STEPS TO BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP

TEXT- ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12

INTRODUCTION

THIS MORNING THE TITLE OF MY SERMON IS, "STEPS TO BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP" AND OUR TEXT IS FOUND IN ECCLESIASTES 4:9-12.

THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES GETS ITS NAME FROM THE SEPTUIGENT OR GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

IT IS WHAT IS CALLED A TRANSLITERATION AND COMES FROM THE WORD "EKKLESIA" WHICH LITERALLY MEANS, "ASSEMBLY" AND IS OFTEN TIMES TRANSLATED "CHURCH" WITHIN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

IT IS COMMONLY BELIEVED THAT SOLOMON WAS THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK AND IT WOULD SEEM AS THOUGH CHAPTER 1:1 WOULD ADD WEIGHT TO THAT BELIEF.

BEING A KING IS A VERY LONELY POSITION.

I AM SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL HEARD THE EXPRESSION, "IT IS LONELY AT THE TOP".

FROM THIS LACK OF COMPANIONSHIP SOLOMON PENNED THESE WORDS THAT WE FIND IN OUR TEXT FOR OUR INSTRUCTION TODAY.

I AM CONVINCED THAT MANY CHILDREN OF GOD TODAY EITHER NEGLECT OR DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE AND MEANING OF THE WORD FELLOWSHIP.

FROM A BIBLICAL STANDPOINT THE WORD "FELLOWSHIP" COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD "KOINONIA" WHICH LITERALLY MEANS, "TO SHARE SOMETHING IN COMMON".

A MORE MODERN DEFINITION OF THE WORD FELLOWSHIP THAT MIGHT HELP YOU PICTURE IT IN YOUR MIND IS, "TWO FELLOWS IN A SHIP".

HERE WITHIN OUR TEXT WE FIND FOUR STEPS TO BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP.

LET'S LOOK AT OUR TEXT NOW AND SEE HOW WE CAN PRACTICE BIBLICAL  FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER.