"Living in Fellowship: 6 Ways to Strengthen Our Church Family"

Introduction:

When I was a kid growing up on the southside of Des Moines our little baptist church would have a church fellowship after church on the first Sunday night of each month. And I remember that me and my friends would always sit in the back row so that as soon as the service was over we could run downstairs and get in line for the food.

I still dont know why we did that because my dad would always make us wait, but the point was We loved church fellowships- all of us kids would get our food and go to our little room and have the best time together laughing eating and enjoying being together.

Fellowshipping together is an essential part of being a church family.

And I beleive that when a church fails to fellowship it will fail at being a healthy church

Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV)

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

The author here says DONT NEGLECT THE CHURCH- YOU NEED THE CHURCH AND THE CHURCH NEEDS YOU

The church is Gods Gift to believers- Its His plan of how we become more and more like Christ,

It’s through the church that believers are encouraged, Strengthened, spured on, challenged, taught, and given opportunities to serve.

Illustration of a Mechanic trying to fix a car without using the tools in the shop---

Dont try to do church on your own, Dont try to live out the commands God gave the church without the church.- God gave you the church as a gift for your benefit- Be part of it, enjoy it and dont neglect it.

Put simply-

We gotta be together as a church if we are going to be a church that looks like the church God intended for His church to be.

Church family I hope you realize how important fellowshipping with each other in the church is for your Christian walk.

We see this idea of fellowship as a church in a number of verse including our text we all ready looked at this morning

In Acts 2:42 Luke was describing the first century church in Jerusalem and He said....

Acts 2:42 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

They devoted themselves to learning together as a church and to fellowshipping together with their church.

In Romans 12 Paul tells us what it looks like when A church fellowships together as God intended

Romans 12:10–13 ESV

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

So How do we get to the point in our church family where we can live out the truths of Romans 12 together as a church ?

How can we get to the point that we can truly Show one another unconditional love, where we can Outdo one another in Honor, where we can be Be Zealous for their good, where we can Rejoice with them when they receive blessings in their life,

where we can be patient with them as they go through trials

Where we have a deep desire to Be constantly in prayer with and for them, and where we can truly sacrificially care for their needs?

We must Fellowship With One another

This means that we as a body of Believers actively engage in meaningful and authentic relationships with One another. it means we got to get a lot deeper than just a hello on Sunday Morning.

The idea of Fellowshipping involves more than simply attending church services or events; it encompasses a deeper sense of community, mutual support, and shared experiences.

FELLOWSHIPPING WITH ONE ONE is taking time to spend together for the spiritual good of one another.

Its the idea of a marriage that has lasted a lifetime- Where you can’t imagine the one without the other.

Fellowshipping with one another May seem like an easy Command to follow, but dont be fooled into thinking shallow relationships with others in the church is what God is asking from you.

He wants you to love one another in a way that stretches your ability to love and care for others.

That was my introduction to this sermon, Now lets get into the 8 Points you see in your outline. (LOL)

I promise they will move much quicker than the introduction.

Look with me at the 2nd to last paragraph in our church’s Covenant

“We will actively participate in the worship, ordinances, discipline and evangelism of the church.

We will also faithfully attend and contribute financially to support its ministries and the spread of the gospel to the World.

Today, we have a wonderful opportunity to explore the theme of fellowship and how we can strengthen our bond as a church family.

As we delve into this topic, l I want us to remember that fellowship is not merely a social gathering; it is a vital aspect of our spiritual growth and and outward expression of our love for one another.

So, let's dive in and look at these 6 ways we can have fellowship with one another as a church family.

#1 We will

I. Actively Participating in Worship

Psalm 122:1 ESV

1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

We should get excited when we get to be with our church family and worship our savior together

For the church,Our Worship is at heart of our fellowship.

We come together each week to worship God Corporately as One Voice.

We come together as a church to lift up our voices in song,

We come together as a church to read God’s Word Aloud,

We come together as a church To pray tot he Father lifting up words of Praise adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and supplication for our needs.

This is ALL part of our Worship Together as the church

c. Our Worship is for the spiritual good of one another - Worship cultivates a shared experience that unites us in Christ and strengthens our bond as we lift our voices in unity as One Church.

(Covenant Slide)

#2 We will

II. Embrace the Ordinances of the Church

As Baptist we believe that Jesus gave the church two ordinances to follow

Believers Baptism and Communion.

An ordinance is simply the Word of God made visible to us.

They are meant to be a picture of Christ as the Word and His church.

John 1:1–4 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

Christ is the Word of God revealed to mankind- The two ordinances are a picture of Christ as The Word for the church to remember what He has done for us.

b. Baptism-is not just an outward expression of an inward decision to follow Jesus.

It is also a visible reminder for the church of what Jesus did in order to bring us to the point of salvation.

Baptism is also an act of obedience that All Christians should follow in. ITs something everyone who has accepted Jesus should do because it is a public commitment saying I now Identify with the Death Burial and resurrection of Jesus

c. Communion is also meant to remind the church of Christ's sacrifice and it fosters a deep sense of unity together as we partake as one body in Christ.

It is meant to be done together as the church

In 1 Cor:11 We see that Communion is a time for the church to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for them on the cross.

He said this bread is My body which was broken for you

This Cup is my blood which was shed for you.

Do this in REMEMBRANCE of me.

The two ordinances Christ Gave His church were not meant to be done alone, but to be a time of fellowship and Spiritual good for the church.

The point is simple - To fellowship with one another means that you actively participate in Baptism ceremonies and in Communion with the church.

