It’s now spring!!!

James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Five Commitments that Define a Christian Sunday mornings through Easter follow Jesus!

iWill SEEK: passionately pursuing God in all of life!

follow Jesus! iWill OBEY: joyfully submitting to God in all his directives, recognizing that He is Lord and I am not!

follow Jesus! iWill CONNECT: iWill CONNECT: deliberately engaging in biblical fellowship with other followers of Christ!

“It’s a shame the word ‘fellowship’ has fallen on hard times in some circles, and is dying the death of domestication and triviality. It is an electric reality in the New Testament, an indispensable ingredient in the Christian faith, and one of God’s chief means of grace in our lives.”

“The koinonia – Greek for commonality, partnership, fellowship that the first Christians shared wasn’t anchored in a common love for pizza, pop, and a nice evening of fun among the fellow churchified. Its essence was in their common Christ, and their common life- or-death mission together in his summons to take the faith worldwide in the face of impending persecution.” (David Mathis, Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines).

Two realities concerning biblical fellowship 1.Biblical fellowship is grounded in a shared relationship 1 John 1:3... that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Two realities concerning biblical fellowship 1.Biblical fellowship is grounded in a shared relationship 2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Two realities concerning biblical fellowship 2. Biblical fellowship is centered around a compelling mission Philippians 1:3-5 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Two realities concerning biblical fellowship 2. Biblical fellowship is centered around a compelling mission Phlippians 1:27-28a Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

“Its (fellowship’s) essence was in their common Christ (relationship), and their common life-or-death mission together in his summons to take the faith worldwide in the face of impending persecution.” (David Mathis, Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus through the Spiritual Disciplines).

Two realities concerning biblical fellowship 1. Biblical fellowship is grounded in a shared relationship 2. Biblical fellowship is centered around a compelling mission

How important was this koinonia to the early church? Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

How important was this koinonia to the early church? Acts 4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

As members of a family we have a commonality with one another that we don’t have with those outside the Faith! These early believers understood and practiced the core value that we have embraced here at Grace: Christ’s Church, Our Family

ONE ANOTHER Sunday mornings beginning July 12 th ! Love

follow Jesus! iWill CONNECT: iWill CONNECT: deliberately engaging in biblical fellowship with other followers of Christ!

What does biblical fellowship look like?

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

“to come or call along side of” The idea in both of these verses is that a significant aspect of engaging in fellowship is coming alongside of brothers and sisters in the faith to offer help!

In Hebrews 10:25 – the encouragement is to do what? Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Biblical fellowship requires that we come alongside of one another to motivate each other to do right!

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

SO what does biblical fellowship look like? 1. Biblical fellowship requires that we come alongside of one another to motivate each other to do right!

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

SO what does biblical fellowship look like? 2. Biblical fellowship requires that we come alongside of one another to motivate each other to avoid wrong!

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

SO what does biblical fellowship look like? 1. Biblical fellowship requires that we come alongside of one another to motivate each other to do right! 2. Biblical fellowship requires that we come alongside of one another to motivate each other to avoid wrong!

follow Jesus! iWill CONNECT: iWill CONNECT: deliberately engaging in biblical fellowship with other followers of Christ!

follow Jesus! Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. The battle is REAL!

follow Jesus! Ecclesiastes 4:12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. The battle is REAL!

follow Jesus! 1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Our Enemy is RELENTLESS!

follow Jesus! Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Our body is WEAK!

follow Jesus! Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Sin is DECEITFUL!

follow Jesus! WE must deliberately engage in biblical fellowship! Why? The battle is real! Our Enemy is relentless! Our body is weak! Sin is deceitful!

1. Do you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son? If you don’t, then biblical fellowship is simply something you cannot engage in! 2. If you have committed to follow Jesus, trusting him as your savior, are you deliberately engaging in biblical fellowship?

Ministry Teams Ministries for Men, Women, Young Adults, Students and Children!

follow Jesus! iWill CONNECT: iWill CONNECT: deliberately engaging in biblical fellowship with other followers of Christ!