Starting the New year Right: Fellowship

Call to worship

Psalm 7:17 NKJV

17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

Tithe and Offering

Psalm 116:12–14 NKJV

12 What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord. 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people.

This weeks Text:

Acts 2:40–42 NKJV

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Introduction:

I Like to think that we are unique church. it has been the one of the greatest blessings of my life.

There are some reasons that we do the Super Bowl Party.

I went over this last year: one of the first outreaches that the Church I grew up in was the super bowl Sunday. the guy the rented us the TV’s and his entire family got saved.

there are less and less people who are familiar with Church. Many people don’t even know that they need it.

one reason that we do the super bowl party is to invite people who don’t know that they are welcomed in a Church.

another reason that we do this is because we want to provide a safe place to watch the super bowl in a safe place.

1. The Apostles Doctrine is the word of God.

Hebrews 1:1 NKJV

1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV

11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

John 8:31 NKJV

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

Most Churches are good at the word part.

we are good at providing opportunists to learn the word of God.

how often do we provide opportunities to see how we are applying the word.

most of us would not feel comfortable asking someone about there personal relationship with christ.

we don't want plain old converts; we are looking for disciples.

Insert Meme Here:

one of the things that you can do is invite them here, to hang out and get to know them.

2. The breaking of Bread:

Communion (The Lords supper)

1 Corinthians 11:23–34 NKJV

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

we do communion on Sunday night because its a believers sacrament. a right for surrendered believers in Jesus Christ. disciples.

we do it weekly because we need to be reminded of God’s grace in our lives.

we need to be reminded to rely on Jesus.

Fellowship (Eating with one another)

Acts 2:46–47 NKJV

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

there is a fellowship that comes with a meal.

there is something to hanging out.

this was the model of the early church.

people were being added to the church daily.

first our goal tonight is to reflect the love of Jesus.

as we reflect jesus we invite people to them.

3. Prayer comes after fellowship.

as we devote ourselves to “braking bread”

people will began to ask you to pray for them because they no that you are approachable and love Jesus.