“Fellowship Revisited,” from the lesson series Come Together | fellowship at a distance, October 2020
our Scripture
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).
Acts 2:42-47 NASB
Acts 2:42-47 NIV
Acts 2:42-47 NLT
Acts 2:42-47 MESSAGE
A preacher and an elder were talking together about the topic that is on the mind of everyone: the Coronavirus. They were both surprised at how quickly society has lost its strength and its compassion. The elder commented, “Previous generations were asked to go to war. We are just being asked to sit on the couch for a while.”
Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.
Over the years, our definition of fellowship has become limited to what happens when we eat food or snacks together. The early church did not have the luxuries of church buildings, nor were they safe to be together in public. Yet their fellowship marked their ministry. What do we need to do?
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder
- How has fellowship in the church changed in your lifetime? Has it changed again since the pandemic?
- From our study, what are the vital elements of fellowship?
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We need to see connecting with people as a ministry that all of us – not just the paid professionals on the church staff – need to accomplish. Sharing Scriptures and its meanings, serving one another, and building each other up needs to be a part of who we are. We need to be creative in our ways to express truth to others.
[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize
“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36 ESV). [/su_pullquote]
We need to be better communicators. Calling one another, sending notes and emails and letters, and reaching out in between services needs to become a priority. We cannot simply expect a person to be back next week. We need to be intentional about keeping people from falling through the cracks. It has to be a task for us all.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle
1. What do the words “devoted” and “awe” tell us about fellowship?
2. What does it mean that they had “all things in common?”
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We need to be better at giving. A part of fellowship in the early church was taking care of needs. We are not good about sharing our needs. We need to assume that there are needs – especially with certain groups of people. Elderly, people with illnesses, younger people who have lost their jobs, newly married, and brand-new parents are just a few of the groups of people who need our help. If God has blessed you, there is a reason for your bounty.
[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider
In what ways should fellowship change because of the changes in culture and in the church? What does our group need to do differently?
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Another way to fellowship is to bear a burden during a time of struggle. Phone calls and times of prayer become increasingly important.
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