分类: Fellowship - Jethro TOOLS

Member with Christ

7/27/2025

Acts 2:37-47
What is the best group to join? As people, we are not created to be alone. To solve that we spend time searching for places that we like and people that like us. We move to neighborhoods and communities we like. We become members of a country, communities, groups, associations, and even members of a family. The Bible refers to those that believe in Jesus as members of His body, a spiritual family called the church. The difficulty is that we view the church as a building. You may be asked, “What church do you belong to?” Our normal response is some form of directions to some building. The person who believes by faith in Jesus as their savior is made a member of God’s family (Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 12:27). The church is not a building, but the believers that gather together in a building are the church. In Acts 2 we see the beginning of the church, and the initial steps of church growth. It begins with Peter’s message encouraging people to believe in Jesus (14-39), and concludes with many people responding (41). These new believers, or new members, of the early church devoted themselves to the teaching of God’s word, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer (42). This chapter highlights what God does as He changes people, their beliefs about Jesus, and association with Jesus. You see, the early church was made up of people who had originally been opposed to Jesus. In coming to Christ they were changed by Christ. They now desired to learn of Christ through His word and live out those truths in a spiritual community with others. They were a changed people, who are now members with Christ. They had changed hearts and expressed the transformation through changed lives (46-47). Are you relationally connected to Jesus Christ and His church? Are you growing in Christ with others?

For More See ACTS

Participate in Fellowship

7/28/2024

1 John 1:6-7
Some years ago I borrowed a canoe from a church member and placed it in front of the church as an illustration of fellowship. So how would an old canoe describe fellowship? Well, the best way to travel in a canoe is with two people. However, two people in a boat does not mean that they have fellowship. They merely exist together without participating in any meaningful activity. But if those two people are in a boat and paddling the same direction they share the experience and are able to benefit from each others efforts as they glide through the water. In Acts 2:42 the early church spent time in fellowship. What is fellowship? Biblical fellowship is defined as participation or sharing, as in sharing in and participating in an activity. In the book of 1 John the author confronts false teaching and beliefs that circulated in the early church by addressing true fellowship. In verse 6 and 7 John challenges his audience to a proper conduct and imitation of Christ that walks as He does. In order to do this we need to align our life and participate in fellowship with Christ our savior. In other words, the correct practice of our relationship with Jesus will impact and direct our correct God honoring relationships with others. Our fellowship with one another is to be a living reflection of our relationship with Christ. Like the early church, we are challenged to live the life changing truth of the gospel in our fellowship with one another. By being in fellowship with Christ and following Him we will see the power of the gospel transform us and transform our relationships with others. Just as we benefit from others being in a canoe and paddling in the same direction with us, so we also benefit others by our walk with the Lord and see the reciprocal effects in our relationships.

For More See 1 JOHN

Why Meet Together?

2/12/2023

Psalm 95:1-7
Much preparation has taken place, and now we gather with friends and family to share the joys and sorrows of a win or a loss. We honor and cheer the hero’s of the play by calling them the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT). It does not matter if it is Football and the Super Bowl, Baseball and the World Series, Hockey and the Stanley Cup, Soccer and the World Cup, or Tennis and a Grand Slam, we participate with passion, and praise the people with the greatest of plays. There is nothing wrong with enjoying sports as a participant or a passionate observer. But, let’s stop and think for a moment about how this same drive relates to the spiritual life. What if that same preparation, passion and practice were true of our spiritual lives? Those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Savior have become part of His family and His body the church (Colossians 1:18). However, unlike sports, the purpose of our gathering is not to praise the ones who are seen, but the One who is unseen. The believer displays the authenticity of their relationship with God through their fellowship with other believers and their worship of God. Much like a sports game, but in a spiritual arena, fellowship is a shared partnership, purpose, and participation. In fellowship the believer connects with other believers in Jesus to strengthen their faith, participate in service for God, and grow in passion for God who saved them. Our purpose of gathering in church and fellowship with other believers is to display the greatness of our Savior through our lives and our words. Everything about us is to scream and shout that God alone is worthy of our total devotion. On earth there may be people that we celebrate, but as believers in Christ we must always worship and celebrate Jesus as the greatest of all time.

For more see PSALMS or DISCIPLESHIP

Where Are You?

4/10/2022

Genesis 3:6-11
The other day we discovered that the floor mop had broken. I tried to fix a plastic part, but to no avail. So a trip to the store for a replacement was needed. I could go to the store and wander around hoping that I would eventually bump into the isle of mops. Or, I could respond to the question from a store employee… What can I help you find today? The response of the employee will give me directions to the proper location, or perhaps they will even take me to the exact spot in the store. The store employee is trained to greet customers and ask what they need because it creates a relationship, builds trust and provides increased sales. We may know where the right store is but not know where to find what we need to solve our problem. In a good store a question starts a conversation that leads to a solution. We see the same thing take place in Genesis 3 as God calls out to Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” (9). This question defined the position of Adam and Eve as hiding from God (10). They thought they could hide and that was faulty because God knows everything. Secondly, the question of “Where are you?” has to do with the relationship that Adam and Eve had with God. He was still pursuing them even though they had sinned. Thirdly, the question of “Where are you?” directs our purpose of living to return to God and be forgiven and restored by Him. I pray that you will desire Jesus because He desires to be your savior and the leader of your life. He alone gives purpose to life and hope for all eternity. He alone determines the process of restoration as we trust in Him for salvation. He alone defines our position as children who are close to Him.