(Covenant Slide)

#3 is a tough one that none of us really want to be part of but yet it is one of the most loving things we can do for one another in the church.

III. Practicing Church Discipline

(Matthew 18:15-17

Matthew 18:15–17 ESV

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Even though it is one of the hardest things to do, Church discipline is essential for a healthy church.

a. In fact I would tell you that the most loving and caring thing you could ever do for a brother or sister who is in sin is to discipline them in the Lord-

Discipline is all about restoration

Parents why do we discipline our kids?

So that they know what is right and wrong

so that they will learn from their mistakes

so that they can grow stronger from their failures

and so that they will not fall into that sin again.

The same is true for the church

Think about it for a minute. As a Christian where is the worst place your brother in Christ could ever be in?

- Not walking with Jesus- Walking in disobedience to God

And just like a parent who loving does the hard thing and disciplines their child- A church must lovingly do the hard thing and discipline one another with goal of restoration

Thats what Church discipline is all about-

Restoration with God and restoration with one another.,

Brothers and sisters- Church discipline is a central part of fellowshipping with one another-

Why? Because When done right it is for the spiritual good of another other.

(Covenant Slide)

#4 We Fellowship together when We Commit to

IV. Engaging in Evangelism

a. I preach on this last week so i will not go into much detail..

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

EvaNGELISM is simply walking and talking the gospel in your life.

Its living your life in such a way that points people to Jesus and then speaking the truth of His Salvation to them.

We are all called individually to share the good news of Christ with the world but as a church we can have fellowship in doing this together.

VBS 32 people helped with this evangelism event, Our missions trips, our canvasing, our serving in the community,

we can do so much more for the gospel together as a church.

c. Through evangelism, we fellowship with one another in the church as we stride side by side with One Gospel Purpose, and we Fellowship with other believers beyond the church walls as we live out the gospel in our community.

(Covenant Slide)

#5 seems pretty simple, In order to fellowship together we need to be together

V. Faithful Attendance

a. Hebrews 10:25

Hebrews 10:25 ESV

25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

To be faithful in attendance means that we are there ,both physically and emotionally- we are engaging with one another with the purpose of imparting spiritual good into each others lives.

The point is this- Regular attendance at church events demonstrates our commitment to the community of believers.

You cant live out the one another's if your not with one another.

b.Being together is what allows us to build deeper relationships, offer loving support, and receive needed encouragement in our lives.

c. Being present physically and emotionally fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens our fellowship with one another.

#6 part of Fellowshipping with one another is financially supporting the ministirs of the church.

(Covenant slide)

VI. Financial Contribution for the support of the ministry and the gospel

2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

The Bottom line is this your giving to the church is part of your worship of the head of the church Jesus Christ.

We dont give reluctantly to the church because God needs our money- or under compulsion afraid that if we don’t give enough God will not bless us. - Thats not how God has asked us to Give

He says give generously form the abundance of your heart.

We should give to our church out of a heart of worship

Church family - When we understand the magnatude of love and sacrifice that Jesus gave us when he took our place on that cross to free us from an everlasting fire and redeem us back -We should be eager to give cheerfully and generously give back to His Church.

2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Imagine Farmer Tom standing in his field, preparing to plant his Corn for the year. He looks at the back at his pickup Piled High with Bags of seed, and then looks at the field in front of of him, he has a decision to make. How many seeds will he sow? Will he plant sparingly or generously?

If He chooses to sow sparingly, It takes a lot less work, He cold simple go out plant a few seeds and be just fine, and He could even be home in time to relax that evening and eat a big supper with the family. That sounds pretty nice,

You know, He could even go to the coop the next morning get a cup of coffee , watch the other farmers still coming to get more seed, and brag that He already had all of his fields planted and ready for the year.

And in fact, He would have done what a farmer is suppose to do. He planted the corn in the corn field.

But what happens in the fall when its’ time to harvest?

he reaps a meager crop. The yield is limited, and he receives only a small return on his investment of seeds.

But what Happens when Tom decides to sow generously? He puts the hard work in and meticulously plants his field edge to edge making sure that he gets every seed he has into the ground?

And When the time for harvest arrives, his field is filled with an abundant crop.

Just as a farmer's approach to sowing determines the outcome of his harvest, our approach to giving reflects our hearts and influences the blessings we receive.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to be generous in their giving. Not just in finances but in all parts of their Cristian life. He reminds them that when they sow generously, they can expect to reap generously.

Church family God honors our worship of giving.

When we sow generously from a heart of worship , we can have confidence that God will use our giving for a bountiful harvest.

I love the words of Jesus said in Acts 20:35 “ It is more blessed to give than to receive”

Why is it more blessed to give than to receive? Because you are giving back to Jesus a portion of what He has given you, and this is worship.

Giving financially is an act of worship and it demonstrates our commitment to the mission of the church. A mission that is to Make and Equip more followers of this Savior that we worship

Our giving is an integral part of our fellowshipping together as we invest in God's work t in and through our church.

Bring it Home:

Read Covenant

fellowship is not a passive activity but an active commitment to one another.

By actively participating in worship, embracing the ordinances, of Baptism and Communion, practicing church discipline, engaging in evangelism, faithfully attending church activities, and contributing financially we strengthen our fellowship as a church family.

Brothers and sisters, In order to a church that God is pleased with we need to be a church that looks like the church God intends His church to be, and that includes our fellowship together.

Dont neglect bing part of the church’s ministry of Making and Equipping Disciples of Jesus in our Community.

May we be encouraged to cultivate these practices in our lives and experience the joy and depth of true Christian fellowship. Let us live out our faith together, growing and impacting our world for the glory of God.