Fellowship

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 devoted themselves to learning and to each other

This devoted to learning part, that’s easy enough.

But Luke also says - they were devoted to EACH OTHER. This is a strong word.

Mark 12:30–31 NIV

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

In the early church, you have this picture of the kind of devotion that they have for each other.

I am devoted to my wife. If she suffers - I suffer. If she needs - I give freely.

Who are you devoted to in the faith?

They weren’t identical - but they were aligned

Philippians 2:1–2 NIV

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

This sounds like a big goal - like minded, same love, one spirit and one mind.

But paul explains how to do it.

Philippians 2:3–4 NIV

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Paul says - put on humility, and value other people more than you value you.

He also says, don’t push for YOUR interests - push for other peoples.

Paul says, if you think this is beneath you, or your position is owed some kind of recognition and deference - he says, look at Jesus. (IN VERY NATURE GOD)

We have lots of situations where we think, i’m right, you’re wrong. I’m on the high road, you’re on the low road.

They can all be terribly subjective. And most usually are.

You know who is never the subjective one in the room, the guy who’s always the right one and we’re always the wrong ones? Jesus. And jesus says, don’t use your position to your advantage.

What would it look like to use your ‘position’, status, authority, giftings - to benefit somebody else rather than you?

They practiced gladness and sincerity

Romans 15:7 NIV

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

We can be good at ‘tolerance’. And not in the way the world uses that phrase - in the way of saying, ‘We let this person in the room, even though we don’t like them’.

It’s not enough to say, I’ll tolerate you. That’s just putting on a show. Forcing an outward reality, but not allowing an inward change.

We need to get to the point where we say ‘I won’t just tolerate you - i’m genuinely glad you’re here. I WANT you here.’

This process of genuinely loving each other - it results in praise to God.

And not just from those of us already here

They refused to pick sides - and God blessed that

Romans 14:13 NIV

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

Romans 14:17–18 NIV

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.