Bulletins - Cornerstone Church

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Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Doxology
Leaning On The Everlasting Arms
To God Be The Glory
The Family Of God
Impossible to do alone…
Moving a couch up a flight of stairs and maintaining your faith
Try, and then find yourself talking to the couch, wondering why this is not working
Stuck, spiritually we try, we say “I’ve got this, well, me and Jesus” but mostly me
Then we wonder why we are stuck, alone in a hallway, talking to an inanimate object
Some things are designed to require other people.
Some have believed the lie that relationship with God is something you can do solo Me and Jesus. No mess. No people. No awkward conversations.
The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. It doesn’t work that way. It never has.
Or…ever think this way?
“I love the church, just not people”
“I worship better alone” (the Bible never written to anyone who thought this way)
Today - not about whether you believe in fellowship, but…
Where am I with fellowship with others?
This series, Where am I?
Not - where should I be?
But where AM I, really, honestly?
Today - FELLOWSHIP
READ Psalm 133
MARK Acts 2:42-47
Psalm 133 is God’s vision, plan for fellowship
1) Fellowship
God NEVER intended for us to do this faith thing alone
Christianity, the church, is not a one-person-by-himself endeavor
Defined
Culturally - coffee, meals, being in the same area as others - not bad, but incomplete
Biblically - koinonia
Shared life
Participation
Partnership
Mutual responsibility
Intentional, purposeful, NOT merely casual
How many “one another” passages? At least 59 direct, around 100 implied
Church, connections, belonging - all geared with “togetherness” in mind
Where are you with fellowship with others?
2) The Importance of Fellowship
We were created, not to be alone, but to be in fellowship (Genesis, man was alone, so God created woman)
We were created to be in fellowship with God; sin broke that fellowship, and Jesus allowed for the restoration
God’s design in Psalm 133 (three powerful verses)
Psalm 133:1 NASB95
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!
Verse 1 - Behold! LOOK! Hey, pay attention!
Unity, fellowship, is GOOD, PLEASANT
Good - from God, he approves
Pleasant - life-giving
Fellowship is not always easy, but God says it is worth it
Do we desire to do what is good and pleasant?
“But I’m not a people-person” - then God is a liar
Psalms are for worship - this psalm of ascent (explain)
And it is good for God’s people to be together, united in commonality of love for Him
(foreshadowing…)
Proper fellowship brings blessing, it is blessed by Yahweh
Psalm 133:2 NASB95
It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron’s beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes.
Verse 2 - God-designed fellowship/unity to be plentiful, satisfying
Oil on the head, running all the way down to the robes
Aaron’s priesthood, meaning all of the priesthood, was anointed, chosen by God to demonstrate harmony and togetherness
Look at 1 Peter 2: 9-10
1 Peter 2:9–10 NASB95
But you (plural) are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
We, believers, are a chosen priesthood, to walk this Christian life together, proclaiming His excellencies
We are set apart individually, and as a church - the oil here is a picture of God’s blessing covering all of us, abundantly, together
Psalm 133:3 NASB95
It is like the dew of Hermon Coming down upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forever.
Verse 3 - Picture of refreshing blessing
Mt. Hermon - 10,000 feet, various forms of precipitation (snow, rain, and dew)
Providing for lush greenery year-round
Precip. sustained during harsh dry months (May to October in Jerusalem)
It was always refreshing
Likewise, the fellowship of God’s people - designed to always be refreshing
God’s blessing is found in Mt. Hermon
God’s blessing is found in fellowship
Fellowship with God - first - vertical
Fellowship with other believers - follows - horizontal
Where are you with fellowship with others?
(Stand up,. stretch…)
3) How/When/Why Do I Fellowship?
Are we excited to be around other believers?
Look around, look at all our differences…
Believers - God looks at each believer here, and sees the same person - Christ
READ Acts 2:42-47
Recall basic meaning…other words- association, communion, close relationship
Connecting Psalm 133 here
Psalm 133 - God’s heart
Acts 2 - God’s people doing it
God’s design, ideal
Lived out, by believers, followers
Very real, tangible, intentional, purposeful
Mutual meals, devotion to teaching, Lord’s Supper together, and prayer
ASIDE - Prayer may be the MOST SERIOUS act of believers together
HOW - Generosity, authentic self, devotion to the needs of each other (physical and spiritual)
