Fellowship with God, Fellowship with one another
Sunday October 08, 2000
1 John 1:1-10
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Our subject today is Fellowship.
We invite you to study with us:
What is fellowship?
Do you have fellowship?
With whom do you have fellowship?
With whom do you not have fellowship?
Of what importance is fellowship to you?
Fellowship is the Greek word koinonia, and it means “having in common or sharing with.”
Christian fellowship means sharing the things of Christ. And to do this, we must know the Lord Jesus—not only know about Him, but know Him as our personal Savior.
In our day we have lost the true meaning of the word fellowship.
Let me give you an example of what I mean.
I read a story that was told by Vernon McGee. And he told of the time that he used to go to Huntington Beach in Southern California and speak to a Rotary Club.
He said that the wonderful doctor who was the program chairman told him that they could probably take him once a year; so he invited him for either Christmas or Easter and told him to give them both barrels. He said he tried to give them both barrels, and since he is no longer program chairman, they haven’t invited him back!
One of the things he noticed in the place where the Rotary Club met was a large banner over the elevated speaker’s table with the words, “Fun, Food, Fellowship.”
Well, the food was nothing to brag about—embalmed chicken and peas as big as bullets.
The fun was corny jokes.
The fellowship consisted of one man patting another on the back and saying, “Hi, Bill, how’s business?” or, “How’s the wife?”
Then they sang a little song together.
That was their idea of fellowship.
Well, the Christian idea of fellowship is not much different.
When you hear an announcement of a church banquet, it is almost certain that you will be urged to come for food and fellowship.
What do they mean by fellowship?
They mean meeting around the table and talking to each other about everything under the sun except the one thing that would give them true fellowship, the person of Christ.
Now let me give you an illustration of one place where the word fellowship is used correctly.
Now suppose you wanted to know all about Shakespeare because you wanted to teach that particular subject.
You would go to Oxford University and attend the particular school specializing in that subject.
When you ate, you would sit down at the board, and there you would meet the other men who were studying Shakespeare, and you would meet the professors who did the teaching.
You would hear them all talking about Shakespeare in a way you never had heard before.
For instance, in the play Romeo and Juliet most of us think that Juliet was the only girl Romeo courted.
It is shocking to find that when he said,
“One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun
Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun,”
That fickle fellow Romeo was talking about another girl!
You would hear many things that would alert you to the fact that you had a lot to learn about Shakespeare.
So you would begin to study and pull books off the shelf in the library and go to the lectures.
After you had been at the school for two or three years, they would make you a fellow.
Then when you would go in and sit at the board with the other students and professors, you would join right in with them as they talked about the sonnets of Shakespeare.
You would have fellowship with them, sharing the things of Shakespeare.
Now fellowship for the believer means that we meet and share the things of Christ.
We talk together about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Word.
That is the kind of fellowship that John is speaking of when he says, “That ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
Now let’s look at,
1 Corinthians 1:8-10
8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
As it says in verse 9 God is faithful.
So I would say that sounds like the rest is up to us!
He does what He say’s and now it is up to us to stand in fellowship with Him and do what we need to do!
He has already done what He said He would do!
I. Do you have fellowship with God?
Consider our text:
3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Unless we have fellowship with God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, then we have no real fellowship with others that are Christian.
We may know Christians and we may talk to them, but fellowship goes far deeper than causal acquaintance or surface relationships.
Fellowship is a much deeper communion of our hearts and souls.
Christian fellowship is grounded in the testimony of God’s Word.
Without this underlying foundation, togetherness would be impossible.
Christian fellowship is mutual, depending on the unity of believers.
Christian fellowship is renewed daily through the Holy Spirit.
True fellowship combines social and spiritual interaction and is made possible only through a living relationship with Christ.
Christian fellowship demands adherence to truth.
4. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
John is trying to help us Christians to have a full joy.
Not just a little joy, but that our joy may be full.
For that to happen, we must establish fellowship with God and with God’s children.
We have to have that growing kind of a relationship that it tells us to have all through the bible.
Matthew 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
We need to keep that closeness to God that comes from daily praying and reading of God’s Word.
That fullness of Joy is felt every time we get an answer from God in prayer.
It is the same kind of joy that we feel when we are close to a loved one.
5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Everything that has to do with God is light.
Everything that has to do with the devil is darkness.
6. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
The truth is that fellowship with God requires that we walk in the light.
Jesus taught us that light refers to understanding and righteousness while darkness refers to sin and unrighteousness.
John 1:1-9
1 In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make.
4 Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone.
5 The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
6 God sent John the Baptist
7 to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.
8 John himself was not the light; he was only a witness to the light.
9 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was going to come into the world.
And look at what the scripture says in,
John 3:20-21
20 They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished.
21 But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants.”
Let’s look at what David had to say in,
Psalm 94:1-23
1 O LORD, the God to whom vengeance belongs,
O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice be seen!
2 Arise, O judge of the earth.
Sentence the proud to the penalties they deserve.
3 How long, O LORD?
How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?
4 Hear their arrogance!
How these evildoers boast!
5 They oppress your people, LORD,
hurting those you love.
6 They kill widows and foreigners
and murder orphans.
7 “The LORD isn’t looking,” they say,
“and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
8 Think again, you fools!
When will you finally catch on?
9 Is the one who made your ears deaf?
Is the one who formed your eyes blind?
