God is More Faithful
Notes
Transcript
God is More Faithful
God is More Faithful
Theme verse for this message is:
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
The word “fellowship” Paul uses here is the Greek word koinōnia. God intended for the Corinthian believers to join together because of Christ
This word is defined as: Close association and participation centered around common interests, spending time together, and sharing resources
Fellowship is also translated in several other ways.
Partnership
Participation
Sharing
Taking Part
Contribution
Offering
The term can also express people involved in a common endeavor.
Paul used it in this way to designate the church at Philippi as partners with him in the gospel
4 always in my every prayer for all of you, making the prayer with joy, 5 because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now,
koinōnia has the connotation of being together and this is certainly what we first think of when we read “Fellowship”.
But, it also means participating together, sharing together, contributing together in the work of Christ.
Lets read a little more about this in Acts 2:42-47
42 And they were devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. 43 And fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were being performed by the apostles.
They listened to the teaching of the apostles, they “fellowship” together, they ate together, they prayed together and wonders and signs were “being performed”. These wonders and signs weren’t just happening on their own, there was intentional action by the apostles and the believers to make room for these things to happen.
44 And all who believed were in the same place, and had everything in common. 45 And they began selling their possessions and property, and distributing these things to all, to the degree that anyone had need.
The believers were sharing in whatever way they could without holding anything back so that all needs were met.
46 And every day, devoting themselves to meeting with one purpose in the temple courts and breaking bread from house to house, they were eating their food with joy and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding every day to the total of those who were being saved.
They all met with “one purpose” in the “temple courts” - the public square where all could see, and from houdse to house - behind closed doors where only God can see.
Here, we find “fellowship”, “everything in common”, “one purpose”. This is the fulfillment of “koinōnia” where they are together, participating, offering, contributing.
Paul in 1 Corinthians is using this term “koinōnia” as a way of correcting the Corinthian church. The Corinthian believers were not in “Fellowship” together but instead, they focused on who their leader or teacher was which wasa one of the main things that caused division in their church.
11 For it has been made clear to me concerning you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 But I say this, that each of you is saying, “I am with Paul,” and “I am with Apollos,” and “I am with Cephas,” and “I am with Christ.”
This was not the “fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” that is the foundation of our relationship with God.
Life as a Christian
Life as a Christian
Lets remember first of all that in
6 For while we were still helpless, yet at the proper time Christ died for the ungodly.
That was us, the ungodly, lost, cut-off from Him by sin. But God made a way for us to be reconciled through Jesus Christ.
We are Saved by Grace
We are Saved by Grace
God Called You - and you came.
But you know this message, we are saved by the gift of God, the blood of Jesus Christ that paid the prioce for our redemption.
31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, together with him, freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring charges against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ is the one who died, and more than that, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
This salvation is first about establishing our relationship with God.
Or, as our theme verse says, “you were called to fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord”.
In that fellowship, we become one with Him and so ...
We are Called to His Work
We are Called to His Work
Our salvation is secure, but in our relationship we now unbderstand the heart of God for all ogf His creation.
We are called to join with Him as in
58 So then, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
We are called to participate with Him.
We are Part of God’s Kingdom
We are Part of God’s Kingdom
“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”—1 Corinthians 1:9.1
19 However, the solid foundation of God stands firm, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “Everyone who names the name of the Lord must abstain from unrighteousness.”
‘the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, “The Lord knoweth them that are his.” ’1
What God has for us is bigger than we have imagined.
There is more than we have done
‘one of the benedictions given … in the synagogue ... speaks of
“the faithful God who speaks and acts.”
When God says something, He follows through with action.
We often fall short of what we say.
Paul said it this way in
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it. But I do one thing, forgetting the things behind and straining toward the things ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
We are told of “The high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Is your calling a high calling?
Has it stirred your heart and set your focus on heavenly things?
Has it elevated your hopes, your tastes, your desires?
Has it raised your way of life so that you spend it with God and for God?
