Good morning. Good morning. Voker tough. I said good morning.
Voker tough. That's good. My wife said to me She give me a kiss before I get up to speak. Do you know what a kiss means?
Keep it simple stupid. So Are you laughing at I'm stupid? Any height the husband took to his bed and stayed there because he was severely depressed His wife could do no more for him So she decided to go to the doctor and get some advice So the doctor said go home and cook him a breakfast of big in an egg and coffee and let the delicious or no I drift into the bedroom then serve him as breakfast in bed massages back and feet bring him the daily newspaper and then tell him to relax When lunchtime Kim comes he says serve him a light lunch and repeat the above procedure and the evening He said cook him up real speed dinner with all the trimmings and serve it to him in bed Massages back and feet and tell him to relax until the morning and by that time he should be on his way to recovery So when his wife arrived home her husband said what did the doctor say and the wife said the doctor says you're never going to make it And I would like to talk to you this morning by the way the worship was lovely amen It's good to worship the Lord amen he inhabits the praises of his people He inhabits the praises of his people in a sense. He's here with us amen gathered together in his name And I want to talk to you sworn about the word fellowship Fellowship it's a lovely word if you got your Bible Philippians chapter 1 And it's good to be with you again.
It's been a while. It's always a pleasure to be here and You know, there's a warmth here. There's a warmth here. Don't lose it.
Stay humble. Don't lose it Stay together. Amen and you'll grow and you'll grow the tents will be enlarged verse chapter 1 Now let me read verse 1 Paul and to most yes the servants of Jesus Christ to all the saints in Christ Jesus Which are at Philippi with the bishops and deacons? Grace be unto you in peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ I thank my God upon every remembrance of you What was in every pair of mind for you all making requests with joy for your what?
For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day Until now first John chapter 1 and just for time sake we'll read a few verses here First one that which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes Which we have looked upon in our hands that handled of the word of life For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and she want you that eternal life Which was with the Father and was manifest unto us that which we have seen and heard declaring unto you and that you also may have What? Fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his son Jesus Christ and these things right we want to you that your Joy may be full that your joy may be full fellowship So I'm gonna try and share this as briefly as I can and just stay with my wife's little message kiss So let us begin on this thought on fellowship I like a hold on to the word in the text there on the word fellowship because the Greek word is coin ania And it comes from a root word which is coinos and coinos means common coinos means common in other words within the fellowship we have a commonality That's what fellowship is about. It's a commonality a commonality of what? What's the commonality that we have?
So we'll look at that later What's the commonality you and I have with one another in the gospel now the reason that this is of such impressive pressing importance is because in the early church Their communal life was one of great attraction to the onsea world around them They were not so much attracted by the preaching it was attracted by the commonality of the people Part of which was the preaching of the word in other words their communal lives was the was the very fulfillment of the words of Jesus In the life of his people when he said they shall by this so all men know that your might disciples when you have what? The commonality of love one to another they were seeing the commonality of love within the within the church as it began to grow That's what was happening in the early church the onsea of world wanted to know what united these people together That's what they wanted to know they are attracted to them and they could not understand high people from diverse Nationalities I'm from Ireland He's from Nigeria You're from Canada and I don't know where else you're from China, right? Whatever part of the world you are but when you have faith in Jesus Christ you have a commonality Amen, am I getting excited is it okay? It's it's it excites me.
It really does We have a commonality. This is what the early church the people were seeing they were looking at listen They were looking at barbarians. They were looking at Scythians. They were looking at slaves.
They were looking at free people They were looking at Jewish people. They were looking at Athenians and the gospel touched their lives Hallelujah and brought them in the cum la cum la coming all the way together It's not lovely that I spent on you darling. I'm sorry. I hope you don't take the latter pains while you're sitting there now You know, right?
What was the commonality Bradrin? What was the commonality? Let me develop a few things For you number one we've a commonality of faith Have we not we have a commonality of faith first Corinthians chapter one verse nine says this God is faithful by whom you were called On to the fellowship of the son Jesus Christ. You didn't put yourself into the family God called you into it.
Amen He was the one who's faithful and through the gospel when you heard it you believed and God placed you into the family That's a lovely thing, isn't it? He calls you to it through the gospel as you hear the message you respond to it by faith and that's how we come in We have this commonality of faith in fellowship, but here's the thing we need to remember folks write it down You cannot have fellowship with Christ until you first have a relationship You can write that down you cannot have fellowship with Christ until there is first dollar relationship with Christ And so that's important to understand and that relationship comes by faith turn to phasians chapter two and verse eight I have to watch my voice sometimes I start getting excited and then I lose the breath Excuse me and it's a phasian chapter two lovely verses Where is it after? Galatians he phasian subject it and where was I I forget where was first aid and you Verse eight weren't any other bounded towards us and always and that's not at first eight is over here for by grace Which he may share lovely this morning for by grace are you saved what? through faith Through faith that's how you're saved through faith mark it down and that not of yourselves It is a gift of God not a works list.
