The Christian Connection

Matthew 5:44

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Together Work

• Working together as a collective body is essential

• Problem with “solo” Christianity• Christians rarely survive apart

from their proper relationship together

Fellowship

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the

apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Fellow Citizens

Eph. 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer

foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household

Fellow Heirs

Eph. 3:6 This mystery is that through the

gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus

Fellow Workers

Col. 4:11 Jesus, who is called Justus, also

sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me

Fellow Servants

Col. 1:7 You learned it from Epaphras, our

dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf

Fellow Soldier

Phil. 2:25 But I think it is necessary to send

back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.

Extend Fellowship

Gal. 2:9 James, Cephas and John, those

esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. - - -

BrotherhoodLove the brotherhood

1 Peter 2:17 - - Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor

Who ?Mark 3:34-35 - - Then he looked at those

seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Membership

Corinthians 12:27 - - Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Ephesians 4:16 - - From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Members One of Another

Rom. 12:4-5 For just as each of us has one body

with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Things to Do• Identify with a faithful congregation, and place

membership• Pray for other Christians - - Eph. 6:18 - and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds

of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

• Submit to the eldership - - Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their

authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.

Things to Do

• Attend and participate in the assemblies of the congregation Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25

not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - -

Things to Do

• Contribute financially1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do

what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Things to Do• Engage personally and directly in the three-

fold work of the congregation– 1) Evangelism - Acts 11:19-21 - Some of them, however,

men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.

– 2) Edification - Romans 15:14 - I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

– 3) Benevolence - Acts 2:44-45 - All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Things to Do

• Help maintain unity John 17:20-23- My prayer is not for them alone. I pray

also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. - - - - - - - -- ----23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.

Things to Do

• Participate in the discipline Gal. 6:1 - Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in

a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently.

2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14-15 - - In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

Things to Do

• Extend courtesy and hospitality 1 Peter 4:9 - - Offer hospitality to one another without

grumbling.

• Find an individual role and fill it Colossians 4:17 - - Tell Archippus: “See to it that

you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”

INVOLVEMENT

• Means - - – participation, cooperation, collaboration,

teamwork, and joint effort– involved in a joint undertakings– total involvement by the individual Christian– congregation as a whole is stronger– The individual is not likely to be separated from

the Lord and the Lord’s people.

The Benefits of Involvement

• Friendship• Strength• Admonition• Instruction• Prayers offered for• Benevolent help when needed• Comfort in sorrow• Assistance in difficulty• The joy of congregational assemblies

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken

Should You Be More Involved?