Authentic Fellowship

Introduction

JUNIOR CHURCH DISMISSED

Great singing today. Thank you for that special.

We will be back in our Authentic series today. We are looking at the New Testament church and how they operated, functioned, and conducted themselves.

It’s been amazing to see what God has done through hearts already during this series and many of you have commented about how it has already been a help to you.

It’s my prayer that today the message will be a help and blessing to you.

We are going to be looking at an aspect of the church many of us love but I believe partially misunderstand. Today I want us to Authentic Fellowship and how that should look.

If you have been around a Baptist church for long you know we enjoy fellowship. Well, we say we enjoy fellowship but every time we fellowship there is food. So there is a chance we just enjoy food and the fellowship is a by-product.

Either way, we spend time together often. But is it authentic fellowship?

This morning we are gong to look at the church in Acts and their fellowship to discover what Authentic Biblical fellowship looks like.

As we examine this verse I’d like for you to ponder a question: Am I loving as Christ loves?

We will only be examining one verse this morning but I believe this one verse carries with it truths and principles that will be a help to us corporately and more importantly individually.

Open your Bibles to

Acts 2:42–44 KJV 1900

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Acts 2:42 KJV 1900

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

PRAY

Notice first the stability of their faith.

I. TheStability of their faith

The “they” being referred to is mentioned in verse 41. It is the saved and baptized body of believers in jerusalem.

We are talking about the local church body of believers like those here. Even if you are here and have not joined the church, you are still apart of this body as a saved and baptized believer in Christ.

They continued steadfastly. That phrase in the Greek is from words that mean they were persistent, they kept on with devotion in the doctrine of the Apostle’s. It was this doctrine that gave them stability.

They Continued to exist and remain devoted to Christ because they were continuing in truth.

A. They Continued in truth

They first continued in the truth of salvation. Salvation is the beginning of our walk with the Lord and true faith in Christ is ongoing.

Philippians 1:6 KJV 1900

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

When we trust in Christ as our Savior He begins a work in our lives that lasts until we see Him face to face.

When a person is genuinely saved they want to move forward in their faith. Fellowship with other believers is one of the ways God works in stabilizing and encouraging us to keep growing.

Next they continued in the truth of doctrine.

Doctrine means teachings, sets of beliefs. The centerpiece to the fellowship in the early church wasn’t the fried chicken and banana pudding. It was doctrine.

The early church made much of the teachings of Christ they were receiving directly from the Apostle’s mouth.

Remember, they didn’t have the written NT at this time. They had the witness and example of the men who walked with Christ.

Now we have the closed canon of scripture in the Bible. We have the Word of God complete, pure, and perfect.

The Bible is an unchanging book whose truths and principles are unchanging as well. It is by our gathering around this book and these truths that our faith is made stable.

As intregral as truth is to the Word of God. It is important to understand that the truth we posses must not be kept to ourselves.

The early church continued in truth and they continued in teaching.

B. They continued in Teaching

This falls right in line with the great commission Christ gave in

Matthew 28:19–20 KJV 1900

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

I believe that Christians, each and everyone of us, are called to teach the word of God. Does that mean all of you should be up here doing it? no. Does it mean God may call some young man in the church to ministry, yes!

Whether pastor, missionary, laymen, deacon, or what have you. Jesus makes it clear that each of us are supposed to be engaged in the equipping of other believers with the Word of God.

Discipleship is not reserved for a special sect of Christianity. It is commanded of each of us.

As much as discipleship is about teaching the doctrine of scripture, it is about developing the relationship with the new believer and helping them understand what authentic Christianity is.

Without a connection to another believer and only seeing a preacher from the pulpit and looking at Christianity with rose colored glasses a person could come to believe that others are either better Christians than them or the new believer may perceive that Christians think they are better than others.

But when they are able to connect to someone and get to know them through the teaching of the word of God, they will understand that both of them have sin they deal with. They will learn that Christians aren’t perfect nor should we think we are.

