Each of these Scriptures reminds me that, unless I am relying on and the Holy Spirit and following-through with what He calls me to do, I cannot fellowship in the way that the Lord intended. I see it even in the Psalm (which does not directly talk about fellowship):
"Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord" (verses 16 & 17)
I am a bondservant of the Lord, and in thanks for the glorious gift that He has given me (eternal life), I sacrifice my own wants and desires in order to serve Him by serving others. But I cannot do this unless I am freed from the chains of pride and selfishness, and that does not happen unless I "call on the name of the Lord."
Our fellowship is elevated (strengthened) when we share our faith with each other and those around us together (call). We connect with God and one another as we are led by the Holy Spirit to share our faith with those around us.
"And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Colossians 4:3-4)
Here we are reminded that sharing our faith begins with God opening doors. My testimony, no matter how powerful, cannot touch another person's heart unless the Holy Spirit has prepared him or her to receive the message. When that happens we are able to proclaim the mystery of Christ. That mystery is simply that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in order to pay the price for our sins. The plan of salvation formed by God was "hidden" until just the right time, and then revealed through the life, death and resurrection of His Son. That God would stoop so as to save you and me may seem mysterious, but it is rooted in His love for us. We can be thankful that the mystery has been manifest to us through the work of the Holy Spirit and, having received salvation, that we in turn are able to proclaim the good news clearly as God give us the opportunity.
"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)
The first verse of Acts 2 tells us that the apostles were all together in one place. What it doesn't mention is what they are doing, but it is a pretty safe bet that much of the time they were together was dedicated to prayer. That is important because in Colossians 4 it is clear that prayer is central to the work of sharing the gospel. It is foundational, actually, and prior to the arrival of the Holy Spirit the apostles must have been immersed in prayer (and of course after as well). If we are going to share the gospel effectively as a community, then, we must begin with prayer.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:22-23)
If prayer is foundational to sharing the gospel, so too is community, and that community is founded on love. We are to love one another deeply, from the heart, for in doing so we build one another up and, over time, draw others to Christ. Certainly my own experience in becoming a Christian had a great deal to do with being drawn into a loving community. It was that community that helped me "see" and understand the love God has for me. As we worship, study, fellowship and serve together, founded on love, we create a community through which others can "see" and understand God's love.
This does not directly have anything to do with the watching world, but it does have to do with our church family and the struggles that so many are dealing with and the ones others feel they have to keep to themselves. So many of us feel like we need to present ourselves to others--especially in the church--as having perfect, faithful lives that contain no doubt, no emotional struggles, no back-stepping in faith. Illness we'll talk about, travel-that's safe, job interviews, finals, or God's guidance talking to others about faith--all of these things are wonderful things to pray about with our church family, but how many of us (me included) show our broken selves to our church? Why is that? I think maybe it's because these things are safe. They are things that don't show personal weakness because these things aren't really personal. We are often afraid to show those more personal struggles because we don't want to be seen as unfaithful or as immature in the faith. At least, that's how I am. I also think this is kind of sad. Perhaps it is because these things are private and we don't want to show these problems to everyone. There are certainly people in the church I know well and are more likely to be understanding about my many, many faults, weaknesses, and struggles, but they are also the people I think who are least likely to judge me harshly...or even at all. Why is this even a concern? A thought has been on my mind lately, especially today, that if God calls us to be broken, why are we so afraid/embarrassed/concerned of sharing that brokeness to the church? These are the people, sometimes all of the people, God has put in our lives to pray for us, to come along side and encourage us. Why are we not fully utilizing this? If we aren't struggling, we can come along and pray for and lift up those who are. We are supposed to/called to do this. Why aren't we? I could be wrong, but I think God is calling us to be less judgy and more transparent with each other. I think this is a major part of being both a loving community and a family that loves deeply, from the heart.
My Sabbath School class was just last week talking about something very similar to what Chantel addresses (not wanting to share things that we are struggling/tempted with).
It's certainly not always the case, but many times we don't want to share our struggles and temptations because deep down we aren't truly ready to let go of whatever it is that's causing the pain/desire to sin. (I think of Galatians 5:16-17: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.)
