CHRIST'S EXAMPLE IN FELLOWSHIP

Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  30:37
0 ratings
· 62 views
Files
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →
Luke 19:1-10
As Christians, we realize that we are to walk in the love of Christ, we are to walk in the footsteps of Christ. We need to look at his life and analyze it at times to more fully follow after him.
Like you and I, Jesus liked to do lots of things in life. He always, as he conducted himself, was soul-conscious. And like many of us, he liked to be with people. He enjoyed the fellowship around food, around family affairs.
Fellowship is defined as an association of persons having similar tastes, interests, etc. It means “to connect”. It is much like the word, kindred or relationship. The early church Jesus started had fellowship. Jesus practiced it. Everyone needs Christian friends to sharpen their lives.
Being a Christian involves working with people. The better you get along with people, the more influence you will have. God’s people need people skills. We need to learn how to get along with people. That is what wisdom is!
Lot could not get along with Abraham. Barnabas and Paul had a disagreement. Saul was angry at David. The church of Corinth was full of contention and discord.
Fellowship means communion or communication. God gave us a voice and a vocabulary to express ourselves. Jesus is called the Word. God expresses himself through Jesus and the Bible.
Besides hearing the Word of God at church and in private at church and in private, the most important activity a Christian can do is to fellowship. Church provides fellowship. A Christian without a church is like a tuba player without a platoon, and a citizen without a country.
You need a church. You need Christian friends. You need to talk and listen to godly Christians. Why did Jesus get along with God’s people so well? Her are some tips that may help you:

I. He got around the godly crowd

Can any body tell me where we can find a godly crowd?
Do be with the godly crowd, what do we have to leave behind?
One thing you need to do whey you become a Christian, or when you get right with God, you need to replace the old crowd with the church crowd. Stay awhile after the church. Fellowship with the pastor or other Christians through the week.

II. He centered His conversation on the eternal

In John 4:12-14 we see the He turned the conversation from the well of water, to the well of water that springeth into everlasting life.

III. He listened

Luke 2:46 KJV
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
People go to psychiatrists because they listen. Have you ever gone through a drive-thru window and they got your order wrong?
We need to be listeners.
When you go out and witness for Christ, be a listener at the beginning of a call. If you will listen to them for a while first then they will give you the respect of listening to you.
When you listen when you have a family spat, you can help people a lot. Many people just need to talk to someone, many people need to vent
You can learn much from being a listener, the Bible even teaches that if keep your mouth shut and listen, you will be counted as wise person, though you may be a fool.
Many people want to share good things that God has done. Let us seek to be listeners.

IV. He talked about their interests

A bore is someone who talks about their own interests. Jesus talked about current events, weather, harvest, end of the world, wheat, fishing, heaven, marriage, church, children, and the Father, and the Kingdom.
Mark 10:35-40
I like to talk to people about what is important to them. I want them to feel comfortable so I find out what they like or what they do and I talk about that.

V. He met their needs

Jesus found out what people needed and gave it to them.
Mark 14:19 KJV
And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
Healing for a hurt, food for their stomachs, money to pay taxes, wine for the wedding, forgiveness, restoration, courage, safety in a storm.
We need to be need “meeters.” When God moves your heart with compassion, be willing to do something about it. Be willing to help to share, to be a blessing. When God gives you an opportunity to do something in his name of his glory and for your own, go ahead and do it.

VI. He recieved them

Jesus’ love was unconditional. They could be themselves around him.
The common people heard him gladly. He love them just they way they were, but refused to leave them that way.
Matthew 9:10 KJV
And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.

VII. He appeased when necessary

In English we confuse definitions sometimes, we don’t know the meaning of words. We always think the word appease basically means to compromise. But let’s look at the only time the word appease is used in the Bible.
Genesis 32:20 KJV
And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
Appease is to cover, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:-- appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off,) reconcile( or make (-reconciliation).
What did Jesus Christ do for us. He reconciled us to the Father. He shed his blood on the cross that we might be freed from the bondage of sin death and hell, and be given a new life and a new home in heaven.
Colossians 1:20 KJV
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
We need to allow God to work in our lives so we can work in His grace through us: He had ministry of reconciliation we need to be working to bring peace as well.

A. Seek to relieve problems we are involved in

B. Seek to fix problems that we have caused

C. Seek to foresee problems before they happen

D. Seek to humble yourself as much as possible

VIII. He invites all to his fellowship

We come into his fellowship by repentance and faith, we humble ourselves before an almighty God realizing our own depravity, sinfulness, and helplessness, and we turn from our sin and turn to God in faith and we become part of his fellowship.
It is a fellowship that is:

A. Fellowship of a new family

Ephesians 3:14–15 KJV
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
God has a wonderful family. A great many folk think that it is only me and mine -- we four and no more. But it's a little wider than that. Some folk feel that their little clique in the church is the only group the Lord is listening to. Some people think their local church constitutes the saints. Then there are others who think their denomination is the whole family of God. Then there are some who think it is just the church -- that is, those saved from the Day of Pentecost to the Rapture. My friend, God saved people long before the church came into existence, and He is going to be saving people after the church leaves. Also God has other members of His family. The angels belong to His family. He has created intelligences which the apostle John saw and said cannot be numbered. All of those are the family of God.
Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee.
It also is:

B. Fellowship of a wonderful friend

John 15:15 KJV
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

C. At times, fellowship with his suffering

Philippians 3:10 KJV
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more