Bible Text: Acts 2:42-47 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship | 1. Encouraging one another in fellowship Part 2
Intro: In this day and age, when you and I think about the word, “fellowship”, we usually think of just getting together for some fun activity or socialization. However, fellowship in the early church had a more precise meaning. The purpose of fellowship in the early church was to edify and encourage one another in our growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

For many years, churches didn’t meet in their own buildings. The met in small groups in houses. In this setting, all churches were small. People learned from their pastors, elders, and one another. In the process, they would often eat a common meal and enjoy each other’s company.

Let me clear up another misunderstanding about how people in the early church ordered their priorities. They worked 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. So, when we make excuses about not being involved in the church fellowship or small groups, I would suggest that we tend to make time for the things that are important to us. We all have busy schedules, but how are our priorities? The classic church was fully devoted to fellowship.
1. To press on growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ
1. Corporate worship (Hebrews)
2. Corporate Prayer
2. Actively following the call that Jesus has given you
1. Identifying your gifts and calling God has given you through the Holy Spirit and Jesus
2. Helping equip you for your calling
3. Enter into discipleship, transformational growth from the inside out to become more like Jesus
1. Character development
2. Expanding our capacity to love the unlovable
3. Expanding our capacity to empathy with people
4. We were created to worship and fellowship
1. Illus: During World War II, the enemy conducted experiments to find the most effective punishment for eliciting information from prisoners. They found that solitary confinement was the most effective. After a few days, most prisoners would tell all.
That is way we need fellowship-without it we become easy prey for temptation and abandonment of our values.
Closing: What kinds of things could we do to improve our fellowship to reflect the classic church? Right now, in this Covid -19 environment, we can have worship, small groups, and fellowship as long as we observe the regulations. My fear is that the effect of the last 4 months is one of being alone. We can listen to sermons on tv, websites, facebook, zoom, etc. We can easily become use to the “New Normal”. I am asking this morning that you and I realize the paramount importance of classic fellowship just like the classic church.
1. Common meals and the Lord’s Table
1. To be reminded of God’s holiness and love
2. To confess and repents of our sins