I mean she'd boost so Salvation is through faith and We come into the commonality of that of the church we come in together in the fellowship because we have a relationship now With God the Father with God the son and with each other and I in the family of God So that's how we come in Let me say this it's not of works. It's not of works now If you could be saved by your own good works listen folks if you could be saved by your own good works Then the death of Christ was unnecessary Turn to Galatians chapter two for please back a chapter there to chapter two of Galatians and you'll find out in verse 21 Notice verse 21. I Do not frustrate the grace of God For a righteousness came by the law then what Christ is dead in vain If you could be saved by the law keeping of the law and by your good deeds and your good works Then my friend what was necessary for Jesus to die for you? There was no necessity in it at all.
It was a non necessity if you can get that heaven through your own good deeds and your own good works Because if you could do that If you could be saved by your own good works, then you would be your own Savior You would be your own Savior. Not only that you could worship yourself And you can't do that because God's against idolatry isn't he? He shall have no other gods before me. You can't save yourself in a million years Thank God he came to say he was manifested He's the eternal life and he was manifested and they said we saw him and we seen them and we touched them and we eat with them And he was among us and then he gave that life up for us You sang about it.
That's the majestic truth That God gave his son for you. So Secondly if you could be saved through faith in Christ plus your own good works Then you would have the impossible situation of having two saviors now You would have Christ and you and that would mean Christ would have to share the glory of a Savior who'd with another and he will not do that I say of 42 verse. It says my glory. I will not give to what another so you can't have faith in Christ plus your own good works It doesn't work that way It's through what guy shouted out Faith it's through faith.
It's through faith. That's how you come now I don't know what you have in your house But you have pipes underneath your kitchen sink there Don't you and you have these pipes running through and you have this pipes running through and there's water running through it And then the water comes through brother and it comes right through and you're faucet You turn it on and then you have a refreshing drink of water. Don't you? The pipe is not the water The pipe is the channel that brings the water to you that you might be refreshed.
That's what faith does faith is the channel It's not saving doesn't save you faith doesn't save you saving faith doesn't save you It's saving faith in the one who can save you don't get that mixed up It's through faith that we come to the Lord Jesus Christ and faith is the means through which it comes to us through faith Neither is there salvation in any other for there's no other name under heaven given amongst men where by we must be what? safe Salvation is in a relationship That's how you come into the fellowship When you trust the person of the Lord Jesus Christ faith points you to him and thank God when you trust him You get saved faith is a door by which each of us must enter so we can have the commonality of faith Now you sang about all this this morning and you sang about faith and then you sang about forgiveness See we have a commonality of forgiveness. That's the second thing acts 26 verse 18 says this To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light from the power of Satan on to God that they may receive what the forgiveness of sins by faith that is in me again You've got the person and faith is the channel through which you come to him and so you have this forgiveness And so the presentation of the gospel any presentation of the gospel is is not adequate that does not bring A man or a person face to face with the with the fact that their sins and the need of God's forgiveness That's the gospel you can have forgiveness friend this morning and you can leave here with sense forgiven glory to God Some wisely person said this and I may have quoted it, but I don't mind recoding it because reputation is a good teacher I said before I write things down in my Bible Inspirgent says notes are like canaries if you don't cage them they fly away So I write them in my Bible and that's why I have the note that I can share with you this morning and it says this If our greatest need had been information God would have sent us an educator If our greatest need had been technology he would have sent us a scientist If our greatest need had been money God would have sent us an economist and if our greatest need had been pleasure God would have sent us an Entertainer But our greatest need was forgiveness and so God sent us a savior amen The declaration of Colossians 2 13 brings great joy to my soul for it says this listen to it Having forgiven you Listen to it now all of your trespasses is not lovely having forgiven you all of your trespasses and beloved I'm sure you would like to know this morning that sins power to condemn is just an old forever through the cross When you believe? Wonderful forgiveness to the Lord Jesus.
Let me read Romans chapter 8 now. It's a wonderful passage Romans chapter 8 Just a couple of verses verse 33 and 34 Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that just a fire who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that Diye rather than risen again who is even at the right hand of God who also make us enter session for us You see these words here who who who next verse who?
