"Fellowship" in the Church

I. Introduction
   A. Tonight I desire to examine with you the need for fellowship
   B. Unfortunately, term has broad meaning and wide implications
      1. Fellowship with world
         a. cohabitation with
         b. business and personal relationships
         c. personal relations
      2. Fellowship with "Christendom"
         a. sometimes we share common moral values with those in denominations
         b. we can appreciate similarities and yet recognize differences
      3. Fellowship within the "churches of Christ"
         a. arguments about with whom we can/should "fellowship" with
         b. arguments about what "fellowship" in such context means
   C. I do not wish to speak concerning these forms of fellowship, but desire to          
      speak about fellowship of believers within a local congregation
   D. Fellowship: its need and implications

II. Biblical Discussion of Fellowship
   A. Let us examine the Scriptures for the nature of fellowship in the local      
      congregation
   B. Christians are to assemble with each other locally: Hebrews 10:25
   C. Purpose
      1. to encourage and edify
      2. in a term, "to fellowship"
   D. Term, however, is broader
      1. Seen best in Acts 2-- their fellowship involved a high level of    
         communality
      2. Eating together, spending much time together
      3. The 1st century church did not see fellowship as terms of assembling for  
         worship only, but a constant relationship

III. Personal Example
   A. While in Rantoul, experienced close fellowship with a group of Christians
      1. always active together
      2. always sought each other's company for entertainment, dining, etc.
      3. very tight-knit and edifying
   B. Surrounded by many spiritual trials and negativity, yet faith was increased
      1. mutual support and edification
      2. allowed for much good to come out of some negativity
   C. I see this as a microcosm of what the local church ought to be
      1. Constantly desiring each other's company
      2. Always spiritual, always built up

IV. Implications of New Testament Fellowship
   A. We have seen so far that in the NT, fellowship involved much more than just 
      assembly for worship, but constant companionship
   B. How many practices that cause division today be negated if NT fellowship 
      were understood and practiced?
   C. Fellowship Halls
      1. What does it say about a local congregation when they construct a 
         building in order to fellowship with meals?
      2. Is it that they do not otherwise meet for meals?
      3. Did the NT church have to build fellowship halls in order to meet 
         together for meals?  By no means! (Acts 2:46)
      4. Did the NT church add meals to the worship?  The example is negative (1 
         Corinthians 11:22); the NT church will distinguish between assembling 
         for worship and assembling for a meal
      5. Yet the members of the NT churches did assemble for meals
   D. The same attitude can be applied to gymnasiums, the institutionalism issue, 
      and many others
   E. These issues are made and forced upon many because of the loss of 
      fellowship within a congregation

V. Disfellowship
   A. The thorny part about fellowship is the need to occasionally disfellowship    
      when one has not done what is right
   B. Today, the practice of disfellowshipping has been rendered less effective
      1. often the only assembling is for worship
      2. if we disfellowship because of lack of attendance of worship, what pain 
         or sacrifice is there for the one disfellowshipped?
      3. If he/she has little to no connection with the saints, what good will it 
         do to make formal what is already implicitly in existence?
   C. With ideal NT fellowship, disfellowship is painful indeed
      1. separation from all he/she knows
      2. I felt this when I left Rantoul, and that was voluntary
   D. Exemplified by man in 1 Corinthians 5 who returned by 2 Corinthians 7:7
      1. disfellowship possibility caused great pain
      2. immediately desired to return

VI. Conclusion
   A. What is the purpose of fellowship?
   B. It is for our benefit
      1. God could have instead told us to be loner Christians, not requiring 
         assembly
      2. Yet Satan would devour us- 1 Peter 5:8
      3. Fellowship is for our edification and encouragement to resist him
   C. In the NT times, such fellowship was done daily- Hebrews 3:13
   D. What would happen with such a group?
      1. If a congregation followed NT fellowship fully, always in each other's 
         company and constantly strengthening one another, what could not be 
         performed?
      2. If we lived even a little bit like the Christians in Acts 2 and in the 
         Epistles, how much more effective would we be as Christians?
      3. How much error would be tolerated and divide?  
      4. How much strength would exist?
      5. With such complete fellowship instilling strength and confidence in each 
         member, what kind of evangelistic witness would occur?  
   E. We must strive to be a part of this body and fellowshipping as much
   F. Remember: if you expect to go to Heaven, you will have to share it with 
      those around you for an eternity.  Why not start early?
   G. There is no salvation nor hope for eternity, however, if you have not 
      joined this body
   H. If you need to join the body, please let us help you as we stand and sing