10 He punishes the nations—won’t he also punish you?
He knows everything—doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
11 The LORD knows people’s thoughts,
that they are worthless!
12 Happy are those whom you discipline, LORD,
and those whom you teach from your law.
13 You give them relief from troubled times
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 The LORD will not reject his people;
he will not abandon his own special possession.
15 Judgment will come again for the righteous,
and those who are upright will have a reward.
16 Who will protect me from the wicked?
Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
17 Unless the LORD had helped me,
I would soon have died.
18 I cried out, “I’m slipping!”
and your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.
19 When doubts filled my mind,
your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
leaders who permit injustice by their laws?
21 They attack the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD is my fortress;
my God is a mighty rock where I can hide.
23 God will make the sins of evil people fall back upon them.
He will destroy them for their sins.
The LORD our God will destroy them.
The word fellowship in this Psalm is from a Hebrew word meaning be compact, coupled together, heap up, join together.
We know that God is not coupled together with sin.
He never has been, is not today and never will be.
Therefore it stands to reason that as long as you live in sin, you have no fellowship with God.
This is really an easy thing to see.
As long as we have anything to do with the world, meaning sin or sinful things, it will be impossible to have fellowship with God.
Now as we look at,
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Your opportunity to have fellowship with God is through Jesus, your Lord.
Jesus is calling you to repent of your sin, turn from it, forsake it, and have fellowship with Him.
He prayed for you
John 17:17-26
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Thank God for this beautiful fellowship that we can have with our Lord day by day as we pass through this world so steeped in sin and wickedness.
In the midst of all we can enjoy the presence of the Lord to walk with us as our friend.
He walks with every one that will walk in paths of righteousness.
II. Do you have fellowship with other Christians?
Let’s look at what the scripture has to say in,
Galatians 2:1-9
Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
In this scripture, Paul is explaining to us how the early church operated.
When he met with other leaders in the church and they recognized that Paul and his companions were Christians, they had fellowship.
And so it ought to be today.
There ought to be fellowship with all Christians for we are all of the same family of God and to be divided is one of the most grievous sins that the devil has convinced people to commit.
If you are a child of God, then I will fellowship you and you are duty bound to fellowship me.
Philippians 1:1-5
Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;
And the scripture tells us in, Acts 2:41-42
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
And so see the fellowship of God’s people that brings us together into the one body of believers that God desires us to be.
We need to become a solid as a rock unity with God!
Power is in and with God!
Light is with God.
Darkness is with satan.
III. Do you fellowship evil?
1 Corinthians 10:19-22
19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
The Greek word used here for fellowship means a sharer, an associate, companion, partaker, partner.
It should be clear to you from this scripture that Christians do not share in evil for in so doing they would sever their fellowship with God.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
The word translated fellowship here comes from a Greek word meaning participation.
It is clear that you cannot participate with the worship of idols and have fellowship with God.
The word Belial means lawless.
Hence, you cannot be without the law of God to restrain the way that you live and still have fellowship with God.
Ephesians 5:1-11
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
The word fellowship here means to share in company with, co-participate with, communicate with, become a partaker of.
It is clear from the scripture that the righteous have fellowship with God and with each other.
This is so very important to us as human beings for we need the fellowship of others. It is a human need to be accepted by others.
I have know people that take these scriptures that we have studied this morning and use them to separate from other Christians.
I have observed some causing division under the guise of separating from sin when in reality they are committing sin by causing the division.
When you take these passages of scriptures and use them to divide Christians, you are wresting the scripture and doing great damage to your own soul in the process.
Remember what the scripture told us in,
Revelation 22:18-19
18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
God never intended for Christians to be all divided up and avoiding each other.
God never intended for us to start playing with the scriptures to make them work other than they were intended to work.
In fact the opposite is the truth.
God has always intended for His people to have fellowship with each other insomuch that he says that it is the very mark of identification of his people.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Jesus is telling us that if we love one another, the whole world will know that we are His disciples.
Then, if we do not love one another, what would cause us to think that we are His disciples?
Too many Christians today are all divided up over trivial issues that cause much grief, strife, and pain to thousands of souls.
The only reason to separate from others is sin.
Any division for any other reason is unjustified in the sight of God.
I have observed many divisions through the years and nearly all of them have been caused by spirits of envy, jealously, preeminence, etc.
Of course in order to justify their division they invent reasons, the most common being a difference in doctrinal teaching.
No where in the Bible can you find justification to divide over doctrines that do not remove righteousness from the believer.
All such division is sin and must be repented of.
All Christians should be taught to love one another, pray for one another, and edify one another.
We are all a part of God’s great family and should enjoy the fellowship of all the righteous.
1 Peter 5:5-10
5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
And so do you have fellowship with God?
Are you walking in His light?
Are you enjoying the fellowship of all other Christians?
Are you one that is trying to have fellowship with God and the devil at the same time?
Have you been caught up in the many divisions that Satan has perpetrated upon the Christian realm?
Is fellowship as important to you as it is to your Lord?
For you and I to go anywhere with our Christian experience we have to have fellowship with God.
We cannot serve two masters, just like the scripture says in,
Matthew 6:24
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
We are going to have to choose one of these days before it’s too late who we are going to serve.
Who is it going to be?
God! Or satan?
What a better time than this morning, right here, right now.
And in closing I want to read one last scripture
2 Corinthians 13:14
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Let us stand and bow our heads in prayer.