These early-churchers had everything in common - REALLY??
Jews, Gentiles, Pharisees, farmers, shepherds, Teachers of the Law (no doubt, Nicodemus), women (scandalous), teens, kids, “outsiders” - everything or all things in common??
They had everything in common they needed in order to be in fellowship with each other
CHRIST
ASIDE - This was not community ownership - this was them seeing and meeting needs of others, and in their case, selling goods to help, when the need arose
They were “single-minded” - which is good, if that single subject is Christ
HOW, for us?
Fellowship meal is a good start
What are the topics of conversation here? How you’re doing, physically/spiritually, or “did you see the big game? Shoulder pain is a common theme here, good topic, so long as we tie our strength back to Christ. Get the idea?
VBS/AWANA/CHOIR, and others - ministry efforts drive fellowship, togetherness
CHOWDER/LIONS CLUB BREAKFAST/FREEDOM FESTIVAL
These are opportunities to be together - the church is important to us, shown by our willingness to be together during these times
FAMILY FUN NIGHT - Games, but also talk of Jesus, family, church, Bible
THURSDAY LADIES, SATURDAY GUYS
WEDNESDAY NIGHT - an amazing time of togetherness!
WHEN - For them, this activity was daily, contextually - the church was that important to them
And the church became their family
Their church family was a necessity for them - and each person was needed there
How much of a necessity is this church to you?
How much do you need to be here?
How are you needed here?
When? Whenever the chance arises, that’s a good place to start with fellowship
Feel distant? How about renewed fellowship
WHY? Yeah, why this togetherness, isn’t it enough to believe, and just show up when you feel like it?
First, why not? Reasons people do not fellowship:
Isolation is easy, safe
Fellowship is risky
“I don’t need anyone” - this is pride talking, not maturity
“I’m just really busy” (yet we stay busy with with…hobbies, entertainment, sports, screen time…)
“The church hurt me before” - possibly
And isolation will never help you heal
TRUTH - healthy relationships with God’s people make isolation feel uncomfortable
Verse 43 - “everyone”
Verse 47 - favor with “all the people”
There are more people around them that just other believers
They are “together among the crowds”
The people around know these believers, see this new activity (house to house)
(We go to a theme park, and there is a group all wearing the same shirts) - they are seen, and it is known they are together)
And this group of believers, the church, what is it people see?
People getting free stuff? NO
They see sharing, needs met, gladness, sincerity
They see believers PRAISING GOD! Together
They see people living out their faith, more than just a common t-shirt…
What do people in Noble see us doing?
What to they know Cornerstone for?
God used that church to add more believers
Because others desired to be among them!
Do others, outside of us, desire to be among us? Decision could be based on the togetherness we show, or do not show…
The early church - known for:
Praising God, Joy in the faith, and Sincerity
Not complacency…they saw people keep coming back for more of the good life Jesus promised, a life of praising Him, with others
Fellowship cost them something - it was worth it
Faith is not a solo activity - it is meant to be put into action with others
God offers a blessing for togetherness
We ask for blessing, but avoid togetherness - doesn’t work
Where are you with fellowship with others?
Where are you with - God, Word, Worship?
God - personal; Word - personal, but not 100%; Worship - personal/corporate
Fellowship - full on corporate, public, involving others
Jesus was asked the greatest commandment:
Love God
Love others
Fellowship with others is where he intended this “love others” to begin
When we love God, and then love others…
We show the world His greatness
We prayerfully give them every reason to desire to be with us
Leading to them having every reason to desire God, and a relationship with Him
Where are you with fellowship with others?
We NEED to be together with God, not good to be alone, apart from Him - Salvation
Not good to be alone - also true after salvation
Fellowship, so needed
The blessing is still there, still offered
The invitation is still open - what’s keeping you from accepting?
What one step can you take this week to increase your fellowship?
Where are you with fellowship with others?
- - Psalm 133:1NASB95
- - Psalm 133:2NASB95
- - 1 Peter 2:9–10NASB95
- - Psalm 133:3NASB95
They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
How Great Is Our God
- - Psalms 133:1NASB95

1) Fellowship

2) The Importance of Fellowship

3) How/When/Why Do I Fellowship?

Psalm 133:1NASB95

Psalm 133:2NASB95

1 Peter 2:9–10NASB95

Psalm 133:3NASB95

Psalms 133:1NASB95