Lesson Overview

4.4. ServiceService

3.3. GivingGiving

2.2. WitnessWitness

1.1. FellowshipFellowship

1. Fellowship

Are these examples of biblical fellowship?Are these examples of biblical fellowship?

1) A cell group goes hiking together for three days. During that time they talk about nature, work and church.

2) A group of friends sit together in church on Sunday. After church they go out for coffee and share a fun evening together.

3) A men’s prayer group gets together to watch the soccer world cup final. They share a braai afterwards.

1. Fellowship

a. The MEANINGMEANING of fellowship

The Greek word koinoniakoinonia has two meanings:

1) Partnership:Partnership: sharing a task

2) Fellowship:Fellowship: sharing your life

A. The MEANINGMEANING of fellowship

1. Fellowship

1 Thessalonians 2:81 Thessalonians 2:8

We loved you so much that

we were delighted to delighted to

share with youshare with you not only

the gospel of God but our our

liveslives as well, because you

had become so dear to us.

DefinitionDefinition

Fellowship is sharing your Fellowship is sharing your

life with other Christians in life with other Christians in

intimate and invigorating intimate and invigorating

friendship in which you friendship in which you

meet each others’ social, meet each others’ social,

emotional and spiritual emotional and spiritual

needs.needs.

b. The MOTIVEMOTIVE for fellowship

1. Fellowship

And let us consider how we may spur one another spur one another

on toward love and good deeds.on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up

meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one anotherencourage one another—and all the more

as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25

b. The MOTIVEMOTIVE for fellowship

1. Fellowship

Spur one another on

Love and good works

Encouragement

c. The MEANSMEANS for fellowship

1. Fellowship

The chief command, “love The chief command, “love

one another,” is fleshed out in one another,” is fleshed out in

a host of specific “one a host of specific “one

another Scriptures.”another Scriptures.”

c. The MEANSMEANS for fellowship

1. Fellowship

The chief command is to lovelove one

another.

The support commands tell us howhow to

do it.

1. Fellowship

be devoted to one be devoted to one anotheranother

forgive forgive one anotherone another

Live in harmony Live in harmony with one anotherwith one another

honour honour one anotherone another

do not judge do not judge one anotherone another

accept accept one anotherone another

instruct instruct one anotherone another

serve serve one anotherone another

bear with bear with one anotherone another

be kind to be kind to one anotherone another

be merciful to be merciful to one anotherone another

do not lie to do not lie to one anotherone another

build up build up one anotherone anotherpray for pray for

one anotherone another

d. The MECHANISMMECHANISM of fellowship

1. Fellowship

The The local churchlocal church is God’s is God’s

chosen instrument in which we chosen instrument in which we

are to build these kinds of are to build these kinds of

relationships.relationships.

2. Witnessing

a. The NEEDNEED for witnessing

The church is the only The church is the only

organisation in the organisation in the

world that exists world that exists

primarily for the benefit primarily for the benefit

of those who are not of those who are not

yet yet membersmembers..

Winning the world is Winning the world is

the primary mission of the primary mission of

God. Therefore, God. Therefore,

bearing witness is bearing witness is

ultimately the church’s ultimately the church’s

greatest greatest responsibilityresponsibility. .

2. Witnessing

b. The FEARFEAR of witnessing

Remorse for sins

Ability to answer

Expect to fail

Fear of rejection

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2. Witnessing

c. The STYLESSTYLES of witnessing

confronting unsaved people boldly and confronting unsaved people boldly and

directly with the gospel, calling for responsedirectly with the gospel, calling for responseRadicalRadical

using rational arguments to challenge the using rational arguments to challenge the

unsaved to believe in Jesus Christunsaved to believe in Jesus ChristRationalRational

developing a friendship with unsaved people developing a friendship with unsaved people

so that you can draw them to Christso that you can draw them to ChristRelationalRelational

