Title: Keys To Fellowship With God
Sub-Title: The Foundation Of Christlikeness
Text: I John 2:6
Pray!!!
Read Text!!!
Introduction:
One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
" It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered: "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve theirs.
We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."
The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."
- When I read this story I am reminded of Canada and how blessed we are to live in this country. Despite the problems and decisions that have been made, God has blessed and is continuing to bless this nation still.
- But this story can also apply to us as Christians.
- Meaning, instead of seeing what we don’t have, lets be thankful for what God has already given us, the beauty and vastness of our planet. The Bible says, “the meek shall inherit the earth.”
- One day we will rule and reign with Christ for a 1000 years, and thus enjoy the vastness of the world.
- Also there’s a strong parallel with the Spiritual aspect.
- Meaning sometimes we get focused on the everyday things of life, like food, money, clothing, payments, power, prestige etc, that we fail to change on the inside and become more like Jesus.
- Just like the Father was teaching his boy a lesson in appreciation, so God teaches us His standard of living. God always wants us to be changing on the inside.
- At times we may not like changing, but we need to see the importance of being changed on the inside, it gives us increased fellowship with God.
So...........
Transition:
- How did Jesus walk? And how can I apply it to my life, so that I may have increased fellowship with God?
- God has shown me 10 crucial ways in which Jesus, our example, has walked that we need to apply to our lives today.
* Before we look into these 10 points this morning, let me emphasize that God is not looking for perfection. We need a Savior and His name is Jesus Christ. We will fail, fall short and sin and we will need forgiveness from the Lord. Understand God is not looking for perfection, but rather a desire in our hearts that truly want to live the way Jesus lived.
When we strive to live the way Jesus lived, we will increase everyday in our fellowship with God. Jesus was perfect and without sin, but we are like the disciples, human, and in need of a Savior. That Savior being Jesus Christ.*
- How did Jesus walk? Jesus Walked With......
Point 1: Compassion For All People
The Bible says in Mark 6:34, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things.”
- Compassion is an emotion that moves people to the very depths of their being.
- It involves a sorrow felt for someone else’s misfortune, followed by a desire to help.
- We see this character trait in both God and His Son Jesus
Deut 30:3 says, “then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.”
Matt 9:36 says, “We He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
- Our God is a God of compassion towards His creation. He has an intense desire to help us even when we have blown it in every way.
- We live in an age where there is a lot of selfishness and apathy to the physical and spiritual needs of others.
- I believe Jesus wants us to be more compassionate. The Bible says in Matt 18:33, “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”
- It’s so easy to go the way of the world, and miss the needs of people around us.
- Listen to this story:
Joseph Damien was a missionary in the nineteenth century who served as minister to people with leprosy on the island of Molokai, Hawaii. Those suffering grew to love him and revered the sacrificial life he lived out before them.
One morning before Joseph was to lead them in their daily worship, he was pouring some hot water into a cup when the water swirled out and fell onto his bare foot. It took him a moment to realize that he had not felt any sensation. Gripped by the sudden fear of what this could mean, he poured more hot water on the same spot. No feeling whatsoever.
Damien immediately knew what had happened. As he walked tearfully to deliver his sermon, no one at first noticed the difference in his opening line. He normally began each sermon with, "My fellow believers." But this morning he began with, "My fellow lepers."
- Sometimes having the attitude of compassion means doing things you don’t want to do, and being places you don’t want to be.
- Jesus touched people, no one else would touch (Lepers), associated with people who were outcasts (Tax collectors, Prostitutes and the Poor) and died for people (Us) who didn’t deserve it. Why? Because He had compassion.
- Jesus wants us to have compassion toward people and walk as He walked.
Jesus walked with......
Point 2: Authority - Walked in Power
Luke 8:18-19 says, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
- Jesus came to this earth to destroy the works of the devil.
- He came to set the captive free.
- He came with that understanding and now desires us to walk in the same manner.
- The devil is under our feet, all because of Christ and the finished work at Calvary.
- He did not come to be defeated, but to defeat the enemy.
- Jesus had all authority here on earth. The Bible says in Matt 28:18, “Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
- We are promised authority and power to proclaim the gospel throughout the world.
