Relationships

How wonderful it is, how pleasant, for Gods

People to live together in harmony

Psalm 133:1 TEV

You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

James 3:18 MSG

Life is meant to be shared.

Bible definition:

Experience life together = fellowship

Today:

Casual conversation, socializing, food and fun = fellowship

Some questions like:

Where do you fellowship? Means, Where do you attend church?

Stay after for fellowship. Means, Wait for refreshments.

Real fellowship is experiencing life together.

1. Unselfish loving

2. Honest sharing

3. Practical serving

4. Sacrificial giving

5. Sympathetic comforting

6. And all the other one another commands found in NT

Size matter in fellowship!

*You can worship with a crowd, but cannot fellowship with one

Metaphor:

A body of an organism, has many cells. Every Christian needs to be involve in fellowships like:

Church

fellowship group

Sunday school

bible study

*This is where real community happens not in big gatherings.

Imagery:

Church is a ship, cell groups are the life boats attach.

Incredible promise about small group believers:

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. Matt 18:20 NASB

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matt 18:20 NIV

AUTHENTICITY.

Authentic not superficial. It is genuine. Heart-to-heart sharing. Sharing hurts, reveal feelings, failures, doubts, fears, acknowledge weaknesses and ask for help and prayer.

MUTUALITY.

Art of giving and receiving.

He way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part. 1 Corinthians 12:25 MSG

It is the HEART OF FELLOWSHIP.

Buiding reciprocal relationships

Sharing responsibilities

Helping One another

That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith. Romans 1:12 NIV

Bible commands mutual:

Accountability

Encouragement

Serving

Honoring

Bible said over 50 times that we are commanded to do different task to one another and each other.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19 NIV

SYMPATHY.

Not giving advice or quick help. Entering in and sharing the pain of others.

You can say:

I understand what youre going through and what you feel is neither strange nor crazy.

Therefore, as Gods chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12 NIV

Different levels of fellowship

Simple

Sharing

Studying Gods word together

Deeper

Serving

Deepest

Suffering carrying each others burdens best around people who are persecuted, despised and often martyred for their faith

Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 NLT

We circumstances crush that our faith falthers, thats where we need believing friends the most.

A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. Job 6:14 NIV

MERCY.

Fellowship is a place of grace. Mistakes are not rubbed in but rubbed out.

When people sin, you should forgive and comfort them, so they wont give up in despair 2 Corinthians 2:7 CEV

No fellowship without forgiveness.

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18 NIV

Bitterness and resentment destroys fellowship.

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13 NIV

Bear in Mind!

You will never be asked to forgive someone else more than God has already forgiven you.

If you are hurt, choose: will I use my energy and emotions for RETALIATION or for RESOLUTION? No both.

FORGIVENESS must be IMMEDIATELY! Even if people asks it or not.

Are tired of fake fellowships and you would like to cultivate a real fellowship and a loving community? Do some tough choices and take some risks.

It takes Honesty, Humility, Courtesy & Confidentiality

HONESTY.

Care enough and lovingly speak the truth even it can cause a problem.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15 NIV

We cannot have community without candor (quality of being open and honest)

What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. Ephesians 4:25 NIV

The tunnel of conflict is the passageway to intimacy in any relationship. Until you care enough to confront and resolve underlying barriers, you will never grow close to each other.

In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery. Proverbs 28:23 NLT

Frankness is not license to say anything.

Thoughtless words leave lasting wounds. God tells us to speak to each other as loving family members:

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. 1 Timothy 5:1 NIV

HUMILITY.

Self-importance, smugness and stubborn pride destroys fellowship faster than anything else. Pride builds walls between people.

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

Develop humility by

Admitting your weakness

By being patient to others

Being open to correction

Pointing spotlight on others

Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! Romans 12:16 NLT

COURTESY.

Respecting others in differences, being considerate of others feelings, and being patient with others who irritate us.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1 NIV

One key to courtesy is to understand where people come from. Discover their history. Know what theyve been through. Instead of thinking how far they will go but how far theyve come.

CONFIDENTIALITY.

Only in safe and warm environment of acceptance and trust will peple open up and share their deepest hurts, needs, and mistakes.

What goes on in the group, stays in the group. Not to gossip about it.

Gossip is spread by wicked people; they stir up trouble and break up friendships. Proverbs 16:28 GNT

FREQUENCY

Must have an often or regular contact with the group in order to build genuine fellowship. Relationships take time.

Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another Hebrews 10:25 GNT

Community is built not on convenience (well get together when we feel like it) but on the conviction that I need it for spiritual health. If you want to cultivate real fellowship, it will mean meeting together even you dont even feel like it.

They worshiped together regularly at the Temple each day, met in small groups in homes for Communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness Acts 2:46 TLB

Fellowship requires an investment of time.

1. True feelings(authenticity)

2. encourage each other(mutuality)

3. support each other (sympathy)

4. forgive each other (mercy)

5. speak the truth in love (honesty)

6. admit our weakness (humility)

7. respect our differences (courtesy)

8. not gossip (confidentiality)

9. make group a priority (frequency)

When you look at the list. Its so obvious why genuine fellowship is rare. Means giving up our self-centeredness and independence in order to become interdependent. But the benefits of sharing life together far outweigh the cost and it prepares us for heaven.