Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, April 10,

John 16:5, “But now I (Jesus) am going to Him (God the Father) who sent Me, and yet not one of you (the disciples) asks Me, ‘Where are you going?’”

John 16:6, “But because I have said (taught) to you all these things, sorrow (inward stress) has completely filled your heart (right lobe of the soul).”

Doctrine of Occupation with The Lord Jesus Christ

C. Occupation with Christ is fellowship with Christ. 1 Cor 1:4-9; Phil 3:10; 1 John 1:3

1 John 1:3, “What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

Fellowship = KOINONIA “fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, a sharer or partaker.”

We share His life by sharing His way of life and His thinking, which also means, “walking” in Christ. Rom 6:4-7; Eph 2:10; 5:1-2; Col 2:6-7

Eph 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Eph 5:1-2, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

Col 2:6-7, “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.”

O.C. is the key to encouragement in this life which is founded in Christ. It does not depend upon any emotionalism or any other human work.

Encouragement in Christ comes from the Mystery Doctrine given to the Church Age believer which is the thinking of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 1:4-9 with 1 Cor 2:16

Our fellowship is to be “with” Christ emphasizing mutual relationship, which is, walking side by side as sharers of His life which is now our life.

KOINONIA is used for fellowship with the Lord, the Father, the Holy Spirit and fellow believers.

Of believers: 1. We are to have fellowship or intimacy with them. Acts 2:42; Gal 2:9; 2 Cor 6:14; 1 John 1:3, 7

Acts 2:42, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

2. Our fellowship is shown by our contribution towards the needs of others. 2 Cor 8:4; 2 Cor 9:13; Phil 1:5

2 Cor 8:4, “Begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.”

Therefore, O.C. means to have a close and personal, intimate relationship with Him desiring to serve Him and meet His needs every day.

Contributing to His needs means reaching out to unbelievers with the Gospel and reaching out to fellow believers who are in need.

O.C. is also classified as participating in His sufferings, Phil 3:7-11. It is not just undeserved suffering but understanding and appreciating the suffering He endured for you.

You will gladly take up any challenge that this life and Satan’s Cosmic System can throw at you.

1. You have taken in His Word on a consistent basis through the Grace Apparatus for Perception (teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit).

2. You are confident in your own eternal life.

3. You are confident in the surpassing power that raised Christ from the dead that is now available to you in this life.

4. You are walking in your sanctification every day, “experiential sanctification”.

When you have that type of experiential knowledge (fellowship) of Christ you also gain tremendous courage and encouragement to face the challenges of everyday life. Phil 2:1-2, 5

Grace Offering

Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, April 10, 2011 Tape # Occupation with the Lord Jesus Christ Upper Room Discourse, Part 494 John 16:6; Rom 6:4-7; 1 Cor 1:4-9; Eph 2:10; Phil 3:7; 1 John 1:3 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011