Sermon Central
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Fellowship Series
Contributed by Shawn Drake on Aug 7, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: This is the 1st sermon in the series "God’s Desire".
Series: “God’s Desire” (#1)
FELLOWSHIP
Introduction:
1. We often talk about what we want as Christians, at church, work, home, etc…; but what does God desire?
2. Today we will begin a series on God’s desires.
3. Why did God create us? In God’s foreknowledge He knew what was going to happen. So why bother creating something that was going to rebel? God created us for fellowship. Look with me this morning at God’s desire for fellowship.
Fellowship Created
1. Genesis 1 tells us all that God created on the first six days of creation and that on the seventh day God rested. This is the only time in Scripture you will find God resting.
2. Why did God rest at this time from His work and then never again rest?
3. God created man in His image. Man was created sinless, therefore everything was perfect. God was pleased with man and man with God. God had provided Adam with responsibility over all the creatures, a help mate and populating the earth. Life was great, but Satan got involved and tempted Adam and Eve. And things quickly changed.
Fellowship Broken
1. God was no longer pleased with man because of sin. Genesis 3:14-24 tells us that God proclaimed the punishment of man, woman, and Satan; and then He kicked mankind out of this perfect place. Fellowship was broken.
2. God now had a dilemma. As a perfect God He could no longer have fellowship with mankind, so what could He do? What would you have done?
3. Genesis 3:21 tells us that God made clothing for Adam and Eve from animal skin, which tells us that blood was shed for their sin; but now blood sacrifices would have to be made in order for God to fellowship with mankind.
Fellowship Restored
1. What love, that God would send His only begotten Son to leave a perfect place.
2. Jesus left a perfect place just as Adam did; but Jesus left by choice out of humbleness and obedience to His Father.
3. Jesus Christ became our ultimate sacrifice on the cross. There was a major difference between the sacrifice of Jesus and that of the yearly animal sacrifices of the Israelites. The yearly sacrifices were for the sins of the Israelite’s for that year; but Jesus blood shed was for past, present, and future sins of all people. Fellowship has been restored!
Conclusion:
1. Do you want fellowship with God? Do you want verses 5-8 that I just read? Do you want God to watch over you forever and ever? If you do, the first thing you must do is be covered by the blood of Jesus so that God can be your Father.
2. How do you get sprinkled by the blood of Jesus? You must receive this free gift.
Romans 10:9-10, 13
3. Christians if you feel like the fellowship between you and God is not what it should be, then you need to follow the command of this verse.
