Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. <\/i><\/p>\n
\u2014Hebrews 10:25<\/i><\/p>\n
1672<\/b> Blest Be The Ties That Bind<\/b><\/p>\n
In 1765 John Fawcett was called to pastor a very small congregation at Wainsgate, England. He labored there diligently for 7 years, but his salary was so meager that he and his wife could scarcely obtain the necessities of life. Though the people were poor, they compensated for this lack by their faithfulness and warm fellowship. <\/p>\n
Then Dr. Fawcett received a call from a much larger church in London, and after lengthy consideration decided to accept the invitation. As his few possessions were being placed in a wagon for moving, many of his parishioners came to say good-bye. Once again they pleaded with him to reconsider. <\/p>\n
Touched by this great outpouring of love, he and his wife began to weep. Finally Mrs. Fawcett exclaimed, \u201cO John, I just can\u2019t bear this. They need us so badly here.\u201d \u201cGod has spoken to my heart, too!\u201d he said. \u201cTell them to unload the wagon! We cannot break these wonderful ties of fellowship.\u201d<\/p>\n
This experience inspired Fawcett to write a hymn. \u201cBlest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love! The fellowship of kindred mind is like to that above.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014H. G. Bosch<\/p>\n
1673<\/b> A Peek At Early Christians<\/b><\/p>\n
When Pliny was governor of Bithynia, he wrote a most interesting letter to the Roman Emperor Trajan, asking why Christians were being exterminated, and added: \u201cI have been trying to get all the information I could regarding them. I have even hired spies to profess to be Christians and become baptized in order that they might get into the Christian services without suspicion. <\/p>\n
Contrary to what I had supposed, I find that the Christians meet at dead of night or at early morn, that they sing a hymn to Christ as God, that they read from their own sacred writings and partake of a very simple meal consisting of bread and wine and water (the water added to the wine to dilute it in order that there might be enough for all). <\/p>\n
This is all that I can find out, except that they exhort each other to be subject to the government and to pray for all men.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014Harry A. Ironside<\/p>\n
1674<\/b> Doing Something About It<\/b><\/p>\n
Two strangers attended the same church for several Sundays. None spoke to them. One said, \u201cI will give this church one more chance. If nobody speaks to me next Sunuay, I\u2019ll never go there again.\u201d The other said, \u201cI don\u2019t like this no-speaking in church. If no one speaks to me next Sunday, I\u2019ll speak to someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next Sunday, the usher happened to seat both of these men, one in front of the other. As usual after service, no one greeted the other. The first man rose to stalk out forever. The second man turned, put out his hand and said, \u201cGood morning, sir, I\u2019m glad to see you. Fine sermon, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Both were pleased at having made a friend, and continued to come. <\/p>\n
1675<\/b> Having Internal Life<\/b><\/p>\n
Dr. Walter Wilson has the following story. <\/p>\n
He was visiting in a home and the members of the family were asked to quote Bible verses. <\/p>\n
One little girl quoted John 3:16 as follows: \u201cFor God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish but have INTERNAL LIFE.\u201d<\/p>\n
Needless to say, he did not correct her, for it is internal life, as well as everlasting life. <\/p>\n
1676<\/b> No Partition Wall For Whitefield<\/b><\/p>\n
The year of 1730, a notable one for American Christianity, witnessed the arrival of 26-year-old George Whitefield, already famous for his evangelical preaching in England. Whitefield, a Church of England priest, welcomed as co-laborers Baptists, Presbyterians, Quakers, Lutherans, Congregationalists, Dutch Reformed, and anyone else who preached individual conversion. As he crossed the Atlantic, he wrote to a clergyman friend in England: \u201cThe partition wall has for some time been broken down out of my heart, and I can truly say whoever loves the Lord Jesus, \u201cthe same is my brother, and sister, and mother.\u201d\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014Raymond W. Settle<\/p>\n
1677<\/b> Livingstone\u2019s Encouragement<\/b><\/p>\n
The first attempt of David Livingstone to preach ended in failure: \u201cFriends, I have forgotten all I had to say,\u201d he gasped, and in shame stepped from the pulpit! <\/p>\n
At that moment, Robert Moffat who was visiting Edinburgh advised David not to give up. Perhaps he could be a doctor instead of a preacher, he advised. Livingstone decided to be both. When the years of medical study were done, he went to Africa. <\/p>\n
1678<\/b> Lesson From The Bees<\/b><\/p>\n
One bee always seems ready to feed another bee, sometimes even one of a different colony. Mutual feeding among bees, who are very social insects, is the order of their existence. The workers feed the helpless queen who cannot feed herself. They feed the drones during their period of usefulness in the hive. Of course they feed the young. They seem to enjoy the social act. <\/p>\n
Bees cluster together for warmth in cold weather and fan their wings to cool the hive in hot weather, thus working for one another\u2019s comfort. <\/p>\n
When swarming time comes, bee scouts take out to find suitable quarters where the new colony can establish itself. These scouts report back to the group, executing a dance (as they also do to re port honey) by which they convey the location of the prospective home to the colony. As more than one scout goes prospecting and reports back, the bees appear to entertain the findings of all scouts and at last the entire assembly seems to reach a common conclusion on a choice. Thereupon they all take wing in what is called a swarm. <\/p>\n
1679<\/b> Feet Speaks To Mouth<\/b><\/p>\n
Said the feet to the mouth, \u201cYou are the luckiest thing on earth. You are forever getting the best of me. Here I am, running around all day, wearing myself out. And all for the sake of your eating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Retorted the mouth: \u201cDon\u2019t accuse me. How would you like it if I stopped eating so that you could stop running around?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2014Chinese Humor<\/p>\n
1680<\/b> Epigram On Fellowship<\/b><\/p>\n
\u2022 \u201cNo man is an island.\u201d said poet John Donne. I believe every man is an island, but there are no limits to the bridges or harbors one can build. <\/p>\n
\u2014Roy C. Cook<\/p>\n
\u2022 Whenever two people meet there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees himself, each man as the other person sees him, and each man as he really is. <\/p>\n
\u2014William James<\/p>\n
\u2022 The orchestra is in full swing. The concluctor is whipping himself into a frenzy of zeal and enthusiasm. But who is that approaching him? It is a member of his orchestra, the one who plays the triangle. <\/p>\n
He is speaking to the conductor. \u201cDo you mind if I go home now\u2014I\u2019ve come to the end of my part of the score.\u201d<\/p>\n
See also:<\/b> Friendship ; I Pet. 4:10.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. \u2014Hebrews 10:25 1672 Blest Be The Ties That Bind In 1765 John Fawcett was called to pastor a very small congregation at Wainsgate, England. He labored there … Continue reading “FELLOWSHIP”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5052"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5052\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}