- God wants to use the church as the army of the Living God to crush the head of the enemy.
- Jesus walked in power, and now He wants us to walk in that power too.
Mark 16:17-18 says, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
- It’s time for us to stop walking in intimidation and fear, and start walking with confidence in God, knowing that He has given us the power to preach the good news.
- We need to pray for the sick and expect they will recover, we need to preach the good news and expect people to get saved.
- Christ promised that His authority, power and presence will accompany us as we battle Satan’s kingdom. We must liberate people from their captivity by preaching the gospel, by living righteous lives and by performing signs and miracles through the power of the Spirit.
- It takes faith in God and a belief that He wants to use us. Let’s walk in our authority that Christ has given to the church to walk in.
Mark 6:7 says, “Calling the Twelve to Him, He sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.”
Jesus walked with......
Point 3: Humility
- Jesus became a servant in this world. He came to serve man and die for us on the Cross.
- Many examples of Jesus serving: Washing the disciples feet, feeding the 5000 and blessing the children.
- Jesus had a non-selfish attitude. Meaning He always thought of others before Himself.
- Jesus submitted to the Father’s will, and didn’t do His own thing even though He was God.
The Bible says in Mark 14:36, “Abba, Father, He said, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
- Jesus walked in complete humility toward God, and people.
- As Christians we must be willing to serve our brothers and sisters in the Lord, but also be willing to serve God in that way also.
- It’s so easy for our wills to get in the way of God’s will.
- It’s okay when we are in prayer to pour out our frustrations to God, Jesus did. But the end result should always be, let your will be done.
Jesus walked with.....
Point 4: Knowledge
- Jesus taught people the Word. He taught them in parables and enlightened teachings. Example is found in Matt 5-7 (The sermon on the mount)
- Jesus also taught people to pray, He didn’t teach people to preach, but He did teach them to pray. (Matt 6:5-14)
- Jesus had all knowledge, because Jesus is the Word and was perfect. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
- When we submit to the leading of the Spirit of God, the Bible says, will lead us into all truth.
- My challenge to Christians is to search the Word for truth. People today are very Bible illiterate and don’t know the truths found in the Word of God.
- Error is a big result from not giving ample time to the Word and leading of the Spirit in one’s life. It should be our desire to walk in understanding and knowledge pertaining to life’s difficult challenges.
- The Bible says in Matt 24:23-24 says, “At that time if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ! Or, there He is do not believe it. For false Christ’s and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible.”
- And I say it is possible and happening today. Some ministers today and being sweept by every wind of doctrine and not checking the Word for it’s source and we need to be careful.
Jesus walked with.....
Point 5: Faith
Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman; the other wasn’t. Everytime the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.
The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. “Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?” he asked.
The inexperienced fisherman replied, “I only have a small frying pan
- Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, big dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us.
- Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn’t figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?
- Jesus walked in faith, How? I am not talking about the miracles He performed but rather in you and me. Jesus had faith in us as people to birth the N.T. church and be a witness for Him.
- He had confidence in the fisherman, the tax collector and the skeptics to take the message to the ends of the earth.
- Jesus has faith in you and me this morning to get the job done. (Mark 16:17-18)
Jesus walked with....
Point 6: Unity
John 17:20-21 says, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
- Jesus was praying a prayer for spiritual unity based on living in Christ, (vs 23) knowing and experiencing the love of God and the fellowship of Christ, (vs 26); separation from the world (vs 14-16); sanctification in truth of the Word (vs 6,8,17); obedience to the Word (vs 6) and the desire to bring salvation to the lost (vs 21,23)
- True unity cannot exist if any of these factors aren’t present.
- This is what Jesus prayed for.
- Jesus was united with the Father in heart, purpose, mind and will.
- And Jesus wants us to be united in heart, purpose, mine and will to God but also to each other.
- At times we are at fault as Christians for trying to attempt to create unity by meetings, conferences and organization.
- This can result in a disloyalty to the very unity Jesus had prayed for.
Jesus walked with.......
Point 7: Honesty
- What Jesus said will come to past.
- The last days will come to past, sin will be punished but also those who believe on the name of the Lord will be saved.
- The Bible says in John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
- Jesus always keeps His promises.