Shall separate us So who shall separate us from the love of what? Oh Christ shall tribulation distress persecution famine niggin this pearl sword as a written for life seek We are killed all the day long. We are kind of the sheep for the slaughter nay and all these things We are more than conquerors through him that what you're an overcomer You're an overcomer through Christ love for you. You overcome these things hallelujah.
What a position? He's brought you into you talking about freedom My dear friend he him the sun sets free is free indeed We'll talk about freedom in a minute We're unforgiveness at the moment, but forgiveness is important and any gazone to say this Send my Bible somewhere and all these things were more than conqueror through him that loved us for him persuade it Are you persuaded? I am I'm persuaded in either death nor life nor angels principalities powers and our things Pras and our things to come their height nor death or any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God Which is in what Christ Jesus you talking about forgiveness? Unbelievable.
There's nothing can take it away from you Nothing even through the list Nothing can separate his love from you. You want to put that in your mind and in your heart? That's where you are if you have come by face you come by face you have this wonderful freedom Have this commonality of faith and you have this commonality of freedom freedom forgiveness. Sorry and now you're in this fellowship Such complete forgiveness is possibly only in the grounds of Christ's work in bearing sin and releasing his merit to you and his righteousness to you You do not have any of that of your own It's his merit and his merit alone Christ alone.
We sing it. Don't we Christ alone and when it happens Sam You like to play and you like to sing this one sometimes my sin Oh the bless of this glorious thought my sin not in part with the whole is nailed to the cross and I bear it No more it is well. It is well with my my sin not in Part but the whole that's what you call complete forgiveness That's what you get and nothing can separate you from it. That's why I'm joyful today Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus nothing and when it comes to forgiveness spucky you have it You have it.
She's a quiet woman. She doesn't share how to live your anything like that You can leave here knowing that your sins are forgiven Because Jesus has taken charge of it and you can leave here knowing that your sin is not just a part But it's the whole I think that's absolutely fabulous the gospel does it the gospel does it. There's no other message can do it It's the gospel. It does it so there's a community a commonality of faith and there's a commonality of forgiveness and then there's a commonality of freedom This is all in the relationship and by the word the word Word fellowship, that's one of the words that comes out of fellowship There's four words that comes out of fellowship one of them is one of them here is relationship So you have a commonality of freedom and may I remind you today that freedom is not free If you think of the brave men and women in World War one and World War two who give their lives for our freedom Think of the courageous men and women who never even came back think of the valiant soldiers who did come back But came back bodily wounded with limbs removed and legs and arms missing and I see them on Facebook Thank God for them.
They fought for us that we might have freedom Freedom is not free think of the young men and women today fighting the terrorist regimes so that our borders can no freedom I hope you remember that and pray for them today Three things about our freedom a commonality of freedom and it comes to all of us who have come to Lord Jesus We're free from God's condemnation Hallelujah We're free from God's condemnation Romans chapter 8 verse 1 says there is therefore now no condemnation to them who are what in Christ Jesus Don't need to elaborate on that. We're free from God's condemnation secondly. We're free from sins domination Before you were saved David you spoke about it the smart aid you were talking about past and present the but But before you were saved you were habitually under sin sin was your master It doesn't mean you're not about sin and sin and sin and sin and no no but sin was the dominating factor in your life And when we got saved now it our habitual our habitual walk with God now is not sin but righteousness That's how we ought to walk today because there's a wonderful change that you sang about That's the freedom you're free from sins domination sin shall not have anymore Dominion over you Paul says Romans chapter 6 you realize that Dan amen Just thought you were sleeping there. That's okay.
Just wanted to give you a we know it Now it doesn't mean as a Christian by the way. It's just because you're a Christian doesn't mean you don't send get that into your hand There are times you and I get tripped up right there's times and you and I make mistakes, right? But think of this think of the forgiveness he gives gives to you But we won't give it to somebody else turn with me to phasians chapter 4 I was wondering where my pulpit was there couldn't find it. So we're here phasians chapter 4 come on now.
Let's go The wonderful verse here should write it down Listen to this verse 32 Everybody's got the right podge out in a new punch good verse 32 chapter 4 be you what come on be what? You get it you get it or don't you get it? Do you do it? Do you do it?
Be kind to one another Tender hearted not hard hard it not hard hard it Tender hearted. Hey, man. I don't know you brother. What's your name?
