GENUINE FELLOWSHIP
The following was written by Pastor David for this week's bulletin:
“Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”
1 Chronicles 16:8-11
God has summoned us together today to celebrate His character, His work, and His grace! We gather as Christian community, people who are called to live in fellowship with Christ and one another. In fact, the type of fellowship we are called to live out is a uniquely Christian experience. The word often translated “fellowship” in the New Testament means community, participation, and partnership. We are called to partner together in the life and truth made possible only by our union with Christ. We share in common a life that is in union with Jesus Christ and with all other believers and uniquely our brothers and sisters in a local church. This partnership goes far beyond warm relationships, hanging out, going to Bible studies together, or even sharing certain convictions.
The call to Christian fellowship we find in the New Testament is especially striking when we remember that this fellowship was supposed to occur even between Jew and Gentile, who were cultural and social opposites. All of the outer distinctions, personal preferences and cultural walls were broken down in Christ (Ephesians 2:11-18). Thus, Christian fellowship is not about gathering together around people who are like us: who share our preferences, who dress like us, talk like us, or act like us. Christian fellowship means being committed to sharing your life in service with people who apart from Jesus Christ are often nothing like us! True Christian fellowship is a constant reminder that the blood of Jesus Christ changes everything, including our relationships.
Evangelical theologian J.I. Packer listed four hindrances to genuine fellowship in the church in a perceptive article. Consider them a warning as we move ahead seeking to live with one another in genuine Christian community.
1. Perceived Self-sufficiency
2. Formalism
3. Bitterness
4. Elitism
It is easy to see how any one of these characteristics or a combination of any of them could severely hinder Christian fellowship.
Christian fellowship is not something we simply fall into or discover one day, it is something that we give our lives over to working at by laboring to live out the opposite characteristics of what Packer warns us about. We are to constantly recognize our dependency (our need of Christ and each other), genuinely step into the lives of others in a sacrificial way, show others the grace God has shown us, and interact with others in humility (knowing we deserve God’s judgment). If we live together like this we will taste the sweetness of union with Christ in the way He has intended for us.
Looking unto Jesus with you,
Pastor David
Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”
1 Chronicles 16:8-11
God has summoned us together today to celebrate His character, His work, and His grace! We gather as Christian community, people who are called to live in fellowship with Christ and one another. In fact, the type of fellowship we are called to live out is a uniquely Christian experience. The word often translated “fellowship” in the New Testament means community, participation, and partnership. We are called to partner together in the life and truth made possible only by our union with Christ. We share in common a life that is in union with Jesus Christ and with all other believers and uniquely our brothers and sisters in a local church. This partnership goes far beyond warm relationships, hanging out, going to Bible studies together, or even sharing certain convictions.
The call to Christian fellowship we find in the New Testament is especially striking when we remember that this fellowship was supposed to occur even between Jew and Gentile, who were cultural and social opposites. All of the outer distinctions, personal preferences and cultural walls were broken down in Christ (Ephesians 2:11-18). Thus, Christian fellowship is not about gathering together around people who are like us: who share our preferences, who dress like us, talk like us, or act like us. Christian fellowship means being committed to sharing your life in service with people who apart from Jesus Christ are often nothing like us! True Christian fellowship is a constant reminder that the blood of Jesus Christ changes everything, including our relationships.
Evangelical theologian J.I. Packer listed four hindrances to genuine fellowship in the church in a perceptive article. Consider them a warning as we move ahead seeking to live with one another in genuine Christian community.
1. Perceived Self-sufficiency
2. Formalism
3. Bitterness
4. Elitism
It is easy to see how any one of these characteristics or a combination of any of them could severely hinder Christian fellowship.
Christian fellowship is not something we simply fall into or discover one day, it is something that we give our lives over to working at by laboring to live out the opposite characteristics of what Packer warns us about. We are to constantly recognize our dependency (our need of Christ and each other), genuinely step into the lives of others in a sacrificial way, show others the grace God has shown us, and interact with others in humility (knowing we deserve God’s judgment). If we live together like this we will taste the sweetness of union with Christ in the way He has intended for us.
Looking unto Jesus with you,
Pastor David
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