All-In Fellowship

Introduction

Going through series on sweetest smelling church - Dan just preached about fellowship (unplanned) and I want to follow this up

When I say fellowship I’m talking about a central concept that’s mentioned often in the bible - the interaction between believers especially, but it also includes our interaction with those who aren’t from church.

Fellowship is one of the strongest scents that comes out of the church.

That means it can be something incredibly sweet that draws everyone in

Or it could be something repulsive that chases people out

Regardless - it is important for us to know that it is a STRONG scent - fellowship, the way we treat the people around us.

As a concept, fellowship can be so skipped over.

One of those things that we think we’ve heard more than enough about so we gloss over it whenever it comes up

But we live in a time where social media threatens the nature of biblical fellowship

nowadays we can find out so much about a person’s life without ever getting to know them deeply.

We’re busier than ever before and can barely fit in time for deep relationships - relationships tend to be transactional nowadays

the definition of fellowship is compromised, and we have to be careful not to get drawn in to that.

In a world where convenience is king - genuine fellowship ends up often being sacrificed.

It’s time to look at what God says about fellowship.

You know how sometimes we drive to seek fresh revelation from the Word of God? It’s all good and I’ve got nothing against it but I think this is one of the times fresh revelation is not what’s required.

I think we have to go back to basic revelation - what does God say about fellowship? And what do we need to do

The Standard for Fellowship

John 13:34–35 (ESV)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

There’s a beauty in how simple yet profound this passage is. It’s simple enough for a child to memorise and appreciate but it’s profound enough that even the most mature believer in this room would be embarrassed by how poorly they put it into practise - love one another.

The newness of the command is bound up in the standard: Jesus’ love is now the new standard

Remember the context - Jesus had just washed the disciples feet. Footwashing was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death on the cross - and the extreme level of sacrifice that was about to be undertaaken on his behalf.

There is a new level of love, a new level of fellowship to be expressed between believers in the church - a level and requirement that has never been seen before.

Jesus’ instruction is not unclear “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Such a basic phrase can be skipped so easily, but it bears such profound revelation on the new depth of fellowship required of believers.

What a challenge.

v35 explains to us why - because when this loved is displayed to the world, it reveals Christ.

Christ is revealed through the fellowship that we have with one another.

It CANNOT be of the same level of the world - it MUST be outstanding, it must be greater than, it must be unique, it must be Christlike.

The love that we display in the church MUST be different from the love that is found in the world. It is a Christ-like love, modelled after a Saviour that gave His life for us.

And the question that we must CONSTANTLY ask ourselves is that when people come to Heart for the City Church - what kind of fellowship do they encounter?

How does our fellowship smell - because it will most likely be the first scent that people involuntarily smell. They will watch the way we treat one another, the way we treat the newcomer.

Are people smelling, are they sensing sweetness - genuine interest, genuine love, genuine fellowship? Or are they sensing a church just about the growth, indifferent to the individual.

Fellowship is the divinely prescribed method for the world to see that we are Christians.

Does the church stand out in a world used to cheap, transactional, instant relationships? Because if we don’t - we’re doing something wrong.

ILLUSTRATION: Friend with AI

You know - this whole AI phenomenon is quite out of control. For those of us who have been living under a rock for the past couple of years, there is a phenomenon coming out now called “Artificial Intelligence” and the way we interact with these machines is usually by something called a Chatbot. And there are plenty out there - some are informational, and others are literally called companion bots, used to provide companionship to people.

And so I’m talking to one of my friends, we’ve known each other for ages - and we start getting into some deeper topics like loneliness and friendship and where everyone else is, and what they’re doing in life.

And he actually shared with me, in almost a shameful way, that he’s been talking to an AI chatbot because he’s so lonely - and he feels like that’s the only place he can go where someone will listen to him without another agenda. And usually if someone said something like that to me - I would reflexively just think you’re a psychopath.

But I found myself getting genuinely upset for him, really questioning - you know, is this how bad things have become? We’re turning to computers for friendship, over actual people - is this where the world is heading?

And so, sensing an opportunity I brought up - hey why don’t you come to church? There’s just a beatiful community of people here who would be willing to love on you and listen to you.

And I hadn’t even finished before he interrupted me - “no offense Jon but church is probably one of the last places I’m going to go to for friendship. I know what people are like there and I just don’t want anything to do with it.”

I didn’t pursue it any further - but yeah wow right?

There’s such a great need out there - and Jesus has poised us to be the solution to the problem, but like I said earlier - fellowship is one of the strongest smells that comes from a church, it’s either going to be sweet and draw people in - or it’s going to be bitter and repulsive, and will do lasting damage.

Use the Gifts to Serve

You know, Peter actually gives us good insight into how to build a sweet smelling fellowship and love in the church.