And it’s important for us as Christians to avail ourselves to the teaching of the word of God as much as we can. If your not attending a class at the 10 oclock hour then I encourage you to do so. Bro. Rob teaches a general adults class upstairs, downstairs in the fellowship hall I’m teaching young adults and parents. That means if you are a senior in high school, out of high school, or a parent. You are welcome in the fellowship hall at 10am.

Mrs. Carmie has a ladies group on Wednesday nights at 7pm during Awana upstairs and we have our general adult Bible Study and prayer meeting here in the auditorium at the same time.

I know some may be under the impression that Sunday morning is the only service you need. I beg to differ. The Word of God tells us in Hebrews to get together often, many times we are told to Study the Bible, and we see here in our text that the early church continued in truth and teaching through fellowship.

It’s the example we have set before us. The question we have to ask ourselves is what are we putting before the Word of God in our lives?

It is a focus on the Word of God that provided stability to the faith of the early church. They also had a sustained fellowship.

II. A Sustained Fellowship

With stability comes longevity. This is another characteristic of authentic fellowship. The world’s relationships can be so up and down.

Your friends one minute and then when a person doesn’t like your fb post, instagram story, or you drop streaks on snapchat thats it, it’s over.

Boys and girls, men and woman, date and sometimes marry like it’s a sport.

God’s design for Christian fellowship is that it will be sustaining and encouraging.

ILLUSTRATION: I once heard a story about “Three young boys were having some mischievous fun at the zoo by the elephant yard. They made enough commotion that onlookers called the zoo security in concern. The security officer asked each boy the same questions: “What is your name? And what were you doing by the elephants?”

“My name is Larry,” the first boy answered. “And I was just throwing peanuts to the elephants.”

That seemed reasonable enough. The officer turned to the next boy. “My name is Jared, and I was just throwing peanuts to the elephants.”

The third boy was obviously flustered as he stuttered his answer. “M-m-my name is P-p-peter. But my friends call me P-p-p-peanuts!”

Have you ever had friends like Peter’s who instead of helping you were tossing you around? ”

Excerpt From: Paul Chappell. “Real Church Curriculum (Teacher Edition).” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/real-church-curriculum-teacher-edition/id619923135

Real fellowship between Christians who are walking in the Spirit will operate much differently.

It’s one reason I make much of the preaching and teaching of God’s Word around. I’ve spoke with our worship team and told them that what they do is important but nothing is more important than the preaching. And not just because I’m doing it. In the Sunday school classes and junior church lessons, the most important thing done in there is not the games, snacks, or coloring sheets. It is the lesson directly from scripture that they are getting.

It’s why no matter what we do for fun around here, I want us to make the Word of God intergal to what all ministries, fellowships, and big days.

It’s wrong when we center our relationships and fellowship around these types of things without making doctrine and Christ the centerpiece.

What is it that sustains this type of fellowship?

When we gather together let’s remember our focus is on Christ not on anything else.

It is sustained through Christ

A. Sustained through Christ

As believers that center our relationships on Christ, we have them built upon something more solid that mere surface interests.

It was a seventeenth century preacher named Thomas Brooks that said “ Let those be thy choicest companions who have made Christ their chief companion.”

It’s always been God’s design for His people to have close fellowship with one another.

The Greek word for fellowship in verse 42 is Koinoenia (KU-NO-NEA) and it refers to partnership or sharing.

When we recieve Christ as our savior we become partners with not only Him bu other believers as well. It’s then our responsibility and privilege to fellowship with one another in the church.

Real fellowship occurs when we are sharing together in prayer ,singing, gathering, Bible Study, witnessing, serving, and the Lord’s Table.

It’s unfortunate that we sometimes decide to settle for socializing when we could have real fellowship.

One author wrote “There is a Christian failure to distinguish between socialzing and fellowship. Although socializing is often both a part of and the context of fellowship, it is possible to socialize without having fellowship. Socializing involves the sharing of human and earthly life. Christian fellowship, New Testament Koinoenia, involves the sharing of spiritual life.”

