How Should we Live as Christians? - The Missing Element of Fellowship

Well, take your Bible and turn back to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2, like I said earlier, will be in Hebrews chapter 10 as well, really towards the end of the message. And somewhere along the middle of the message, I'll get you to turn over to John chapter 1. There's some very important verses there in chapter 1 that do pertain to what we're going to look at. Now, I think most of you know that the past few weeks, we've been pondering one big question. It's a very important question. And the question is, what is happening in America? What is happening in our land?

And we've been answering that question by looking at the fundamental problem in our nation and also by examining a few major issues that we are facing, that we are seeing. Now, the fundamental issue that we face today is that our country is under the judgment or the wrath of God. Our nation is experiencing the wrath of God's abandonment, and we are seeing the third judgment being played out really every day, more and more every day. And I think about it like this, this third judgment, this third abandonment is really against the backdrop of the previous two.

And we have also examined a few of these major issues that we've been talking about, race and racism, and then these protests and riots and this big social justice movement. We've been examining those subjects in light of what God's word says. Now, two things at this point. I know that I have not been exhaustive with either of these subjects, any of these subjects. I know that. I do believe that I did hit the nail on the head with what we have addressed so far, but I do know that many of you have questions. I encourage you to come with questions. This is good dialogue. We need to get deeper into the scriptures.

We need to wrestle with these subjects and these issues because we need to be biblical here. And then second, I know that some of you are probably tired of hearing that question. What is happening in America? I know I have been like that proverbial record. Do any of you remember the old days of the record players? You know, they've kind of made a comeback, have they not? I grew up with a dad who had a record player and I used to fiddle with that thing because I'm a tinkerer. My wife said I'm a tinkerer. And I always remember my dad would say, "Son, don't break the needle and don't scratch the record." You remember any of that?

Inevitably, I would scratch the record. And you know, if you scratch the record, it just keeps skipping and saying the same thing over and over, does it not? Well, I know that I have been a broken record with this question. What is happening in America? But listen, folks, we better keep asking that question. We must keep asking that question. With God's Word open in our hands and our eyes fixed on what's going on in our nation and our world. And we must keep asking this question while seeking answers from God's Word and seeking wisdom from God so as to know how to live in the days that are before us.

Now, this morning, we finally get to the how. We finally get to the how. Should we live? That's a part of the series. Now, honestly, I have been answering the questions of how all along. How we relate to race and racism. How we relate to kings and government authority. How the social justice movement relates to the message and the mission of the church. We have been answering how all along. But this morning, I want to start answering the question, how we live in this day in a different way. How do we as Christians live in this day? More specifically, how do we as a church live in this day?

A part of answering that question is showing you that we as a church face a serious problem. Now, our problem does not relate to race or racism. It doesn't relate to the government authority that we studied or even this social justice movement. Our problem here is centered around biblical fellowship. You might want to write that down. Biblical fellowship. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, we had to shut down many things in the life of the church and it created a serious void in the life of the church of biblical fellowship. I've been watching this develop since the middle of March and I've really seen it eat away at the life of the church.

It has become unhealthy for you. It's been unhealthy for me. And it's really become unhealthy for the church as a whole. Understandably, some of you might not get what I am talking about. Now for most, when we say the word fellowship, we automatically think of food. I don't know if that has anything to do with us being Baptist or has anything to do with us being Southern. I don't know. I just think most of us when we think about food, when we think about fellowship, we think about food. Some of my earliest memories of these types of things were from my childhood.

Many of you know that I grew up Methodist and I grew up there in South Laurel, going to Justice Heights United Methodist Church. And man, I remember that big fellowship hall and those great fellowship times we had growing up. I remember some of the men's meetings. Well, the men would cook and they would cook breakfast. And I don't know why I remember. I remember the giant coffee pots and just loads of coffee those men would drink. Those were good times. But that's not the type of fellowship that I'm talking about here. Eating together over a meal is good. It really is.

And it is a small part of what I'm talking about and what we're going to study. But that is not the problem that I have seen and I am seeing unfold. Now, I'll go ahead and give you kind of the three ways I'm going to explain this to you. Just like last week, it's short. We're looking at what I call the definition. Then I'm going to show you the inception and then we're going to look at the application. You see the title of the message before you. How should we live? And this is what I'm calling the missing element. And just like last week, I'm going to flesh out these three words. There's a lot here.

If you have trouble taking notes, I'd rather you put your pen down and follow you follow me with your mind and your heart. But as always, we really want to be good students. We want to take what we study together this morning and we want it to form us into who God wants us to be. So first, this word fellowship. You see it before you first, this word fellowship. Now, when we look at this word fellowship, we must grasp a biblical understanding. I mean, highlight that. We must grasp a biblical understanding. The word fellowship in the New Testament, it simply means partnership. It means sharing. It speaks of a common interest.

