Belong

(start out strong and fast)

When we were first married, Kim and I attended her family reunion in Buffalo New York.

People brought their barbecue grills and coolers with drinks, we played games and we had a great day of eating and enjoying one another.

slow down

The reunion was fun … for them.

strong and fast)

They could mention a holiday, a name, a place, a memory – and there was instant recognition, laughter or tears, from everyone

slow down

except me.

While the “family” sat at tables sharing memories, I whispered to Kim questions like,

whisper

“Who are they talking about?, “When did that happen?,” and “What is that about?.”

Kim and others, were tremendously patient and would try to explain each story to clue me in,

but, eventually, each explanation included the phrase, “you really had to be there”.

speed up

Nobody likes to feel left out, and not included. The first few days, weeks, and even years on a new job, living in a new community, or going to a new school can make you feel like that though. like you don’t belong.

There are even people who feel like that, who aren’t so new.

Who have went to the same job, lived in the same house, or went to the same school all their life but don’t feel included and accepted. They don’t feel like they belong.

slow down

Church can be the same way. We can get together and speak Christianeze and churchianity.

That is an insider language that only those who have been coming know.

Tom Rainer in his book called ‘Becoming a welcoming church” said that one of the top reasons guests don’t return to a church is because of that same insider language.

They would listen to the announcements, the casual conversations, the stories of the glory days and they didn’t know what any of it was and what it meant.

So unintentially they didn’t feel like they belonged or were welcomed there.

One testimony said this....

speed up

“I walk into church and people are already talking to each other in their seats or in the lobby. They smile and laugh, happy to be in their own groups. Everyone belongs to a group.

They sit together with the friends they’ve had for years. They make plans for lunch after service, patting themselves on the back for their good Christian efforts over the past week.

And they nod as the pastor preaches his sermon, promising to do better, be more friendly this week. The pastor shakes their hands as they go out the door.

And yet, no one has tried to talk to me.

speed up

This is the scenario that many regular church-goers find themselves in. Church is meant to be the place where the sick and broken-hearted find healing, where the lost find their way, and where the lonely find friendship.

slow down

However, some become broken-hearted, lose their way. This is because they feel like they don’t belong.

Some of that can be on them though. If you only come for the Sunday service and don’t take advantage of the special events we have, or the discipleship groups we have on Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings then you cant expect to get to know people and feel connected.

speed up

But some of it can be on us too. If we don’t reach out to new people or if we are always rushing in to church right on time, late, or leave right after service is done. Then it’s on us.

slow down squeaky voice

We in the american church have a false sense of what true fellowship is. It’s more than a meal.

Lets read 1 John 1:1-7 and see what God says true fellowship really is.

1 John 1:1–7 ESV

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 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 cleanses us from all sin.

1. FELLOWSHIP OF LIFE

Speed up

There are a few things we see about fellowship in the scriptures.

coin-onia is the word for fellowship in greek it signifies having a share in something or having to share with someone in something or participation in something or with someone.

slow down and use hand motions for up and down

a Christian coin-onia or Christian fellowship is both horizontal(that is reaching across the table to our brothers and sisters in Christ and it’s vertical(that is in our relationship with God and a shared life together.

slower and screechy voice. get emotional

We as His church are to be his image to reflect his glory out in the community as we fellowship with God and one another.

If we are to reach people today we need to offer them something they can’t get anywhere else.

speed up and get emotional

We need to provide an authentic fellowship. One that welcomes all, one that shows no favoritism, no judgment or gossip.

If our “fellowship” doesn’t provide “joy” then there is something wrong with our “relationship” with God and with each other.

Our fellowship should be an encounter of the presence of God that brings a foretaste of heaven to earth and gives us a glimpse of His glory!

*TRANSITION STATEMENT**

speed up

Now John and the other original disciples actually heard, seen, looked, and touched Jesus who is the Word of Life and enjoyed His physical presence.

Apostle John goes on to talk about how they witnessed the Word of life by...

Firstly, Which we have HEARD

fast and loud

Jesus taught with authority and power

Pharisees, rabbis, and other religious leaders spoke in the authority of the law whereas Jesus spoke in the authority of grace.

It is grace that moves the sinner from death to life. Jesus was under the authority of the father.

If we want our Words to give life we must have life. True life is only found in Jesus.

While the Scribes operated in the letter of the law, Jesus operated in the Spirit of the law.

In Matthew 5, Jesus repeatedly states, "Ye have heard that it has been said by them of old," and goes on to quote the letter of the law as had been asserted by the Scribes and Pharisees.

After having quoted the letter of the law, he then states, repeatedly, "But I say unto you," and Jesus then declares the Spirit of the law. It is in the Spirit of the law that we find God's grace.

speak slower

Jesus words give life and hope; they were an encouragement to many who heard them, because Jesus spoke with authority outside the law.

He spoke with an authority that came from a place the Scribes had never been, and that is what was so astounding to the people.

speak faster

Secondly, the text says “Which we have SEEN with our eyes”

They seen His miracles. The gospels record 37 miracles Jesus performed and he did many more

even so much if they were recorded not even all the books in the world would have room for them to be written in!

speak fast with more emotion

They experienced Jesus turning water into wine,

Jesus casting out evil spirits,

Jesus healing Peter's mother in law,

Jesus healing a man of leprosy,

Jesus calming a storm,

Jesus feeding 5000 and many many more miracles.

They SEEN the Word of life. What do people see in you?

