02-10-2019 – Keith Cozort – The Value of Fellowship Part 1 (PM Sermon)

Certainly glad you were able to be here tonight. Some of you are here tonight because, or you were not able to be here this morning because of the weather. And even though it’s not great tonight, you ventured out anyway. And we certainly appreciate that. We’re not going to use the PowerPoint again tonight because we are having problems with the projector talking with,

or listening to my computer. No, actually one of the cables that we have has a short in it evidently. And so it’s not able to keep the connection. And so that was the problem we were having this morning. We had it last week as well, but Sunday night it worked fine. Well, tonight it’s not even going to attempt to do that.

So we’re just going to have to bypass that told you this morning, that if you wanted to read to be ready for the lesson tonight, that you needed to read acts chapter four, verses 23, through the end of the chapter. I want us to use this chapter to speak concerning the value of fellowship, the value of fellowship. Before we begin reading in verse 23 and go through the end of the chapter.

I want us to get a background concerning what’s taking place here. The background for chapter four verses 23 through the end of the chapter actually starts at the beginning of chapter three. When you go back to chapter three, first 11 verses gives us the setting as is recorded by Luke here in verse one, he says now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour and a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple,

which is called beautiful to ask alms of them that entered into the temple who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked an alms and Peter fastened his eyes upon him with John and said, look on us. And he gave heed unto them expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said silver and gold have I, none but such as I have.

I give thee in the name of the Lord, Jesus in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaped leaping up, stood and walked and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.

And they knew that it was he which sat for all arms at the beautiful gate of the temple. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at that, which had happened under him and as the lame man, which was Healed, held Peter And John, all the people ran together under him in the porch that is called Solomon’s porch. Greatly wondering, dropped down now to chapter four,

the first three verses of chapter four, continuing the same account here, chapter four verses one through three. And as they speak unto the people, the priest and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon him being grieved, that they taught the people and preached through Jesus, the resurrection from the dead, and they laid hands on them and put them in hold under the next day for it was now even tide dropped down to verse eight.

Then Peter filled with the Holy ghost said unto them, ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel. If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by which means he is made whole be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of G Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified,

whom God raised from the dead, even by him, that this man stand here before you hold. And then down to verse 13. Now, when they saw The boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus and be holding the man, which was healed standing with them.

They could say nothing against it, but when they had commanded them to go aside, out of the council, they conferred among themselves saying, what shall we do to these men for that? Indeed, a notable miracle has been done by them as manifest to all of them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it, but that it spread no further among the people let us straightly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than under God judge II for, we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. There’s the background For what we’re going to be studying beginning in verse 23.

Now drop down to verse 23 and being, let go. They went to their own company and reported all that. The chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, Lord thou art God, which have made heaven and the earth and the sea. And all that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant,

David has said, why did the heathen rage? And the people imagine vain things. The Kings of the earth stood up and the were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ for of a truth against thy, Holy child, Jesus whom thou hast, anointed, both Herod and Pontius pilot with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for,

to do whatsoever thy hand and night counsel determined before to be done. And now Lord behold, their threatenings and grant under thy servants, that with all boldness, they may speak thy word by stretching forth on hand to heal. And that signs and wonders may be done by the name of the Holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together.

And they were all filled with the Holy ghost and they speak the word of God with boldness and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul. Neither said any of them, that all of the things, which he possessed was his own, but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord.

Jesus and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked for as many as had possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostles feet and distribution was made under every man, according as he had knee and Joseph<inaudible>, who by the apostles was certain named Barnabas,

which is being interpreted the son of constellation, a Lee byte, and of the country of Cyprus having land sold it and brought the money in, laid it at the Apostle’s feet. I want us to use the lighter half of the chapter for the book of acts to speak about, to notice the value of fellowship. I’m not sure in some respects anyway,

that many of us even truly understand the value of fellowship. Surely One can easily establish the fact that there is great value in fellowship because when fellowship is not available, there is to be according to the scriptures, an attitude of a great loss that has taken place a great loss when fellowship was withdrawn from somebody or when they separate themselves from brethren, there is to be a feeling of loss because the fellowship is no longer.

