Text: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Matthew 18:15-17
When Jesus was approaching the time of His death, He spoke to His disciples about matters that were closest to His heart. He knew He was about to die. When it comes to matters that involve discord and conflict, we should learn from the examples that Christ himself gave, and apply them to our everyday lives. For we don't know the time in which we leave these earthly bodies.
1.) A personal CONVERSATION. (V.15) Search your own hearts before approaching the matter or theirs (Matthew 7:3). Just between the two of you. We typically talk to a third party (Gossip), we cover it up with the "concern" that we have for them. Then we end it with, "we really should pray for them." We should have genuine concern for them, giving them the opportunity of reconciliation through the means of grace and personal affection. The idea is to provide a means for growth and restitution. Just you and them.
2.) A Prayerful COUNCIL. (v. 16) But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. After examining your own heart and have approached them personally, the next step is to address the person with a bit more pressure by bringing in a neutral third party. This is, again to bring reconciliation, not astrangment. You are showing that you are serious in bringing a conclusion to this situation and finding forgiveness.
3.) Compassionate CHURCH involvement. (v. 17a) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church... This avenue is taken when common ground cannot be found. If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
Come together in conflict, God will come and be in our midst.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Fellowship: The Means to Encouragement and Endurance
Text: We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:1-7
When two or three or more are gathered in fellowship, there is nothing like it! Fellowship gives us the ability to encourage each other in ways that will make more stable in our faith.
Fellowship gives us the ability to:
1.) ...Encourage each other to remain SOFT but SURE - Be moldable. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Heb. 3:13-14 Don't loose the essence of who you are in Christ through whom you are moldable. The bible's use of clay is to mold and shape and still be clay. Clay is just clay, moldable until hardened. In today's time, it would be easier to use Jello as our modern day example. Jello is moldable until you cool it, then it hardens, but the great thing about something thats hardened. It can be made moldable again.
2.) ...Encourage each other to remain STEADY - Faithful! Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb. 10:19-25 Let us.....Let us hold unswervingly to the One who has called us. How do we weather the storm? Let's use the example of the Sequoia trees. They survive not by themselves, but by growing their roots together with the entire forest to give substance to all, together. They stay strong due to the group of roots. Grounded!
3.) ...Encourage each other to become/remain STRONGER - What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 1 Cor. 14:26 Strengthening of the church. Fellowship is not just to gain "buddies", or just to chill out. It is to strengthen one another and in turn the church, to steady each other. What power can be derived when God's people come together in His name to find weakness and provide Light with strength.
Never become satisfied. Don't become hardened. You can become soft if reheated. Encourage each other, be Jello in the hands of God.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
When two or three or more are gathered in fellowship, there is nothing like it! Fellowship gives us the ability to encourage each other in ways that will make more stable in our faith.
Fellowship gives us the ability to:
1.) ...Encourage each other to remain SOFT but SURE - Be moldable. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. Heb. 3:13-14 Don't loose the essence of who you are in Christ through whom you are moldable. The bible's use of clay is to mold and shape and still be clay. Clay is just clay, moldable until hardened. In today's time, it would be easier to use Jello as our modern day example. Jello is moldable until you cool it, then it hardens, but the great thing about something thats hardened. It can be made moldable again.
2.) ...Encourage each other to remain STEADY - Faithful! Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Heb. 10:19-25 Let us.....Let us hold unswervingly to the One who has called us. How do we weather the storm? Let's use the example of the Sequoia trees. They survive not by themselves, but by growing their roots together with the entire forest to give substance to all, together. They stay strong due to the group of roots. Grounded!
3.) ...Encourage each other to become/remain STRONGER - What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 1 Cor. 14:26 Strengthening of the church. Fellowship is not just to gain "buddies", or just to chill out. It is to strengthen one another and in turn the church, to steady each other. What power can be derived when God's people come together in His name to find weakness and provide Light with strength.
Never become satisfied. Don't become hardened. You can become soft if reheated. Encourage each other, be Jello in the hands of God.
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Fellowship: The art of one anothering
Text: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35
Together.....They devoted themselves......They gave to everyone who had need.....THEY....IT'S ABOUT WE!!!
1.) Love one another - It is the Hallmark of Faith, our greatest commandment. John writes that this is our new command to love one another. Love is the act of will, without showing love, it is hard to experience emotional love. Love is: Hair-do's that "look worse", cookies that "Hardly taste burnt", or just cuddling up next to the one you love so they can warm up their feet. John 15:17 "This is my command: Love each other."
2.) Forgiving one another - Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Scripture is black and white. Cory Ten Boom puts it like this, forgiveness is like pulling a toll bell rope. When we hold the rope, we continue to pull the bell and make it toll. Just as you hold the rope, you are holding on to the offense that wronged you. Until we let go of the rope, it will ring for a bit, but won't ring forever. Just let go! Let the ringing end--let the healing begin.