As an example: I spent many years (basically my entire life) feeling worthless, thinking that the only way people would see me as having any worth was if I was "perfect." As can be imagined, living with this lie had a number of destructive consequences, things that I would not dare share with anyone because they brought about a feeling of shame. And although I yearned for freedom from those consequences, I was not willing to let go of the lie and walk in the truth of God's Word; I begged God for relief, and yet part of me still wanted to achieve that illusive "perfection" so that the world would accept me. It wasn't until I made the conscious, willful decision to live in the light of God's truth, shutting down Satan's (multiple) attempts to drag me back into darkness, that I found the freedom I was longing for. Today (after a time of healing) I feel absolutely no shame in talking about my struggles; instead I feel only joy and thankfulness in being able to say that through the strength, wisdom, and love of the Lord, I have overcome them.
What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? -Psalm 116:12
One of the ways in which God is good to us is through the provision of fellowship. Before we knew Christ, we could not connect with God at all. And whether we knew it or not, we couldn't fully connect with others either. This is not to say that those relationships were not good; it simply means that they lacked something essential--a mutual relationship with Jesus Christ. It is our relationship with God that "seasons" our relationship with others while making it possible for us to connect on a deeper level. We can surely thank God for that!
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6)
Salt had many uses in New Testament times, but the use Paul most likely has in mind here is the role it played in preserving meat so that it would not spoil. In the same way the words we exchange with one another should help "preserve" us before the Lord, promoting purity and honoring God. Sometimes my conversations measure up; sometimes they don't. This passage is a reminder of what we are to strive for as we connect with one another, so that even the words we use help us to be built up and strengthen our faith while preserving God's reputation.
Good morning and good Sabbath! I look forward to making a thank offering to God through worship with you this morning as together we call on the name of the Lord. See you at church!
Each of these Scriptures reminds me that, unless I am relying on and the Holy Spirit and following-through with what He calls me to do, I cannot fellowship in the way that the Lord intended. I see it even in the Psalm (which does not directly talk about fellowship):
ReplyDelete"Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord" (verses 16 & 17)
I am a bondservant of the Lord, and in thanks for the glorious gift that He has given me (eternal life), I sacrifice my own wants and desires in order to serve Him by serving others. But I cannot do this unless I am freed from the chains of pride and selfishness, and that does not happen unless I "call on the name of the Lord."
These things are more than enough to insure Elevation of our Fellowship:
ReplyDeleteColossians 4:2-6 Earnest prayer, vigilant thanksgiving, gracious speech, and discrete answers;
Psalm 116:12-19 Keeping our promises for intercessory prayer, and daily thanksgiving, no matter what;
Acts 2:14a, 36-41True repentance, assurance of our redemption, and fresh infilling with the Holy Spirit;
1 Peter 1:17-23 Obedience, sincere, fervent love for the brethren, security in our new birth from incorruptible seed.
Our fellowship is elevated (strengthened) when we share our faith with each other and those around us together (call). We connect with God and one another as we are led by the Holy Spirit to share our faith with those around us.
ReplyDelete"And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should." (Colossians 4:3-4)
ReplyDeleteHere we are reminded that sharing our faith begins with God opening doors. My testimony, no matter how powerful, cannot touch another person's heart unless the Holy Spirit has prepared him or her to receive the message. When that happens we are able to proclaim the mystery of Christ. That mystery is simply that God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross in order to pay the price for our sins. The plan of salvation formed by God was "hidden" until just the right time, and then revealed through the life, death and resurrection of His Son. That God would stoop so as to save you and me may seem mysterious, but it is rooted in His love for us. We can be thankful that the mystery has been manifest to us through the work of the Holy Spirit and, having received salvation, that we in turn are able to proclaim the good news clearly as God give us the opportunity.
"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4)
ReplyDeleteThe first verse of Acts 2 tells us that the apostles were all together in one place. What it doesn't mention is what they are doing, but it is a pretty safe bet that much of the time they were together was dedicated to prayer. That is important because in Colossians 4 it is clear that prayer is central to the work of sharing the gospel. It is foundational, actually, and prior to the arrival of the Holy Spirit the apostles must have been immersed in prayer (and of course after as well). If we are going to share the gospel effectively as a community, then, we must begin with prayer.
