Things We Share in Common with Other Believers - Fellowship, Part 2

Fathers, we come to your word. We ask that you would now direct us in it, that we might honor you in all things. In Jesus' name, Amen. We are sharing some of the things that we share in common as believers. Fellowship. This is part two. Fellowship, koinonia in the Greek, used some 20 times in 18 verses in the New Testament, but it is not used until after the birth of the church. First used in Acts 2.42.

And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teachings and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and of prayer. The church has been born. Now its people share in common some things. Last week, a week before last, we talked about the Lord's table, how it represents the body and the blood of Christ that was given for all. And those who have received him, we have fellowship in him. We talked about the fact that we are in Christ, which speaks of our security. We talked about the fact that we are to walk in the light.

This gives us direction. We talked about the word walk, and it means to make progress or to just put one foot before the other. But from the Hebrew idiom, it means to regulate one's life. Then we talked about we are to walk in faith. This gives us confidence in the Word of God. We talked about that we are to expect trouble in our walk. This reminds us that God is keeping his promise. Then we talked about we have a rest at the end of our walk. And when we think of this, it shows us the boundless grace of our Heavenly Father as he has saved us and brought us to himself.

So today we want to talk about two more of the fellowships that we have. We are called to live a Christian life. We are called to living out our Christian life. And number two, we're called to tell others about Jesus Christ.

In Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1 to 4, he says, Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner that is worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, just as you are called into one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all, through all, and in you all.

Now when you pick up the reading in Ephesians at chapter 4, you are picking up halfway through his letter. And he starts off with the word, therefore.

Based on what I have told you in the first half of the letter, therefore you are to walk worthy. Then what is the therefore? Okay, all that he has told us, chapters 1, chapter 2, chapter 3, that we are in Christ, that we are seated with him in heavenly places, that we were dead in our trespasses and sins, but now we have been made alive together with him because of these things. You are to walk worthy of the calling in which you have been called. Notice this word walk again.

We are to regulate our lives. That would speak of people who are seated with him in heavenly places. That's what he is calling us to do. And then he tells us to do this with all humility and gentleness and patience, bearing with one another in love. You mean that we've all been called together in Christ and I'm gonna have to be patient with you and you're gonna be patient with me? Yes, because see we still have these old fleshly bodies. So he's calling us to do this that we might understand that this is how it is that we ought to live.

He says, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body, there is one Spirit, just as you were called into one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and in you all. Do we get a picture here? There's one. We are the body of Christ and we are one. It doesn't matter if you attend here, Christ Community Church, or you attend in Timbuktu. If you are a Christian, then we are all in the body of Christ and we are called to live in a way that we would come to know this, that we are to live this Christian life out.

Notice in 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 11 and 13. He says, for you recall, brethren, our labor of hardship, it was by working night and day so as not to burden you, not to burden any of you, that we proclaim to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses and so is God. How devotedly and rightly and blameless we behaved ourselves toward you believers. Just as you know how we were exalting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as the Father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the calling, worthy of God who has called you into his own kingdom and the Lord.

Paul says, when I was with you I went through some hardships. I worked night and day so that I would not put a burden on you because I was proclaiming to you the gospel of God and I didn't want anything to interfere with that. Now later on Paul would say a workman has a right of his pay, so if you're doing a good job then you have the right to receive from that job, but he says I would not do that because I was proclaiming to you the gospel and I wanted to set an example for you that you would know how you ought to conduct yourselves.

Paul went out of his way to help us to understand how it is that we are to conduct ourselves in this Christian living that we are doing. Now back to Ephesians chapter 4, we get down to verse 11 and he says, and he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists, some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ until we all have attained the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man to the measure of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

He says to us that God has given gifted men to the church for the equipping of the saints. The gifted men are given to the church that they might help the saints to understand how it is that they're to live this Christian life. He says for the equipping, the word means to complete furnishing. You buy a house, it comes without furniture, so then you're going to go in and you're going to completely furnish that house so you can live in it. That's the purpose here, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.

