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In this lesson we'll learn about how to have awesome fellowship. Fellowship is what we have together every meeting before it starts and after it finishes. Fellowship is a time we can build great friendships with each other. But we must learn to do it right.
1. Listen
Luke 10:38-42
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Where did this meeting take place? [The home of Martha and Mary]
How did Martha feel about having Jesus over for dinner? [She was excited, but nervous. She wanted to do a great job in taking care of him]
What did Martha's sister Mary do? [She sat on the floor listening]
How did Martha feel about this? [It made her angry. She was working hard, but Mary just sat there listening. She told Jesus to get Martha to help her]
Who was more interested to be with Jesus, Martha or Mary? [Mary was listening. We can also Jesus liked being with her more than moaning Martha]
According to this passage, who was doing the right thing, Martha or Mary? [Jesus said Mary has chosen what is better (v42)]
V40 says that Martha was distracted by all the preparations. Good, things can sometimes distract us from God and each other. We must learn to put God and others ahead of all these things.
What are some "good" things that pull us away from each other and God? [Taking care of problems, relatives, school work, our jobs, health troubles, solving money difficulties]
Martha was worried and upset about many things. Mary just listened. You will have great fellowship at the meetings and great friendships, when you learn to listen. Give people your undivided attention. Look at them in the eyes. Don't be looking around while you talk to people. Ask simple questions like : How are you feeling? How was your day? What are you happy about these days? How is your job going? How is your family? What is your biggest burden?
2. Open
Matthew 26:36-41
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray."
37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter.
41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
Here Jesus was about to die. Was He open about how he felt? [Yes]
How did He feel? [Overwhelmed, sorrowful]
How did it make His disciples feel when He told them how He was feeling? [They were drawn to Him]
How do you feel when people share their secrets, their hearts with you? [It makes us feel important and worthwhile. It makes us feel like we can help them. It makes us feel that we are needed]
Again, if we look at John 11, we can see that Mary and Martha were open with Jesus. They were not saying one thing and thinking another. Like som many people do today.
John 11:32-37
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
34 "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
When Mary saw Jesus, she told Him her heart. She didn't hide her emotions. And it moved Jesus' heart. He wept.
We need to be open with God when we pray. And we need to be open with each other, telling about our sins, our pain and our burdens.
Think about your life. Do the people in the church really know you? Do you talk? Or do you hide everything inside?
When we fellowship, let's be real. Let's talk about how we are and what we are changing, not just about the weather or sports or politics or "how are your quiet times, bro?"
3. Very Excited
In the next passage, we'll see how Jesus had fellowship with some brothers after the resurrection.
Luke 24:22
In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
Here He says, "Some of our women amazed us". They talked about amazing things.
We should talk about things that excite us when we fellowship. Try not be dull and boring. Talk about amazing things.
Luke 24:28-35
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther.
29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34 and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon."
35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
In v29, we see that these brothers urged Jesus strongly to stay with them. Great fellowship is excited fellowship. We must give each other the feeling that "I really want to be with you". It is so encouraging when people genuinely want to spend time with us.
In v30, we can see that they ate together. Eating together is a great way to get to know people. If you can, you should invite people over to your house and make dinner for them. There's an old saying, "Why meet when you can eat?".
Again in v32, we see that their hearts were burning when they talked with Jesus. They were fired-up. When we get together, we can fire each other up by sharing scriputres, talking about God and the ministry. It is so encouragint to have excited, spiritual conversations.
In v34, these guys loudly said, "It is true!". They were not quiet. They were out of themselves. Many of us struggle with being too quiet. That is selfishness. We've got to give when we're together. We've got to make comments in Bible discussion. We've got to say "Amen" when we're at church. We've got to smile and be warm when we talk.
4. Encouraging
Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
What does v24 says we should do? [Think how we can encourage each other]
We go to meetings to give, not to take or to watch.
Going to meeting is not like going to a film. The film will run whether or not you pay attention. Even if you leave, the film continues. But a meeting is a place where we give to others. We are there to share our love with them. If we are not there or if we are not giving, others will suffer.
When we meet together, we can spur each other on towards love and good deeds. The best way to be encouraging is to think about something positive about each person you speak with and then immediately share it with them. You can also tell positive things about others to them. This is very fun.
Conclusion
It is so great to be a Christian. We can give to each other and have such a great time together. Let's learn to fellowship the way Jesus wants. Let's listen in a great way. Let's be open about our lives and feelings. Let's be very excited. And let's always encourage others. These 4 points (first letter of each) spell LOVE. Great fellowship is all bout love. Let's start now.
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