The Importance of Fellowship – Devotions for 2-12-25
Acts 2:42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
In this text in Acts, when the church was new and growing a lot, Luke, the church historian, writes about what the church was focused on. He lists four things that the early church was intent on doing, studying the teachings of the apostles, fellowship, communion and prayer. It is my belief that any and all churches need those four things today as well.
It is good for every church, every church leader, and every believer in churches to look at those and understand why they are so important. When I do that, I usually come back to fellowship. It is easy to understand our need for bible study, to be reminded of the work of Jesus on the cross in communion and prayer. But why fellowship? Fellowship seems out of synch with the other three. The other three have something to do what the specifics about being a Christian church verses any other sort of church or cult, but fellowship is different. Fellowship could be something any group of gathered people get involved in. Fun and games! Any group likes that.
Yet, here we are told that the early church devoted themselves to fellowship as much as they devoted themselves to the focus on Jesus and God’s word and prayer. Why?
I believe it is because we were created to be with one another. We were not created to be loners or isolated individuals. We are social creatures who need one another.
In our church we put events on the calendar that try and involve all four of the church functions in this verse including fellowship. This Sunday we have one such event, a chili dinner. We will have fun tasting each other’s chili and one person will walk home with the knowledge that they made the best chili. We will have fun, but we won’t have a deep bible study or sermon or other churchy event. It will be a night of fellowship.
We have other events for such things too like women’s outings, men’s breakfasts, and other events that are either primarily or partially fellowship focused. Why? Because it is important for the health and life of a congregation. We need fellowship. We need each other. If we are to fulfill many of the commands of Jesus and His apostles to love one another, we need fellowship. We need to be with each other in person.
In today’s increasingly electronic world that is becoming more important. Today we can talk with others without being with them. We can binge watch something on TV. We can stay at home and play games on our computer either alone or “with” someone on the other side of the world. And when we go to work, we often stare at a computer screen most of the day or hole up in a cubicle or office and interact with people not in the room.
So, in the church we need to see the importance of what the early church leaders understood, fellowship. We need to focus on, make intentional, fellowship opportunities. And we need to involve ourselves in them, we need to go and be with others.
They are not just for fun, but they can include fun. They are not a waste of time, they are an important use of time. They are not just for lonely others; they are for everyone.
When you see something on your church calendar that doesn’t seem to fit deep church things, remember our need for social gatherings, for fellowship. We were created for fellowship. I need you, you need others, we all need each other so we can “love one another.” We cannot fulfill God’s command to love one another unless we gather together in fellowship.
Pastor Gary.
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