So then we are taught by gifted men in the church how it is that we're to live out this Christian life, how we're to bear with one another, how we are to love one another, how we're to do the things that he's called us to do. Well Paul, how long should we do this? Verse 13, until we all attain to the unity of faith, of the knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to a complete person, to a person who is fully grown up in the faith. Keep teaching it until that happens. What is your example? To the measure of the statue which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

We're not trying to get people to measure up to the elders around here. We're trying to get us all to reach at the measure of Jesus Christ and what it is that he has called us to do and how it is that we are to live this life. Then he goes down to verse 17 in chapter 4. He just told us that we ought to live the life according to how we've been called and then he's told us that we have gifted men in the church now to help us to be equipped to live out this life and now he's going to give us some warnings.

In verse 17 he says, so I say to you and confirm in the Lord that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk in the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is within them because of the hardness of their heart and they have become callous and excuse me having given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness but you did not learn Christ in this way. If indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him just as truth is in Jesus.

And then he goes on to say in verse 22 that in reference to your former life you are to rid yourselves of the old self which being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness and now he goes through this whole thing and tells us that we are not to act as the Gentiles have acted. Notice he says that you are no longer to walk as the Gentiles walk.

You are to no longer regulate your life as the Gentiles regulate their life. Then he tells us why. He says because they walk in the futility of mind. That means a fruitless mind. It has no productivity in it when it comes to salvation. Doesn't matter that they can go to the moon and back. There is nothing in their minds that would lead them to salvation because it's all foolishness to them. So he directs us to stay away from that. And then he says their understanding has been darkness. And they are excluded from the life of God because.

Now notice this because. It says because of the ignorance that is in them because of the hardness of their heart and they having become callous have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. He's describing the world to us and he says don't walk that way. They've given themselves up to all of this with what? With greediness. What does that mean? Can't get enough of it. You cannot get enough of it. I get the picture of my childhood when we we raised pigs and we would go out in the evening and we would pour the food and the trough for the pigs.

The pig would eat everything in there. Then they would try to eat the trough. They just couldn't get enough. That's what he's telling us. So why would you follow that in your life? But in verse 20 he says but you did not learn Christ in this manner. If indeed you have heard him and have been taught in him just as the truth is in Jesus. You have heard him and you have been taught in him. Look at John chapter 6 verse 44.

Jesus says no one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws him. And I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets they all shall be taught of God. Everyone who hears and learns from the Father will come to me. Jesus says no one can come to me on his own.

The Father has to draw you to him. And then he explained to us how the Father draws. That's verse 45. He says it is taught in the prophets. Then he quotes the prophets. They all shall be taught of God. They all shall be taught of God. Then Jesus brings his words in and says everyone who has heard and has learned from the Father comes to me. The Father teaches all. Only those who hears and learns will come to the Father. And that's why Paul would say to the Ephesians in verse 21. If you have heard him and have been taught in him just as Jesus just as the truth is in Jesus.

He says if you're reading this letter and you have been taught of him and you have been brought to him then this is how you are to act in your life. He wants us to understand that as Christians that we have a obligation to live out this Christian life that he has brought to us. He goes on and he explained to us how it is that we are to walk. He says you are to put off the old man and to put on the new man. The Bible never tells you to put off something without telling you to put it on. So you're going to put off the old man.

That's the old self. And then put on the new man which is in the likeness of God having been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. That's who we are to put on. How do you do that in our daily lives as we walk and we see the things that are not pleasing to God. We confess those things and then ask God to give us the strength to follow his word and to live as he has called us to live. And then when it happens again we go through that same process. We never give up on that. Why? Because he has called us in righteousness and in truth and we must live out that life that he has given unto us.

And then in verse 25 he tells us some more things that we are to do as we live this Christian life. Therefore rid yourselves of all falsehoods, speaking truth each one of you with his neighbor because we are part of one another. Be angry and yet do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity. The one who is steel, the one who steals must no longer steal but work that he might labor producing with his own hands what is good so that he will have something to share with the one who is in need.

Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth but if there is a good word of edification according to the need of the moment, say that so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you have been sealed to the day of redemption. All bitterness and wrath and clamor and slander must be removed from you along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other just as God in Christ also have forgiven you. He goes through a long list here of the things that we are to do and how it is that we are to live.

