FELLOWSHIP - WITH GOD AND ONE ANOTHER
This is a Belted Kingfisher
Birds have much to teach us.
For one thing,
they sing
and
sing
and
sing.
For another,
they
flock together.
This is a Kildeer Shorebird
wading in water.
If you watch these birds
you will see
them "spaced out"
from each other
so that each bird
has a place
to look
for
its prey.
It is said that
Birds of a feather flock together
Let us consider
FELLOWSHIP
First of all,
what IS fellowship?
One could
say
"two fellows in one ship"
GOD'S WORD
THE HOLY BIBLE
(K J V)
HAS A LOT TO SAY
ABOUT FELLOWSHIP
I John 1. 3 - 7
Wm. Henry Cash, Jr. (1927 - 2012)
Sermon preached
in 1964, and again 1970
I as his wife, have his sermons,
and will post from time
to time
so that others
may find
God's Word
for themselves.
Henry usually formatted his Sermons in
such a way that
he could quickly find his way
through the Bible
as he gave the
message.
So what he did, was to
outline it and go over
several times
before preaching it.
Yet he never wrote out the
way he spoke it, he would fill in
as he went, and never needed
a written out word by word
sermon for the
reason
that he really
did LOVE GOD'S WORD
and felt the focus
should be on
the WORD
rather than on
his particular words.
IF THE BIBLE SAID IT,
IT MEANT WHAT IT SAID.
To try to put God's Word into
other words
does not always
DO WHAT GOD WANTS
to
give us
COUNSEL
HELP
STRENGTH
AND
SPIRITUAL
WISDOM.
He truly believed God's Word (K J V)
was inspired and breathed by God
Himself,
and that every word that
proceedeth out of
the mouth of
God
is meant
to feed us.
I John 1.3 - 7
3. That which we have seen and
heard declare we unto you,
that ye also may have fellowship
with us; and truly our fellowship
is with the Father, and with his
Son Jesus Christ.
4. And these things write I unto you,
that your joy may be full.
5. This then is the message which
we have heard of him, and declare
unto you, that God is light, and
in him is no darkness.
6. If we say that we have fellowship
with him, and walk in darkness,
we lie, and do not the truth:
7. But if we walk in the light, as he
is in the light, we have fellowship
one with another, and the blood
of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from
all unrighteousness.
I John 1.3 - 7
INTRODUCTION: Today let us talk about fellowship.
The definition of FELLOWSHIP is a sharing
between two fellows in one ship.
In John's Epistle, he discusses two
aspects of fellowship.
(1) Our Fellowship with God;
and
(2) Our Fellowship with one another.
THE PROPOSITION
IS THAT WE ARE
TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
AND WITH EACH OTHER.
Our Family - Wm. Henry and June Cash
Parkdale, OREGON
This two-fold fellowship includes:
I. OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.
A. Sin separates our fellowship with
God. Romans 3.23 For all have
sinned, and come short of the
glory of God.
B. The Tabernacle in the Old Test-
ament gives us a picture of
that separation.
Here we see the
Holy Place, and the
Holy of Holies.
The High Priest only entered
once a year for the Blood
to be placed on the Mercy
Seat.
C. The blood of Jesus, when he cried
"it is finished," and died,
makes it possible for us to have
fellowship with God.
Hebrews 4.14 - 16
14. "Seeing then that we have a high
priest that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fast our profession.
15. For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without
sin.
16. Let us therefore come boldly
unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace
to help in time of need."
D. We cultivate our fellowship by:
1. Prayer - talking to God. We can
enter the throne room of Heaven's
Mercy Seat because Jesus Died
and the Curtain was torn from top
to bottom showing we can ENTER
now through His Blood that was
shed for us.
II Corinthians 5.21 For he hath
made him to be sin for us, who
knew no sin, that we be made
righteousness of God in him.
2. When we read our Bible - God is able
to talk to us through His Word, by
the Spirit's help.
Proverbs 1.23 Turn ye at my
reproof: Behold, I will pour out
my Spirit unto you, I will make
known my words unto you.
John 15.7 Jesus said, If ye
abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ye shall ask
what ye will, and it shall be
done to you.
E. When our fellowship is broken,
the only way to restore it is to
confess our sins.
I John 1.9 If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. I John 1.9
F. When we are in fellowship we
have joy. John 15.11 These
things have I spoken unto you,
that my joy may remain in you,
and that your joy may be full.
Philippians 4.14 tells us
Rejoice in the Lord alway, and
again, I say, rejoice.
II. OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE
ANOTHER
A. We need to maintain fellowship
with the right people, with a
group of people who have like
faith.
Proverbs 13.20 " He that walketh
with wise men shall be wise; but
a companion of fools shall be
repayed."
Psalm 14.1 The fool hath said in
his heart, there is no God.
Proverbs 22.24 -25 Make no friendship
with an angry man, and with a furious
man you shall not go: lest you learn
his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.
B. We need close friends whom we can
share common interests.
C. True fellowship transcends the
barriers of prejudices and of
language.
D. Satan will try again and again
to disrupt our fellowship with
God's people, especially in
regard to a local "church"
to the "gathering" of those
who have found they are
no longer the same, God
has come to LIVE WITHIN
THEM, and they belong to
each other,
LILACLADY JUNEBUG2 - comment
On the Local Church - A rose is a rose
no matter what name you give
a rose -
it is still a rose.
With a church patterned after the
early "church" given us in
the book of Acts and in the
New Testament - we find
Bible believing Jews and Gentiles
gathering first in the Synagogues,
then when persecuted wherever
they could meet.
Today it is still the same, and
what we ought to do is go
"to the Word of God" to
pattern our C H U R C H
after what God's Word tells us.
My husband was a Baptist.
I am Baptist.
Why ? A Baptist ?
That is what I will discuss
in my next Blog post.
John 17.21 Jesus in praying to the Father,
asks that "they may be one in us; that
the world may believe that you have
sent me."
I Corinthians 12. verse 13, states : For by
one Spirit are we all baptized (immersed
spiritually) into one body, whether we
we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be
bond or free; and have all been made
to drink into one Spirit.
Ephesians 4.30 "And grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed
unto the day of redemption.:
F. When our Fellowship is disrupted, we loose
Joy in our Salvation, Prayer is hindered,
and our testimony is weakened.
Spiritual Power is lost - and the unsaved
perplexed, and our children are confused.
H. We are to be careful to not overdo
lest we become a pest - How we share
in fellowship is as important as what
we share.
Proverbs 25.17 Withdraw your
foot from your neighbor's house,
lest he be weary of thee, and so hate
thee."
FINALLY TO CONCLUDE -
MAINTAINING FELLOWSHIP
WITH GOD AND WITH EACH OTHER
IS SPELLED
J Jesus
O Others
Y Self - last
Philippians 2. 2 - 3
Fulfill ye my joy, that you be
likeminded, having the same love,
being of one accord, of one mind.
Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory; but in lowliness of
mind let each esteem other better
than themselves.
Fulfill ye my joy, that you be
likeminded, having the same love,
being of one accord, of one mind.
Let nothing be done through strife
or vainglory; but in lowliness of
mind let each esteem other better
than themselves.
