Introduction
One of the greatest experiences we can ever have is to get along with one another.
One of the greatest thoughts we can ever embrace is that God not only wants the same thing but gives us the tools to do it.
Today I want us to explore part of God’s word for us that shows us just what we, by God’s grace and power, are capable of when it comes to fellowship
Illustration
Porcupines are interesting animals. Aren’t they? Getting stuck on you Babe, has an entirely different perspective if we were made like porcupines.
Unfortunately, though we don’t have those quills, we nevertheless have other sharp points, don’t we, and those things can and do hurt.
Purpose
When Christians get together God’s way, than Jesus is lifted up and people will be drawn to Him. This is one of the purposes of the church, and one that we will look at this morning.
1. Looking Good Enduo From The Inside Out
One perk is being able to have access to His wardrobe. My dear friends, the very thing man craves, acceptance, is one of the very purposes of Christian fellowship.
As a child of God, look for the good stuff in your closet: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (v. 12). And if you can’t find any, pick out a different closet, because by rights you got it, Now just put it on! So make up your mind today to Just Say NO! to the power of Evil BECAUSE YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, and go ahead and start Looking Good. Looking Read Good
2. Bearing Anechomai Up Not And Not Caving In
Illustration
When Christina was much younger she looked up at her mother and with great seriousness told her, Mom, I only got one nerve left, and you are standing on it
The idea here,, though, is not along the lines of grin and bear , but along the lines of ‘just let this happen in your life’ as you see how Christ has suffered for you, then bear with your brother and sister. The World does not know how, BUT YOU DO, because you are a child of God. AMEN? AMEN!
3. Letting Go Charizomai But Not Falling Back
Illustration
When my relative went to prison, my family needed to make an important decision. Were we going to shun him for his wrong as other family members did, or would we forgive him and reach out to him. Though it was not easy, we choose to forgive and this allowed us to build a bridge of frienship to him…again.
Forgiving alerts the offender that a wrong has been commited, but it also works on restoring the relationship, and not fall back to anger.
This is another perk, my dear Christian friend as a child of God. So while you are putting on those new duds of Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, consider how God in Christ went out of his way to restore you….and show it to that brother or sister that just really messed up.
4. Gift Wrapping Sundesmos In Love Without Falling Head Over Heels
Illustration
A minister was speaking to the Sunday school about the things money can’t buy. “It can’t buy laughter and it can’t buy love” he told them.
Driving his point home he said, “What would you do if I offered you $1,000 not to love your mother and father?” Stunned silence ensued. Finally a small voice queried, “How much would you give me not to love my big sister?”
Isn’t it true that it is easier to love some people than others. Imagine though what kind of fellowship we would have if God actually allowed us to pick and choose: We might need something akin to one of those metal detectors, but it would be a love detector. And each Sunday, you and I would have to walk through it, and if it beeped, we would just ask our Greeter, Bernie, to show you the door telling you to try again, next Sunday.
What do you think? Would it catch on? We are in process, my dear friends, and it is during this time that BECAUSE we are His children that one of our perks, per se, is to be able to love one another unconditionally, and in doing that to show to one another just a little bit more of what Heaven is all about.
5. Letting His Peace Direct Without Going To Pieces
Didn’t Christ say ‘Peace I leave with you, not as the world gives’ (John 14:27). Yet, too often, though we know He left Peace, WE misplaced it, and instead of allowing room for peace in the midst of the storm, we allow the stress to push out the peace.
Illustration
One man has said The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend."
-- Abraham Lincoln
My dear friends, instead of trying to make a way for peace, realize that His peace is the way.
Illustration
I saw a Peanuts cartoon with Lucy saying to Charlie Brown, "I hate everything. I hate everybody. I hate the whole wide world!"
Charlie Brown says, "But I thought you had inner peace."
Lucy replies, "I do have inner peace. But I still have outer obnoxiousness"
My friends, you have the resources from God almighty to make up your mind and let peace rule. Notice the first three verses in this chapter,
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3
You HAVE the POWER. Go for it.
6. Making Room For His Word Without Needing To Go To Trade School.
Illustration
God whetted my appetite to read His Word BEFORE I new Him as my personal Savior. I remember after church one Sunday, taking out my Bible and reading a passage very similar to this, yet not being able to grasp it because it did not make sense! Needless to say, I was frustrated because I saw the tranquility of living a
life pleasing to God, but without Him in my life, I did not have a clue on how to begin
But as Christians we can understand his Word as it becomes our Corrective as we teach and admonish one another.
It is here that the Apostle Paul urges us to carve out a place in our lives for God’s life changing Word.
Conclusion
Fellowship is not only God’s design but one of his purposes for us. When we begin to grasp that such perks are not a to do list to but encouragements to let things happen, we will take another step forward as the Body of Christ.
As we let Christ do in our fellowship what He has already done in our hearts by faith, we will not only mature in Christ as a congregation, but see better how God would have us relate to others come the New Year, showing them the dynamics of Christ