Some may have a partnership or a union with other people. Say maybe in a marriage or in a business enterprise, maybe even in a social or fraternal organization. I was having a conversation with one of the men of the church yesterday and he was telling me how he was being invited to be a part of a fraternal organization. But in the scriptures, we see fellowship in several different ways. We see fellowship with God back in Genesis, chapter five, verse 22. Some of you are familiar with old Enoch from the Old Testament scriptures. And we see that Enoch walked with God, he fellowshiped with God. Then we see fellowship with Christ.

Many of us are familiar with Matthew 18, verse 20. Jesus said that where two or three are gathered in his name, he is with them. There is fellowship with Christ. Then we see fellowship with the Holy Spirit of God. In Romans 8-9, Paul says that true Christians are not in the flesh, but they are in the spirit and the spirit dwells within them. Within us. We also see fellowship of the wicked. This is a sad case. In Ezra 6, we see that the Israelites, when they came out of captivity, how they had separated themselves from fellowship with those pagans. But I've saved it for last.

We have the fellowship of the righteous or the fellowship of God's people. Really, we see this all through the scriptures, both Old and New Testament. Psalm 1, 1963 says, "I am a companion." See that fellowship? "I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts." John 13, 34 says, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. Remember, "A new commandment I give you that you love one another." See that fellowship? "Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." And then in Acts 1, 14, this is just before these events in Acts 2 and 3. All these, this was the early church, the apostle and that small little band.

All these were in one accord. They were together and they were, what does the scripture say? They were devoting themselves to prayer together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and his brothers. And then one of the verses we read earlier, Acts 2, 42. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teachings and to the fellowship." We see the fellowship, this fellowship all throughout the scriptures. Really, I've just named a few, but we zero in on the actual word here in Acts 2, 42. Some of you notice that. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teachings and to the fellowship." Again, we can turn over.

We see it in 1 John chapter 1, verse 3. "That which we have seen and heard, we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us." So we see the word fellowship. This word fellowship in the original, I've already said it. It means partnership. It means sharing. It means having this common interest. We've covered that. Now, a definition is good. We should understand what words and phrases mean. But if we're not careful, it can be like a skin without a body. It can be hollow. This common interest that we're speaking of here, it is the church. This partnership that we're talking about, this sharing, it is the church.

Listen, some partner in marriage, I've already said this. Some partner in business, some partner in social organizations. But this partnership, this common interest, this fellowship is the church. Pastor, some of you might say, "I thought you were going to talk about food." Some of you might say, "Pastor, I thought maybe you were going to talk about church league basketball or athletics in the church." Some of you might have thought about things like an ice cream fellowship or a homecoming type service. No, there's a lot more to it. I hate to say it. It's really been lost today, this biblical view of fellowship. It's been dumbed down.

And in many places, it has even been replaced. So I want us to see this word fellowship. But next, I want us to see its inception. I want us to look at what I am calling its inception. Now, when I use the word inception, I know I'm going to sound somewhat contradictory. I did explain that we see fellowship all throughout the Old and the New Testament. To be honest with you, this weekend, I broke out my old topical Bible, a good topical Bible. It's a good study help for you if you pick one up. And I just went through my topical Bible. And I looked at all of the times we see fellowship.

And there is example after example in both Old and New Testament. But when I say the inception of the fellowship, I mean the fellowship of the believers in what we call the church. We see this starting in Acts 2, at the start of the church or the birth of the New Testament church. In Acts chapter 1 and 2, Peter, he preached to thousands there. There were thousands of Jews. They had gathered from all over. And they were there to celebrate the Jewish Passover. And 3,000, about 3,000 were saved on that great faithful day. Go back to those verses that we read earlier. Let me start with verse 36 again. We need to read this.

Peter is declaring to Israel that all of the house of Israel, that would have been the Jews, therefore, know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Let me pause there. He's preaching Christ. Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart. This is the work of the spirit. And said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For this promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself." And with many other words, he bore witness and continued to exhort them saying, "Save yourself from this crooked." Some translations say perverse generation. So those who received the word, they were baptized, and they were added that day about 3,000 souls. And they, these new converts, they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the fellowship. Now we see what's happening. Peter, he preached Jesus as the Messiah. The Holy Spirit of God was active there in those who were listening.

