(Further reflections on “The Word & The Fellowship”—Sunday 28-July-2024)
Small talks can keep two or more individuals engaged/connected. It can be useful and healthy as long as it does not slip into gossiping (discussing about someone who is not in the small talks and the ones who discussed were neither part of the problem nor the solution). While small talks are fun and needed in a community, fellowship is sacred and a ‘must-have’ in the Body of Christ—the church.
First, fellowship connects at a spiritual level even though topics can be mundane or earthly. Fellowship brings matters to light as it talks and views things through the lens of God’s word (cf. 1 John 1:1-4). It requires authentic/honest sharing. It takes mutual vulnerability and humility in opening up what is really going on in one’s life.
Second, fellowship exposes areas of darkness/sin. It is the sacred ‘business’ of those who seriously put Christ Jesus in the center of their life. Fellowship is superficial when it puts life’s struggles “under the table.” This will suffocate fellowship. Needless to say, guilt/shame/fear will manipulate one’s mind/heart in not exposing darkness and not bringing them to the Light—Jesus. Fellowship flourishes when believers confess their sins to the Lord (cf. 1 John 1:5-10) and to one another (cf. James 5:16). Just a practical note, if you cannot do it with pastor/elders/deacons in the church that you are committing to worship, or small groups, and prayers every week (cf. Acts 2:42), then find a Christian counselor whom you can trust, or prayerfully consider moving to another church where you can trust the pastor. It is important for you to grow to be a disciple of Jesus Christ than being a church-goer without any genuine fellowship with the Body of Christ and the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Third, fellowship is God’s way of bringing sinners to Jesus—the Word and the Light for salvation and sanctification in the Body of Christ. Fellowship is beautifully gracious, loving, and merciful in the light of God’s Scripture (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16) which is useful for teaching, rebuking, and training disciples/Christians in righteousness.
May the fellowship in our church be genuine, honest, and sacred in the presence of the triune God as we make/spend time with each other to talk and do life together in the word of life and the fellowship of light. May our fellowship expose darkness and bring everyone to the Light—Jesus Christ, so that our joy may be complete in Him as we share it with others who still remain in darkness and have not yet come to the Light.
In Him,
—
Pastor Lap
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