God's Design for the Church: To Fellowship (Hebrews 3:13)

Series: God's Design for the Church

Sermon: To Fellowship

Scripture: Hebrews 3:13

Date: October 27, 2019

**Please forgive us; the first part of the sermon was not recorded.  We hope that you enjoy and are challenged by what you hear today!**

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.  (Hebrews 3:13)

 

"The church helps us fulfill our five deepest needs in life.  He gives us a purpose to live for, people to live with, principles to live by, profession to live out, and power to live on."  -Rick Warren

Let's see three important areas we can help each other as we live together as God's family:

1. God designed us to help each other with His profession
   • Every human being is created by God, but not everyone is a child of God.
   • Mark 3:33-35
   • Ephesians 1:5, MSG
   • Galatians 6:10, NCV
   • Romans 14:19, NLT
   • Four of the ten commandments are about our relationship with God, and the other six are about our relationship with each other; so all ten are about relationships.
   • "Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren't rubbed in but rubbed out.  Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice."  -Rick Warren
2. God designed us to help each other with His purpose
   • The Bible says we are put together, joined together, built together, members together, heirs together, fitted together, and held together.
   • "The person who says, 'I don't need the church,' is either arrogant or ignorant."  -Rick Warren
   • "Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?"  -A. W. Tozer
3. God designed us to help each other with His power
   • Just one in three 18-35 year-olds tell Barna they often feel deeply cared for by those around them (33%) or that someone believes in them (32%).
   • A church family will help keep you from backsliding.