PVBC: 40 Days Purpose Driven (Week 3) - Fellowship

July 23, 2010

PVBC: 40 Days Purpose Driven Week 3

FELLOWSHIP

1 Timothy 3:14-15 Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, (15) if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household , which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.

Memory Verse:

Roman 12:5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

You were form for God's Family and there are 2 parts to this

1. Love your God with all your heart = Worship


2. Love your neighbor as yourself = Fellowship

There is more than just believing in God but also belonging in God's family, committing to one another. God IS Love. We need a place to practice loving one another, and that is the Church.

BUILDING BLOCKS OF GENUINE FELLOWSHIP

Roman 12:9-16: (9) Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. (10) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (11) Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (12) Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (13) Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

(14) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (15) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (16) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

1. Authenticity (Ro 12:9)


Love must be sincere without hypocrisy. (Greek) hypokritos = actors with many masks. Sometimes you're subconsciously wearing these masks without knowing it because you've been playing the role for so long. Why hide and put ourselves to shame because of our sins when we know that nobody is perfect? Open wounds heal, closed wound forms abcess. We're only as sick as our secrets.


Hebrew 4:12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.





2. Courteous (Ro 12:10)


Be sensitive to eachother's needs. Show respects even when we disagree. Sometimes in a group, there is usually one "difficult" person, who is short on social skills. We call this person: Extra Grace Required. If you can't think of anyone in your group, it's probably you. (It must be me).


Titus 3:2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.



Listening is a charm. Sometimes people just need your support by listening to their story. They don't want you to fix the problem. They just want to process their problem out loud. Doesn't want to solve, just want validation. (I must have put my ex-bf through missery with my problem solving skills, and in return his reply was "You're really good at putting me down." - I was mistaking it for mutual accountability and thought what I was doing, by stating my unsolicitated advice, is being honest and authentic but I was perceived as putting him down. We should pray to God for the wisdom to be to make these distinctions.)

I come to realize that it's not our job to change a person. Our job is to Love (which is a life-long skill that we have yet to master) facilitating the environment for the person to mature. We can bearly change ourselves, let alone trying to change another person. Only God is capable of doing so. I'm thankful enough that He can use me to offer assistance to another person. But in doing so, I gain a lot of experience and knowledge, a sense of self-worth.



James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.





3. Mutuality (Ro12:12)


You can't grow to your fullest potential without the aid of others, concept of interdependence rather than independence. A rope with many strands is always stronger. There are three mutualism that we need to practice:

• Mutual Encouragement - 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13; 10:25


• Mutual Honoring (Ro 4:10) - Pass a sheet around with your name on it and each of us will write one nice thing about you until the paper returns to you


• Mutual Accountability - Having a spiritual partner to keep you in check.



Ecclesiastes 4:10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!


Do you want to share a story of when you fall and a friend helps encourage you and help you up?



4. Hospitality (Ro 12:13)

   
   Eat together --> more relax --> comfort --> breakdown barriers.
   

   Acts 2:46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

   
   
   

5. Unity (Ro 12:16)


God purpose for us is to be united. However, united does not mean uniformity. God likes uniqueness in unity so that we may complement one another.


1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.


Don't be conceited or proud because God opposes the proud and He gives grace to the humble. Humility (Gains)---> Grace (drivens) ---> Maturity/Growth

Reading Assignments Roman 8:28-38