Hebrews 10:23-25
Thesis: Deacons and church members are responsible to build church fellowship.
Introduction
A new pastor had just come to a new church. He was talking to one of the deacons and the deacon said, “Pastor, we have been talking among ourselves about what to call you.”
The pastor asked, “What did you call the last pastor?”
The deacon replied, “We called him the ‘Hog Caller.'”
The new pastor looked a little surprised and said, “At my last church, they called me the ‘Shepherd of the Flock,’ but of course you know your own people here better than I do.”
Deacons are set apart for healing the fellowship, Acts 6
A. Deacons were not ordained to:
- be a board of directors;
- run the church;
- dictate to the church what it can and cannot do.
B. Deacons were ordained to help pastors meet the needs of the church.
C. As deacons actively minister, the fellowship of the church is made strong.
Church Members are set apart for building the fellowship, Galatians 6:1-2
A. Each member has a responsibility in extending the fellowship of the church to others.
B. In such a church atmosphere of love and warmth creates joy and enthusiasm.
C. Pastors, deacons, and every member work together to build the fellowship for a great church.
Discipline is essential for a healthy church fellowship.
A. Formative discipline–Hebrews 10:23-25 and Ephesians 4:29
- encourage and admonish one another to love;
- encourage and admonish one another to do good works;
- discouragement is a tool of the devil:
a. the power of the negative–one negative remark destroys the work of 100 voices of encouragement.
b. gossip is a negative tool of the devil–Gossip travels faster over sour grapevines.
c. A man was a member of a church where they were having a lot of trouble. He became so nervous that he couldn’t speak. He went to the doctor, and the doctor gave him some tranquilizers. Two days later he went back to the doctor and asked, “Doctor, what did you give me?”
He replied, “I gave you some tranquilizers.”
“Well, I don’t want any more of them.”
The doctor asked, “Why not?”
The man replied, “They made me act friendly with people I don’t even like at church.”
B. Restorative discipline–Galatians 6:1-2; Matthew 5:23-23 & 18:15-17.
- Withdrawing from the fellowship of believers is the first sign of backsliding.
- Spiritual diseases overcome the person.
- What is often done when a member becomes spiritually diseased and backslides? Nothing! He is often ignored, hoping the problem or the person goes away. Sometimes he is attacked and condemned. He is down and kicked while he is down. Thus, he becomes more defeated.
- Sometimes backsliders are rejected with the hopes that they will leave without causing trouble.
- Illustration: At a conference one day, a pastor asked me about a family who had visited our church. They were members of his church. He asked if they had joined. He stated that he hoped they did join because his church did not need “their” kind. I wondered what he thought about us. If a member has a problem, it is my problem. He may be critical, attacking, and difficult. But this simply indicates that the member has a need. It is our responsibility to minister to that member at the point of need. We are commanded to love him and bear his burden.
- Hebrews 12:5-11–Illustration of a sore little toe.
- A fellowship of love refuses to give up. It continues to reach out to troubled brothers and sisters.
C. Surgical discipline–this is painful. The Bible tells of five cases where surgery is taught:
- Immorality–1 Corinthians 5:4-5–>this requires isolation
- Heresy–Titus 3:10–>this requires amputation
- False Professions–1 John 2:19-20–>remove them
- Rebellion against Church Authority–Matthew 18:17–this requires chemo-therapy
- Hypocrisy–Acts 5–this results in spiritual death.
- How should disciplined members be treated? Matthew 18:17 says as “a heathen and publican.” How did Jesus treat heathen and publicans? He loved them and pursued them.
What to do for the fellowship of the church?
A. Guard the fellowship by exalting the Lord Jesus Christ and striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. By exercising discipline within the individual life and within the life of the church, guard the fellowship.
B. Grow the fellowship by loving one another, by working through problems. Grow the fellowship by carrying out Christ’s commission and extending the fellowship to others.
C. When Jesus Christ our Lord is lifted up as the Head of the Church, He draws together the members of His body into a unity that builds a beautiful and blessed fellowship.