The children of a well-to-do family decided to give their father as a birthday present a book containing their family’s history. They commissioned a professional biographer to write the book, carefully cautioning him about the family’s “black sheep”—their Uncle George had been executed in the electric chair for murder, and they felt that it would be best if the biographer left Uncle George out of the book.
“No need to do that,” said the biographer. “I can report the situation in such a way that there will be no embarrassment to your father or to you. I’ll merely write that Uncle George occupied a chair of applied electronics at an important government institution. He was attached to his position by the strongest ties, and his death came as a real shock.”
- Pilate could find in fault in Him, and the Pharisee’s had to make something up to get Jesus killed.
The Bible says in Matt 26:59-60, “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.”
Also Luke 23:4 says, “Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
- Now getting back to the story, how would a biographer write about your life? Would he have to disguise the truth? What do you think people might say about you after you die?
- I no what they were saying about Jesus, this man is innocent.
- Jesus was honest and meant what He said. We are free, saved, on our way to Heaven. The promises are yeah and amen.
Jesus walked with.....
Point 8: Prayer - Communion With the Father
Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”
Mark 6:45-46 says, “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray.”
- Jesus saw the importance of prayer in one’s daily life.
- There are many other examples that we could look at, but the real issue is Christians need to pray. To commune with God for direction, forgiveness and praise.
- The N.T. Christians were people of prayer. They understood that God’s Kingdom could not be manifested in it’s full power with only a few minutes of prayer a day.
- The Bible encourages us as believers to be faithfully in prayer, Rom 12:12, to pray always Luke 18:1, To Pray continually I Thess 5:17, Pray everywhere, I Tim 2:8, Persevere in prayer, Col 4:2 and pray powerfully, James 5:16
- There can be no real victory or Kingdom power if Christians today aren’t people of prayer.
- Jesus knew this to be true and sets the example for us as believers to follow.
- Prayer is important in the life of a Christian to have increased fellowship with God.
- Prayers may include the follow: singing, praising, thanksgiving, waiting on God, reading the Word, confession of sin, interceding for others, petition of one’s own needs, praying in tongues, listening to the Holy Spirit.
Listen to this true story on Prayer:
Don’t ever tell John “Tex” Teixeria that prayer doesn’t work.
Tex spent his life as a fisherman in the channels of the Hawaiian Islands. On a deceptively calm night in 1967, Tex guided his 40-foot fishing boat toward the beach of an otherwise inaccessible canyon on the north side of Molokai. He had agreed to allow some friends to go ashore, using the fishing vessel’s small skiff, for some wild pig hunting while he and the rest of the crew did some night fishing.
Returning to the rendezvous spot early the next morning, the men found that conditions had changed. Huge waves ripped through the channel and crashed into the boat, nearly capsizing it and (unbeknownst to the crew) fatally weakening it.
The fate of the small skiff full of hunters waiting on the shoreline was immediately apparent. Its bottom had been torn off by the rugged lava rocks.
With great difficulty, a tow line was brought to the shivering hunters who, while holding on to inflated plastic tarps and an ice chest filled with their kill, were dragged by the boat’s winch through the surf to the vessel. When all the men were safely on board, the huge craft gunned away from the island.
Exhausted after fishing all night and the adventure of the morning, Tex went below deck to sleep. A few hours later he was awakened by his panicked friends. The boat was sinking.
By the time Tex got to the deck, there was nothing he could do except order everyone into the water. Without the skiff, the eight men on board the fishing vessel had only life jackets and inner tubes to keep them afloat.
Bobbing in the water, Tex remembered the ice chests full of freshly slaughtered game and fish. He knew that sharks would be in the area within minutes, so he encouraged the men to paddle as fast as they could away from the sunken boat.
All eight of the men knew they were in big trouble. The currents in the channel were sweeping them into the open ocean. But as night approached it seemed that their salvation was near. Bouncing up and down in the inky sea, the men thought they could make out the lights of a boat in the distance. Two of the men decided to swim toward the lights.
It turned out that they weren’t boat lights at all. They were the airplane warning lights on the top of Koko Head, a far-distant mountain.
The two men were never seen again.
