Today I will share the final message in our “Power of Fellowship” series. We have studied this topic for 15 weeks. I trust this series has been a blessing to you. I will close it out with the same passage we looked at yesterday. This what Jesus said about loving God and loving others.
(Mat 22:34-40 NIV)
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
So what does this mean for you today? I will close the series with a few parting thoughts.
1. You may not know the Bible cover to cover. You may not understand doctrine or theology. But you can understand this: love God and love others. That was Jesus’ message. That basically what it all boils down to.
2. I know people in ministry you want to be used of God to perform miracles, signs and wonders. But some are nasty to people. They look down on others and treat them poorly. I think we have forgotten how important it is to simply be nice, courteous, respectful, humble and honorable. We are supposed to treat others the way God treats us. If we get back to the basics, we can have the type of relationships and fellowship the Father wants us to have. So while you are chasing after God for the supernatural, and operating in the realms of the unseen, don’t forget the importance of treating the people you see everyday with dignity and respect. If you say you love God, you should at least be nice to His children.
3. I spent the first half of this series driving home the importance of fellowshipping with God. Let’s not forget that. Make time to spend time with God. The God of the Universe WANTS to spend time with you. But He won’t force you to do it. It must come from your heart. If you make time to spend time with Him, you will be amazed at how rewarding that time will be.
4. We all have busy schedules today. Technology has interconnected us and one could argue that it is not a good thing. Work does not stop at 5pm anymore. We are always checking our phones, always doing email, always responding to text messages, and etc. I believe this series on fellowship is actually more important today than it has ever been. The way we live and work today is so hectic that we must slow down, put our phones away from time to time, and spend time with God and His people. It’s okay to connect with someone on Facebook, but it’s better to put your phones down and talk face to face. It’s cool to like someone’s post on Instagram, but it’s better to tell them how much you like them in an intimate conversation, where they can feel your love and experience the love of God. It’s ironic that you are receiving this message online and I am talking about connecting face to face, but I still have to get the message out. Spend time with God and please, spend time with His people. We were born to be relational beings. Never forget that.
5. I love you. God loves you. Others love you too. As you embrace this love, reciprocate it. Share God loves with everyone, everywhere. This is His commandment. It is the greatest of them all. Love God and love others. This is how we are supposed to live!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, thank You for loving me enough to take the time to teach me what is truly important. You are important to me and so are the people You have placed in my life. I make time for both. I make time to spend time with You. Out of my fellowship with You, I am equipped to fellowship with others. Because I love You, I am able to love others. I love You, You love me, and together we love them. This is how the world will know that Jesus was Your Son. This is how the world will know that I am Your child. This is how the world will know that You are real. I love You and I love others the way You love me. This love is the foundation for amazing relationships. I enjoy my life because I spend time with God and man. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
