“True Fellowship”
"And
they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers." (v.42)
Genuine
Christian fellowship involves much more than visiting over a cup of coffee in
the church courtyard. While this is all well and good, true fellowship is
loving one another, caring for one another, praying for one another, bearing
one another's burdens, encouraging, instructing, and even rebuking one another
in love so as to restore such a one back into fellowship.
In his
book, Why Christians Sin, J. Kirk Johnston tells about a young Russian woman
who, before the collapse of the Iron Curtain, was allowed to visit her
relatives in Canada. She was a devout Christian, and her friends assumed that
she would defect and seek asylum in Canada or the US because of the religious
oppression in the USSR. But they were wrong. She wanted to go back to her
homeland.
This
Russian woman said that people in the West were too busy acquiring material
things and not concerned enough about personal relationships (outside of
what they could do for them). In her homeland, Christian fellowship was
essential to their faith because it provided the support and encouragement they
so desperately needed.
We
too should have this same attitude of true fellowship toward one
another. Ministering to those around us support and encouragement through;
a word, a meal, a prayer, a room, or some other direct form of
involvement. Just as Jesus came to serve and not be served, we
too should look for those opportunities to show His love.
The
Truth
"God
has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use
them well to serve one
another." (1 Peter 4:10)
