Fellowship or Foolishness

Act

Acts 2:42 NKJV

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

As we look at the NT church as it was starting we see key traits of its success and vitality.

Remember, these people are from a Jewish back ground and have been accustom to temple life and practices.

So much of what we see if the beginning of the NT church are things that they have been doing for a long time.

There are things that are much different though.

The Sacrificial System is done away with. Why? Jesus was the completion of this system.

The person of Jesus Christ and his identity are now the focus of their worship, teaching, fellowship, and everyday life.

This continues to be a source of contention with the Pharisees, and the upper ranks (Sadducees) of the Jewish Temple.

The Jewish faith is very similar to the Christian faith in almost every aspect except when it comes to Jesus.

Even when it comes to Jesus we still align with them on that. They just don’t believe he has come yet.

The NT Church continued with faithful loyalty in the teaching of the Apostles.

This is the core of what we believe today. Remember, most of this is summed up in the Apostle’s Creed.

Teaching the Word of God should be something that we all engage in whenever the opportunity presents itself.

At home with the kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews. They all need to hear about Jesus. Even spouse, relatives.

It should be taught in public school. We would see a lot of thing change in our communities and around our country if Bible was part of each child’s lessons.

It is our job to teach.

We all have a responsibility to do this.

That is the purpose of Sunday schools, Wednesday Bible studies and prayer meeting, VBS, Epworth League, Awana, Child Evangelism Fellowship, and the list goes on.

I was saved because of one of these teaching programs aimed at children.

Besides being faith to teaching the Word of God, the NT church was faithfully engaged in another activity.

The NT Church continued with faithful loyalty in Fellowship

What is this fellowship?

1: companionship, company looking for the fellowship of friendly people

2a :  community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience

3:  a company of equals or friends : association a youth fellowship

4:  the quality or state of being comradely meaningful communication for building trust and fellowship

Definition of fellowship for English Language Learners

: a friendly relationship among people

: the relationship of people who share interests or feelings

: a group of people who have similar interests

Related Words affable, agreeable, approachable, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, nice, sweet; clubby, convivial, folksy, gregarious, hospitable, sociable, social; jolly, jovial, merry; extroverted (also extraverted), outgoing; brotherly, fraternal, sisterly; close, familiar, intimate; adoring, affectionate, devoted, fond, lovesome, loving, tender, tenderhearted

Does it seem foolish to be any of these?

Most of us would say that this is how everyone should be when it comes down to it.

These are qualities of being a good neighbor, wouldn’t you think?

So when it comes to fellowship there are some key things that I want to highlight for us this morning that will be helpful in our roll in the NT church and being faithful to keeping them.

Fellowship is about encouragement.

Acts 4:36–37 NKJV

And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4

Hebrews 10:23–25 NKJV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Encouragement

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1168 Ford Encouraged by Edison

Ford Encouraged By Edison

Henry Ford once said that the ability to encourage others is one of life’s finest assets. The auto inventor and manufacturer knew the power of encouragement. He had learned of it as a young man.

Memorable to him was the time, at the beginning of his career, when he made a drawing of his newly-built engine for Thomas. A. Edison. Young Ford had endured criticism and ridicule. Most mechanical experts of that day were convinced that electric carriages would be the popular passenger cars of the future.

But attending a dinner one evening at which Edison was present, Ford began explaining his engine to men nearest him at table. He noticed that Edison, seated several chairs away, was listening. Finally the great man moved closer and asked the young inventor to make a drawing.

When the crude sketch was complete, Edison studied it intently, then suddenly banged his fist on the table. “Young man,” he said, “that’s the thing! You have it!”

Years later, Ford recalled, “The thump of that fist upon the table was worth worlds to me.”

—Jack Kytle

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 1168 Ford Encouraged by Edison

Ford Encouraged By Edison

Henry Ford once said that the ability to encourage others is one of life’s finest assets. The auto inventor and manufacturer knew the power of encouragement. He had learned of it as a young man.

Memorable to him was the time, at the beginning of his career, when he made a drawing of his newly-built engine for Thomas. A. Edison. Young Ford had endured criticism and ridicule. Most mechanical experts of that day were convinced that electric carriages would be the popular passenger cars of the future.

But attending a dinner one evening at which Edison was present, Ford began explaining his engine to men nearest him at table. He noticed that Edison, seated several chairs away, was listening. Finally the great man moved closer and asked the young inventor to make a drawing.

When the crude sketch was complete, Edison studied it intently, then suddenly banged his fist on the table. “Young man,” he said, “that’s the thing! You have it!”

Years later, Ford recalled, “The thump of that fist upon the table was worth worlds to me.”

—Jack Kytle

Ford Encouraged By Edison

Henry Ford once said that the ability to encourage others is one of life’s finest assets. The auto inventor and manufacturer knew the power of encouragement. He had learned of it as a young man.

Memorable to him was the time, at the beginning of his career, when he made a drawing of his newly-built engine for Thomas. A. Edison. Young Ford had endured criticism and ridicule. Most mechanical experts of that day were convinced that electric carriages would be the popular passenger cars of the future.

But attending a dinner one evening at which Edison was present, Ford began explaining his engine to men nearest him at table. He noticed that Edison, seated several chairs away, was listening. Finally the great man moved closer and asked the young inventor to make a drawing.

When the crude sketch was complete, Edison studied it intently, then suddenly banged his fist on the table. “Young man,” he said, “that’s the thing! You have it!”

Years later, Ford recalled, “The thump of that fist upon the table was worth worlds to me.”

—Jack Kytle

Encouragement goes along way doesn’t it?

When you are going through a difficult time with your health isn’t it nice to be encouraged by a network of people who love and care? Or is it a bunch of foolishness?

When you are grieving the loss of a loved one? Is it nice to have those hugs and words of ENCOURAGEMENT, and the food and flowers and support during that time from a network of people who love and care?

How about when life throws you a curve ball or you fall on hard times? Isn’t it nice to be helped back up again by a network of people who love and care?

Encouragement also comes when is has to do with our faith and serving in the church and community.

We need to encourage others to be here with us because we are a network of people who care… RIGHT?

If we encouraged those who aren’t here with us this morning to come and be a part of our network then we would start seeing more here when we meet together.

Meeting together for fellowship is more than just being encouraged but it is be accountable.

Matthew 12:36–37 NKJV

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

mt 12

Accountable

Litterbugs To Clean Up

A punishment to fit the crime has been devised for highway litterbugs by Judge G. J. Smith, of the Cass County, Mo., magistrate’s court. He sentences the offender to clean up about a mile of right-of-way under the watchful eye of a state policeman.

Gathering up the bushels of beer cans, bottles, paper cartons, empty cigarette packages and other assorted trash strewn along the highways is calculated to be a sure cure for the habit. And witnessing such a detail of kitchen police also has a restraining effect on other potential trash-tossers. Besides, it saves the taxpayers money that would otherwise have to be spent in cleaning up the highway. The amounts for this unnecessary tidying up run into millions of dollars a year in many states.

—Saturday Evening Post

We should be about trying to help each other when we get off track.

A gentle push in the right direction. Sometime is needs to be more than a gentle push.

Before their can really be an accountability there needs to be trust.

We can’t go run our mouth about Randy backsliding the other night when he went out drinking all night.

We can’t run our mouth about Liz backsliding by taking meds that don’t belong to her.