Order your Relationships with Others

Isn’t spirituality personal?

Our culture is highly individualistic and independent.

The pandemic has led to more people connecting virtually to church

God instructs us to gather together - Hebrews 10:24-25

Hebrews 10:24–25 NIV

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

We have a mutual responsibility to encourage and challenge each other - Romans 1:11-12

Romans 1:11–12 NIV

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Why are our relationships essential to our spiritual lives?

Our relationship with God is linked to our relationship with believers - 1 John 1:3, 6-7

1 John 1:3 NIV

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.

John connects “fellowship with us” to “fellowship with God”

1 John 1:6–7 NIV

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 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 sin.

Fellowship with God requires right living (in the light). If we are living right, we will have fellowship with other committed believers.

How do we improve our fellowship with other believers?

The early church modeled the importance of fellowship with believers - Acts 2:42-47

Acts 2:42–47 NIV

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

They were committed to fellowship along with the other priorities - vs. 42

Are we committed and intentional about fellowship?

The believers balanced their relationship with God and with believers - vs. 42

Fellowship blended these relationships. It was more than superficial talk.

The shared:

Teaching

Fellowship

Meals and/or Communion

Prayer

They spent time together - vs. 44, 46

This was both quality time and quantity time

Social Media or other virtual connection isn’t the same

They were generous with each other - vs. 44-45

Generosity was the hallmark of their relationship

There is no score-keeping in fellowship