Therefore, rid yourselves of all falsehoods. So he's telling you to get rid of one thing, so what are you going to pick up? Speaking truth one to another of our neighbors. Yes, because you and I are one in Christ, I'm not to lie to you. I'm to tell you the truth. I am to live that truth out in front of you. Be angry and yet do not sin. There is a righteous indignation that we are to have but we're not to sin in that. Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Well, what if it's night already? Don't let the change of day go down on your anger.

That's all he's saying to us. Get it right. Why? Because you don't want to give the devil an opportunity. He helps us to understand that. Then maybe you're having with stealing. He said don't steal anymore but work with your own hands so you have something to give to those who have a need. Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth. But if there is anything that's good for edification according to the need of the moment, say that. Speak those things that will edify another instead of some unwholesome word coming out of your mouth.

So he's giving to us the way it is that we are to live. As Christians, we are one in Christ and we are one as the body of Christ. Therefore, this is how we are to live. This is how we are to live with one another. Then he says do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. How do you grieve the Holy Spirit? Grieve me to make sad. So if we're doing any of these things that he just laid out not to do, that's grieving the Holy Spirit. That's making the Holy Spirit sad. He says don't do that because by him you have been sealed for the day of redemption.

God has given his Holy Spirit as a promise that he will redeem us in the last days. He says so do not. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. All bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor must be removed from us along with all malice. Malice sometimes can be deep rooted. Yeah, I'm going to forgive you, but if I ever get the opportunity, that's malice. Yes, I will forgive you and it doesn't matter what comes up next. That's the way that we are to have that in our minds. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other.

Why, Paul? Just as God in Christ has forgiven you. So why can I hold on to something that God hasn't held on to? He has forgiven me, therefore I must forgive you. He brings this to us to help us to understand. Again and again in scripture when the Bible tells us to put off, it tells us to put on. And here he's directing us how it is that we are to live this Christian life. Why? That others might see a difference in us and come and ask the question. Why is it that you live such a different life than I?

Then Peter says we can be able to give an answer of the hope that is within us with meekness and gentleness. He has called us to do this. That's we're called to live the Christian life. Now let's look at it.

We're called to tell the world about the Christ. Colossians chapter 2 verses 2 through 4. Paul is in prison. Paul says I want to talk to you about your prayer life. I want you to be fervent in prayer. He said I want you to pray for us also. Pray that a door would be open for us. Not to get out of prison, but that while I am in these chains I may get the gospel out as I ought to. Why did I start with this verse talking about we must get the word out about the Christ? I wanted to show you that it doesn't matter what our situation is.

We have an opportunity to make him known to those around us. Paul wanted to make God known to any other prisoners that would be there and to the guards who would be guarding him. He says that I might proclaim it in the way that I ought to proclaim it. That should be our prayer in our everyday life. That we would get this out whatever our situation is. That we might make it clear as we ought to proclaim it. I want to share some examples first and then I want to give the instructions that we are all familiar with.

Example, Acts chapter 2. This would be called the birth of the church. It says, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak. Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devoted men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together. They were bewildered because each one of them heard them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished saying, why are not these who are speaking are Galileans?

And how is it that we each hear them in our own language in which we were born? So the Holy Spirit has come, has fallen upon the church and the apostles stood and spoke the word of God in the language of the people that was there. And it says all the nations on the earth, meaning the known earth of that day. All these people were there speaking all these different languages, but when the gospel was preached, they heard it in their own language. And they were amazed. How is this? All these people who are speaking are Galileans.

We would say all these people are from the wrong side of the track. There wasn't any universities over there. So where did they learn to speak our language? They were amazed by this. Look at verse 13 in Acts chapter 2.

He says, but others were jeering and said, these men are full of sweet wine. There are always going to be some in the crowd that miss it. These are the people who missed it. All these guys are just drunk. But in verse 14, it says, Peter, taking his stand with the other 11, raised his voice and declared to them, men of Judea and to all of you who live in Jerusalem, know this and pay attention to my words. These people are not drunk, as you assume, since it is only the third hour of the day.

But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel. So he would take them to the Old Testament and explain to them what you had just seen. The prophet spoke of this long ago, and now you've seen it fulfilled in your present time. Then look down at verse 22. Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus of Nazarene, a man attested to God, attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through him in your midst. Just as you yourselves know, this man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and full knowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men and put him to death.

