Abide in Fellowship Pt 2

Message in Print
Scripture: 1 Cor 12:12-27

 Abide 09 – Abide in Fellowship - PT 2 - 1Cor 12:12-27

 
Well - It seems like forever since I’ve been here -
           Remember – we’re studying our Critical Need – TO ABIDE !!
 
Today is our 9th msg in this very cool study
            But it’s been a while since we began it – So LET’S REVIEW
 
1)    Abide to Thrive
             We looked at WHAT ABIDING in Christ - IS
2)    Our Need to Abide
              We looked at WHY it’s so important we LEARN to ABIDE
3) Top Priority – A Love Relationship
             We made it clear - Our Love Relationship with God is the
                         Single Most Important , Top Priority, in our lives.
4) If I Rest, Will God Work?
              We asked the Question - If I will FOCUS on ABIDING
                       WILL God really Work Out the details of my life? (YES)
5) The Holy Spirit in Abiding
               Where we looked at Holy Spirit’s Critical ROLE in Abiding
 
Then we switched to the PRACTICAL Msg’s
 
6) HOW to Abide in Prayer
7) HOW to Abide in the Word
8) HOW to Abide in Fellowship - PT 1 . . .
 
But - I just couldn’t do “Abiding in Fellowship” in just ONE Msg
 
Really - I couldn’t do justice to
            Abiding in PRAYER or Abiding in the WORD - in One Msg either
 
But when it came to Abiding in fellowship (Last Msg)
            I got to share with you - a Huge Burden I have
 
& that is - that we live in a Consumer Christian Culture -
            & that culture is very Detrimental to ABIDING in Fellowship
 
Because we are trained by the culture - to always be looking
            for something bigger, better, or different
 
& when that Consumer Mentality comes to CHURCH
 
It does Tremendous Damage
            to what God wants to do IN US, & THRU US - AS A BODY
 
& so we took (basically) the ENTIRE last message
            & looked at ONE KEY Word - in the KEY Fellowship Text
 
The KEY Fellowship Text is ACTS 2:42 ff - which says;
 
Acts 2:42 (ESV)
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
 
The KEY Word we focused on in the last Msg was - DEVOTED
            they devoted themselves to . . . the fellowship
 
& we looked carefully at what it means
            to be DEVOTED TO a specific group of believers
 
That is a really important subject
            I hope you heard that Msg - or will pick it up at W-B-M
 
There is, however - the Possibility of a Misunderstanding
            that could come out of these messages
 
These Msg’s COULD BE Misunderstood as
            “You need to WORK more, or DO more,
                        For the Benefit of a specific church”
 
& that would be a really unfortunate misunderstanding
 
Because the Spiritual Truth of ABIDING in Fellowship
 
is SO MUCH DEEPER than just WORKING MORE
            or DOING MORE - for the benefit of One Specific Church
 
These Messages are About the Fact that . . .
 
If you are SAVED today
            then God says YOU are PART of the Body of Christ
 
God says that He has made EACH of us to be
            FUNCTIONING MEMBERS of the Body of Christ
 
1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT)
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
 
EACH of us - who have put our FAITH in Jesus Christ
            Have been MADE to be a Functioning PART of the Body of Christ
 
The Problem is . . .
 
Our church culture has made us SPECTATORS & CONSUMERS
            so we’re always looking for what we can GET from church
 
But that is the total complete OPPOSITE of EVERYTHING Biblical
            about HOW the the Body of Christ has been made to operate
 
If you belong to Christ today - Then He has made you
            to be a functioning PART of HIS Body
 
& So - Our heart’s DESIRE should be
            to BECOME what God has made us to be - &
            to be DOING what God has made us to do
 
AMEN ??
 
Now that might mean - for a time - that God has made you,
            to Sit Perfectly Still, Absorbing His Truth,
                        & Learning to Love Him
 
& In fact - if we would all do THAT - - FIRST - & Routinely
            The Rest of what we try to do for Christ - Would go MUCH BETTER
 
So YOUR Functioning Role in the Body MIGHT BE
            Simply Learning How to Follow Jesus as a Disciple
 
Or youR ROLE in the Body might be
            Serving the Lord OUTSIDE of a specific church
 
That is ALSO being an essential part of the Body of Christ
 
Tom & Cheryl Rees are an essential, integral, functioning part
             of THIS group of believers
 
But they live & serve the Lord, on the Other Side of the World
 
So - Whether in your PERSONAL life, FAMILY life, WORK life,
            CHURCH life, or MISSIONARY life . . .
 
These msg’s are about
            1) Being a FUNCTIONING PART of the Body of Christ - AND
            2) About ABIDING in (being Devoted to) Fellowship (Koinonia)
 
(again) Acts 2:42 (ESV)
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
 
Let’s Look at One More KEY THING about this Key Vs.
 
