Bethany Bullet - May 19, 2009

On Sunday, May 10th we began a sermon series focusing on the Book of 1 John. For the next few weeks we will walk through this letter that was written by one who had a close and personal relationship with Jesus while our Lord walked the earth. John begins with these words, “That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1)

John was able to look at Jesus himself, he was able to walk with him, and learn from him. In this letter John invites us to take a look at the Word of Life; so today (May 17th) we take a look at fellowship.

What comes to your mind when you hear the word, fellowship? Growing up in the church, my mind drifts to potlucks, picnics, and bowling pins. Time spent in the church basement sharing a meal with others, tossing water balloons at the park, or rolling the ball down the alley. Fellowship to me was the times that the church just got together as a whole and had fun.

How could we increase fellowship here at Bethany? We could go to one service, but we would have to move. We could have an all church bowling league, but is forced participation really fellowship? We could have more potlucks…O.K. this might be a good idea!

In 1 John 1, the text points out that fellowship is a good thing, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also might have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.”(1 John 1:3-4)

Outside of the church, many may only know fellowship from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Novel, The Lord of the Rings. In the first part of the book, subtitled The Fellowship of the Ring, a fellowship of like-minded individuals is established. Meeting in the Elfish land of Rivendell the fellowship discusses the dark evil that has come upon Middle-Earth. Only by the participation of all in the newly formed fellowship will evil be defeated and hope returned to the land. Their fellowship goes beyond themselves. Through their shared experience safety and light return to a world filled with danger and darkness.

Before we can have fellowship with each other on a deep level we need to understand that first and foremost our fellowship is with God. In the Garden of Eden, humankind had perfect fellowship with God. It was a close, personal relationship. God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. But perfect fellowship was broken when sin entered the world. Humanities participation with evil began and we have lived…and died with the consequences since. Utopia was replaced by utter chaos.

But God’s desire for fellowship continued. Beginning with his promises in the garden of a savior, continuing with the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, culminating with the gift of the Promised Land, the Lord desired to continue fellowship with his people.

But time and time again, humans desired to participate with evil instead of living in the promises of God. The stories are almost countless:
• The entire world had become so wicked that God destroyed it with a flood;
• The people try to manipulate God by building a great tower;
• There was rebellion in the wilderness;
• Rejection of God as king;
• A deaf ear to the message of the prophets;
• And eventually exile from the Promised Land.

But throughout the story we continue to see our Lord’s desire for fellowship. In his divine patience, he withheld his judgment. We see his love in the words of the prophets and ultimately in his Word made flesh.

The fellowship that God desired came in the person of Jesus. It is not based on the goodness of humanity or the worthiness of works. We need to understand that fellowship with God is not base on human endeavor or merit. We have fellowship with God because true fellowship comes from above. From 1 John 1 v. 5, “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

If it were left to us there would be no fellowship with God, for we desire fellowship with evil. Like the people of Israel we are courted by the darkness. Power, Position, Profit, and Pleasure pursue us, and soon we find ourselves walking in the dark. 1 John 1 v. 6, “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.”

We may call ourselves Christians, but we often find ourselves walking in the darkness. At times we take true fellowship for granted. It almost becomes trivial to us. But fellowship with God is nothing trivial. It comes at a high price—the price of Jesus’ very life. By his suffering and death, he made fellowship possible and by his resurrection he defeated the darkness.

I John 1 v. 7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin.”

Just like he did with the people of Israel, God doesn’t give up on us! His desire is fellowship; for in Christ, we are new creations, the old has gone, and the new has come. By the blood of Jesus we can walk in the light.

Another way to translate the word fellowship is participation. Fellowship with Christ means participation in his suffering, death and resurrection. Fellowship with Christ is not an end to suffering, like Pastor Kritzer talked about last week. It is not an end to death either, but fellowship is not temporal! Our fellowship will continue in heaven. In fact, it will be perfect. Only when we are in fellowship with our Lord can we have fellowship with one another here on earth. Living a life of fellowship with Christ also produces fellowship and partnership with other Christians.

Fellowship was a hallmark of the early church. In Acts we read, “They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” This is more than just potlucks and picnics. This is a close bond of communion within the body of Christ.

In the book of Galatians, Paul tells us of his participation with the Disciples, “James, Peter, and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when the recognized the grace given to me.”

Here we have the gathering, some of the giants of the faith, gathering together to talk about how to spread the message of Jesus. Not unlike the gathering in Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings. And a hand of fellowship is stretched out to Paul, one who had persecuted the church, who stood by and watched Stephen die. I am sure that without the blood of Jesus who had purified James, Peter, and John, the hand would have never been extended. Now, the leaders of the early church give an outward expression of fellowship. What a great example for the rest of the church. What a great example for us today.

More important than the social meaning, is the theological meaning of shaking hands. We should give the hand of fellowship not only to those in the church but also to our neighbors when they need help, when they are hungry or need assistance, or a shoulder to cry on. How about extending a hand to someone you don’t know. Find a way to extend a hand to the neighbor or co-worker who doesn’t know Jesus. Find out more about them, what do they need, what can you do to help? Find ways to extend you hand into our cities, find ways to bring fellowship to those who need to hear about Jesus or just a hot meal and a smile.

Taking a look at fellowship we see that we also have been gathered in this place in the face of a great evil that is threatening earth. A brave fellowship has been gathered to work against the dark forces at work in this world. In this battle the light will prevail for this fellowship cannot be defeated. This fellowship travels with one who is the Light, and who brings his life to all. This fellowship has been called to go beyond these walls and bring the light of Christ to this dark world. May the Lord help us all