Do you live for the sake of others or for yourself?

speaker slower

Thirdly, the text says “Which we have looked at and our hands have TOUCHED”

There are a couple examples of people in the Bible who have touched Jesus.

Such as the woman with the bleeding problem of 12 years mentioned in Mark 5:28.

She thought if I could just touch his robe I will be healed. She gave up everything.

She traveled thirty miles to get to him, fueled by nothing but, faith.

What are we willing to do and give up to get closer to Jesus?

Then we have the story of another person that touched Jesus, Doubting Thomas.

John 20:27 says..”Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

We have all been where Thomas was. In a state of unbelief.

But, God was big enough to handle our doubts. Once Thomas seen the evidence of the wounds of Jesus he believed.

The greatest evidence though, is that of a changed life

speak faster and louder

John sums it up by saying...

this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it,

and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

speak softer and more emotion

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. 4 We write this to make our[a] joy complete.

There is this fellowship of life with God and one another. That brings me to my next point.

That there is fellowship in Light

2. FELLOWSHIP IN LIGHT

1 John 1:7 says....

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Light....Guides

A light guides. When we shine a light in a dark place it illuminates the path we should walk. It gives us a vision and perception to see.

In John 8:1–12 Jesus calls himself the light. Just after he sends away the “woman caught in adultery” without condemning her, Jesus tells the Pharisees, “I am the light of the world!

The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Think of a time when you have been “caught” breaking the commandments—failing to love your neighbor, gossiping, desiring more worldly goods than you need, or being unfaithful.

slow and soft

Imagine if the story of the adulterous woman in John 8 were about you. How would the author describe you?

“The man caught in anger toward another driver”?

“The woman caught envying another person’s riches”?

Now imagine Jesus saying to you, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and sin no more”

hard and fast

If we walk in the light of Jesus, we do not have to hide our sin. Only when we are humbled by our own sin is it possible to have deep fellowship with others.

The essence of the Christian life is fellowship with God and fellowship with other believers in Christ.

slower and normal pace

In the beginning, the very beginning, Adam and Eve are placed in the garden to enjoy friendship and communion with God.

When they chose to assert their own autonomy rather than live under the Creator’s gracious care, fellowship was broken.

Hence Adam and Eve hid themselves from the Lord’s presence.

Yet God immediately sought them out and revealed his plan for the ultimate restoration of sinners through the work of the Redeemer.

fast and louder

Sin in it’s escence is a preference for ANYTHING over God!

Sin is preferring anything to God. If something is more desirable than God, than you are sinning.

slower and more emotion

Sin lures us and draws us away from God. It is deceitful and lies to us. It begins to harden our hearts to God.

The veins of our body start to become entangled in the web of sin and it affects everything we do. Everything we say and everything we are.

squeeky voice

Our heart is hardened, cold and callus. So what does that look like?

It means we aren’t easily touched and not easily penetrated.

The truth, the beauty of the gospel and Jesus himself just bounces off of us with no affect on us.

slow and loud

But other things do. Power is so compelling. money is so compelling. scrolling through social media is so compelling.

The compelling attraction of anything but God is a measure of how hard our heart has become toward the superior reality of who Jesus is.

faster and louder

We are told to build one another up, to encourage one another daily.

We are to encourage one another daily because we are being lied to every day.

Our flesh is lying to us,

the world is lying to us,

satan is lying to us,

social media is lying to us.

tv programs and movies are lying to us.

We need each other.

Think of the fellowship of the church.

3. FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH

In Acts 2:42 it says...

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

When it says steadfastly, I don’t imagine it meaning they met together once or twice a month or when it was convenient for them.

They didn’t let everything else be an excuse for missing church and gathering together.

I’d imagine the opposite. That church and gathering together was an excuse to miss everything else.

That’s how it should be with us. We should desire and want to be in Gods house and fellowship with Him and others.

Even when there is no potluck afterwards, even when there is no special event afterwards.

The Christian life has to be lived out not simply in a right relationship to God, but also in a right relationship to other Christians.

The gospel restores fellowship not only with God, but among believers as well.

Jesus’ last supper with his disciples illustrates the relationship between the vertical and horizontal dimensions of fellowship (Mk 14:22–25).

faster and more emotion

In the upper room Jesus shared with his disciples. The hearts of the Lord and his followers were knit together by a deep sense of love and commitment.

Later the disciples discovered that their own hearts were strongly united out of their common loyalty to Jesus.

Following the cross and the outpouring of the Spirit the church was born, that new society of people in fellowship with God and with one another.

The depth of comraderie among the first Christians is portrayed in the early chapters of Acts.

Daily the believers met together in house groups for teaching, fellowship, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer

APPLICATION

slow down

We have also heard the gospel, seen lives changed, and been touched by God.

We need to remember that this is a fellowship, not a social club, that the church isn't a museum for saints but, it's a hospital for sinners.

It's not a place to be divided by cliqs but, a body united in Christ.

We have been given spiritual life by Jesus and the father. He has imparted his life into us. We have been born as a new creation.

it's our responsibility as Christians to share the Word of life with others who are dying.

faster and loud

We do this by being Christ to others. Being imitators of Him by

feeding the hungry,

clothing the naked,

visiting the imprisoned,

healing the sick,

raising the dead,

loving the unlovable,

being a father to the fatherless,

being hope dealers to the drug dealers.

When Jesus life is manifested in us, that's when he can work through us.

We cant pray “Let it be on earth as it is in heaven and LIVE like we want it to be on earth as it is in hell