Oh, What A Fellowship! - John 13:1, 2, 21 – 31
Pastor Ernest L. Williams Sr. • November 17, 2021
Concerning the Lord’s Supper, the occasion is based on a celebration. The backdrop for the Jews was the Passover. The backdrop for the church is Christ’s resurrection. The Lord’s Supper embraces fellowship, communion, and forgiveness.
- The Lord’s Supper is not the Passover. Verse 2 states, “And supper being ended…”
- The Lord’s Supper is a celebration of Christ’s victory over sin and death. That’s good news. The best way to celebrate any grand occasion is over a good meal. The Lord’s Supper is supposed to be that meal. In it, that is the occasion of the meal, we ought to be excited, joyful because of Jesus and enjoy the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
- Wine was a symbol of joy and life. This wine was fermented, contrary to popular Protestant traditions. Paul says that the early Christians in Corinth were getting drunk at the Lord’s table. Paul rebuked them. (1 Cor 11:20-22). 20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? what shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
- It’s hard to get drunk drinking grape juice.
- The Bible does not condemn drinking wine. The control of wine is forbidden. “Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging. And whoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
- Paul tells Timothy and to elders and deacons that they should not be given to wine (1 Tim 3:3, 8; Titus 1:7).
- Paul says that we should not be controlled by wine. He compares being controlled by wine to a person who is controlled by the Holy Spirit. (Eph 5: 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit).
- We should not do anything that would cause others to stumble. We have Christian liberty but not a license to abuse our good nature in Christ. 1 Cor 6:12, “12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” It is interesting that in verses 9 and 10 in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul list drunkenness as one sin along with other lifestyles that will not inherit the kingdom of God. So, we must be wise in our ways and decisions. Paul says, and even do I, if you are going to drink, drink at home.
- The point is, when families, reunions, or at gatherings, we usually have the best of fellowship over a meal. It is there we get to talk about old times, the kids, life, troubles, but also our joys. Have we missed that joy of fellowship at the Lord’s Supper? Sometimes we can’t really enjoy one another’s company because maybe either we are harboring unconfessed sin in our hearts, or we know of others who are.
- At the Lord’s Supper, our Lord made sin the prime topic of discussion. But Jesus never leaves sin without offering a way to escape. Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. They began to ask, “Lord, is it I?” Jesus responded, “to whom I shall give a sop.” When Jesus gave it to Judas, no one expected Judas. When Jesus ran out from dinner, no one expected Judas (See John 13:29).
- I believe Jesus said these things to let Judas know that Jesus was aware and that you don’t have to go through with this anymore. Even though it was determined that one would betray the Lord, our Lord still extended the opportunity of forgiveness even to a man like Judas.
- It is for us today to know that when we come to the table, if we confess our sins, Jesus hears us, and He is waiting so ever ready to forgive.
Recommendations
- Maybe the Lord allowed COVID to show us that we need to work on our fellowship one with another. Before COVID, when we would have dinners in the fellowship hall, we typically communed with our own family and not so much with guests or strangers. Maybe we missed our opportunity to fellowship.
- Set down and have a meal with someone that you don’t know that well and get to know them while you all share together over a good meal.
- Let us extend hospitality to visitors by inviting them to dinner either at your home or at a restaurant.
- Let us extend hospitality to one another with the same courtesy.
