Fully Devoted - 2

Subject - Fully Devoted To The Fellowship

by Rick Welborne

Acts 2:42-47 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
–Last week we looked at the value of the church as in regard to being devoted to the teaching of the Word of God.
–We looked at what we are eating and examined if we were still babies when it came to the Word of God...still drinking milk when we should be eating meat. Adult Diapers!
–As disciples who are growing in Christ we also looked at who are we feeding. Are we happy to have the Bread of Life but not willing to share it with others.
–We also looked at eating for two (example of an expecting lady)...we need to be so full of the Word of God that we are spilling over on others.
–Something I do not want you to miss...this is all in regard to the value of the Church of Jesus Christ...a living, breathing, reproducing organism not an organization.
Fellowship - association, especially with people who share one's interests.synonyms: companionship, sociability, comradeship, camaraderie, friendship, mutual support; togetherness, solidarity; informal chumminess - a community bound together in fellowship.
–When we speak Biblically we are speaking of fellowship or companionship with God the Father, the Son, Holy Spirit, and with each other.
–So, as the body of Christ, as a fellowship of believers what are the benefits to the Kingdom of God and to me personally to be in this Fellowship?
1. The greatest privilege we have in all of life is to be called into fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ...to be fully devoted to fellowship with Him.
1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJV)
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
–I hope you understand what this verse is saying...God because He is faithful and because He loves us, has provided a way we can have fellowship with His Son. What a privilege!
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
–This is almost impossible to understand or to comprehend that we can have companionship, camaraderie, friendship with Jesus Christ the Son of God. How can we?
–One of the reasons Jesus said it was imperative for Him to go away was so Holy Spirit would come and make it possible for everyone to have intimate fellowship with God.
2 Corinthians 13:14 (NLT)
14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
–One thing I want to drive home to you is this fact...you are more likely to have an encounter with God or have fellowship with Holy Spirit in the context of church.
–Tricia and I constantly are remarking about how (on the news) that some young girl leaves a bar at 2 or 3AM by herself (after drinking) and something bad happens to her.
–Or maybe some guys are hanging out late at night in some club drinking the night away and a fight breaks out over who was looking at the other person’s girl...people are hurt.
–Here is the conclusion of the matter: When you are where you should not be at a time you should not be there, doing what you should not be doing...bad things happen.
–On the positive side of being at God’s House...having fellowship with God by Holy Spirit...Being with others having sweet encounters with God...something great can happen.
–I am dealing with someone right now who confesses that what they need is an encounter with God to boost their faith and to make them a true believer. A Saul to Paul encounter.
–I keep telling them that if you really want to have this collision with God you would have a greater chance at church than being out partying with your friends.
–You probably would have a greater chance of seeing Stephen Curry at a Golden State Warrior game than to see him at a bar in Orlando. Go to his house to find him.
–The New Testament believers (after Pentecost) made sure they were together worshiping God and encouraging one another.
Acts 2:44 (NKJV)
44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
–They were together...they were in church and they were the church...there is such power when believers come together in communion and to fellowship with Jesus.
–I’m lonely...come to church. I am depressed...come to church. I need to be healed...
Come to church. Come to Church and talk to God and let your family encourage you.
Acts 2:42 (NIV)
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship...
Proverbs 18:1 (NKJV)
1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
2. Another great privilege we have as believers is that we are called into the fellowship with one another...to be fully devoted to one another.
1 Corinthians 1:9-10 (NKJV)
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
–Jesus reminds the believers at Corinth that they are called into fellowship with Jesus but then he goes on to tell them...this is how you flesh out being the body of Christ.
–Paul says...Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing (one)...that is why being fully devoted to the apostle’s teaching...
–How can we speak the same thing if we are not learning the same thing...how can we be one if we are not together...there is such safety when we are together...show the video.
–Notice the calf in the middle...imagine if it was isolated...it would be dead...notice the buffalo coming around to protect the calf...what safety is found in being together.
–Notice in the background...those just observing...what would have happened if they would have jumped in...the enemy would have to run! It is time to jump in!
Matthew 22:36-40 (NIV)
36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
–Imagine the enemy coming in...imagine Jesus is there...imagine the church is there...can you please imagine that the devil would have to flee...Resist the devil...he will flee!
–Let me point out here that it is extremely important who we fellowship with...who we say the same things with and who we have no divisions with.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NLT)
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."
Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
–Why would you endanger yourselves and hang out with those who would devour you?
3. Another great privilege of be fully devoted to the fellowship is so we can have a greater impact in missions...this is the result of the first two.
2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia:
2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,
4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
–I hope you see missions in these verses like I do...I see missions through out the entire Word of God.
–The churches in Macedonia (the District - the Section) decided to give even though they had their own issues financially. They gave willingly to minister to those in need.
–They (the fellowship) gave according to their ability and with God’s help they gave beyond their ability...they were stronger together. Look again at verse 4...
2 Corinthians 8:4 (NKJV)
4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
–The power to become great givers to missions was enhanced because of the fellowship ...all of them wanted to give and all of them wanted to make a difference.
–The power of unity is so clearly displayed by the willingness of the churches in Macedonia to work together...work because they were in the fellowship.
–Last year Life Church gave close to $300,000 to Missions...that’s good but...
–The District...the Fellowship of churches was able to give over 12 million dollars.
We are definitely more powerful together than apart. Florida number one!
–When a missionary comes to our church and we receive an offering for him or her we (this fellowship) are making a difference in reaching the world. Verse by Paul:
Romans 15:24 (NLT)
24 I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.
–Conclusion of the matter:
Philippians 2:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if anyfellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
–Let me end with this illustration...I am in fellowship with Jesus (a large man comes up).
–I am in fellowship with other believers...four more big men come up.
–Choose a couple of people to be enemies coming after me...with fellowship with Jesus and these guys the enemy can’t get in.
–We decide to support a missions work Jesus wants us to do...I can only do so much but together we are more powerful...the guys show me their money...we make a difference.

–We rescue others who the enemy is trying to attack.