rick warren, purpose driven life: section 18
TRANSCRIPT
Experiencing Life Together
Section 18 Pages 138 - 144
Sunday 3 October 2010
Life is meant to be shared
Sunday 3 October 2010
In the Bible this is called fellowship.
How would you define fellowship?
...casual conversation, fun, food, meeting people?
Real fellowship is experiencing life together
Including - unselfish loving, sacrificial giving, honest sharing, practical serving etc.
In fact all the one another commands found in the NT
Sunday 3 October 2010
In fellowship size is important - smaller is better - you can worship in a crowd, but for fellowship small groups are better
>10 and some people don’t take part, and a few dominate
Jesus worked with a small group.
The Body of Christ is a collection of many small cells
Sunday 3 October 2010
The Body of Christ is a collection of many small cells - the life of the animal is in the cell
In this way every Christian should be involved in a small group of some sort - this is where real fellowship takes place.
Matt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Beware of Fakes or Poor Imitations - often fellowship is advertised but not delivered
Sunday 3 October 2010
In Real Fellowship People Experience Authenticity
Real fellowship is genuine heart to heart gut level sharing. It is honest. It reveals hurts, feelings, failures, doubts, fears, weaknesses - it asks for help.
Often in church we pretend (role play!) and wear masks
Sunday 3 October 2010
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:7-8
Darkness hides things - light reveals and deals with them. Of course then we have to deal with fear of exposure - which makes us very vulnerable
Sunday 3 October 2010
...confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:16
Sunday 3 October 2010
In Real Fellowship People Experience Mutuality
Mutuality is the are of giving and receiving.
It is depending upon each other.
The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part
1 Cor 12:25
Build relationships, share responsibilities, help each other
Sunday 3 October 2010
...that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith - Rom 1:12
Accountability is easier when we walk with someone else alongside us - you are not responsible for other people in the Body but you are responsible to them.
Do whatever you can to help them.
Rom 14:19 - Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Sunday 3 October 2010
In Real Fellowship People Experience Sympathy
Sympathy - entering into, sharing the pain of others (Biblically it is called sympathy, though in modern expression it is called empathy)
Col 3:12 - Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, (sympathy) kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Sympathy meets needs: to be understood, and to have your feelings validated.
When you understand and affirm someone's feelings you build fellowship with them.
This takes time, requires you forgetting your own hurts, needs you to leave self pity.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Levels of fellowship, at a basic level, Sharing, Studying
At the deepest level Suffering (entering into another’s pain, grief, burden).
Gal 6:2 - Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
In crisis, grief, doubt we often need others most
Sunday 3 October 2010
Job needed this:
A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
Job 6:14
Sunday 3 October 2010
In Real Fellowship People Experience Mercy
What is mercy?
Sunday 3 October 2010
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery.
By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness (Genesis 19:19; Exodus 20:6; 34:6, 7;Psalm 85:10; 86:15, 16).
In Christ mercy and truth meet together.
Mercy is also a Christian grace (Matthew 5:7; 18:33-35).
Sunday 3 October 2010
Noah Webster's Dictionary
1. (n.) Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency.
2. (n.) Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless.
3. (n.) Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willing to spare/help.
4. (n.) A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Fellowship is a place of grace - mistakes are rubbed out not in.
We all need mercy.
We should all offer mercy.
2 Cor 2:7 - Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.
Sunday 3 October 2010
You can’t have fellowship without forgiveness
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. - Col. 3:13
LB translates this, “Never hold grudges” - bitterness, resentment and the like destroy fellowship.
Imperfect people will hurt one another - it takes grace and mercy to maintain fellowship - remember Col 3:13
Sunday 3 October 2010
Out of God’s mercy to us we show mercy to others.
When you are hurt you make a choice to retaliate - or to resolve and forgive
Trust and forgiveness are related:
Forgiveness lets go of the past and should be immediate regardless of the the person asking for it.
Trust then depends on future behaviour - do they then show changed behaviour?
Sunday 3 October 2010
Point to ponder
I need others in my life
Sunday 3 October 2010
Verse to rememberGal 6:2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Sunday 3 October 2010
Question to considerWhat one step can I take today to connect with another believer at a more genuine, heart-to-heart level?
Sunday 3 October 2010