She act nice to me. Okay, I'd have you tender heart forgiving one another. Why why would you do this? Was it say even is God for Christ's sake And even though you trip up and even though you make mistakes and even though you might be a prodigal in the far country God will bring you home and forgive you love your children don't always give them the regulations Give them love lift them up kiss them and hug them because we never know when they'll go on I tell my brother-in-law Son-in-law Nearly every day Michael we love you because we nearly lost him We nearly lost him because of his health Three years ago, and I have to thank God for that that the Lord preserved him and I tell my God We love you my sisters from Ireland.
We're a wee bit proud in Ireland We hit saying the thing out. You know what I'm saying like we hit say I love you There's a bit of a pride there, you know I love you my sister hit saying it on the phone nice. It's a believer and I always say to Margaret I love you of my time and she'd say I'm I'd you go You can't get it out between the teeth you know you just can't get it out But you know what she's starting to turn She's starting to realize hey, I can't say it Listen if you got problems with somebody go to them tell them you love them and they've hurt you say look you've hurt me You've hurt me badly But say Jesus wants me to love you and I want to love you When they were bombing in Ireland I came out from a war torn country too There's nothing but bombs and shooting and family some of my family were killed my brother was imprisoned now He's a pastor by the way, it's their tent on a first-day today in his church and he was in jail and God saved him Hallelujah, and now he's reaching people, you know what? He's forgiven Roman Catholics that he hit it for years Why because blood changed the score and then my preaching too long That's 10 plus 12.
I'm hungry. I know that you guys and then we can move on to by the way even though we're tripped up We sin less and less and less and less and we move towards righteousness That should be our habitualized Amen And thank God we have an advocate with the father if we are tripped if we confess our sins Aaron He's faithful and just forgive us That's a great message And so you have this commonality of faith and commonality of forgiveness and you have a commonality of freedom and you have this free from God's condemnation Free from sins domination and now we're free from death's trebidation You know, I don't have to fear death anymore turn to Hebrews chapter 2 verses 14 and 15 By the way, I'm at the first point and I Hebrews, please chapter 2 People live with the fear of death hanging over their heads everywhere. You look people are held in bondage The death's trebidation so much so that they will be anything and everything they can to steal off this grim reaper They go so far to make arrangements for their bodies to be frozen and I hope that someday they can be thought out and be repurried so they can carry on their life just where they left off and The reason that the fear of death is so much power over people is that death is seen as the end in other words They say once you're dead. It's no it's all over.
It's done That's a devil's lie by the way. That's a devil's lie. They say this once you're dead. You no longer exist lies Lies not according to the word of good Everything to them is that all it there is is the end there's no existence after death and my friend To you and I as a believer to the Christian death is not the end it's a transition point To be with the Lord Wonderful transition point absent from the body to be what whoa, that's a transition point glory to God That's what the gospel gives you.
That's the freedom that you have in Jesus transition point Paul says it here chapter 2 verse 14 for as much than as the children are partakers of flesh and blood He also himself likewise took part of the same that's through death He might destroy him that had to what the part of death that is a devil and deliver them or he means they're set you free Deliverance set you free Through death he might destroy him that had the part of death in other words and deliver them who through what who fear of death We're all their life kind subject to what bonding many people are fearful of death. I got news for you Jesus conquered death He rose from the dead in resurrection par and because he lives we shall what live also we shall rise with him That's the gospel that's the commonality. That's the philosophy. I've got one more.
Can you bear one more? There's five more, but can you bear one more and I mean it? There's five more we are free. Listen you are free from the world's Affirmation you are free from the world's affirmation You and I are free from the mod pursuit of the world's affirmation None of us as people spend our spend their life looking for love and looking for acceptance You get that in the world folks.
There are people are looking for love and they're looking for acceptance And they will do whatever they can to get that affirmation. They will fight. They will call they will lie they will cheat to get that Affirmation in order to find love and acceptance people will follow the latest fives They will part at the current philosophies and even sell their integrity and their values to get love and acceptance from people You don't have to do that. Hallelujah Why you're already loved you're already accepted in the beloved Hallelujah say this wonderful gospel You got freedom you got wonderful freedom now.
I'm gonna I'm gonna wrap it up as best as I can here and You're pushing me, you know You're sad free from all that madness We're already loved and he will love you listen to me. He will love you right to the end He loved us in the past. He loves us in the present and he will love you in the future And that's why the hymn writer said loved listen to it with ever lasting love This is why they write to him's love whenever lasting love led by grace that love to move spirit breathing from above us Taught me to soul this fool and perfect peaceful this transport all divine listen to it and I love that cannot cease I am has And he is mine. He not only loves you.
