Community In the Kingdom Church Fellowship is Kingdom Fellowship
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· 5 viewsChurch fellowship and the unity of the body wirh one another and the kingdom of God.
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The word fellowship is, first, a noun, meaning the community of faith or spiritual family to which we belong.
Fellowship as something we do, occurs because, in the first place, we belong to a community of faith doing fellowship. This lesson is about what Jesus taught about fellowship.
Greatness In The Kingdom
A. Embrace Humility
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
The twelve came to Jesus with this question”Who is the greatness in the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus used a child to help his self centered disciples get the point. We are not to be childish, (like the disciples arguing over petty issues.), but rather childlike , with humble and sincere hearts.
The disciples had become so preoccupied with the organization of Jesus earthly kingdom, that they lost sight of it’s divine purpose. Instead of seeking a place of service, they sought positions of advantage.
Children have a gentle, trusting, honest, teachable nature Jesus point was and is that a humble attitude of a child is what we must have to enter the kingdom of God.
Understand spiritual conversion is essential for obtaining this childlike humility.
Along with this, Jesus was teaching in accepting, appreciating, respecting, honoring, and helping those with whom He identifies, we also receive Him.
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Value Every Believer “About Offences”
“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire. “Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
In the context of our text: Offend and offences mean anything set deliberately to be a stumbling block or trap to cause someone to sin.
We must remove stumbling blocks that cause us to sin. Now this does not mean to self mutilate. It means that any person, program or teaching in the church that threatens the spiritual growth of the body must be removed.
For the individual any relationship, practice or activity that leads to sin should be stopped.
The world is gong to offend you. Jesus warned that offenses from the unbelieving world are inevitable.
While offences from the world are inevitable, we who believe must not place offences in the path of other believes.
The whole point is this: To value others as we should, which also means not competing with them for who is the greatest, we must see every person as one whom Christ came to save.
For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
Corrective Discipline In the Church
Seek Reconciliation and Forgiveness
“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
Jesus Guidelines for dealing with those who sin against us.
meant for Christians not unbelievers
sins committed against you, not others
conflict resolution in the context of the church, not the community at large
Jesus spoke these words not to give license for an attack on every person who hurts or slights you.
They are designed to reconcile those who disagree so that all Christians can live/dwell in harmony.
Jesus Tells the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Jesus intention was that we should not place any limit on how many times we forgive those who sincerely repent of their sins.
By depending on the grace of Christ, and yielding to the Holy Spirit, we can love and forgive others.
Spiritual Power in Partnership
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Jesus said the church has the power to bind and loose. (vs18) Where issues of right and wrong are concerned, to bind something, means it is not permissible, and to loose something means it is permissible.
The church has authority from Christ to exercise moral discipline in governing its members,permitting to its members what is consistent with the teachings and example of Christ, and consistent with the Word (the Bible).
And the church has authority from Christ to forbid to its members what is not consistent with Christ and the Word.
What I’m trying to get you to understand is that, this binding and loosing refers to the decisions of the church in conflicts, among believers, there is no other court of appeals beyond the church.
Now all of this is predicated on first the church’s decisions should be guided and based on discernment of God’s Word. Second, Believers have the responsibility to bring their problems to the church, and the church has the responsibility to use God’s guidance in seeking to resolve conflicts.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
“But don’t let it faze you. Stick with what you learned and believed, sure of the integrity of your teachers—why, you took in the sacred Scriptures with your mother’s milk! There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.”
Jesus went on to say, “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.
Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
FORGIVENESS IN THE KINGDOM An Unpayable Debt Canceled
Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
Forgiven But Unforgiving
“But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Conclusion
Extending mercy and forgiveness to others is the Golden Rule in practice. The refusal to forgive others is an unpardonable sin, in that God will not forgive us for being unforgiving, if we persist in being unforgiving.
The only action on our part that can unlock God’s forgiveness for us, is to forgive others.
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.