You were there. Well, Is it? That is the value of fellowship even as is brought out here. Let me suggest to you. We’re going to make three points tonight. We’ll do the rest of them Lord willing next week. But let me suggest to you that first of all, fellowship affords suitable Companionship. It affords suitable companionship. Notice that when Peter and John are Go,

what do they do? They go to their own company. In other words, they go to their brethren. You’ve heard the Old adage, birds of a feather flock together. Well, that’s the same basic idea was that Results with fellowship here, Peter and John go to those that they know that are like them. They go to the brethren they’re to their own company.

Luke says there in verse 23. Well, who are these folks Who are these folks that Peter and John are going to go to? Well, they’re going to go to the best folks in all of Jerusalem. Those who are Christians, okay, They’re going to these, these of this company are those that are the kind of folks that Jesus wanted to have with him when he was there in the garden,

go back to Mark chapter 14, keep your finger here. Next four, go back to Mark. Chapter 14. When Jesus goes to the garden right before he is going to be betrayed, who is it that he has with him verses 32 and 33, 1432 and 33. And they came to a place which was called guest Semini. And he saved to his disciples city here while I shall pray.

And he talked with, are he take it with him? Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, And to be very heavy. Who is it that Jesus has with him? Peter James And John. Well, Who is it that Peter and James are Peter and John GoTo while they go to their brethren. Those who are like them.

And these are the ones that are the calls out of the Lord. The<inaudible> The church. These are the ones who have become followers of the Lord. These are not ones that continued to be antagonistic toward the Lord and antagonistic toward the gospel of Jesus Christ. These are those that are a part of the body of Christ. And these are the ones that would support the same things that Peter and John Cozort fellowship affords suitable companionship.

Let me suggest to you that secondly, fellowship provides sympathy and support again here in verse 23 And being, let go. They went to their own company and reported all that. The chief priests and elders had said unto them Provide sympathy and support here. This, The company that they have gone and they’ve joined themselves to the brethren there. These are folks who are going to listen To what Peter And John have to say.

Now, Peter and John at this point are not going to be preaching to them. They are simply going to give a report of what has happened. What has happened since those of the Sadducees and those of the temple have taken Peter and John and they’ve kept them overnight In prison. And then they have threatened them. And that They are not to teach in the name of Jesus Anymore.

And they Are not to teach and to preach in the temple. These things, Peter and John are going to report To the brethren. They’re going to, To report to their own company. Why? Because the brethren there are interested in finding out what has happened to Peter and John. They want to know These have their own company. These brethren are those Who are members of the same family,

They’re members of the same family. Remember what Paul said when he’s writing to Timothy over in first Timothy chapter Three, Timothy, It’s a note in this letter as to why he’s writing this letter to Timothy at this particular time, he says in verse 15 of chapter three, he says, but if I tarry long that thou may have snow. How though audits to behave thyself in the house of God,

which is the church of the living, God, the pillar and ground of the truth church of the living. God, it is the house of God. That, that word there can also be trout translated as household, the household of God, the family of God. When you turn over to Galatians, chapter six, as Paul is writing to the churches in the region of glacier there,

he says in verse 10, as we Have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are notice of the household of faith, the household of faith. That’s exactly The church. That’s exactly, Exactly what Luke is bringing out. When, when Peter and John go to their own company, they’re going to those who are the church,

the household of God, the family of God, God, isn’t that where you would expect for these brethren To be able to find sympathy and support for what has happened to them, To their family, spiritual family. When we have a child and the child gets hurt to whom do they go running to do they go running into a stranger Or they go run into somebody that is antagonistic toward them?

No, they go run into family members and generally they go running to mom. All right. Even if Dad is standing there, they’ll go running to mom. Well, Peter, Andrew, None are going to go to those that are family. And those that are family are going to be interested to hear what Peter and John have to say, because they are family.

These of this company, these brethren are those who will also act as a body. They will act as a body because When a part of our body becomes hurt and Paul is going to use this as an example, the first Corinthians chapter 12, but when part of our body Gets hurt, does the Rest of the body just ignore the pain? No,

no. Unless it’s trained to do that as military men, many times are, But normally That’s not the case. The rest of the body takes aid and sympathy for that, which is Hurt. How many times have you seen a grown man maybe who hits his thumb with a hammer? What does he do? The body takes sympathy with that. It feels his pain.