Socializing is beneficial and enjoyable but it must not replace Christian fellowship. Fellowship is God’s gift to bind like-minded people together. It stabilizes our faith and sustains our walk with the Lord.

Now there is another side to sustaining fellowship with the Lord.

That is forsaking ungodly socializing. That doesn’t mean we live in a bubble, but it does mean that our lives should not be consumed with socializing with people that will bring us down.

The more you time you spend with a person the more you are influences by them.

If you were here a couple months ago then you may remember when I had a couple teen girls up here stepping up and down on this bannister. We saw that the best place for a Christian to be from sin is behind the door. Completed separated and untempted by the sin.

Ephesians 5:11 KJV 1900

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

After we become a Christian there should be some changes in our lives. God gives us the incredible gift of Christian fellowship in the church and he commands us to forsake sinful associations.

We look to the example of Christ who yes ate with sinners but who did he spend the majority of His time with? Those who believed in Him.

If we are looking for Authentic Christian fellowship it can’t be found in the world.

We need to share the gospel with the world but we need to be careful of the world being our closest friends. Why? We need to be encouraged in our relationship with Christ. Those who do not know Christ can’t push us towards Christ.

“A Peanuts cartoon depicted Lucy in a bad mood saying to Charlie Brown, “I hate everything. I hate everybody. I hate the whole wide world!”

“But I thought you had inner peace,” Charlie Brown responded.

“My name is Larry,” the first boy answered. “And I was just throwing peanuts to the elephants.”

That seemed reasonable enough. The officer turned to the next boy. “My name is Jared, and I was just throwing peanuts to the elephants.”

“I do have inner peace,” Lucy snapped back, “but I still have outer obnoxiousness.”

There are certain relationships and associations that most definitely will affect our inner peace—and those include people who are involved in the unfruitful works of darkness.”

The third boy was obviously flustered as he stuttered his answer. “M-m-my name is P-p-peter. But my friends call me P-p-p-peanuts!”

When we are right with the Lord and walking in the light with Him, we will have fellowship with other Christians that is sustained and encouraging.

Have you ever had friends like Peter’s who instead of helping you were tossing you around? ”

We are sustained through Christ and we are sustained through the church.

Excerpt From: Paul Chappell. “Real Church Curriculum (Teacher Edition).” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/real-church-curriculum-teacher-edition/id619923135

B. Sustained through Church

Excerpt From: Paul Chappell. “Real Church Curriculum (Teacher Edition).” Apple Books. https://books.apple.com/us/book/real-church-curriculum-teacher-edition/id619923135

We see in verse 41 that the church exploded after Peter’s preaching. Can you imagine if we had 3,000 people here next week? I’d go crazy trying to follow up.

It was in this context that the new believers continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship. Imagine the potluck. You’d have so many potato salads.

Charles Spurgeon pointed out our need to sustain one another through fellowship: “Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God’s people.”

Authentic fellowship stabilizes our faith and it sustains us in Christian growth. It’s through Authentic fellowship that have strength-end friendships.

III. Strengthened Friendships

Allow me to take this last point and get extremely practical with you.

Every significant relationship in our lives will either strengthen or weaken our walk with the Lord. It will either encourage or discourage your faith.

Let’s note 4 ways to build godly friendships in the local church.

We spoke of the characteristics of a hero last week and I alluded to a few of these but today we will be extremely practical in identifying them.

First we see they are developed through Honesty.

A. Through Honesty

True Authentic Christ honoring friendships are built on Trust.

Paul wrote in Ephesians to all christians

Ephesians 4:25 KJV 1900

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

This is not just about backing into someone in the parking lot. Which if you do, please have an honest and civil conversation after. But we are to also have honest conversations in love.