- Let us forgive more, because Jesus came and died on the cross to wash our sins away.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine
Leaning on the everlasting arms
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Leaning, leaning
Safe and secure from all alarms
Leaning, leaning
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim's way
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Leaning, leaning
Safe and secure from all alarms
Leaning, leaning on the Jesus, leaning
I'm leaning on the everlasting arms
What have I to dread, what have I to fear
Leaning on the everlasting arms
Our Sermons
How do I project Jesus through me in my community? How to take Jesus to the street? Tuesday, September 6, 2022 A. Be Intentional (Ephesians 4) 1. Start by telling the truth (stop lying), vs. 15. 2. Put off the old man and put on the new man, vv. 22, 24, 25. 3. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind, v. 23. 4. Learn how to get angry without sinning, v. 26. 5. Stop being lazy, stealing and get a job, v. 28. 6. If you don’t have anything encouraging to say, shut up! V. 29. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” B. Be Available (Mark 5:18, 19) 1. How to take Jesus to the street? First, we must get him in the home. 2. Booker T. Washington said, “Cast down your bucket where you are!” No need to do anything extra, in the areas where you reside and work or go to school or serve, live for Christ. In Mark 5, the Lord healed a lunatic man who lived among the tombs. This man wanted to be with Jesus. “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (Mk 5:19). 3. The woman at the well was available. 4. When the Lord got ready to enter into Jerusalem, Jesus told two of his disciples that they would find a colt and its ass tied. Jesus told his disciples to loose him and let him go. The colt was available. A Roman centurion, who had great faith was available. Even the rooster that crowed when Peter denied the Lord, was available. Jesus calmed the waves and the wind one day: even the winds and the sea were availability. 5. Jesus told Peter and John to go into Jerusalem and they would see a man bearing a pitcher of water. The man was available. C. Be Relevant 1. Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers addressed issues that people were facing and could relate to. Many in our Christian circles are not reaching people because our methods, not message, are out of date. It took a pandemic to force many of our churches to use technology. 2. Why is it that many of our churches are one man shows with just one pastor that is hired by the church. We need to have an elder board with various “paid” pastors on staff to meet the growing needs of our community. Our business model in the church does not work. Here is one reason why it doesn’t work: It's not biblical! 3. Jesus came to die for sinners because that was and still is the current pandemic: sin. However, the church focuses more on the cross and little emphasis is placed on the fact that Jesus will return to receive his church. Our message, if it is to be relevant, must be balanced. Conclusion Let us learn to pray this prayer before we leave the home: Lord provide the platform for me to let you shine through me. Lord I give my mind, my abilities, my words, and my deeds as service to you in this day. Lord, help me to be available for my spouse, family, pastor, church family, to people in my community, those on my job, school, or to a stranger that I may meet today. Father, I know that no encounter is an accident. So, Lord, help me to be intentional with my words, thoughts, and actions, that I may minister grace to the hearers and so someone will come to know the love of your Son Jesus Christ through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Three Signs of a Joyful Spirit: Live, Give, and Forgive Luke 6:20 – 38 September 4, 2022 Ernest L. Williams, Sr. In some translations, the word in Greek for “blessed” is translated as “happy.” Could Jesus be saying to the crowd in his sermon on the plains to be happy? (See v. 17 compared to Matthew’s sermon on the Mount, Matt 5). True joy contains living, giving, and forgiving. Illustration Proverbs on laughter. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones (Prov 17:22). A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken (Prov 15:13). All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast (Prov 15:15). Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad (Prov 12:25). Dea. Jacque’s funnies! Three surprises in heaven! 1. LIVE a. In verses 21 to 26, Jesus speaks to true blessings, but he also balances a happy life with warnings. 2. GIVE a. In verses 28 – 35, Jesus speaks to the nature of giving. b. A true sign of a person’s joy is seen in their giving. c. Paul speaks of allowing yourself to be defrauded in order to win souls for Christ: Luke 6:28, 29; compare with 1 Cor 6:7. i. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? d. The Golden Rule, v. 31. e. Give, looking for nothing in return, vv. 32 – 35. 3. FORGIVE a. Verses 36 – 36. b. One attribute of forgiveness is giving. Conclusion Vv. 22 – 23. We rejoice because our reward is in heaven. Job said, “my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high” (Job 16:19). Jesus told the disciples after they had returned from preaching and healing, that they should rejoice not because of what they could do, but rejoice because their names have been written in heaven. I sing because I am happy, I sing because I am free. His eyes are on the sparrow, and I know he watches over me!
