BOB MULLEN MARCH 14, 2010 The Right Hand of Fellowship.

BOB MULLENMARCH 14, 2010

The Right Hand of Fellowship

FELLOWSHIPPING

SERVING

WORSHIPPING

Our Mission

The Power of Gestures

Meanings the handshake can convey.

An Ancient Practice

Galatians 2:9, ESV

“and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”

What This Conveyed

That they were all equals in the gospel.

“I’m confident, I’m strong, but I’m not overbearing.”

They were not “clueless, uncomfortable, or out of place”.

Right Hand = Power and Ability

NIV Psalm 118:15

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!

Right Hand = Power and Ability

Exodus 15:6, ESV

Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power, your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy.

Right Hand = Power

NIV Hebrews 12:2

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Right Hand = Power

NIV Luke 6:6

On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.

Fellowship Defined

[UBS] koinonia, fellowship, a close mutual relationship;

participation, sharing in;partnership; contribution, gift

Fellowship is More Than Gesture

Acts 2:42, ESV

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Fellowship is More Than Eating…

1 Corinthians 1:9, ESV

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Of Unequal Relationships

2 Corinthians 6:14

“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?”

A Result of Having the Same Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:14

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

What Brings Us In to Fellowship

1 John 1:3, ESV

“…that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

What Brings Us Out of Fellowship

1 John 1:6, ESV

“If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”

Staying in Fellowship

1 John 1:7

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Thoughts/Applications for This Week

Learn how to shake hands.Be confident and strong, but not overbearing.

God has the real right hand/power to give us fellowship- look for it.

With whom do we have fellowship?