c. Reviewing what is said about the limitations of our fellowship
2. In this week’s message, we’ll look at the application of our studies to fellowship in our church:
a. What can we do to strengthen our life together?
b. What sort of things enhance the fellowship we enjoy in Christ?
3. Let’s take a look at various acts of worship that we do in our public assemblies, which are designed to build and improve our fellowship in Christ
2. IMPROVING FELLOWSHIP THROUGH PRAYER AND WORSHIP
Let’s start by examining two acts of worship that we engage in at every service.
A. CONSIDER THE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY CHURCH
1. They were quick to join themselves together in prayer
a) They continued steadfastly in prayer - Acts 2:42
b) Especially in the face of persecution - Acts 4:18-23; 29-33; 12:1-12
2. They had fellowship in worship:
a) While enduring imprisonment - Acts 16:25
b) Note the connection of worship with praying
B. HOW PRAYER AND WORSHIP IMPROVES FELLOWSHIP...
1. Through the benefits of prayer, especially collective praying
a) Prayer is a wonderful source of strength and peace - Phil 4:6,7
b) But there is also a special value when Christians pray together
* Jesus taught the value of collective prayer - Mat 18:19,20
* James taught the value of the prayer of a righteous man; how much more the value of many righteous people praying - James 5:16
2. Through the benefits of worship, especially collective worship
a) Worship can certainly be an individual expression of praise - James 5:13
b) When done together, it also helps us build up one another - Col 3:16
c) This can lead to increased blessings, for such collective worship can:
* Nurture a heart of thankfulness to God - Col 3:16
* Help us be “filled with the Spirit” - Eph 5:18,19
3. ENHANCING FELLOWSHIP THROUGH THE LORD’S SUPPER
The early church certainly took advantage of the full blessings to be found in prayer and worship; they not only prayed and worshipped as individuals, but collectively as well. This helped to strengthen the fellowship they enjoyed in Christ. What about us today? Do we allow prayer and worship to strengthen our fellowship in the body of Christ? Do we see the value in devoting much of our service to prayer and worship? Let’s now take a look at an act of worship we engage in – ‘Communion’, or the ‘Lord’s Supper’.
A, THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF COMMUNION
1. It is a memorial - 1 Cor 11:23-25
a) Instituted by the Lord Himself
b) To commemorate the death of Jesus on the cross for our sins - Mat 26:26-28
2. It is a proclamation - 1 Cor 11:26
a) In which we proclaim our faith in the effectiveness of Jesus’ death in our behalf
b) To be done until He comes again (so it is also a proclamation of our faith in His Second Coming)
3. It is to be a period of extreme reverence - 1 Cor 11:27,29
a) It is to be observed in a worthy manner
b) Out of respect for the supreme price Jesus paid for our sins
4. It is a time for self-examination - 1 Cor 11:28
a) Where we can reflect on our own spiritual condition in relation to the sacrifice of Christ
b) We can check if we’re living in a manner that makes His sacrifice worthwhile?
5. It is a communion (sharing, fellowship) - 1 Cor 10:16
a) With the blood and body of Christ
b) And in a vertical relationship and fellowship with Christ and the Father by the Holy Spirit
B. THERE IS ALSO THE ELEMENT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHERS
1. It also has something to do with our oneness in the body of Christ.
a) Though many, we are one bread and one body - 1 Cor 10:17
b) Why? “for we all share of that one bread”
c) There are at least two possible ways to view this...
* Sharing of the one bread together reminds us of our oneness, i.e., our fellowship
* Sharing of the one bread together strengthens our oneness, or fellowship
Both views are right, and both are accomplished.
d) In this way the Supper is an act of worship in which there is both:
* A vertical fellowship - communion with the Lord’s body and blood
* A horizontal fellowship - communion with one another
2. This helps us to see some implications in several passages
a) e.g., Acts 20:7 - “...when the disciples came together to break bread...”
b) e.g., 1 Cor 11:33 - “...when you come together to eat, wait for one another…”
c) The Supper is designed to be a communal meal (even as the Passover, from which the Lord took elements to institute the Lord’s Supper, was a communal meal)
4. ENHANCING FELLOWSHIP THROUGH THE WEEKLY OFFERINGS
Communion, or the Lord’s Supper is more than just a personal act of devotion between a Christian and his Lord. As we share together, it should remind us of our fellowship in the one body of Christ, and by such remembrance strengthen our sense of fellowship. Now let’s take a look at an act of worship which may be considered by some as the least spiritual and therefore least likely to build fellowship.
A. HOW SOME MAY VIEW THE OFFERING
1. It’s a way to pay the bills
a) As a mere mechanical detail necessary to raise money to pay the bills
b) As a rude intrusion of secular necessity into an otherwise spiritual service
* i.e., worship, prayer, Bible study...these are spiritual activities
* But – in the offering - what does taking up money (mammon) have to do with worshipping God?
With this view, some might think to themselves: “Hurry up and pass the plate, so we can get on to more spiritual matters.”
2. A private act between the Christian and his God
a) There is a real spiritual side to the offering:
* Giving is an act of devotion to God
* I am giving back to Him as He has prospered me
b) Yet may view the offering solely as a private matter between a person and His God, with no bearing one’s fellowship with others
B. THE BIBLICAL VIEW OF THE OFFERING
1. A brief survey of giving in the New Testament church may give us a better understanding of giving (Luke 6:38)
a) The church in Jerusalem
* There was a marvellous spirit of giving for Christians in need - Acts 2:44,45; 4:32-35
* This evidently was a freewill offering, not something required - Acts 5:1-4
Here we have Christians in one congregation helping each other
b) The church in Antioch
* Responding to a prophecy about a coming famine - Acts 11:27,28
* They sent relief “according to their ability” to Christians in Judea , Acts 11:29,30
Here we have one church helping many churches
c) The ministry of Paul
* He was asked to remember the poor - Gal 2:9,10
* Which he was careful to do - 1 Cor 16:1-4; 2 Cor 8:1-5
Here we have many churches helping one church
2. A careful study of these verses reveal the Biblical view of the offering
a) A means of supplying need:
* The needs of poor Christians
* Also the needs of preachers - Phil 4:15,16; 2 Cor 11:9
b) A means of building and strengthening fellowship. Note how Paul viewed:
* The support received from Philippi - Phil 4:15,16
* The offering the Gentile churches were sending to their Jewish Christians:
- The Gentiles had been sharers (fellowship) in spiritual matters with their Jewish Christians, now they were simply sharing (fellowship) with them in physical matters - Rom 15:27
- The effect of such sharing was to create longing for one another; i.e. more spiritual fellowship together - 2 Cor 9:12-15
3. In the church at Jerusalem, such sharing was evidence that:
* They were of “one heart and one soul” (possessing true fellowship) - Acts 4:32
* They had true love for one another - 1 John 3:16-18
5. CONCLUSION
1. Every act of worship is designed to enhance our fellowship in the body of Christ...
a) Yes, there are elements of personal devotion in each of them
b) But we come together for a reason, and that reason includes enhancing our fellowship through activities which bind us closer together in Christ
2. The fellowship we enjoy in Christ...
a) Was made possible only by His death on the cross
b) But is strengthened whenever we assemble and participate in such activities as:
* Worship and prayer
* The Lord’s Supper
* The offering
3. If you seek to truly enjoy Our Life Together:
a) Never forsake the assembling of ourselves together - Heb 10:24,25
b) Take advantage of the tools that God has ordained to draw us closer to Him and to one another
