We thank God for the return of the Sunday Lunch to Life Church today. The purpose of this is not to fill our stomachs, but to promote Christian fellowship among our members. Many churches have benefited from the practice of having a fellowship meal after the service ends. We trust that if you attend the second service, you will stay behind for this once-a-month opportunity to share a meal with other Lifers, get to know them well and eventually minister to others through the new bonds that are built.

Perhaps one reason why some of us do not have a keen interest in fellowship is that we do not feel much need for one another. And with the fast-paced, busy lifestyle that many of us have, there is almost no time left for fellowship.

If we allow these things to keep us from fellowship for too long, we may find ourselves in a bad situation. If we say, "I don’t need fellowship with other believers, and after all I can pray and worship God on my own and grow spiritually without the help of others," then without even realizing it we may gradually go astray from the Lord and get caught up in the ways of the world. Without fellowship, it is easy for Christians to lose their love for God and His Word; it is easy to become spiritually cold. The analogy that is often used to show the importance of Christian fellowship is that of a pile of burning pieces of coal. As long as the pieces of coal remain together, they continue to burn well. But if one piece is removed from the pile and placed alone by itself, it will soon become cold.

When you try to live your Christian life alone, you face tremendous odds. The pressures of your work, and your family, and the influence of your colleagues will come upon you. Without the support of Christian fellowship to refresh your spirit, your resistance can be worn down by these things. One clear example is that of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. When he was together with Abraham at first, he and his family were well. But when they parted ways and Lot chose to live near the sinful city of Sodom, his family gradually came under its influence. Lot’s wife looked back with longing at Sodom as they fled from its destruction and she died. Lot’s daughters adopted the immoral ways of Sodom.

Even a believer who is very strong in the faith can suffer spiritual defeat when he has no one to fellowship with. This happened to Elijah just after his glorious victory over the priests of Baal at Mount Carmel. The work of revival in Israel was just beginning, but it was spoilt because Elijah suddenly fled. He was frightened of a death threat issued by the queen. He suddenly became very depressed and wished that he was dead! Perhaps we may understand the cause of this by looking at what God instructed Elijah to do after that: He instructed him to anoint Elisha to be his assistant. Henceforth Elijah would no longer be alone but have a close companion to fellowship with. Perhaps if Elijah had had the fellowship of an Elisha with him on that night when Queen Jezebel threatened him, he might have remained strong and steadfast.

Consider carefully the seven reasons for fellowship that are given below:

1. Fellowship enables us to accomplish more for the Lord. (Ecclesiastes 4:9 – "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.") It is the glue that enables us to work together for the common goal of glorifying the Lord!

2. Fellowship helps to sustain each individual’s spiritual life. (Ecclesiastes 4:10-11 – "For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?).

3. Fellowship provides strength in our spiritual battles. (Ecclesiastes 4:12 - "And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."). There is strength in numbers!

4. Fellowship is pleasing in God’s sight. (Psalm 133:1 – "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!")

5. Fellowship is Christ’s intention for His disciples. He gave them three things for this fellowship: (a) His promise: to be present (Matthew 18:19,20), (b) His command: to love one another (John 13:34,35) and (c) His prayer: that they may be one (John 17:11,20-23; cf. Ephesians 4:1-6)

6. Fellowship is the natural outcome of our relationship with Christ. (1 John 1:7 – "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.")

7. Fellowship gives us opportunities to do good to others. (Galatians 6:10 – "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.")

While fellowship is necessary and good, it will only accomplish all that God intends for fellowship with the maintenance of a proper practice. Or else it will just degenerate into nothing more than a social gathering: a place where people meet for the purpose of gaining friends, popularity, influence, or even a life partner! It is therefore good for us to see what proper practice we must maintain in our fellowship in order that it will continue to be all that God meant fellowship to be.

1. A Praying Fellowship. The book of Acts records how the disciples often met together to unite their hearts in prayer. Whenever a crisis was faced, either by the whole church or even by just one member, they would get together and pray. And as they prayed corporately, God worked many wonderful things in answer to their prayers (Acts 4:24, 12:5,12)! Let us be a praying fellowship like these early disciples by coming for our weekly Tuesday night prayer meeting. Perhaps we may see equally wonderful answers to our prayer.

2. An Edifying Fellowship. The word "edify" literally means "to build up." Christian fellowship is meant to build up one another, to facilitate the development of each member’s walk with God, testimony before the world, and ability to serve. And the scriptures reveal that this is done in a fellowship in two ways:

(a) By exhorting one another: (Hebrews 3:13 – "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.") To exhort is to give strong encouragement. We are to keep "cheering each other on" in our spiritual race, and keep urging each other to go on to greater things for the Lord.

(b) By teaching and admonishing one another: (Romans 15:14 – "And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." When we are with one another let us seek to impart biblical teaching to one another, as well as instruction in Christian living.

3. A Caring Fellowship. (Philippians 2:4 – "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.") Care and concern is manifested in at least three ways:

(a) By comforting one another: (1 Thessalonians 5:11 – "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.") There will be times when some of us will go through moments of suffering, grief and sorrow. The rest should then express concern by showing sympathy, by words of comfort and by helping to bear the heavy burdens.

(b) By serving one another: (Galatians 5:13 – "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.") Fellowship means using your energies and resources to help meet the needs of others (cf. 1 Peter 4:9,10). Christian Fellowship is characterized by giving rather than getting. We come not to be served, but to serve. Jesus set the example by washing the feet of His disciples.

(c) By forbearing and forgiving one another: (Ephesians 4:32 – "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.")

All of us are bound to be different from one another. God made us with our own individual unique likes and dislikes. But the amazing wonder of Christian fellowship is that, in Christ, individuals who are as different as night and day or as black and white, can share a truly blessed relationship with one another!