A Shared Life
August 16, 2020 / Hebrews 10:19-31:
As Christians, our fellowship is in Jesus Christ.
- Fellowship is not , but .
2. Fellowship is not , but .
3. Fellowship is .
“Whether we like it or not, the moment we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, that is, from the time we become a Christian, we are at the same time a member of the Christian church. . . For God never makes private, secret salvation deals with people. His relationships with us are personal, true; intimate, yes; but private, no. We are a family in Christ. When we become Christians, we are among brothers and sisters in faith. No Christian is an only child.” – Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society
“Those . . . who are entangled in many various kinds of business, do no cleave to the servants of God, but wander away, being choked by their business transactions; and the rich cleave with difficulty to the servants of God, fearing lest these should ask something of them.” – The Shepherd of Hermas (early 2nd century A.D.)
“Sin is self-seeking in which demanding replaces giving, and the self uses, instead of loving, the other; mutual love is perverted into an isolated self-love.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Sanctorum Communio
“Our natural condition under sin is to be “glory empty” – starved for significance, honor and a sense of worth. Sin makes us feel superior and overconfident (because we are trying to prove to ourselves and others that we are significant) and inferior and underconfident (because at a deep level we feel guilty and insecure). . . Until the gospel changes us, we will use people in relationships. We do not work for the sake of the work; we do not relate for the sake of the person. Rather, we work and relate to bolster our own self-image – to derive it, essentially from others.” – Timothy Keller, Center Church