Fellowship
TEXT
: Acts 2:42INTRODUCTION
:A. TEXT TELLS US THAT CHRISTIANS FELLOWSHIP ONE ANOTHER.
1. "Fellowship" comes from Greek, koinonia.
2. It means, "communion, fellowship, sharing in common." ( Vine ).
B. THE BIBLE HAS SOME DEFINITE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT FELLOWSHIP.
I.
WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE, HOW MIGHT WE DO IT?A. "JOINT PARTICIPATION." ACTUALLY JOINING IN.
B. ENDORSEMENT.
1. Verbal commendation. Actually saying something is good.
2. Saying or doing something that implies endorsement, i. e., announcing meetings, asking preacher to speak, etc.
C. CONSENT.
1. Verbal consent without approval.
2. Lack of action or speech against. "Silence is consent."
II. "
HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP" ( Eph. 5:11 ).A. WHAT IS THE BASIS OF OUR FELLOWSHIP?
1. Our fellowship depends on our relationship to God ( 1 John 1:3-4 ).
2. Our relation to God depends on walking in the light ( vs. 6-7 ).
3. When someone is not in the light, there is no basis for fellowship ( 2 John 9 ).
B. WHAT CONSTITUTES DARKNESS?
1. Immorality ( 1 Cor. 5 ).
2. "Disorderly conduct" ( 2 Thess. 3:6 ).
3. The factious man ( Titus 3:10-11 ).
4. Idols ( 1 Cor. 10:14-22 ).
5. The world ( James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17 ).
6. False Teaching ( Rom. 16:16-17; Matt. 15:13-14 ).
C. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? ( see I. above. ).
1. "Have no company,... no not to eat" ( 1 Cor. 5 ).
2. "Yet admonish him as a brother" ( 2 Thess. 3:14-15 ).
3. Set aside unimportant things long enough to save him.
CONCLUSION
:A. NO DESIRE TO HURT FEELINGS OR MAKE ENEMIES ( Gal. 4:16 ).
B. WILL NOT BE A "REED SHAKEN WITH THE WIND" ( Matt. 11:7 ).
C. IT IS TIME TO BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY IN THESE MATTERS (1 Cor. 16:13-14).