The GREEK Word for Fellowship here - is KOINONIA
 
& one of the Most Interesting things
            about the word FELLOWSHIP (Koinonia)
 
Is that - at the ROOT of this word
            is the clear picture - of DOING things TOGETHER
 
it means NOT ONLY
            to Share in Common, or to Have things in Common
 
But at its ROOT - it’s a picture of DOING things in Common,
            Participating in Common
 
HOWEVER - it’s not about DOING the things we’ve come to know
            as fellowship - - meaning Recreational Activities
 
KOINONIA is about doing the Things of God - TOGETHER
            as the Body of Christ
 
The Word KOINONIA is used 19 times in the NT
            But NOT just as “Fellowship” - ALSO as;
 
Making Contribution
Joining in Participation
Taking Part in - &
Sharing your faith, & your stuff    
 
Notice - ALL these uses of the Word - KOINONIA
            have to do with ACTION - BEING PART of something happening
 
Koinonia is not the Greek word for - pot luck
Koinonia is being PART of what the BODY of Christ is DOING
 
& THAT - brings me to the BIG HOW of this Msg
 
In each of these Practical Messages I’ve tried very hard to say;
            Here is one - HOW . . .
            Here’s One Way that you can actually DO THIS
 
& so - if you ask me - HOW Dave ??
            HOW do I Begin to ABIDE in Fellowship
 
I can easily tell you - FELLOWSHIP Means;
            TAKING PART in what the Body of Christ is DOING !!
 
Abiding in Fellowship MEANS;
            Being PART of what the Body of Christ is DOING - & then;
            Being DEVOTED to that Group of Believers
 
& that doesn’t mean that you can never leave a church
 
it means that you are Devoted to being a productive part
            of what God is doing in a certain group of believers
                        until God moves you
 
it means you’re NOT a Consumer Christian
            Spectating - & Waiting to Receive instead of to GIVE
 
It means you Seek God for the specific, unique place
            that He has made YOU to FIT in the Body of Christ
 
& then you Commit to FUNCTION in that place in a POSITIVE way
 
THAT guys - is True Koinonia !! (Sharing in what God is doing)
 
& Being DEVOTED to THAT
            is ABIDING IN FELLOWSHIP !!
 
I know that doesn’t sound very SPECIFIC
 
but becoming part of the Body of Christ is NOT specific
            it’s a very INDIVIDUAL thing for EVERY BELIEVER
 
Let’s see how it looks in Scripture - -
I’m going to read a LONG TEXT - from 1Cor 12 - From the NLT
 
Let’s try to Grasp the BIG PICTURE Here
            Try NOT to Dissect the Text - Let’s Read it for the BIG PICTURE
 
1 Corinthians 12:12–27 (NLT)
12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part.
15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.
19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part!
20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body.
21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.
23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen,
24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity.
25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.
26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
 
Man, I Hope you SEE IT
            Because THAT - is TRUE Koinonia !!
 
That’s THE BODY - Working Together - AS ONE !!
            That’s Koinonia !!
 
FUNCTIONING Together - In Unity - AS the Body of Christ
            & THAT - is a Beautiful Thing !!
 
The Question is . . . ARE YOU A PART OF IT ??
 
In the BIG PICTURE - Can you say
            I am a FUNCTIONING Part of the Body of Christ ??
 
Don’t get me wrong - I’m not asking if you serve
            in the Children’s Ministry, or the Ushers Ministry
                        (tho I’d appreciate it if you would)
 
I’m asking you - if you consider yourself Part of the Body of Christ
 
Can you say - “I have an idea what it is God has made me to be
            at least AT THIS TIME, & IN THIS PLACE”
 
Do you have SOME SENSE that you KNOW (to some extent)
            what it is God would have you DOING Right Now (as part of His Body)
 
What is it that your ROLE in the Body might be - RIGHT NOW ??
 
Let me give you some ideas/suggestions
            & you see if the Holy Spirit causes any of these to JUMP OUT
 
1) Becoming a Disciple
            Greatest Role - Prerequisite Role - OK as SOLE Role
 
2) Becoming a Christian to Your Spouse, Children, Family
               If you bypass this Role & try to move on - you become a Hypocrite
 
3) Becoming a Christian to Friends & Co-Workers
              God disguises Christians as co-workers to spread the Gospel
 
4) Helping/Supporting other Believers
              Gal 6:2 (NLT) - Share each other’s burdens, and in this way
                   obey the law of Christ. - Help out those that are next to you
 
5) Becoming a Discipler
                Helping others become followers of Jesus  -
                      Generally those who God puts in your life
 
6) Serving in a Specific Role in the church
               Helping make church happen - physically and/or spiritually
                      dozens of options - everything you can think of
 
7) Becoming an Evangelist, Pastor, Administrator
               The price is high, and so are the rewards
 
8) Becoming a Giver
               Since the days of Abraham, God’s ministry has required Givers
                       I put it last, because it’s usually the last thing Christians figure out,
                        even tho it’s one of our greatest possible blessings
 
EIGHT General Categories
            of where you might FUNCTION in the Body of Christ
 
& Notice - All the Roles are about BECOMING !!
 
It’s funny to me how people say;
            Well I can’t really do anything -
            So I guess I’ll never do anything . . .
 
