Sermon Tone Analysis

Church is more than Cheers!

From 1982-1993, Americans were glued to a sitcom, about a Boston Bar.

It was cherished because it was a place where everybody knows your name.

It’s hard to say those words without it’s song getting stuck in my head.

The show was Cheers!

Americans watched the ex-Boston Red Sox pitcher, Sam Malone, man the bar.

While the regulars came to drink every night after a long day at work.

I had a friend in college named Norm, and you couldn’t just say his name.

You had to almost yell his name, “Nooorrmmm.”

The star studded cast went onto became famous names:

Ted Danson

Woody Harrelson

Kelsey Grammer

Shelley Long

And Kirstie Alley.

These are just a few of the notable names.

The show along with its memorable piano intro, went on to become a picture of some of the deepest relationships that many will ever have.

People long for a place and a group of people, where you can see the same faces, and of course, they know your name.

Sometimes within the church we call that fellowship.

As if church relationships are the non-alcoholic version of cheers.

Once a week you see the same faces.

Maybe you have a donut and a cup of coffee with them.

Then you leave.

And you say, “Wow, that was good fellowship.”

What if I told you there’s something better?

What if I told you there is something better than just seeing the same faces, and saying, “Hi” then getting back to your private life.

Within the church, true Christian fellowship, transcends any other earthly relationship.

Here we are, at the tail end of Colossians.

Go ahead and open your Bibles to .

As Paul begins to wind down his little letter to the church in Colossae, we learn about the friends he had.

And also, that the church is much more than a place where everybody knows your name.

We will see 4 attributes of true Christian fellowship.

Extends beyond the church walls

Let’s go ahead and read .

In Paul’s closing verses of Colossians, we learn of the fellowship he had, and what biblical fellowship looks like.

We will see 4 attributes of true Christians fellowship.

Read Colossians 4:7-11

1. Extends beyond the church walls

The first thing we see is that Fellowship Extends beyond the church walls.

The local church is important.

Membership is important.

It’s important to be in a single church.

Under a single group of elders.

Membership is important.

Being able to say, “I’m a part of this church” is important.

And yet, the church, Christ’s body, is greater than even a single church.

And fellowship is greater than even a single church.

The love that we are to have for other believers, is more than just this church, but is to be for the church universal.

Paul is writing to a church he’s never been to.

And yet he cares deeply for them.

He has written to affirm that they are a church.

The Gospel they received from Epaphras, was the real Gospel.

They are real Christians.

And he really cares for them.

And they equally, care for him.

His love for the Colossian Christians is great, even though he’s never met them before.

There’s a story of Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics, which were hosted in Berlin.

To pass on how Paul is doing

Adolf Hitler was proud to host those olympics, and he was hoping to show off his nations superiority.

That year, Jesse Owens jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches, a record that would stand for 25 years.

As he walked to the pit to make the jump, Owens saw a tall-blond hair blue eyed man, taking practice jumps.

Owens was a little nervous.

He was a black man, very aware of the Nazis’ desire to prove their “Aryan superiority” over the other races.

The tall blond, introduced himself to Owens as Luz Long.

He said, “You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!”

That was a compliment, and definitely not what Owens was expecting.

The German and Jesse Owens struck up a conversation.

Long, then made a suggestion.

He said the distance for a qualifying jump was only 23 feet and 5 1/2 inches.

So make a mark, a few inches before the take off board, and just play it safe.

Which Owens did, and easily qualified.

In the finals, Owens went on to set an Olympic record, and earned 4 gold medals.

The first person to congratulate him, was Luz Long, right in view of Adolf Hitler.

Jesse Owens never met Luz Long again.

Long was killed in World War II.

Before Long was killed, he wrote a letter to Jesse Owens saying, “Someday find my son ... tell him about how things can be between men on this Earth.”

2. Encourages the Saints

Before

Owens later said, “You could melt down all the medals and cups I have, and they wouldn’t be a plating on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.”

That’s friendship outside the church, and that seemed deep.

But inside the church we have something even greater.

We still have the diversity.

But within the church we have sinners who have all been redeemed by Jesus Christ.

People from all over the globe.

And the day is coming, when this very diverse body, will stand and sing praise to Him.

says, “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

What we see with Paul and with the early church, is an understanding that Christ is redeeming people from all over the world, that they are one in Him now, and they had a love for the church abroad.

Colossians is a letter from Paul, to a church he’s never been too.

That’s love for the church abroad.

Romans, is a missionary letter from Paul, to bring help to the Christians in Spain.

That’s love for the church abroad.

The church extends beyond these church walls.

The fellowship we have extends beyond these church walls.

Therefore, if we are going to have true Christian fellowship, it’s got to go out.

Commit to praying for Christian missionaries.

Commit to praying for other churches.

The next mission trip that this church makes, be a part of it.

Either financially contributing.

Commit to praying regularly for it.

Or even going yourself.