By morning the situation had worsened. One of the inner tubes was losing air. The men had no food or water. The planes that passed overhead could not see them bobbing in the middle of the Pacific.
It was then that Tex decided to call a prayer meeting. No one objected. With all hope gone, the group of tough, self-sufficient sailors had only one place to turn. They huddled together in their life jackets and inner tubes and, with loud cries, pleaded for God to intervene.
The moment the last man finished his prayer, Tex looked up. “A stick!” he cried out.
The stick was standing vertically out of the water. It appeared to be a fishing buoy or a marker of some kind. If they could get to it, Tex reasoned, someone might come along to check it and find them. At the very least, it might support the ones who were losing air in their inner tubes. Using all of their energy to fight the current, the men paddled toward the stick.
Suddenly the stick began to move rapidly in their direction. The six men stopped paddling, stunned and puzzled.
Seconds later there was an incredible whoosh that seemed to pull the ocean out from under them. At the same moment, a monster emerged from the depths.
It was a nuclear submarine.
The hatch opened and the captain of the sub came to the observation deck as the men in the ocean screamed wildly.
They had been rescued.
Huddled below deck and nursing hot coffee, the six tired survivors listened awestruck as the captain explained that it was against orders for him to surface his sub anywhere outside of Pearl Harbor and that he expected to face disciplinary action for what he had done.
“But,” he explained softly, “something beyond my control told me to go to the surface. I can’t explain it. Something just told me to bring the sub up, right then and there. I did...and there you were.”
- God answers prayer!
Jesus walked with......
Point 9: Expectancy
- Jesus expected people to change.
- Jesus expected people to be healed.
- Jesus expected people to be delivered from oppression.
- And Jesus expects us to have the same expectancy in our Christian walk.
- An example of this is found in Matt 8:5-13 (The Faith Of The Centurion)
- The centurion’s faith surpassed anything that Jesus found among the Jews, for it combined a loving concern for another person with great trust or expectancy in Jesus.
- Jesus was looking for this great trust and expectant heart in the lives of the Jewish people. - Jesus loves when we believe Him for impossible things.
- It’s time for the church to raise it’s level of expectancy not only in our lives but in the lives of people.
- We need to believe that God can change people and transform the worst of sinners.
- We need to believe and have faith that God can heal and transform cities. Lets ask God to help our unbelief if we struggle today.
And Finally Jesus walked with......
Point 10: Faithfulness - To Practices
- Jesus regularly attended Temple services
- Jesus gave
- Jesus prayed and read from scripture
- Jesus worshiped
- Jesus was baptized in water
- Jesus fasted
- He did all these things not out of legalism, but rather as our example and showed us the important of these practices in our daily walk with God.
- We need fellowship and encouragement from our brothers and sisters in the Lord. We need to grow in the grace of God.
- These are ways that we can grow and learn from each other.
Conclusion:
- In conclusion I would like to close with this story:
In 1954, a small boy was found outside a hospital in Balrampur, India. Doctors were perplexed by his condition and, after many examinations, were unsure of how to treat him.
The boy had calloused knees and hands, as if he had spent most of his young life on all fours. He had hideously pointed teeth with cracks in his gums, suggesting that he had bitten into stone or very hard wood. He had scars on the back of his neck, suggesting that he had been dragged around by animals with sharp teeth. He spoke no discernible language and seemed unable to communicate with anyone. He had no name, so the hospital staff called him “Ramu.”
Ramu showed no interest in other children and was especially frightened by adults. But one day, a hospital employee took Ramu and some other children for a visit to the zoo. The employee noticed that Ramu became extremely excited when he saw the wolf pen. Ramu called to the wolves and seemed to be able to communicate with them.
This led doctors to conduct an experiment. They found that Ramu lapped milk out of a glass rather than drinking it. He tore apart his food and chewed on meat bones for hours at a time. The doctors finally concluded that Ramu was a ghadya ka bacha, or wolf boy, who had grown up with the wild animals and, therefore, behaved more like a wolf than a human being.
- Like this story if we strive to be more like Him, and if we let Jesus mold and shape us into His image, we will be more like Him and truly walk as Jesus walked.
- We will slowly begin to develop Christlikeness and thus have increased fellowship with God.
Lets Pray!!!
