As I sit in my office and pray and contemplate our communion service tonight, there are two things that are on my heart. Both of them deal with areas that I believe the Lord wants to strengthen in our fellowship. The two are...
FELLOWSHIP & OUTREACH
While these may seem like two different thoughts, I feel that in the context of the church, and especially here at ccw, they are inextricably linked. If you will...
In 1 John (which we are studying) John begins to explain that part of the reason that he is declaring Jesus Christ to his readers, is
"that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ" (1 John 1:3), and further
"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:6-7)
IOW - John is making a connection between our fellowship with God (I.E. being a true Christian), and our fellowship with one another. Going so far to say that when we walk in the light, allowing every area of our lives to be exposed and penetrated by Him (His Spirit, His word, His very presence in our lives) - WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER.
As a result of our relationship with Christ, who dwells in the heart of the believer in Spirit form, we have with each other what Paul calls "the fellowship of the Spirit" (Phil 2). There is a deepness, a richness, an openness, in the relationship between believers that spans any known human relationship. We can go deeper because we have the commonality of the Spirit of God in us, that allows us to relate in a way that mere humans cannot comprehend.
This relationship should be present in a supernatural way in a body of believers. I cannot list them all here - but do a search of the New Testament on the words "one another" - 89 instances, of which about 70 are pointed directly at how we interact with one another - encouraging us to to love, be kind, compassionate, etc etc. Where else could you find a group of people that will love you, be kind to you, be compassionate, pray for you, cry with you, help you up when you have fallen? WHERE? Nowhere - but in the family of God. What a blessing we have to be given such a gift from God - to be able to have relations with others and not having to worry "what do they want from me" or "when will they hurt me".
Yet our fellowship is not only for ourselves, it is a billboard to the world. I can think of no greater way to show the world the love of Christ than in how we fellowship with one another. Jesus said in John 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
This is where I see fellowship connecting with outreach - What does the world see when it looks into the church? What does the world see when it looks into yours and my life? If all people see is a group that calls themselves "Christians", but they act just like everyone else... well who needs it? It would seem like hypocrisy with a bunch of rules to boot!
But if they see lives being lived as God intended, and people in fellowship in the Lord - it is like a people magnet. People want real, loving relationships. They don't always admit it.. but they do.
But I also believe it is not enough just to be passive... we need to go OUT and CONNECT. We need to GO. When Jesus said:
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matt 28:19-20
... there is a going - and a teaching. If we look at Jesus life, He was always going somewhere. Led by the Spirit of God, and meeting people - right where they were. Even going into the houses of the sinners, to share the truth of who God is, and how much God loved them.
Right now many in our fellowship are going through a "school of prayer" study by Andrew Murray. Let us be fervent in our prayers "Lord, where would you have us to go? Who would you have us to meet? What would you have us to say?"
I believe the Lord will answer this prayer - and we will have the chance of a lifetime to change to lives of the people in this town - forever!
Bottom line?
- There are several opportunities coming up where we will have the chance to be together and build fellowship. Let's take advantage of them!
- As God guides, we will be moving forward in outreach in several areas. Be a part - allow God to work through you as we reach out to the community - connecting with those who are lost and need Christ.