Proverbs 27:6 KJV 1900

Faithful are the wounds of a friend; But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

Authentic fellowship comes with appropriate accountability and genuine concern for the spiritual condition of friends. This is that partisan relationship I spoke of last week. This is us truly being concerned about another person and being willing to have open and honest communication with them. It may be a hard conversation but when we care for others, they are had in love and for the purpose of benefiting the other person.

What does this look like? it can come many different forms. One way might be a simple “Hey I missed seeing you last week, everything ok? Is there some way I can encourage and help you?”

I’m thankful for the men here who I’ve worked closely with concerning my on-boarding as the Pastor and the texts, phone calls, and conversations I’ve had with them having open and honest conversations with me for my benefit. To help me grow and sharpen me.

We all need those from time to time.

The opposite of this is when we see a problem and don’t do anything about it...

We strengthen our friendships through Dependability

B. Through Dependability

Dependability is born out of Christ-like love. This doesn’t mean we wont’ fail one another from time to time but it does mean thats not the norm.

We are to be people of our word. We are to be steady in our love for others as Christ’s love is steady for us.

The command of love from Jesus is high, and can only be done through a close relationship with Him.

C. Through Encouragement

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 KJV 1900

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

One of the greatest blessings of godly fellowship is the encouragement that can come from it. The edification, the building up, of other Christians is one of the reasons we should be at church.

Hebrews 10:25–26 KJV 1900

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

Hebrews 10:25 KJV 1900

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

The word exhorting means encouraging, imploring. We gather to encourage one another. With all that you deal with throughout the week I pray the this ministry and the people that make it up are always an encouragement to you. Always building up. Always here when you need us.

The best fellowship we can have is with fellow Christians that sharpens us and points us to Christ.

Our Friendships are strength-end through dependability, encouragement, and acceptance.

D. Through Acceptance

I do want to caution us here. In modern Christianity it seems as though we have begun to confuse acceptance of a person as accepting their sin. No.

Just because we are willing to love people doesn’t mean we support their lifestyles.

Acceptance is the optimum environment for growth. Accepting people fosters trust and trust is required for friendship.

Maybe they don’t believe the Bible, maybe they believe you can live a sinful lifestyle and still glorify Christ.

Accepting someone where they are and committing to love them like Jesus will set us up to be in a position to be used by Him to see them grow closer to Him. It will allow us to be there for them during difficult seasons of life.

I promise you, no matter who is in the pew, my preaching won’t change. The Word of God is an uncompromising book and as a pastor I’m supposed to preach the whole counsel of God.

All of these traits are indispensable when it comes to Christian fellowship.

If we are to have authentic fellowship like the early church we must commit to developing these traits in our own lives and not looking to others to develop them toward us.

Conclusion

This morning you may be new here, you have been here many times before, but either way you may have never heard something like I spoke about today. You’ve never thought about having a common bond with other people through Christ.

You could be a person that has never had a relationship with Jesus. You don’t know what its like to feel the love of Christ. You don’t know for sure where your going when you leave this earth.

Today is a great day for you. Today you can know Jesus. Today you can know that love. You can know acceptance not based upon race, financial position, car you drive, or sports team you like.

You can know acceptance based solely on the love of Jesus.

At this time I’d like to ask everyone to stand with their heads bowed and eyes closed. At this time in our service we like to take a few moments to respond to the Lord based upon what we’ve heard.

If you are here and don’t know Jesus but would like to…would you raise your hand? I won’t come get you, I wont’ drag you to the altar. I’ll just explain from here what the Bible says about knowing Jesus and being saved.

Would you raise your hand right now?

Salvation message

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Christians, are loving like Christ loved? Have you been in true Christian fellowship? Is there something your allowing to divide you and another person?

Let’s give that over to God and commit to coming together under the love of Christ. Let’s develop those qualities in our hearts and be an encouragement to others.

How many you’ve needed to hear that this morning? Did God speak to you heart? If you would say the Lord spoke to you about a matter this morning would you raise your hand?

right now. Great. many hands up.

Christians we are not alone in this. We all struggle, we all fail, we all need reminders, we all need encouragement.

PRAY

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