And it says that they were cut to the heart about 3,000. And what do we see? Peter called them to repentance. Many were saved. They were baptized and they were added to that small number. They were added to what? Yes, the church, but to the fellowship. But a question we really must ponder. And what I mean by ponder, we must not ask the question and just move on. No, we really need to hold on to this question and we need to work this question. We need to work this question out in our life. What was this fellowship? What was it? You're probably saying, "Pastor, I think you've told us it's the church." No, it's so much more.

We must truly understand what this fellowship was. This was an institutional church, like some of you are so accustomed to. This wasn't a gathering of people who were involved in heartless activity, like we see in so many churches. This was much, much more. These 3,000 or so were born into the kingdom of God. They were born of the Spirit of God. And see, this was a great supernatural work of God. This wasn't just religion. Or some decision. No, this was a great work of God. Now is when I want you to turn back to John chapter 1. Turn back to John chapter 1. I really want to focus on verse 13, but I want to read verses 9 to 11.

Look at these verses with me. "The true light," this is Jesus, "which gives light to everyone was coming into the world." He was in the world. "And the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own," that would have been the nation of Israel. "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." Now let me pause there. This is when men, humanity, this is when men and women and young people exercise their will in giving their life to Christ. We're familiar with that language.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." Now this is key. "Who were born, not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." What is he saying? They were born of God. This did not happen because of their heredity. He's covering that. The Jews were big into their genealogy to prove their lineage, to prove their heredity. This was not because of human heredity. This was not because of human generation. Man could not produce this. This was not because of human will. No, they were born of God, born of the Spirit of God.

See this supernatural work of men and women coming to faith in Christ. But there's something else in this supernatural work here. There was a spiritual work whereby these individuals were called into this fellowship. This was not a work of man. They were called and compelled to identify and commit to a group, a group of people that they had never known. The fellowship of the believers. This was a supernatural spiritual union here in Acts 2. This was a supernatural, remember our definition? This was a supernatural partnering, a sharing, a supernatural common interest.

And I want to put a little more flesh on what we've looked at in Acts 2, specifically verses 42 to 47. I want to focus on some specifics here. This will be brief. This will be really an overview. Look at these verses, verse 42. "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and prayers. In all came upon every soul, and many wondrous signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together, and they had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and their belongings, and they were distributing the proceeds to all as any had need.

And day by day, attending the temple together, breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all of the people, and the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." But first notice right here, their devotion. I'm reading from the English Standard Version this morning. It just simply says devotion. The New American Standard, it reads continually devoted. Now the meaning here, it means remaining by one side, not leaving, not forsaking, attending, or being devoted. Isn't that what we see in a marriage? Think about it.

Isn't that what we should have in a marriage? We are remaining by one side. We are not leaving that loved one. We're not leaving that spouse. We're not forsaking. We are attending. We are devoted. We are continually being devoted. Well then second notice the activities. They were devoted to the activity of the apostles teaching. They were devoted to the activity of the breaking of bread. This would have been meals and the Lord's supper. I'm going to speak more about that in a moment. They were devoted to the activity of prayer. They were devoted to sacrificial living for one another. We see that in more than one verse.

They were devoted to attending worship there in the temple. They were devoted to eating in their homes from house to house. And then notice this supernatural element. I know I've covered it, but it needs to be interjected right here. They were devoted to this supernatural union. This supernatural partnering or common interest. The fellowship. Their hearts were welded together. You need to see that their hearts were welded together. And as one they were devoted to all of these activities. They were continually devoted to the fellowship. The believers as they devoted themselves to these essential activities.

And look, this was spiritually spontaneous. This was spiritually organic. This was spiritually natural. It was not planned by man. It was a direct result of that spiritual work of them being born into the kingdom of God. See folks, this wasn't institutional church, was it? This wasn't activities for activity sake, was it? This was a work of the spirit of God and these new believers. They were devoted to the fellowship of the believers. And all of these activities were energized, energized by the work of the spirit of God in their hearts. Now a question. Have you ever been in circumstances where you're on the outside looking in?

In any circumstance in life. Think about it. Have you ever been in a situation where you really were on the outside looking in? I'll never forget years ago, one of the young people we had in the life of our church had come to faith in Christ. And you know when anyone professes faith in Christ, we thoroughly counsel them. We just want to hear how God's worked in their life. So therefore we can present them and be able to express with confidence that they've come to faith in Christ. They've been converted of God. But you know, one of the things that struck me as I counsel with this young lady and Brother Keith counsel with this young lady.

She said that all of her life being lost, she said she always felt like she was on the outside. And when she encountered believers, she saw them on the inside and she was on the outside. There's some of you here, you're like that about your salvation. Really, if you get honest and you get around real believers, you feel as if you're on the outside. But you know, some of you are like that about the church. You know, I can't help but go back to my own testimony. Not just of how God converted me. I've shared my testimony with you through the years and I'll continue to do that.