But God raised him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for him to be held in his power. He said, this same Christ whom you crucified, and he said, I just want to tell you that was from the determined purpose of God and the full knowledge of God, but yet you are guilty because you nailed him to the cross. But then God responded to that by raising him from the dead. He said, this is the man that is being preached here today. And God raised him from the dead because it was impossible for death to have his power over him.

Then we get down to verse 36. Peter would say, therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ. This Jesus whom you crucified. He brings it back to him again. God has made him Lord and Christ. This one whom you crucify. The word Christ would be the Messiah of the Old Testament. God has sent him to you and you have put him to death. Now that probably stung, and verse 37 tells us that. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, brethrens, what are we to do?

Peter said to them, repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord, our God will call to himself. Repent. Turn from your wicked ways and turn to God's way for you. Be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Now some people make a big deal out of the fact that Peter didn't say be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Why wouldn't he do that? He's talking to people who had no problem with God the Father, had no problem with the Holy Spirit. Who did they have a problem with? Jesus Christ. You have killed him, nailed him to a tree. Now you are to come and to be baptized in his name. What does baptized mean? It's a commercial term, really. It means to identify with. Take a white cloth, dip it into red dye. It's going to come up red because it has identified with the dye. That's what he said. You must identify with this one that you nailed to the tree.

You must say that he is the Messiah. And when you say that, then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. He's bringing this to them that they might come to salvation. And it says there were 3,000 added to the church on that day. Later in Acts chapter 4, you will see that Peter and John were persecuted for preaching in this name and asked the question, why do you preach in this name? And Peter would tell them because there's no other name given under heaven whereby men must be saved. They warned them, told them, don't you preach in this name.

They just went back to the congregation and said, we've been warned. Now let's pray. They prayed to God that God would give them boldness. What did they do next? They went out and preached the word of God in boldness. Then we come to this guy, Saul. Acts chapter 8. It says, Now Saul approved of the putting of Stephen's to death. Saul. First time we hear with just a few verses earlier said the ones that stoned Stephen laid their clothes at Saul's feet.

And now he tells us that he was approving of the death. And on that day, a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Now look down at verse four. Therefore, those who had been scattered and went throughout the places, preaching the word. Philip went down to Samaria and began to proclaiming Christ there. All of them were scattered. All the believers were scattered out of Jerusalem with the exception of the apostles.

And all of them, wherever they went, went preaching the gospel. They didn't go thinking, well, look what I've left behind. I've lost everything and now I have to go. They went looking for the future. Preaching the gospel to those who had not heard yet because the church had just started in Jerusalem. But they go out and they start preaching the gospel. Then he tells us Philip went down to Samaria. He began to proclaim the gospel there. The Samaritans, by the way, were the enemy of the Jews. But these guys are saved, so they have no more enemies.

The whole world is the enemy. So he goes to the Samaritans and starts preaching the gospel there. And as he preached the gospel, they became saved. They were baptized. They believed and they were baptized. There's a guy there named Simeon who used to do witchcraft. He even said he believed and were baptized. But see, there was no apostle there. So then the church at Jerusalem sent Peter and John down that they might authenticate the Christians. And they come in and they start laying hands on these guys and they start speaking in tongues and man, Simeon's true nature rises up.

Sell me that, that I might be able to do that. Peter said, you have no part in this ministry. Why? Because of his conduct. The Bible says you will know them by the fruit that they bear.

He was not bearing fruit of a Christian. So he just said, you have no part in this ministry. Peter and John are going back to Jerusalem and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. They, Peter and John, are going back to Jerusalem. But as they go, they come across these little villages. And they do what? They proclaim the gospel of God. Well, what happened to Philip? Verse 26, But the angel of the Lord took Philip, saying, Get ready and go to the south, that road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.

This is the desert road. So he got ready and went. And there was an Ethiopian eunuch, an official of Candanese, the queen of Ethiopia, who was in charge of a treasure. And he was coming from Jerusalem to worship. Now, Philip sees all of this. First of all, he follows direction.

The angel of the Lord told him to go. He got up and he went. He sees this guy as he's in this chariot and he's riding along, probably with a lot of people with him. He's an official. So he goes over next to the guy and he hears him reading something. What he's reading is from Isaiah, talking about he was taken as a lamb and he was slaughtered. And then so Peter said, Philip said, Do you understand what you're reading? He said, How can I understand it? Let someone explain it to me. He said, I want you to tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or was he talking about somebody else?