For more see QUESTIONS FROM GOD

Not So Hot

4/3/2022

Revelation 3:14-22
Summer is just around the corner and along with it comes hot weather. If you are outside on a hot day a cool drink of water is refreshing, just like a hot coffee is soothing on a cold winter day. We desire the beverage that is opposite the temperature that we experience in order to be refreshed. However, if the coffee is barely warm or the water is slightly hot we will dump it out and get something that is truly refreshing. That is the response that Jesus had to the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3. Often we may read verse 16 as being hot in our spiritual relationship with Jesus as a good thing and being cold as a bad thing. Notice that Revelation 3:16 says… “because you are lukewarm, and neither hot or cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Jesus is not condemning either temperature of hot or cold in the illustration, but rather the compromise of being spiritually lukewarm. He challenges the church to redefine what they view as valuable (18), and calls them to turn from their independence (19). The church of Laodicea had pushed Christ out of their life. Now Jesus describes Himself as being outside and knocking to come in and renew fellowship with them (20). Like this church we need to accept Christ’s analysis of our life because He is faithful and true (14), and respond to His invitation to renewed fellowship. Christ desires for us to imitate Him in pure righteousness not compromising lukewarmness. Our passion should be one that invests in what holds spiritual and eternal value not what is temporary and worldly. If we choose to be spiritually lukewarm we choose a spiritual life that is not so hot. May that not be true of us. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get a glass of cold water.

For more see REVELATION

The Vision of Jesus Christ

2/6/2022

Revelation 1:9-20
With the Winter Olympics just around the corner we wait, hoping our favorite athletes overcome the obstacles and opponents and win. Yet this one moment and victory in time is not just by chance. If it was by chance then every one of us would be in the Olympics looking for our chance. In fact the athletes that we cheer for have been preparing, practicing and persevering in their sporting event for years. They have restricted their diet and refused certain activities all to focus on their development and training. In Revelation 1:9-11 John recounts how he arrived on the island of Patmos. Very simply he was exiled to the island because of his teaching and preaching about Jesus. In the midst of his persecution and banishment he was able to be an encouragement to the people and churches addressed in this letter. John was a spiritual brother and fellow partaker in the tribulations and spiritual blessings that the audience was experiencing (vs. 9). Then in verse 10 John mentions being in the Spirit in fellowship and worship of God. In these verses we see that John does not allow his circumstance to change his relationship with other believers; neither does he allow his circumstance to change his worship. It was through his exile on Patmos that God spoke and told him to write (vs. 11) what became the book of Revelation. It is often easy for us to allow our circumstances to impact our spiritual perspective and even our spiritual life. Note that John’s life was not easy and yet it is out of the trials which he was in that God called him and used him. Perhaps God is preparing you through your present circumstances for something He has not yet revealed. Practice faithfulness to Christ in the present.

For more see REVELATION

Fellowship: Commitment to God and Others

6/16/2021

1 John 1:1-4
Today’s culture has changed much from what it used to be. One big change is the way we communicate. We no longer have to speak face to face to communicate. Instead we use phones to talk with someone without ever seeing them. This communication may be from across the store, across the street or around the world. The technology of phones and a phone call has made life much easier in some ways but harder in others. When we do not speak face to face it is much more difficult to participate in a project or activity with someone else. It is much harder to build and maintain a relationship from a distance. The same is true spiritually. As we examine 1 John we understand that the important aspect of fellowship is simply a partnership and a participation in the pursuit of common direction. This is a partnership with others who believe in Jesus as savior. In today’s society, people who claim to be believers in Jesus Christ often state that they do not need to be in church. Without the involvement with other believers on a regular basis fellowship is not complete (1 John 1:4). True Biblical fellowship finds its foundation in Jesus who is fully preexistent as God fully living as man. John says that Jesus was from the beginning (1 John 1:1), but also that Jesus was fully man as one who could be touched (1 John 1:1). As John notes in this verse Jesus is not only God’s Word of communication to us, but also He is the Word of life. Through Jesus as savior, God communicates His message of new life and a new way to live. This is life that is connected in fellowship with God and others. This is much more than church attendance. True fellowship with God is based on our beliefs about Jesus as savior, reflected in our words and seen our attitudes. Fellowship is found in more than a distant communication. Fellowship is the committed spiritual connection that we have with Jesus and others who believe in Him as together we pursue a lifelong relationship with Him.

For more see 1 JOHN

Who is God? Creator, Redeemer, Restorer

6/13/2021

Genesis 1, Genesis 3, Acts 2, Revelation 7
This past week I was saddened when I was made aware of the passing of two people. One was an elderly man and the other was a young woman. Both were described as adventurous and joyful, both had contracted cancer, but both had trusted Jesus as their savior. They lived life differently because of Christ and they lived to bring honor to God their savior as His image bearer. We are created by God and bear His image (Genesis 1:26-27). We resemble our creator in the aspect of being relational people in need of relationship with God and others (Genesis 1:28-29). The results of Adam and Eve’s sin (Genesis 3) have led to broken relationships with God and others, distorted worship of our self and others instead of God, and the destruction of murder by taking the life of others created in God’s image. Peter proclaims that Jesus came and was crucified thus becoming the source of salvation for all people (Acts 2:36). This message rang true and 3000 people respond (Acts 2:37-41). The church was started and redeemed people were now restored to worship their creator and redeemer. All those who are redeemed from sin by faith in Jesus Christ will one day be united together in their praise of their savior (Revelation 7:9-10). In Christ the divisions of geography, race and language are removed as people from every tribe, and nation worship their creator and redeemer as part of the family of God. We start our journey of faith here on earth but it continues forever in heaven through the worship of our creator, redeemer and restorer. The two that I mentioned earlier are doing just that.

For more see QUESTIONS & ANSWERS