I came to faith in Christ when I was about 20 years old or 20 years old. You know, I wasn't living in the church. I'm ashamed of how I was living. I was living in the world. I was lost and I was living like a lost person. But you know, when God saved me, he immediately identified me with a local church. And listen, folks, God not only saved me from my sin, but he immediately put a love in my heart for the fellowship of the believers. And I did not know that until I came in contact with that church and I discovered that they were my people. Do any of y'all believe in love at first sight? Think about that.

Do any of y'all believe in love at first sight? My wife does, soon as she saw me. I mean, head over heels in love. I mean, right there. You can ask her about it later. She's in the nursery. But you know, folks, that's exactly what happened to me. I came to faith in Christ and I immediately took a Bible that somebody had given me when I was in high school. And I'm telling you all walk right into the door of Holland Baptist Church. And I walk right into Sunday School and I instantly love those people. And you know, there were people in there that I went to high school with that I ridiculed because they live for God.

I instantly love Troy Pounds that I ridiculed when I was in high school. And look, I walked right into that worship center. And I instantly love Dennis Sowell as he began to explain God's word for me. I instantly love those people that I never met. And as I got to know them more and more and more, I mean, these are my people and I love them. And I just couldn't get away from them. I wanted to be around them all the time. Why did I love people I'd never known? Why did I love those days of Sunday morning prayer times with men and my pastor, even those times when we pray late into the night?

Why did I love Wednesday night suppers and Wednesday night meetings and outreach and visitation on Tuesday nights? Why? It was a supernatural work that God had done in me when he called me to the fellowship of the believers in that local church. It was a partnership greater than business or some social organization. It was a union that was greater than even any earthly relationships that I had ever been a part of. It was a union and a partnering with God's people for God's work. The fellowship. Has that ever happened to you in your life? Is it mostly institutional for you? I hope not. Is it mostly simply heartless activity?

I've been there where it's nothing but just heartless activity. It's draining. It'll wear you out. It's coming to church, mostly out of guilt and duty. Is it because of what's expected of you? That's what it is with many young people before they're converted. I want to go a little further here. We'll look at this third word. Most importantly, we must make application of what we've looked at. We must look at the application. Now, I know I've done some of that, but there's more we need to see. I want us to take what we've learned so far of this church in Acts, chapter two. And I really want to make some application in this circumstance.

We have learned what a fellowship is. The fellowship of the believers in the church, the church, those who have experienced the supernatural work of God in their life in two ways. They have been born of the spirit of God in salvation. They have been spiritually united with the fellowship of the believers. It's all supernatural, you see. And I like to say it like this. Hearts and lives are welded together by the spirit of God for God's purposes. And ultimately, what did we see earlier? For His glory. But we need to ask ourselves which of these activities have been absent from our lives these five months or so.

Remember what's happened the past five months or so? Isolation, separation, isn't that right? First, this early church, they were devoted to the fellowship of the taught word of God. The preaching and the teaching ministry of the apostle. See, these were God's men assigned the task of preaching and teaching God's word to the fellowship. And you know, we don't believe in apostolic succession, but that's what preachers and teachers do today. We are called of God to quote unquote feel their shoes. And we're called of God to preach and teach God's word.

You know, I'll remind you of when we shut down, we reverted to that dreaded, dreaded live stream. I really wonder if that's even preaching and teaching. Then second, they were devoted to the fellowship of the breaking of the bread. This was an eating a meal together. Yes, but Bible scholars tell us that they gathered to eat and to partake in the Lord's Supper. It was their habit to have a great meal together and then incorporate the Lord's Supper with that great meal. They were devoted to the fellowship of the prayer. Now, this was more than individual prayer. This was great corporate prayer. See, they were still attending the temple.

They were still observing the hours of prayer there in the temple in Acts chapter two. And as we progress through acts, we see more and more prayer times during times of crisis. And it was always centered around gospel activity. And then fourth, they were devoted to the fellowship of sacrificial living with one another. Scholars tell us that these Jews from all over stayed behind after the spirit was poured out and the church was born. They had to be fed. They had to be cared for. They had to be housed. Now, many did go back to their homes and towns. But in all of these activity, we had genuine needs and they met those needs.

They were devoted to the fellowship of attending worship. The text says that day by day, they met in the temple. See, the church had not yet broken away from Judaism. They had not broken away from worship in the temple. So daily, they were meeting at the temple there, although they were worshiping Christ as the Messiah and they were meeting together for worship. And then six, they devoted themselves to the fellowship of eating in their homes. The text says from house to house. You know what it says? They met together house to house. And notice it says they did this with glad and sincere hearts.

