Fellowship In Worship
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
14 We who had sweet fellowship together, Walked in the house of God in the throng.
There are two things, in particular, that I want to consider today in light of us all worshiping in one accord again.
That is the harmony and joy that is derived from our “fellowship in worship.”
So you see, fellowship in worship is firstly all about worshiping in…
Harmony
Harmony
Defining The Word.
Defining The Word.
One dictionaries definition of “harmony” was, “A combination of parts into a pleasing or orderly whole”
When it comes to worship this is exactly what God loves to see and hear from His righteous; in other words…
Worship, with those in fellowship with God and each other, is a combination of different personalities, emotions, and talents coming together into an orderly whole to present a sweet aroma of worship to God.
Harmonious Worship.
Harmonious Worship.
Jesus told the Samaritan women that “true worshipers” will worship in spirit and truth.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Why would Jesus say this, because God does want worship of Him to be out of harmony.
Any worship service dedicated to the Father, Son, and Spirit is not to be confusing but peaceful not conflicting but harmonious.
26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. 33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
Summary
Summary
This is one of the reasons why I’m so thankful to see each one of you back here today.
Yes, we could and did worship to the best of our abilities together with the few that were here, but it wasn’t has harmonious as it is today and what joy it brings my heart to worship in fellowship, in harmony, as we are now doing this morning.
But fellowship in worship isn’t just about having harmony it’s also about worshiping with…
Joy
Joy
Fellowship Brings Joy.
Fellowship Brings Joy.
Fellowship is more than sharing coffee and pie, hunting together, or even just spending time together.
The apostle Paul teaches us in the book of Philippians that fellowship is much deeper and involves the mind, heart, prayer.
To the Philippian church he wrote…
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Paul had the church on his mind constantly making his prayers a joy.
Fellowship is having a mental connection or mental partnership with those who love the Lord like you do.
To the Philippian church he also wrote…
7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Paul yearned to be around them because he held this relationship within his heart.
Fellowship is having a deep heartfelt yearning for those with you who love the Lord like you do.
To the Philippian church he lastly wrote…
9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paul prayed that their love would abound more and more into righteousness based on knowledge and understanding.
Fellowship is not just “getting along” it is desiring the spiritual best for one another.
It’s not hard to hear nor feel the joy exuding from Paul’s fellowship with the brethren there in Philippi.
But how does that apply to worshiping our God?
Worship Brings Joy.
Worship Brings Joy.
As the “apostle of love” stated in 1 John 1:7 our fellowship with each other is based on our fellowship with God.
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
To this end, joy seeps out of our every action when we worship in fellowship but why?
Because we are mentally in partnership with God and each other about how to worship. There is no greater distraction in worship than when people are pulling in different directions while worshiping.
When we are in mental partnership with God and each other our singing, prayers, communion, giving, and study brings great joy to our lives.
After the people united to get what was needed to build the temple of the Lord, David and the people gathered to worship their God in fellowship which brought great joy or gladness to them.
20 Then David said to all the assembly, “Bless the Lord your God.” And all the assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed their heads and paid homage to the Lord and to the king. 21 And they offered sacrifices to the Lord, and on the next day offered burnt offerings to the Lord, 1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, and 1,000 lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. 22 And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and they anointed him as prince for the Lord, and Zadok as priest.
Because we have a deep heartfelt yearning for God and each other while worshiping.
Worship, while assembled, requires us to “want to” worship God with our fellow brethren.
Could you imagine coming each time and “not wanting” to see each other or not wanting to worship with our fellow brethren?
Part of the reason we assemble to worship is to “stir each other up to love and good works.”
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
How many times have you heard others say and felt yourself that joy after not necessarily wanting to come and worship?
Because we want what is spiritually best for each other while worshiping.
When we desire the spiritual best from our brethren, we don’t mind singing songs, praying, or studying those things that prick the heart of the wavering or wayward.
Rather we rejoice that they and we are being brought closer to God through truth and righteousness.
Again is there any greater joy than seeing a brother or sister repent and turn their spiritual life around worshiping together?
Summary
Summary
When we are in a mental partnership, heartfelt yearning and spiritual desire for righteousness for each other towards God we will then have the greatest joy possible from our worship of God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Fellowship in worship with each other towards God has been so uplifting and brought so much joy to my heart this morning.
It is been such an honor to worship our God today with each of you and I pray nothing hinders us from it again.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Endnotes
Endnotes
Harmony definition https://www.yourdictionary.com/harmony