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:22-23)
ReplyDeleteIf prayer is foundational to sharing the gospel, so too is community, and that community is founded on love. We are to love one another deeply, from the heart, for in doing so we build one another up and, over time, draw others to Christ. Certainly my own experience in becoming a Christian had a great deal to do with being drawn into a loving community. It was that community that helped me "see" and understand the love God has for me. As we worship, study, fellowship and serve together, founded on love, we create a community through which others can "see" and understand God's love.
This does not directly have anything to do with the watching world, but it does have to do with our church family and the struggles that so many are dealing with and the ones others feel they have to keep to themselves. So many of us feel like we need to present ourselves to others--especially in the church--as having perfect, faithful lives that contain no doubt, no emotional struggles, no back-stepping in faith. Illness we'll talk about, travel-that's safe, job interviews, finals, or God's guidance talking to others about faith--all of these things are wonderful things to pray about with our church family, but how many of us (me included) show our broken selves to our church? Why is that? I think maybe it's because these things are safe. They are things that don't show personal weakness because these things aren't really personal. We are often afraid to show those more personal struggles because we don't want to be seen as unfaithful or as immature in the faith. At least, that's how I am. I also think this is kind of sad. Perhaps it is because these things are private and we don't want to show these problems to everyone. There are certainly people in the church I know well and are more likely to be understanding about my many, many faults, weaknesses, and struggles, but they are also the people I think who are least likely to judge me harshly...or even at all. Why is this even a concern? A thought has been on my mind lately, especially today, that if God calls us to be broken, why are we so afraid/embarrassed/concerned of sharing that brokeness to the church? These are the people, sometimes all of the people, God has put in our lives to pray for us, to come along side and encourage us. Why are we not fully utilizing this? If we aren't struggling, we can come along and pray for and lift up those who are. We are supposed to/called to do this. Why aren't we? I could be wrong, but I think God is calling us to be less judgy and more transparent with each other. I think this is a major part of being both a loving community and a family that loves deeply, from the heart.
DeleteMy Sabbath School class was just last week talking about something very similar to what Chantel addresses (not wanting to share things that we are struggling/tempted with).
DeleteIt's certainly not always the case, but many times we don't want to share our struggles and temptations because deep down we aren't truly ready to let go of whatever it is that's causing the pain/desire to sin. (I think of Galatians 5:16-17: But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.)
As an example: I spent many years (basically my entire life) feeling worthless, thinking that the only way people would see me as having any worth was if I was "perfect." As can be imagined, living with this lie had a number of destructive consequences, things that I would not dare share with anyone because they brought about a feeling of shame. And although I yearned for freedom from those consequences, I was not willing to let go of the lie and walk in the truth of God's Word; I begged God for relief, and yet part of me still wanted to achieve that illusive "perfection" so that the world would accept me. It wasn't until I made the conscious, willful decision to live in the light of God's truth, shutting down Satan's (multiple) attempts to drag me back into darkness, that I found the freedom I was longing for. Today (after a time of healing) I feel absolutely no shame in talking about my struggles; instead I feel only joy and thankfulness in being able to say that through the strength, wisdom, and love of the Lord, I have overcome them.
What shall I return to the Lord
ReplyDeletefor all his goodness to me?
-Psalm 116:12
One of the ways in which God is good to us is through the provision of fellowship. Before we knew Christ, we could not connect with God at all. And whether we knew it or not, we couldn't fully connect with others either. This is not to say that those relationships were not good; it simply means that they lacked something essential--a mutual relationship with Jesus Christ. It is our relationship with God that "seasons" our relationship with others while making it possible for us to connect on a deeper level. We can surely thank God for that!
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (Colossians 4:6)
ReplyDeleteSalt had many uses in New Testament times, but the use Paul most likely has in mind here is the role it played in preserving meat so that it would not spoil. In the same way the words we exchange with one another should help "preserve" us before the Lord, promoting purity and honoring God. Sometimes my conversations measure up; sometimes they don't. This passage is a reminder of what we are to strive for as we connect with one another, so that even the words we use help us to be built up and strengthen our faith while preserving God's reputation.
Good morning and good Sabbath! I look forward to making a thank offering to God through worship with you this morning as together we call on the name of the Lord. See you at church!
ReplyDelete