In
1 Therefore, holy brothers, sharers in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,
Our life described as sharers in a heavenly calling. If we are sharers, we are partakers of that heavenly calling.
Heavenly calling means a call from heaven.
This isn’t something any man can give you. This is the gift of God through our fellowship with Jesus Christ.
When we are born again, we become partakers of the heavenly kingdom. Heaven is now our home.
We now look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God and we are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth.
What is it that God wants for us to do?
He has already shown us through Jesus Christ.
The Problem Is Not with God
The Problem Is Not with God
Paul reminds the Corinthian Church that God is not the problem.
We are, because of our sin and unbelief.”
14 But the natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
For God, there is more to come, there is more for us to do!
It says in
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
From God’s perspective, the gifts and calling are “without repentance”.
If he has once called us, he never sends us back.
How were they in the wilderness forty years?
But How then was it possible that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years?
It wasn’t because that was God’s plan for them. It was because they saw their adversaries as bigger than God.
When Moses got to the promised land, he couldn’t enter, not because of God but because Moses had failed in his position as leader.
Deuteronomy 32:51 (KJV 1900)
51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah-Kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:51 (LEB)
51 because of the fact that you broke faith with me in the midst of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the desert of Zin, because ⌊you did not treat me as holy⌋ in the midst of the ⌊Israelites⌋.
What was it that Moses did?
The Lord recalls the fact that Moses broke faith (mā‘al) with him among the people at Meribath-kadesh (1:37; 3:26; 4:21; Num. 20:10ff.; 27:14b) by failing to uphold Yahweh’s sanctity (rsv You did not revere me as holy).
Some have said it was because Moses struck the rock twice, thus displaying anger.
Others have said Moses responded with rash words to the people saying ‘Shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?’
Whatever the offense, Moses did not represent God with honor (Sanctity, Holiness) as he should have as their leader.
Strongs says the work translated as “broke faith” means:
5085 מָעַל (mā·ʿǎl): v. ; ≡ Str 4603; TWOT 1230—LN 31.82–31.101 (qal )
act. unfaithfully, break faith, commit a violation, i.e., act. in a manner which is untrustworthy or unreliable in relation to an agreement or relationship
(Lev 5:15, 21[EB 6:2]; 26:40; Nu 5:6, 12, 27; Dt 32:51; Jos 7:1; 22:16, 20, 31; 1Ch 2:7; 5:25; 10:13; 2Ch 12:2; 26:16, 18; 28:19, 22; 29:6; 30:7; 36:14; Ezr 10:2, 10; Ne 1:8; 13:27; Pr 16:10; Eze 14:13; 15:8; 17:20; 18:24; 20:27; 39:23, 26; Da 9:7+ ), see also domain LN 34.40–34.411
The Work of Jesus Christ can only be accomplished with God through faith.
Are You A Believer?
Are You A Believer?
Stand up now. Are you a believer?
Look at this:
Remember the grace of your call and consider what you are.
What are you? A pardoned sinner—there is not a sin against you in God’s book.
What are you? A justified person—you are the righteousness of Christ! Even the eye of God cannot see a spot in you. Thou are in Christ, sanctified, justified by his grace.
What are you? You are a son of God, an adopted heir of heaven, joint heir with Christ; You art accepted in the beloved and very precious to Jehovah himself.
What are you? You are an heir of immortality. Heaven is your inheritance.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called to fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Since we are called into “Fellowship” with Christ, we are partners, contributors, sharing in, and participating in what Christ desires.
What does Jesus Christ desire?
He desires to see multitudes saved—so do we.
He desires the glory of God manifest in the earth—we desire the same.
He desires that the saints may be with him where he is—we desire to be with him there too.
He desires to drive out sin—we fight under his banner.
He desires that his Father’s name may be loved and adored by all of creation—we pray daily, “Let thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven.”
Are these things completed yet? No, certainly not.
God always delivers. We don’t always follow through in faith and that results in a delay of God’s plan in our life.