Before Sunday's Sunrise

2Cor 5:17
For every decision or change made for Christ, sooner or later will come a challenge to the seriousness of that decision.
What will be so important, such an emergency that will make the trade off seem worth it?

Greater Compassion in Fellowship

Acts 2:42-47
42And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

1. Harmony in belief and teaching. The local bible believing church as a group of people is different than any other group. You go into just about any and you will find people with different strengths and weakness. Those who are good and mechanics and those good at academics. Some who can sing some who can't. Some who are outgoing others who are introverts. Some who grow up in Christian homes, others who never saw the inside of a church til an adult. What makes the local church unique is what joins them together is not a hobby, income status, ethnic background, but a strong belief in who Jesus Christ is and a desire to become more like Him.
2. Harmony in participation.  Because there is such diversity in the local church each member bring a different contribution to the table. It should be the goal of every believer from the pastor to the member to see each use the God given talents and abilities to not only further the church but the community around them. As Paul wrote in Romans that none should be exalt or demoted among one another, but be appreciated and encourage to be a part of the local church. How the church of Jesus Christ would greatly flourish with the participation of each of it's members of all ages.
3. Harmony in devotion to one another. Here I believe is where the "rubber meets the road". If you are a born again, blood washed believer in the Sinless, Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus the Christ, then how can you obediently love and go out into a world hostile to the Gospel of Christ, endure the verbal insult to Jesus and not want to run to a group fellowship of not only believers of loving believers for encouragement, teaching and prayer??? In this fellowship you will have different levels of maturity. Those who were save decades ago, and those saved last week. Each will be at a different place in Christ and demonstrate a different response to temptation, trial, and success. With different personalities will come irritations, preferences, and convictions. What should unite us all is the love of Christ for each of us, and the interdependence that Christ expects us to have for one other. I finish this blog post with a list below of all the things we have in common in Christ. Ask yourself: How compassionate and committed are you to the Fellowship with God's People?


(1) crucified together with Christ (Gal. 2:20);
(2) dead together with Christ (Col. 2:20);
(3) buried together with Christ (Rom. 6:4);
(4) made alive together with Christ (Eph. 2:5);
(5) raised together with Christ (Col. 3:1);
(6) sufferers together with Christ (Rom. 8:17);
(7) glorified together with Christ (Rom. 8:17).