Our Life Together - Enriching Our Life Together

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                          "OUR LIFE TOGETHER"

                      Enriching Our Life Together

INTRODUCTION

1. Up to this point, we have been dealing with some of the "doctrinal"
   underpinnings of "Our Life Together"...
   a. Noticing the "intimacy" and "interdependency" of our fellowship
      in the local church
   b. Examining various "acts of worship" and their role in nurturing
      fellowship
   c. Reviewing the concepts of "acceptance" and "freedom" in Christ as
      they relate to fellowship

2. With this lesson I wish to begin addressing the "application" side
   of our study...
   a. What can we "do" to enrich our life together?
   b. What sort of things should we "avoid" that have the potential of
      disrupting fellowship?

3. There are many places we could turn to in the New Testament for a
   study on "Enriching Our Life Together"...
   a. Indeed, much of the New Testament addresses the subject in one
      form or another
   b. But in this study, we will focus mainly on what we find in "The
      Epistle Of James"

4. Addressed to "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad" (Jm 
   1:1), it is especially full of advice for...
   a. Those Christians who find themselves living in a highly mobile 
      society like our own
   b. Those Christians whose need for "fellowship" is often a truly 
      "felt need" (because other normal channels of association like 
      family, friends, etc., may be lacking)

[Let's begin by observing things we must "not" do or have, if we desire
to succeed in "Enriching Our Life Together"...]

I. THINGS TO AVOID

   A. ALL FILTHINESS AND OVERFLOW OF WICKEDNESS - Jm 1:21
      1. I take this to include any sort of immoral behavior or speech 
         - cf. Ep 5:3-5
      2. The wise man wrote of the devastating effects of immorality 
         - cf. Pr 6:27-35
      -- Nothing will destroy the precious fellowship we have in Christ
         like "sin in the camp"

   B. PARTIALITY - Jm 2:1-9
      1. This was discussed in our study entitled "An Accepting 
         Fellowship"
      2. Showing respect of persons, either through "partiality", or 
         its more malignant cousin "bigotry", makes us sinners before 
         God - Jm 2:9
      -- Fellowship in Christ is designed to bring us together, not 
         divide us

   C. MISUSE OF THE TONGUE - Jm 3:1-12
      1. The tongue possesses great power to destroy, if we are not 
         careful - Jm 3:5-7
      2. When we misuse the tongue to curse men, it reveals the 
         shallowness of our praise of God - Jm 3:9-12
      -- During the war, the old Navy saying was "Loose lips sinks 
         ships"; it can have the same effect on the peace and 
         fellowship in a congregation!

   D. SELFISHNESS - Jm 4:1
      1. James reveals that the root cause of much strife is nothing 
         more than selfishness
      2. As he wrote earlier, "For where envy and self-seeking exist,
         confusion and every evil thing will be there." - Jm 3:16
      -- If we desire peace and harmony in our fellowship, we must grow
         beyond the egocentricism of our youth and carnality!

   E. SPEAKING EVIL OF ONE ANOTHER - Jm 4:11-12
      1. Here we learn that speaking evil of another evil actually 
         "speaks evil of the law and judges the law"; do we wish to be
         guilty of that?
      2. We also set ourselves up as judges, when there is really only
         one Judge and Lawgiver
      3. This does not preclude the necessity to "judge with righteous
         judgment" (Jn 7:24), nor that we cannot "judge those who are
         inside" the family of God (1Co 5:9-13)
      -- But too often we can be guilty of "judging" others according 
         to our own personal standards; speaking "evil" of others is 
         usually an indication of that, and quickly destroys fellowship

[These five things can prevent a congregation from enjoying "Our Life
Together" that Christ intends for His church.  Let's be diligent never
to allow them to infect the relationship we have as the family of God!

At the same time, let's take a "pro-active" approach to building 
fellowship;  what does James counsel us to do...?]

II. THINGS TO DO

   A. VIEW CHALLENGES AS OPPORTUNITIES - Jm 1:2-4
      1. Possessing a positive perspective about difficulties is good 
         for congregations as well as individuals
      2. Any church that is growing will likely experience problems 
         with maintaining peace and harmony
      3. But just as marriages are made stronger when spouses are 
         willing to work through their difficulties, so a congregation
         can be made stronger by its difficulties!

   B. PRAY FOR WISDOM - Jm 1:5-8
      1. To be able to maintain a thriving fellowship in a congregation
         requires wisdom
      2. Just as we should seek wisdom from God as individuals, so also
         as a congregation!

   C. MAINTAIN PROPER PERSPECTIVES ABOUT OUR SITUATIONS - Jm 1:9-11
      1. Fellowship is often disrupted by envy or pride
      2. But God gives us reasons to be thankful for whatever situation
         in which we find ourselves
      3. If all the members are willing to see themselves as God sees
         them, there will be no room for pride or envy

   D. BE SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH - Jm 1:19-20
      1. Poor communication and short tempers will quickly destroy any
         relationship
      2. But if all apply this "triad" of graces, problems can be 
         gracefully handled and overcome

   E. PRACTICE PURE AND UNDEFILED RELIGION - Jm 1:22-27
      1. This involves each of us...
         a. Being doers of the Word, and not just hearers
         b. Letting our actions speak louder than our words
         c. Attending to the needs of the less fortunate
         d. Keeping ourselves untainted by the world
      2. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have fellowship in a congregation
         where all are true "practitioners" of this kind of religion?

   F. DEMONSTRATE WISDOM BY YOUR CONDUCT - Jm 3:13,17-18
      1. Again, we are letting our actions speak louder than our words
      2. Note especially verse 17, wouldn't it be wonderful to be in a
         congregation filled with people demonstrating a wisdom that
         is:  "...first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield,
         full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without
         hypocrisy."?

   G. PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER - Jm 5:13-16
      1. When we are praying for others, it is hard to be angry at them
      2. When we know others are praying for us, it is hard not to love
         them
      3. When we are praying for each other, not only is our fellowship
         with God strengthened, but our fellowship with one another!

   H. RESTORE THE ERRING - Jm 5:19-20
      1. When people stray from the faith, we lose the benefit of their
         fellowship with us
      2. Restoring them back to God not only saves them, but blesses us
         with their renewed fellowship!

CONCLUSION

1. This quick survey of The Epistle Of James illustrates many of the
   good things we can do to be "Enriching Our Life Together"

2. Indeed, the entire New Testament is filled with admonitions...
   a. Not only to enhance our relationship with God
   b. But also to enhance our fellowship with one another!
   -- Let the Word of God be our guide to creating and maintaining "Our
      Life Together"!

How about "your" relationship with God and His children (i.e., the 
church)?  Is it what it ought to be?  Can we help you draw nearer to 
God and His family...? - cf. Ga 3:26-27; Jm 5:16
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