1 Peter 4:8–11 (ESV)

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Dan touched on this passage briefly last week where he talked about love covering a multitude of sins - love is used to cover the wrongs of others, instead of using their sin as leverage to attack them or as a reason to exclude them from fellowship

But the key thing that I want us to catch from this passage which is, again, basic revelation that we can so often skip over: The gifts that we have received from God are given FOR the purpose of fellowship and service to one another.

They are not bestowed on us for personal gain

Peter lists the gifts into two broad categories: speaking and serving

speaking: apostleship, prophecy, teaching, tongues, exhortation

serving: giving, leading, mercy, hospitaality, healing, miracles

We have to grasp the enormity of such a simple yet profound revelation.

ALL spiritual gifts are given to serve and help others, to strengthen others in the faith - for the purposes of fellowship.

Gifts are not a privilege - but a responsibility. And must be stewarded appropriately in the context of fellowship

The biblical definition of righteousness (mishpat) is defined in a way that an individual relates to their community

For example the definition of wickedness is someone who would be willing to advantage themselves at the expense of the community.

Someone who is righteous would be willing to disadvantage themselves if it brings an advantage to the community.

There are those who would seek to use whatever gift they are given for personal advantage - being hospitable to select people in order to curry favour, utilising a preaching gift for fame, using leadership to exert influence, using financial gifts for personal wealth etc.

The bible considers this as a form of wickedness. You are bringing an advantage to yourself by abusing gifts that you have been given to serve as instruments of fellowship.

The instruction is clear: we are to take whatever gift we may have been given - and use it for the purposes of fellowship. Serving one another, encouraging one another, lifting one another up.

And I feel like this applies to being ignorant of our gifting as well. There are some who may be ignorant of the gifting that they have - unwilling, uneager to pursue it and thus unable to use it for its intended purposes.

Much like the parable of the talents, burying your gift or ignoring it falls into the same category as abusing it. It is not being utilised for its intended purpose - serving the body, building fellowship within the church.

ILLUSTRATION: Sarah and the chip

When I was in youth ministry, for the end of year nights we used to do these potluck events. And since they were all kids the term “luck” is very appropriate - you would get some kids who were naturals and belonged on masterchef jr, and some kids that even Gordon Ramsey couldn’t save. But for the most part everyone would play it pretty safe - pasta, salad, cookies, that sort of thing.

But this particular event - one of the girls had brought a pretty peculiar dish. The specific dish was potato chips covered in chocolate. Which in theory - sounds like a disaster, but in practise, was also a disaster. Man there are some things on God’s good earth that aren’t meant to go together and this unholy combination was definitely one of them.

Literally every dish on the table was getting eaten and hers was being exclusively avoided - it’s like you could almost see the green squiggly lines coming from the dish, pushing everyone away. And not just pushing people away, there were some people who would actively comment (you know how kids can be cruel right?), “who thought THAT would be a good idea?” even my leaders would be like, “should we call hazmat in to remove that?”

And that’s when I noticed this girl sitting a bit dejectedly, watching the table and seeing her dish go uneaten - trying to play it off like it was nothing, but I could tell that she was really sad that nobody was eating her dish. It was like she had put all this effort in and it was just not really serving anyone. It was kinda like watching everyone avoid one puppy in the adoption centre, my heart kinda broke just seeing her like that.

So I did something pretty whack - I went up to the table and forced myself to eat every single chip that was on that plate. And even though I was fighting the urge to throw up because the chips were now soggy since they had been sitting there so long - I forced myself to smile at this young girl as I was eating her dish (which sounds creepier than it was).

But she saw me eating the chips, and she lit up - she was so happy that someone was enjoying the dish she had prepared.

And I love the spirit of that girl - I hope we can all catch it. Her spirit, not the cooking skills.

I hope we can have the same eagerness to use WHATEVER LITTLE we may have to serve and build fellowship into the house

I hope we can find joy in using our gifts to love, serve, fellowship with others.

Let’s be a church that catches that heart - that takes the giftings that we have in this house and puts them toward building fellowship, regardless of how big or small the gift may be - let’s put it on the table.

Let those with hospitality serve - hunt down the newcomers, let nobody be alone

Let those who can sing - draw people to God through songs of praise

Let those who can preach - encourage, teach, empower, uplift

Let those who can give - give generously toward the house and to those who are in need

Let those who are gifted in leading - lead broken people toward a healing saviour.

May every gift in this house be used to deepen the bonds of fellowship in this church.

And like Peter says, ABOVE all - love one another while doing it

and THROUGH it all - do it without complaining, coming from a willing, cheerful heart.

Fellowship is centered around His Lordship

But perhaps the most simple revelation around fellowship is the most profound. Fellowship is one of the deepest and greatest ways we can express Christlikeness.

