Continuing Stedfastly in

Fellowship

TEXTActs 2:36-42

INTRODUCTION:

A.  THOSE WHO RECEIVED THE TEACHING OF PETER WERE BAPTIZED.

B.  NOT AN EVENT, THE BEGINNING OF A NEW LIFE.

C.  THEY CONTINUED STEDFASTLY.  IN WHAT?

          1.  The apostles' doctrine.

          2.  Fellowship.

          3.  Breaking of bread.

          4.  Prayers.

D.  LET'S LOOK AT THE SUBJECT OF FELLOWSHIP.

I.  WHAT IS FELLOWSHIP?

A.      FELLOWSHIPkoinonia, "fellowship, contribution, communion, communication.".

          LITERALLY, "JOINT PARTICIPATION" & " CLOSE ASSOCIATION."

B.  FELLOWSHIP EVIDENT IN THE EARLY CHURCH (Acts 2:44-464:32).

C.  FELLOWSHIP, ROOTED IN LOVE, IS AN IDENTIFYING MARK OF DISCIPLES

          (John 13:34-35).

D.  THAT LOVE MUST BE GENUINE (1 Pet. 1:22Rom. 12:13-16).

E.  THE MIND OF CHRIST (Phil. 2:1-5).

F.  ACTIVE (1 John 3:16-18).

II.  THE BASIS OF OUR FELLOWSHIP.

A.  OUR FELLOWSHIP DEPENDS ON FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD( 1 John 1:3-4 ).

B.  WHICH DEPENDS ON WALKING IN THE LIGHT( vs. 6-7 ).

          1.  Enemies while in sin( Rom. 5:10;  Col. 1:21 ).

          2.  Reconciled while in sin( 2 Cor. 5:18-20 ).

          3.  Reconciled in one body( Eph. 2:16 ).

C.  THE GLUE OF OUR FELLOWSHIP?  WHAT WE BELIEVE AND DO ABOUT IT

          (Matt. 12:46-501 John 3:1Rom. 8:16).

III.    IN WHAT ARE CHRISTIANS TO HAVE FELLOWSHIP?

A.      WORSHIP ( Acts 2:421 Cor. 10:16-17Heb 10:24-25).

B.      BELIEF AND PERSPECTIVES ( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).

C.      WORK ( Phil. 1:27Eph. 4:16 ).

D.      JOYS AND SORROWS ( Rom. 12:15 ).

E.      SALVATION ( Jude 3 ).

IV.   SOME THINGS IN WHICH WE MUST NOT HAVE FELLOWSHIP.

A.      SATAN AND HIS WORKS ( James 4:7-8 ).

B.      UNBELIEVERS ( 1 Cor. 15:33Eph. 5:6-71 Cor. 5:9-10 ).

C.      UNFRUITFUL WORKS OF DARKNESS ( Eph. 5:11 ).

D.      ERROR ( 2 John 9-11 ).

V.  SOME OTHER THINGS FELLOWSHIP INVOLVES.

A.  "JOINT PARTICIPATION."  ACTUALLY JOINING IN.

B.  ENDORSEMENT.

          1.  Verbal commendation.  Actually saying something is good.

          2.  Saying or doing something that implies endorsement, i. e., announcing meetings,

                   asking preacher to speak, etc.

C.  CONSENT.

          1.  Verbal consent without approval.

          2.  Lack of action or speech against"Silence is consent."

CONCLUSION:

A.  OUR ASSOCIATION HAS MANY FACETS.

B.  OUR SALVATION IS DEPENDENT ON OUR ASSOCIATION WITH GOD.

C.  SO IS OUR FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER.

D.  ARE YOU WALKING IN THE LIGHT?