And then Philip would pick up right there and tell him who he was talking about. The prophet was talking about the Messiah. The Messiah has come. He is Jesus Christ. And this person that believed and they came to a spot in the ground and there was some water and he got baptized. He went on to Ethiopia and Philip was taken somewhere else. Why? What's the point? Everywhere these apostles and the followers of Christ went, they went preaching the gospel. And when we see this, we see it throughout the book of Acts.

Peter would preach it to the Gentiles. Saul would be converted in Acts chapter nine. And we see his conversion and what happens as soon as he is converted. He starts to preach the gospel to those in Damascus. This was where he went to put the Christians in prison. Now he is a believer. He gets there. He starts to preach the gospel. What did that do with those that wasn't believing or that upset them? So now they want to persecute Paul. They want to put him to death. So Paul had to be put out of a hole in the wall, likely a house with a window in the wall, put him out so he could escape and gone up to Jerusalem where the brothers are.

No sooner did he start preaching, persecution came. But he didn't stop preaching and neither should you nor I. Paul would stand before Agrippa and he would spend those times that the king gave him opportunity to speak to declare to him, I was persecuted this way, but now I belong to the way. And he was so powerful that Agrippa asked the question, do you expect that I would become a Christian in such a short period of time? Paul says, not only you, but all who are in this assembly. I wish you would just like me, except these chains.

He had a few minutes. He took that opportunity not to talk about how he could get out of jail because how they could get free of the jail that they were in by presenting to them the claims of Christ. And he would do this at every opportunity. We bring this up because that's what we have been called to do. To preach the gospel to those around us. So now let's look at the instructions.

Matthew 28, 19 and 20. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the ends of the earth. The command here is not go. The command here is make disciples. As you are going, make disciples. What does that mean? As you are going to the store, as you are going to work, as you are going to school, as you are going to church, as you are going on vacation, wherever it is that you are going, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The job isn't ended yet. Now, he says, teaching them to follow all things that I have commanded you, which would include the command he just gave. Teach them to follow all things that I have commanded you. Then he makes a promise, and I am with you always, even to the end of age. Sometime you may only have an opportunity to get a question in, but ask that question. Sometime you may have the opportunity to present the whole gospel, then present the whole gospel. I remember once in Argentina, the championship of soccer was happening that day on the TV.

So we knocked on this door, and this guy comes to the door. We told him who we were and what we were doing. He said, mister, you have five minutes. I shared the gospel with him in five minutes. Okay, that was all I had. So I shared the gospel with him in five minutes. Five minutes was over. He said, okay, thank you. I am going back to the game. Now, if I had not taken the five minutes, then he wouldn't have heard the gospel on that day. Yesterday, Donna and I went into a sweet shop. We were going to pick up something sweet, and noticed a gal was wearing a cross.

The only thing she had on was a round neck, long chain, and a cross. I said, what does that cross mean to you? She said, oh, it was my grandmother's. My grandmother has now died, and she's gone. So I wear this in remembrance of her. Now, we're in the shop. That's all I have time to do. But I asked a question, and God is calling us that we might do that. In Luke chapter 24, verse 44, it says, Now he said to them, These are the words which I have spoken to you, I was still with you, that all these things are written about me in the law and the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.

Then he opened their minds to understand the scripture, and he said to them, So it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things. He said, all that you have witnessed, now you must be, you must take this out and witness to others and share with them this great gospel. Then a few days later, Acts chapter 1, verse 8, he says, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and the farthest most of the earth. You will be my witnesses. The word witness there is where we get our English word martyr. You will be a witness for me, and it may cost you your life, but I am sending you out, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the other most part of the world, that you would go and tell people that the Christ has come, that he has died, and that he has been raised from the dead.

He's offered to you now as a gift, that you might come to know the God of the universe, and have the forgiveness of your sins, and come and live with him forever, when our time on earth is over. Let us pray. Father, we thank you for your word. Thank you that it has gone out. We pray now that you would direct our minds, that we would be people that would live out our Christian lives, and in doing so, we would tell others about the Christ. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.