3.) Live in Peace with one another - 1 Thesselonians 5:13 says, "Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other." Little squables create the most devicive arguments. Compromise in order to keep the peace. Live at peace with one another. Psalm 34:11-14 – “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
4.) Serve one another - 1 Peter 4:9-10 says, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." Serve one another with the gifts that we've been given. Christian service means this: Living out a slave relationship to our saviour, loyalty to the king. Want to show someone you love, forgive and live in peace? Serve them.
John 3:16 tells of God's love for us. What if we were to use that to express how we love other. It would go something like this.
"For _____________ so love others, their family, and the church, he/she gave their ___________, that whoever believes in God the Father, did not perish, but found everlasting life."
Together.....They devoted themselves......They gave to everyone who had need.....THEY....IT'S ABOUT WE!!!
1.) Love one another - It is the Hallmark of Faith, our greatest commandment. John writes that this is our new command to love one another. Love is the act of will, without showing love, it is hard to experience emotional love. Love is: Hair-do's that "look worse", cookies that "Hardly taste burnt", or just cuddling up next to the one you love so they can warm up their feet. John 15:17 "This is my command: Love each other."
2.) Forgiving one another - Ephesians 4:32 says, "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Scripture is black and white. Cory Ten Boom puts it like this, forgiveness is like pulling a toll bell rope. When we hold the rope, we continue to pull the bell and make it toll. Just as you hold the rope, you are holding on to the offense that wronged you. Until we let go of the rope, it will ring for a bit, but won't ring forever. Just let go! Let the ringing end--let the healing begin.
3.) Live in Peace with one another - 1 Thesselonians 5:13 says, "Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other." Little squables create the most devicive arguments. Compromise in order to keep the peace. Live at peace with one another. Psalm 34:11-14 – “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
4.) Serve one another - 1 Peter 4:9-10 says, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." Serve one another with the gifts that we've been given. Christian service means this: Living out a slave relationship to our saviour, loyalty to the king. Want to show someone you love, forgive and live in peace? Serve them.
John 3:16 tells of God's love for us. What if we were to use that to express how we love other. It would go something like this.
"For _____________ so love others, their family, and the church, he/she gave their ___________, that whoever believes in God the Father, did not perish, but found everlasting life."
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Fellowship; with God and Man
Among the 5 basic purposes of the church – Evangelism, Ministry, Worship, Discipleship, and Fellowship, Fellowship is the one that I favor. It is one of the purposes that can be fulfilled while doing evangelism, while ministering to the community, while worshipping and while discipling new believers. Fellowship is what brings the body together.
The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, – “communion". Acts 2:42-47a – They (the early church – the 3000 that were added to the number of believers on the day of Pentecost) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” These people knew how to fellowship and it was far more that just eating meals together. The scripture said they had all things in common.
So what does it take to have this kind of communion? What does it mean to have all things in common?
1.) Fellowship with God is the Foundation. For friendship to turn to fellowship we have to start at the foundation of all fellowship and that is with a relationship with Jesus Christ. For our church to experience true fellowship we are first called to fellowship with Jesus Christ. I John 1:1-4 – “This which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”
2.) Fellowship with Man Flows out from Fellowship with God. Once we have fellowship with God, our relationship with Him is growing and we are walking with Him daily, then out from that relationship should come a natural expression of love for His creation – all of mankind and the church. I John 1:5-7 – “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 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, purifies is from all sin.” --How fellowship is expressed: Read Romans 12:9-21--
In closing, remember, first of all that God prayed that we would experience fellowship. The words of Jesus found in the book of John are in your bulletin today. Jesus prayed that we would be one. That we would be one with God and that we would be one with each other – united so the world would know why Jesus was sent: Because he loves them.
Without fellowship with God there can be no fruit – John 15:4 – “No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine.”
The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, – “communion". Acts 2:42-47a – They (the early church – the 3000 that were added to the number of believers on the day of Pentecost) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” These people knew how to fellowship and it was far more that just eating meals together. The scripture said they had all things in common.
So what does it take to have this kind of communion? What does it mean to have all things in common?
1.) Fellowship with God is the Foundation. For friendship to turn to fellowship we have to start at the foundation of all fellowship and that is with a relationship with Jesus Christ. For our church to experience true fellowship we are first called to fellowship with Jesus Christ. I John 1:1-4 – “This which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched – this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”
2.) Fellowship with Man Flows out from Fellowship with God. Once we have fellowship with God, our relationship with Him is growing and we are walking with Him daily, then out from that relationship should come a natural expression of love for His creation – all of mankind and the church. I John 1:5-7 – “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 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, purifies is from all sin.” --How fellowship is expressed: Read Romans 12:9-21--
In closing, remember, first of all that God prayed that we would experience fellowship. The words of Jesus found in the book of John are in your bulletin today. Jesus prayed that we would be one. That we would be one with God and that we would be one with each other – united so the world would know why Jesus was sent: Because he loves them.
Without fellowship with God there can be no fruit – John 15:4 – “No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine.”
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