Stop Tolerating Dysfunctional Fellowship With Christ

SERIES: UNCLOGGING YOUR SPIRITUAL ARTERIES - 2

THE POINT OF THE SERIES: RECONCILIATION

WITH CHRIST; CHURCH; OTHERS ETC.

THIS CANNOT HAPPEN UNTIL OUR HEART IS UNCLOGGED

LAST WEEK: STOP LIVING BY WICKED MOTIVES

SERMON THIS MORNING:

STOP TOLERATING A DYSFUNCTIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST

LET’S BEGIN BY LOOKING AT SIMON IN ACTS 8 - WHERE WE WERE LAST WEEK. THIS WILL SERVE AS A LAUNCHING POINT FOR THE MESSAGE

Acts 8:18–19 ESV

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 8:20–21 ESV

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

THERE IT IS: PETER SAYS TO SIMON:

YOU HAVE NEITHER PART NOR LOT IN THIS MATTER, FOR YOUR HEART IS NOT RIGHT BEFORE GOD

NOTE THAT SIMON HAD CONFESSED CHRIST EARLIER

Acts 8:13 ESV

Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

HE WENT THROUGH THE RITUAL, BUT HE HAD NOT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST

SIMON CANNOT BE CONNECTED TO THE CHURCH

PETER IS TELLING SIMON THAT HE HAS NOT RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WORK OF CHRIST: HE IS COMPLETELY UNQUALIFIED TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BECOME A TEACHER OF THE GOSPEL

PETER “...looks at the wellspring of Simon’s life and knows that spiritually Simon is serving not God but himself. There is only one way to effect a change in this condition and that is to repent.”

Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles (Vol. 17, p. 305). Baker Book House.

WHY IS SIMON DEEMED DISTANT? PETER DISCERNMENT:

SPEND A MOMENT HERE ON DISCERNMENT AS A MEANS BY WHICH THE DECISION OF THE LORD IN A MATTER CAN BE ESTABLISHED

PETER CALLS SIMON TO REPENT - TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD, AND THUS TO THE BODY OF BELIEVERS:

Acts 8:22 ESV

Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

SIMON - FOR ALL OF HIS PROFESSION OF FAITH IN CHRIST IS OUT OF FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST; HIS SPIRITUAL ARTERIES ARE CLOGGED BECAUSE HE TOLERATED A DYSFUNCTIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST

- FELLOWSHIP

The act of SHARING and or PARTICIPATING in the activities of the one you are in fellowship with

To home fellowship at Christ means have things in common with him. That would not simply be love for God but love for neighbor and a passion for the global glory of the Lord. All of this means to be holy; to live a life set apart for the glory and use of the Lord to serve His purposes in the world 1st John 1.so the question is what does my life have in common with Christ? What do my passions and affections say about my commonality with Christ? This is what John says it is impossible to have fellowship with Christ when our lives demonstrate that which opposes the glory of God verses 6-7.

Therefore...

- It is SINFUL to profess that I am in fellowship with Christ when my DESIRES are not consistent with His desires.

THE LETTER OF 1 JOHN HELPS US HERE

SEVERAL PRINCIPLES WE MUST UNDERSTAND ABOUT FELLOWSHIP FROM 1 JOHN 1:5-10-

I. UNDERSTANDING WHAT DYSFUNCTIONAL FELLOWSHIP LOOKS LIKE

A. IF WE LIVE IN WAYS THAT OPPOSE GOD’S HOLINESS WE SHOW THAT OUR HEART IS NOT RIGHT BEFORE THE LORD

1 John 1:5 ESV

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:6 ESV

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

B. IF WE ARE NOT IN A LOVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE -ANOTHER WE SHOW THAT OUR HEART IS NOT RIGHT BEFORE THE LORD

1 John 1:7 ESV

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.

THIS LOVE FELLOWSHIP IS NOT EMOTIONAL: IT IS BIBLICAL/ THEOLOGICAL.

THIS LOVE FELLOWSHIP IS ROOTED IN A SHARED DESIRE FOR THE HONOR AND THE GLORY OF GOD IN ONE ANOTHER’S LIVES AND IN THE WORLD

THIS IS WHAT CHRIST’S LIFE WAS ABOUT

Luke 10:27 ESV

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

THE GREAT COMMAND IS

Love for God

Love for neighbor

1. FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMANDMENT WAS CHRIST’S LIFE AND PURPOSE: HIS OBEDIENCE WAS HIS LOVE FOR THE FATHER AND HIS SACRIFICE WAS HIS LOVE FOR OTHERS

a. HERE IS WHAT LOVE FELLOWSHIP LOOKS LIKE:

- Fellowship is not mere gathering or existing together. Fellowship happens when Christians gather and our souls and hearts are YOKED together with Christ’s; moving in the same direction (GODWARD) and for the same end (THE GLOBAL FAME OF GOD) all evidenced by the same model (THE HOLINESS OF CHRIST).

C. IF WE DO NOT LIVE CONSCIOUSLY AWARE OF OUR SIN WE SHOW THAT OUR HEART IS NOT RIGHT WITH GOD

1 John 1:8 ESV

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 1:10 ESV

If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

SAYING THAT WE HAVE NO SIN IS NOT DIFFERENT THAN FORGETTING THAT WE HAVE SIN

II. UNCLOGGING THIS SPIRITUAL ARTERY

THE SOLUTION TO SUCH A DYSFUNCTIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF BEING IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THAT WHICH PETER GHAVE TO SIMON

Acts 8:22 ESV

Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

JOHN SAYS

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

YOU SEE...

- REPENTANCE IS THE GIFT OF THE LORD TO CREATE OR REVIVE OUR UNION WITH CHRIST

CREATE: SOME DO NOT KNOW HIM. HAVE BEEN LIVING LIKE SIMON: CLAIMING JESUS BUT HAVE A HEART FAR FROM THE GLORY OF GOD

RENEW: THIS IS WHAT JOHN IS SPEAKING OF IN VERSE 9