{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Christ Covenant Church","title":"Church Fellowship - Part 1","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4747,"description":"Though verse 42 reveals more than “fellowship” as that which the early church committed themselves to, this particular discipline is clearly the authors’ emphasis given its focus in the remaining verses (vv43-47). As such, it behooves every church (and Christian) to know what God is telling us about it. What (then) these verses teach us about this important discipline:\n \nWe must be committed to fellowship…\n(42) “devoted” [προσκαρτεροῦντες] = a constant and frequent loyalty or commitment (Act 1:14, 6:4, 10:7; Col 4:2).\n2 things must be acknowledged based on what the author is communicating to us about the members of the early church’s commitment to fellowship:\nThey had less “free time” for other things since this is the obvious implication of commitment – especially one that is frequent in nature (e.g. web dictionary definition of commitment = an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom).\nThe restriction/constriction placed on the freedoms/free-time of the early Christians by their commitment to frequent fellowship should not surprise us given how Jesus describes the Christian life (Mat 7:13-14) “hard” [θλίβω] = restrictive/constrictive; to crowd against (Mar 3:9).\n1.2. The paradigm/pattern of frequent fellowship established by the members of the early church is what God expects us to adopt as our paradigm for fellowship (as well).\nIOW: God expects us to adopt the same pattern of commitment in our own fellowship.\n(How do we know that?) = B/C such biblical patterns/paradigms are authoritative (or mandatory) versus optional (e.g. Mat 19:3-6 w/Gen 1:27, 2:18, 21-24).\nSo then, we must be committed to fellowship…and the frequency w/which we are to give ourselves to that – will mean less free-time for other things. This, however, is what it means to be a Christian.\n“The family of God is where I lose my life in order to gain it.” – Joseph Hellerman (When The Church Was A Family)\nWe must be committed to fellowship with our church family…\n(42-44) “were together” =...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/UXGjftzm8Yw--IISwUKe6A6-CX1YtARptisfLmFJFoI/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81Zjc4/MmNmNTMxZjNmOTgw/YjA1NWRhYmMxMTNl/YmE1Zi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}