So you tell me which of these vitally important activities have been taken away from us and how have we begun to operate? We have been able to attend worship. Yes, we've been able to sing and hear the word of God taught as we've come back. But you know, if you think about it, we really just kind of run out the door. Isn't that right? We are limited in how we gather in almost every way. We have no small group ministry for our adults. We do not share meals. We have not been able to worship in protecting the Lord's Supper. Really, we cannot spiritually socialize. Isn't that right? We have become socially and spiritually distant.

We have become socially and spiritually distant. We are a fellowship that is supposed to share and partner and come together for a common interest. But we have been forced to spiritually distance ourselves. That is like saying that we're going to have a healthy marriage, but we're going to live in different houses and severely limit how much time we spend together. Think about that. I don't think any of you want that for your marriage. Now listen, we must see afresh and anew that the true Christian life is to be lived in a fellowship. Let me say that again.

We must see afresh and anew that the true Christian life, it is to be lived in a fellowship with other believers, not in isolation. Turn with me to the Hebrews passage. I don't know if you marked it, but it should be easy for you to find. Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. This is still a part of the application of what we've looked at in Acts chapter 2. Hebrews chapter 10. I want to read verse 24 and verse 25. Just keep your Bible turned there. We're going to use these passages in the conclusion. And let us consider how to start up one another to love and the good works. Verse 25.

Not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Notice two vitally important parts of the Christian life. I'm going to say that again. Two vitally important parts of the Christian life. In verse 24, we are to stir one another up to love and the good works. And that what it says, we are to stir one another up to love and good works. Now look, that can't be done in separation and isolation. In second verse 25, it is a reminder not to neglect what? Assembling together. That's not isolation. Now I want to call your attention to the title of the message.

I'm going to change the title. I'm going to add to the title. What do we see? This is all under this umbrella. Remember what is happening in America. What is happening in America is what's happening here. And the question is, how should we live as Christians? And look, the missing element of the missing element of fellowship. And notice what we're seeing right in front of us. We have a global pandemic, do we not? We have the coronavirus pandemic, do we not? This social distancing and isolation and fear. It is everywhere. This is pulled out one of the most important elements of the church. Fellowship. Biblical fellowship. You can see it.

Some of you can feel it. And some of you who are more mature, you have been watching it happen. It has been eating away at you. You have not liked it. Some of you who are less mature and less experienced, as I have taught, you have seen it and it should break our hearts. You know, the sad reality is this. Some of you have never had this. Oh, it breaks my heart. Some of you have never had this. Now, if you've never been converted, you're on the outside now. You're on the outside. You'll never be in. But you know, some of you, you've been in churches that have been so sick and so diseased, and I'm not trying to be judgmental. I've seen that.

I've heard some of your testimonies. You've told me you've been a part of churches that are so sick and so diseased that, you know, real fellowship, it just couldn't happen. I wonder if those are non-churches. Years ago, I heard a preacher say it like this, you know, just because it's a brick building with a steeple doesn't mean it's a church. It's sad, but it's true. Some of you have never had this because you've been involved in such sick and diseased churches. But you know, some of you have had this and it's been taken away. Taken away. I know what that's like. It's like someone ripping your heart out.

It's like someone taking your guts out. And listen, for a true believer, taking away the fellowship of the believers would be similar to taking away a spouse. I know it's different, but it is very similar. Now I want to close by going back to Hebrews 10. I ask you to keep your Bible open there. I want you to mark this passage. Sometimes I give you homework. This is some homework. I want you to meditate on these passages all this week. It's two verses. I want you to meditate over these verses. I want you to pray over these verses. What does the writer of the book say?

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together. See, that's the fellowship. Not neglecting the fellowship as it is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Now listen, folks, as I close, look at the last part of verse 25. As you see the day drawing near. This is talking about end times. But listen, folks, look at the days that are drawing near to us. Today, it's a coronavirus pandemic. Tomorrow, it could be government control. The days are getting darker. Times for the church may become more difficult as we see the day drawing near.

I've had conversations with many of you and you see it properly and correctly. Listen, let us consider how we may stir one another up to good works. What is the good works? The work of the church, not neglecting to meet together as it is the habit of some, but encouraging one another as we see the days growing darker and darker and darker. So what have we looked at? How we should live as Christians, the missing element of fellowship. Let's pray. I'm going to sing a song, a verse or two of worship. I'll make a few announcements. I want to explain how we're going to progress next week and finish this series up. And then we'll dismiss.