He has accepted you you're accepted I turned to Ephesians chapter one, please and will conclude with this portion Ephesians chapter one in the next time I come back. I'll do the other four points because I can't do them today David Unless you want me shot Now look at verse six now always remember this always watch context Context I'm going to talk about the context, but listen verse six To the praise of the glory of his grace It's nothing whatsoever to do with your words to the glory of his grace. Amen We're in he had made us what? Accepted or acceptable in the end the beloved is not a lovely statement now here.
Here's what the word accept it means You with me now. Here's what it means. This is good because you had the grace this morning. It means Freely bestowed freely bestowed and it refers back to the word grace the word accepted is freely bestowed It goes back to the word grace in the context in the same verse so the translation goes like this Gabriella Gabriella Which grace he hath freely to put stowed upon us in the beloved you have been graced upon graced?
You've been highly favored in the eyes of God. That's what it means. You've been highly favored He's fully graced you in his mercy Highly favored. He has graced you with much grace and has graciously graced you.
That's what the word makes You say John how in the context in the context watch it now watch how he greatly graces you in the context watch it verse three you got it Verse three he has what first word? Blessed what? Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath what he's blessed you he's blessed you look at verse three again Watch it now. Sorry verse four was it say according as he hath what?
He's not only blessed you he's chosen you He's blessed you he's chosen you now watch it again Look at verse five and how he predestinates on to the adoption of what? Children he has adopted you Into the family of God now Before you couldn't but now you can say Abba Now you are the children and the sons of God now you're the daughters and sons of God now your heirs of God and joint heirs with Prezus Christ you are rich glory to God you're rich You're adopted you're in the family And it's equality it's equality. It doesn't matter what color your skin is no no no no We've been all made in the image in the what and the likeness of God there should not be any racism That happens when you like to devil have his way That one God has his way you are chosen you are blessed You are adopted verse five listen to it. You are pre Dastinated Now watch that Pro-Hareto is the word pro-Hareto Pro before Hareto the horizon you see the word Hareto horizon before the horizon the horizon where where you would think that the The sky and the earth meet is the farthest point you and I can see Pro-Hareto as far as we can see the far United see as a believer is the predestin purpose of God Which is to be in his likeness?
You're chosen to be like Jesus. That's the purpose of saving you You're predestined to be conformed to the what? The image of Jesus Christ Adam lost the image Adam lost the image and came the fall Jesus is renewing the image again in the likeness of God wonderful blessing brings glory to God you see and then So he has greatly Rest you you are already accepted. You don't need the world's affirmation.
You've got good That's a brilliant truth Hang on to it. I'm not a bless your soul. Amen and the last one was You've been accepted. You know what all means Clyde.
Here's what it means Mary it means you're his special treasure. You're a special treasure Now you're saved are you still trying to make it in your own? Are you still trying to do it in your own merits? Are you still trying to make ways whereby you can be accepted before God?
Let me tell you this When you believe you come into the blessings we just heard And he gives you his merit. He gives you his righteousness. He brings you into his family And he does it all in Christ Jesus. You need to make a decision.
Wait for them. Listen death could be knocking at your door right now And you don't even know it people could die in the meeting and they don't even know it That's why it's important to trust Christ now is the day of what salvation now It's critical that you get saved and you're not going to turn around and say to John you never told me John Oh, didn't I I'm telling you now You need to be saved my friend you need to be saved and do it now and you want to talk to me after the meeting I'll be here not tell them what the evening mean, but I'll be here waiting on you And I'll be glad to point you to the Lord Jesus and take my time and share the word with you trust him only trust him today Now you're a believer lesson. We've given you some challenges there I hope you act upon the challenges and when you do listen to me when you do see the word fellowship We talked about in first John it'll be your fullness of joy when you'll be You'll come into that wonderful sweetness of the fellowship on the presence of God in your life And you know what Karen when you'll be the Lord Lord Mimi when you'll be all amen You owe me money by the way Shall we pray let's stand up to gather in this presence and give them the highest praise amen Amen Aren't you glad I'm I'm smart not going on and preaching on amen? We'll do it the next time how good is a God we adore our Faithful and changeable friend whose love is as great as his power knows neither measure nor end Just Jesus the first and the last whose spirit will guide us if home We thank him for all in the past and we'll praise him for all that's to come Father in heaven.
We give you praise today for this wonderful commonality That's sweet fellowship you've brought us into a fellowship with one another a fellowship with the Father and a fellowship With the son through the spirit and we give you all the praise and all the glory in Jesus name amen Amen give each other a hug before you go home Hey, man