The Following story out of the Bible was the text for this past Sundays topic.1A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. 5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
6Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Scott Salsman spoke from this passage about the importance of having relationship a and friendships in our lives that are helpful to us. It is also important that in our relationships and friendships that we are helpful to others. We all have our own "mats" and we need to be help and we need to help.
Fellowship is really about relationship and friendship. Fellowship is about sharing, caring, encouraging, assisting, and correcting. Christian fellowship is about these things and more. The more is followers of Christ are to help one another grow close to God and serve others and share God's love with others so they can begin to experience a new and abundant life, and a new kind of fellowship.
I shared the following Fellowship Busters and Boosters.
Fellowship Busters:
The Chronic Canceller (Low commitment)
The Serial Self-Centered (me, myself and I)
The Jealousy Junkie (MINE)
The Walkie Talkie (no confidentiality)
The Bold and the Beautiful (high pride)
False Forgiveness (let it go)
The Serial Self-Centered (me, myself and I)
The Jealousy Junkie (MINE)
The Walkie Talkie (no confidentiality)
The Bold and the Beautiful (high pride)
False Forgiveness (let it go)
Fellowship Boosters:
Listen
Laugh
Celebrate
Grieve
Exercise your dialing finger and typing fingers
Return calls and emails promptly
No perfect people allowed
Laugh
Celebrate
Grieve
Exercise your dialing finger and typing fingers
Return calls and emails promptly
No perfect people allowed
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