Just think if your child had that attitude
            when they were learning to WALK
 
Well, I can’t really do that - so I guess I never will
 
Guys - If you feel DRAWN to something in the Body of Christ
            It’s Very Possibly because God has
                        Completely EQUIPPED you for it
 
Unfortunately - sometimes people desire certain positions
            out of PRIDE & EGO
 
But God has a WAY - of “Working that Out”
 
So as long as it’s not your PRIDE drawing you to a certain position
 
Then it is PROBABLY the Holy Spirit
            Who has Gifted You, Is Drawing You, & Will Equip You
 
1 Corinthians 12:11 (NLT)
11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
 
The Holy Spirit ALONE
            Decides where you should be functioning in the Body of Christ
 
Then He puts THAT Desire in your heart
            to Match the Gift that He’s given you
 
THAT is how you are “Drawn” to a particular Role in the Body
 
The ONLY Role that is NEVER given by the Holy Spirit
            is the ROLE of SPECTATOR !!
 
If you got Saved Yesterday - then your ROLE
            is to learn how to Follow Jesus as His Disciple
 
So EVERY Believer has SOME Role in the Body
 
Amen??
 
So - WHY is this So Important - - -
            Why is “Abiding in Fellowship” So Important ??
 
WHY is it So Important that we become
            a FUNCTIONING PART of a Local Body of Believers ??
 
Let’s turn over to EPH CH 4
            & we’re going to answer that question - TWICE
 
In EPH CH 4 - we see TWO HUGE REASONS
            Why we must Abide in Fellowship with other Believers
 
I’m using the NLT a lot today
 
Because we’re doing a BIG PICTURE / SURVEY style study -
            which the NLT is so good for
 
So - To GET to the FIRST Reason - - We’ve got to 1st see
            WHAT the JOB of the Church Leadership IS . . .
 
Ephesians 4:11–12 (NLT)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
(in general, the leaders)
12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
 
This often comes as a shock to people -
            But the Job of the Leaders - is to Equip YOU - to do God’s Work
 
Look carefully at Vs 12
            OUR Responsibility is to Equip YOU to do God’s Work
 
But our Responsibility doesn’t end there
 
Not only are we Responsible to Equip you to do God’s work
            We’re also Responsible to Equip you to BUILD UP the CHURCH
 
Do you see it ??
 
Our JOB - is to Equip YOU - to FUNCTION together
            For YOU to ACCOMPLISH God’s Purposes
            For YOU to BUILD UP the Church
 
& THAT - is True KOINONIA
 
THAT - is the True Meaning, of Koinonia . . .
            To Share together, in DOING God’s Work
 
& THAT is Truly HOW God DESIGNED IT
            In order to MAKE Disciples of all the Nations
 
& THAT - is the FIRST Reason - why EACH of us
            have GOT to be PART of the Body of Christ
 
Now - I said the FIRST REASON why Abiding in Fellowship
            is so important - often comes as SHOCK to people
 
Well - the SECOND REASON
            Sometimes comes as even MORE of a SHOCK
 
Why is it so important
            to be a functioning part of the BODY of Christ ??
 
The 2nd Reason is because;
            True Spiritual Growth CANNOT happen
            OUTSIDE of being a functioning part of the Body of Christ
 
Now - Everybody who refuses to be
            a FUNCTIONING PART of the Body of Christ
                        would quickly Disagree with me . . .
 
Which Further Substantiates my claim
 
Guys - True Spiritual Growth CANNOT occur in a VACUUM
 
Our Spiritual Maturity Requires
            that we be CONNECTED with other Christians
 
Because anybody can be Christ-Like in a MONASTERY
            It’s a little harder around a bunch of sinners in the CHURCH
 
Look at the continuation of our Eph 4 Passage
            Let’s start over at Vs.11 - Again from the NLT
 
Ephesians 4:11–15  (NLT)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth.
15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
 
This is such a GREAT PASSAGE !!
 
The REASON we are ALL called
            to Abide in Fellowship together
 
Is because THAT is how we ALL will GROW;
            In UNITY
            In KNOWLEDGE
            In MATURITY
 
& then we will NO LONGER be Immature like Children (vs.14)
 
We won’t be tossed & blown about by every wind of teaching
We won’t be influenced when people try to trick us
 
INSTEAD - We’ll Speak the Truth in Love
            Growing in every way, more & more like Christ
 
Who is the HEAD of His Body - the church - - AMEN !!!
THAT is the FINAL REASON WHY - - We MUST become
            a Functioning Part of the Body of Christ
 
Our TRUE Spiritual Growth - VITALLY Depends on it
 
Guys - God designed the Body of Christ
            so that it NEEDS - EVERY PART
 
& God WILL make us “Fit Together” - even perfectly
 
& IF we will EACH do our PART
            then we will HELP the other parts GROW
 
Until the Whole Body is Healthy & Growing & Full of Love
 
Doesn’t sound like a GOOD Idea ??
            Doesn’t that sound like a GOD Idea ??
 
Let’s read the LAST VS of this Passage in Eph 4 - to close
 
Ephesians 4:16  (NLT)
16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
 
THAT’S what happens - when we are ABIDING in Fellowship
 
& if you need HELP getting started -
            start talking to people about it,
& don’t stop until you’re IN the position God created you to be in
 
Let’s Pray