2. Witnessing

d. The METHODSMETHODS of witnessing

““Show me that you are redeemed and I will Show me that you are redeemed and I will believe in your redeemer” (Nietzsche, atheist).believe in your redeemer” (Nietzsche, atheist). LLifestyleifestyle

““Our task is to live our personal communion with Our task is to live our personal communion with Christ with such an intensity as to make it Christ with such an intensity as to make it contagious” (Paul Tournier).contagious” (Paul Tournier). EExperiencexperience

And how can they believe in him if they have And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?about him unless someone tells them? (Rom (Rom 10:14-15, NLT)10:14-15, NLT)

GGospelospel

2. Witnessing

d. The METHODSMETHODS of witnessing

L E GL E G

The three methods are like

the three legs of a stool. All

three are necessary but not

sufficient. If one leg is

broken, the whole stool is

broken.

3. Giving

Why should we give?Why should we give?

No one can serve two masters. Either he will

hate the one and love the other, or he will be

devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and Money.

Matthew 6:24

3. Giving

He calls us to give more for He calls us to give more for

the good of our souls than the good of our souls than

for the needs of the church!for the needs of the church!

Why should we give?Why should we give?

3. Giving

Why should we give?Why should we give?

a) We give because we love GodGod

b) We give because we love othersothers

3. Giving

How much should we give?How much should we give?

a) We should give systematicallysystematically

b) We should give regularlyregularly

c) We should give proportionatelyproportionately

d) We should give generouslygenerously

3. Giving

How much should we give?How much should we give?

e) We should give sacrificiallysacrificially

f) We should give cheerfullycheerfully

g) We should give trustinglytrustingly

3. Giving

To whom should we give?To whom should we give?

a) Give to your local churchchurch

b) Give to advance the gospelgospel

c) Give to brothers in needneed

4. Serving

Many Christians want to do great things

for God—save the world, raise the dead,

die for Christ.

1)1) Is spiritual ambition a good thing?Is spiritual ambition a good thing?

2)2) Do you have any spiritual ambitions?Do you have any spiritual ambitions?

3)3) If so, how to you plan to realise them?If so, how to you plan to realise them?

1)1) Is spiritual ambition a good thing?Is spiritual ambition a good thing?

2)2) Do you have any spiritual ambitions?Do you have any spiritual ambitions?

3)3) If so, how to you plan to realise them?If so, how to you plan to realise them?

4. Serving

A. The desire to go great things for God

is righteousrighteous (1 Tim 3:1)

Yet many of the same Christians, who Yet many of the same Christians, who

desire to do great things for God, desire to do great things for God,

never do anything significant for him.never do anything significant for him.

Why not?Why not?

Yet many of the same Christians, who Yet many of the same Christians, who

desire to do great things for God, desire to do great things for God,

never do anything significant for him.never do anything significant for him.

Why not?Why not?

4. Serving

B. The willingness to be nothingnothing in

God is necessary

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ

Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not

consider equality with God something to be grasped,

but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a

servant, being made in human likeness.

Phil 2:5-7

4. Serving

B. The willingness to be nothingnothing in

God is necessary

Most people wish to serve

God—but in an advisory

capacity only.

Most people wish to serve

God—but in an advisory

capacity only.

4. Serving

B. The willingness to be nothingnothing in

God is necessary

“Between the great things that we

cannot do and the small things that

we will not do, lies the danger that we

shall do nothing” (Adolph Monod).

“Between the great things that we

cannot do and the small things that

we will not do, lies the danger that we

shall do nothing” (Adolph Monod).

4. Serving

C. The path to great exploits starts with

menial serviceservice

Mark 10:35-45Mark 10:35-45

Luke 16:10Luke 16:10

John 13:1-17John 13:1-17

Matt 25:21Matt 25:21

1Tim 3:61Tim 3:6

Just as there is no

physical power without

exercise, so too there is

no spiritual strength

without service

4. Serving

During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, "Sir, I am a corporal!" The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, "Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again." The man’s name…George Washington.