The Crock Pot Theology. The practice of fellowship. Become like Jesus. When we put the right practices and habits and ingredients into our life – because God needs something to work with – God will squeeze transformation into our hearts and into our heads. We will become more like Jesus. Here is the key verse for this series; Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Today I want to talk to about a part of my life where the transformation has been slow and painful. But nonetheless this practice in this habit is one of the key things that God uses to make us more like Jesus. Today I’m going to put into the crockpot the practice called fellowship. The practice of being with other followers of Jesus. The practice of intentionally forming mutually benefiting relationships with other Christians. Let me just define what fellowship or community is. It’s where I am purposefully part of a spiritual group where I belong, where I engage, where I contribute, where I make others belong, where I am held accountable, where we learn to love, and where I share my life without limits or reservation. The purpose of is to grow us into the person God wants us to be. You can’t do life alone. Here was the challenging Scripture for me; Romans 12:4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Each part has a function… But one body. Each part special… But one body. No part is more special than the body. All the parts make up the one body. It’s all about the one body, the church. I have struggled with this whole concept of belonging to each other. Why? Because I have been perfectly formed by the world to be the rugged American individual. The kind of person who needs no one else. Self-sufficient. Self-reliant. Private. No one needs to know my business. Superficial relationships. I don’t want anybody telling me what to do. And I don’t want to be responsible for you. There are a number of reasons why we resist diving in, headfirst, and making ourselves available without reservation or limitation to others. Sin. Maybe you have been emotionally damaged. Some of us resist this concept of belonging to each other because we’re just emotionally lazy. Jesus put together the first template that shows his idea of community; his disciples. When Jesus came, he put together a community of people that he called disciples. He worked with them for three years. He passed on his glory to them. It’s quite amazing what these men did to change the world. These disciples were the first community. The fact is that you can’t do this alone. There is no such thing in the Bible as a follower of Jesus without a community, without a church. This gathering together in fellowship became a cornerstone became a cornerstone of the early church. Acts 2:42 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. They devoted themselves to it. They devoted themselves to the teaching. They devoted themselves to intentionally engaging with the others. They devoted themselves to eat together. They devoted themselves to praying together. They devoted themselves to sharing what they had. They made it a priority. I want to use an illustration of one particular group that I was involved in. Which is called DAVES GYM. Some things about this little garage gym that made it special. First, there was no judgment. Second, someone always spotted you when you lifted. Thirdly, we were always pushing each other to do our best and to do a little bit more if possible. Fourthly, it wasn’t always about the weights. Fifth, we kept coming back. Sixth, this group is still going on today. What was going on in that garage is something that is repeated over 100 times in the New Testament. Love one another (John 13:34 – This command occurs at least 16 times) Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10) Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10) Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16) Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) Be likeminded towards one another (Romans 15:5) Accept one another (Romans 15:7) Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16) Greet one another (Romans 16:16) Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25) Serve one another (Galatians 5:13) Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13) Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13) Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25) Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32) Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19) Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5) Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3) Look at the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4) Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13) Teach one another (Colossians 3:16) Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18) Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13) Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24) Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9) Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10) Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5) Pray for one another (James 5:16) Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16) The thing is, you can only do these “one another’s” when you are hands-on and with people. Jesus made a promise to those who gather… Matthew 28:18 “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Here is my commitment to the church and I dare you to make it yours as well… This is where I belong, these are my people, my spiritual family. When I belong somewhere it means I have made an intentional commitment to that person or to that group. The people that I belong to… Have access to my time – I go out of my way Have access to my stuff – you can have what I have Have access to my money – Have access to my emotions – I get excited with them, and I sympathize with them Have access to my abilities – I share with them This is the body where I will serve, the people who will depend on me and I on them. I see myself not as a member or attender, but I see myself as an owner who has responsibilities in this family. I give my best right here, to these people, to this vision, using my talents, releasing my passion with excellence. Let’s see what GOD can do! Pastor Brian Harrell