Churches build fellowship halls for luncheons, wedding receptions, and potlucks. Too often, fellowship is considered something we do when we get together and eat.
Fellowship was a big deal in the early church.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
What is fellowship and how do you devote yourself to fellowship? Fellowship in this verse is from the Greek word koinonia, which means participation, communion, fellowship.
We were created for fellowship with God and with others. Church is a relationship with God and others.
John writes about this devotion to fellowship.
1 John 1:3-7
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[some manuscripts - your] joy complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[every] sin.
Fearless fellowship means not wearing a mask, not hiding wrongs, or having shallow relationships. You will have radical relationships when you walk in the light of truth with others.
Last week, I had to apologize to the other leaders in our Young Life ministry. We play broomball Saturday nights with students to enjoy the sport and develop friendships. I was overly competitive and was criticizing others. I had to open a room up in my life that I wanted to keep private and apologize. Otherwise, I am living a lie and have broken fellowship. My apology was accepted and our friendship deepened because of fearless fellowship.
So now what?
>Evaluate what unopened rooms you have in your life.
>Begin living honestly with your family.
>Grow in a radical relationship with a trusted friend.
>Pursue fearless fellowship, radical relationships in your church family .
In the Bible, there is no such thing as a Christian who comes to worship and lives independently. It is always in a relationship with one another.
Fellowship was a big deal in the early church.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
What is fellowship and how do you devote yourself to fellowship? Fellowship in this verse is from the Greek word koinonia, which means participation, communion, fellowship.
We were created for fellowship with God and with others. Church is a relationship with God and others.
John writes about this devotion to fellowship.
1 John 1:3-7
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our[some manuscripts - your] joy complete.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[every] sin.
Fearless fellowship means not wearing a mask, not hiding wrongs, or having shallow relationships. You will have radical relationships when you walk in the light of truth with others.
Last week, I had to apologize to the other leaders in our Young Life ministry. We play broomball Saturday nights with students to enjoy the sport and develop friendships. I was overly competitive and was criticizing others. I had to open a room up in my life that I wanted to keep private and apologize. Otherwise, I am living a lie and have broken fellowship. My apology was accepted and our friendship deepened because of fearless fellowship.
So now what?
>Evaluate what unopened rooms you have in your life.
>Begin living honestly with your family.
>Grow in a radical relationship with a trusted friend.
>Pursue fearless fellowship, radical relationships in your church family .
In the Bible, there is no such thing as a Christian who comes to worship and lives independently. It is always in a relationship with one another.
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