THE FEAR OF THE LORD 3B “FELLOWSHIP” – JANUARY 23, 2022

HEBREWS 10:23-25 – Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵ NOT FORSAKING the ASSEMBLING of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so MUCH THE MORE as you see the Day approaching.

I JOHN 1:7 – But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have FELLOWSHIP with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:1, 2 – Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. ² Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed…

I. DEFINITION

• “FELLOWS – SHIP” (fellows in a ship)
• Companionship – company; company of equals; partners – helping; togetherness; friends – (getting along with each other); communion
• Psalm 34:3 – Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name TOGETHER.
  • DEFINITION
  • Being close to another person or people. Some similar expressions: camaraderie (close friendship in a group of friends or teammates), family feeling, connectedness, fellow-feeling, affection, community of interest, team spirit, comradeship, intimacy, friendship and love; good will; feeling of devotion or adoration; good fellowship; companionship
• FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER
  • ACTS 2:42-43 – And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and FELLOWSHIP, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

II. WE NEED EACH OTHER

• I CORINTHIANS 12:14-18 – (we are members of his body – every member is important)
• I CORINTHIANS 12:21, 27 – ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”… ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
• IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO THRIVE WITHOUT EACH OTHER.
• YOU MUST BE CONNECTED TO A CHURCH FELLOWSHIP TO SURVIVE SPIRITUALLY.
• ROMANS 12:5,10 – ⁵ so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another… ¹⁰ Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
• COLOSSIANS 2:2 – that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit TOGETHER in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,
• COLOSSIANS 2:19 – and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit TOGETHER by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
• GENESIS 2:18 – …It is not good for the man to be alone.
• WE MUST CONTINUALLY REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER AND NEED EACH OTHER!

III. WE NEED TO BE COMMITTED TO EACH OTHER.

• JAMES 3:17-18 – Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.
• ROMANS 14:19 – ¹⁹ So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault.
• PROVERBS 18:24 – Some friendships don’t last for long, but there is one loving friend who is joined to your heart closer than any other!
• COMMITTING TO ONE ANOTHER MEANS:
  • LOVING NO MATTER WHAT – (PROVERBS 17:17; ROMANS 5:8)
  • BEING THERE FOR EACH OTHER – OUR RSENCE IS A SOURCE OF ENCOURAGEMENT (HEB. 10:25)
  • BENEFITING EACH OTHER – (1 CORINTHIANS 12:7)
• COMMITMENT MEANS WE RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER AS PARTS OF A GREATER BODY WORKING TOGETHER (ROMANS 12:4-5)
• WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU COMMITTED TO?
• HAVE YOU EVER ESTABLISHED AN INTENTIONAL COMMITMENT TO SOMEONE?

IV. WE NEED TO RESPECT EACH OTHER

• ROMANS 12:10 – Be devoted to tenderly loving your fellow believers as members of one family. Try to outdo yourselves in respect and honor of one another.
• WE EXCEL IN SHOWING RESPECT WHEN WE WORK HARD AT BEING:
• TACTFUL, NOT JUST TRUTHFUL – (EPHESIANS 4:15; PROVERBS 15:4)
• UNDERSTANDING NOT DEMANDING – (LUKE 6:31)
• GENTLE NOT JUDGMENTAL – (ROMANS 14:12-13)
• POLITE NOT RUDE – (ROMANS 12:21)

V. WE NEED TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER

• 1 PETER 3:8 – ⁸ Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.
• I JOHN 4:18 – ¹⁸ Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
• 1 PETER 1:22 – You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.
• 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 – So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
• EPHESIANS 4:32 – ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

VI. WE NEED TO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER

• 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10 – ¹⁰ I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

VII. WE NEED TO BE PATIENT WITH EACH OTHER

• EPHESIANS 4:2 – ² Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
• 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4 – Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud

VIII. WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER

• HONESTY STRENGTHENS FELLOWSHIP
  • EPHESIANS 4:25 – So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.
  • 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5 – We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.
  • JOHN 16:13 – When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
• HONESTY REQUIRES THAT WE MEAN WHAT WE SAY AND SAY WHAT WE MEAN
  • ACTS 20:20 – I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.
  • JOHN 14:6 – Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
• NO MORE LIES!
  • COLOSSIANS 3:9 – Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.
• THE DEVIL IS THE FATHER OF LIES
  • JOHN 8:44 – For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
  • ROMANS 1:18 – But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
• THE TRUTH SETS FREE
  • JOHN 8:32 – And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
• SEVERAL KINDS OF LIES:
  • Lies of commission (specifically and intentionally make false statements) – Ephesians 4:25; I Timothy 4:2; I Timothy 6:5)
  • Lies of omission (fail to tell the whole truth, or deceive others) – Proverbs 28:23; Proverbs 24:26)
• No more pretense (2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 10:5)
• Dishonesty pollutes our lives together – honesty is noble, and draws us together instead of bringing separation
• PHILIPPIANS 4:8 – ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
• LUKE 16:10 –He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

IX. WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE LORD AND TO ONE ANOTHER

• 2 TIMOTHY 2:2 – train faithful men… And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

X. UNITY

• PSALM 133 – The Lord commands His blessing where there is unity and togetherness! – vs 1 – Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
• EPHESIANS 4:1-3, 13 – I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. … till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;