Philippians 2:1–4 (ESV)

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

This passage comes from the exerpt in Philippians titled “Christ’s example of humility” and it talks about the extraordinary lengths that Christ went through just in order to have fellowship with us.

The biblical mandate for genuine fellowship comes back to the simple principle of being imitators of Christ.

And this is important to note - because we can think that genuine fellowship is about finding common ground with other believers

But genuine fellowship is about far more than simply being agreeable.

This is why Paul says in v2 “be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” - he is referring to Christ.

We deepen fellowship with one another as we pursue Christ - not commonality.

Agreement is not actually unity - it is a temporary state where our self-interests align, it is fickle at best. Churches eventually crumble and split when they mistake this for fellowship.

Don’t get me wrong - it’s still good to have interest groups in church etc. (run clubs ew and the like)

True biblical fellowship is centered around the Lordship of Christ - unchanging and eternal.

This type of fellowship lasts because there is an eternal unifying point - one that will never change, and will always result in genuine fellowship as long as every member has that as their goal, their focus.

A church that is built and centered on the Lordship of Christ - is a church where deep fellowship will be found.

Sometimes I think that churches fall into the “comfort trap”. We try to build a place where we will feel comfortable to attend.

But I think comfort can be the death of fellowship. Because comfort is about looking inward to what we need, and settling in that space.

Fellowship requires us to step outside of our comfort zones - to speak to people we normally wouldn’t speak to, to do life with people we normally wouldn’t do life with, to serve people we wouldn’t normally serve, to love people we normally wouldn’t love

That’s a church that stands out like what Jesus meant in John 13:35

John 13:35 (ESV)

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

That’s a church that will go on to make an impact and set a new standard for love and fellowship. That church is a city on a hill, a light that cannot be hidden.

That’s the type of church that God wants us to be - and so I don’t want to build a comfortable church, let’s not settle for a comfortable church - that is settling for second best to what God has planned for us.

We can’t have a heart for the city - if we want to be comfortable. We will eventually have to pick one or the other

And church, I don’t know about you - but I’m picking having God’s heart for the city, I’m picking genuine fellowship any day of the week.

**CALL KEYS UP**

ILLUSTRATION: James and AJ

You know, just this Friday night that passed. We had just finished another epic night of youth - and it was late at night. Dan, myself, Char were at church late because one of the youth had been kicked out of their house and had nowhere to stay. They were on the phone with their mum, trying to get them to let them back into the house, it was a sad sight.

After maybe an hour or more on the phone - this is around 11PM by now - they got off the phone and just went into the toilet to cry. They weren’t allowed back home, they had nowhere to go.

I called James - and I told him about the situation. James is at a bucks night for one of his mates getting married. And he says hold on, let me make a call. He called me back a couple of minutes later and tells me that the youth can stay with him until they figure something out.

And I told James - like “hey don’t worry we’ll get him to a friend’s place tomorrow, we’ll sort it out so it doesn’t put a burden on your parents.” but James just sid to me “nah Jon, my parents are all good - our family is all about this life. Don’t worry about it.”

Man, can I tell you guys I’m just so proud to be serving along people like that. Who would open their home in a heartbeat for a young person in need. And like I get all the - yeah let’s be careful, he’s a minor, this isn’t sustainable in the long term, he needs to figure out his life - like yes, we have to apply wisdom, we have to apply practicality to this, I understand.

But can we just, for a second, appreciate that our youth pastor (like so many in this church) wants to build a house of genuine fellowship. He wants to walk the talk. He doesn’t just want to look like the church - he wants to BE the church.

You know the beautiful thing about that is before James called me back, Char was already ready to take them back to his place to stay the night.

Man we’ve got a beautiful church. There’s a beautiful smelling fellowship coming out of this church - and we’ve got to guard it.

Altar Call

Only when we’re looking at Christ will we also be able to look to the interests of others.

Only when we take our eyes off ourselves will we be able to see the needs of others.

I’d like to say a prayer over this church - that we would be a house where fellowship was such a strong, sweet smell that would draw people in and keep them here. And in turn make them smell of the same beautiful smell.

**PRAY**

Before we go I want to talk about something happening in our church - a structure we’re implementing so that we can grow as a church that’s about genuine fellowship.

We are launching Connect Groups in October.

These small groups are all about doing life together - they are all about fellowship and discipleship.

They will be running fortnightly at various locations around the city, north and south of the river.

We’re going to be starting with a series called Welcome Home which will be about what it looks like to be part of a spiritual family.

This morning you’ll find Connect Cards on your chairs - please take these cards home.

On the back there will be a barcode and if you scan it with your camera and follow the link it will taake you to a list of connect groups that we have. Select one and we’ll get in touch with you! If you don’t know which one just select “I don’t know” and we will help match you up.

If you need any help doing so - please come find any of our pastoral team, myself, Sharon, and we would love to help you.