Well, that’s the way fellowship is. That’s the way the body of Christ is it is to feel one another’s pain. And so they’re in first Corinthians chapter 12, Paul uses The physical body as an example of this very thing, as far as fellowship is concerned, verses 25 and 26 there in chapter 12, Paul says that there should be no schism in the body,

but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer all members, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Okay? And so the body is that At which men’s sympathy and support to a part of the body that is hurting The members of our physical body support one another.

And that’s, that’s the very illustration that the apostle Paul is using here. But isn’t it also true as far as the body of Christ is concerned or at least shouldn’t it be true? As far as the body of Christ is concerned, when one member suffers, then all the members suffer with it. It’s not okay. Just as in the physical body,

when, when one part of the body suffers the rest of the body, doesn’t just leave it alone. Doesn’t pay any mind or any attention to it. Well, the same is also supposed to be true as far as the Lord’s churches. But unfortunately, sometimes we Alienate the very ones to whom we can go to receive sympathy And support. And when that happens,

It’s a demonstration of not really understanding the value of fellowship. Next check, excuse me. In acts chapter 12. So Acts chapter 12, of course, is where Peter is going to be put in present again, James, the brother of John is going to be killed with the sword verse two. But when you drop down to verse five there, Luke says Peter therefore was kept in prison,

but prayer was made without ceasing of the church under God for him, Peter is in prison, but what are the brethren doing? They’re praying. They’re praying for him. They have gathered together in order to pray for him in order to support him in prayer. Fellowship is in order to show sympathy and support for one who is hurting. Another purpose or value of fellowship is thirdly that it motivates One spiritually.

Okay. It motivates one spiritually. And it motivates one to spirituality. When you look at a verse 24 There in acts chapter three, when they heard that they lifted up their voice to God and with one accord and said, Lord thou art, God, which have made heaven and the earth and the sea and all that in them Is Having heard the report.

Well, heard the report, what they were put in prison. They were told not to preach in the name of Jesus anymore. They were told not to go to the temple and to preach anymore in this name. And yet when the brethren heard that, what do they, They do. They pray to God. They Pray to God. And in such,

they are not going to pray in fear, but they are going to pray in Bolton. They led to prayer. It fellowship does not motivate to spirituality. Then He does not have as much value as what the scriptures would seem to indicate. Now we recognize certainly, or we ought to recognize that this leading to spirituality is not what all fellowship does. It’s not what all association with others does.

Certainly it is to be that which takes place in the church. These turned to God in prayer. They are not Going to seek to become a mob in order to settle this problem, to settle the matter with those who are the officials. They’re not going to go to the justice system and, and claim that they’ve been greatly abused because Peter and John were put in prison for no reason at all.

They’re not going to begin to protest. Instead. They pray to God. The value of fellowship, The value of fellowship demonstrates to us that it affords suitable companionship, that it provides sympathy and support as well as it motivates one to spirituality, Lord, willing, as I stated already, we’ll discuss more of these next Lord’s day evening, but certainly these ought to be enough.

Just these three things that we brought out ought to be enough to show us how important our fellowship is. But again, unfortunately, there are those who really don’t see any value in fellowship. Don’t see any value in being with their brothers and sisters in Christ. You don’t attempt to help to strengthen or support us who don’t attempt to encourage us in our spirituality.

And when that’s the case, It is a very obvious, very obvious demonstration that they don’t understand the value of fellowship. If you’re outside the body of Christ this evening, you don’t know what that means. You don’t know what it’s like to be a part, The body of Christ, and to be in fellowship with one another, as a Body. But you can know,

You can know what it is like through obedience of the gospel. Well, hearing the word, believing it, Willing to repent and confess your faith in Christ, willing to be immersed in water, to be baptized in order to receive the remission of your sins, to be saved from your sins. And thereby the Lord will add you To the body. He will add you to the church,

the family of God, the kingdom, the army of Christ. And you Can then begin to understand what the value of fellowship really is. If you’re One is already a member of the body of Christ, but you’ve gone back into the, You lost The true understanding of that fellowship, Plead with you to come back and repentance, plead with you to begin again,

walking in the way of righteousness so that that fellowship can be reestablished so that you can understand truly the value of it. If we can help you, please, will you come as together? We stand and as we see.