The Hug Of Christian Fellowship

In the fall of the year, Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta to the Yukon. Linda didn't know you don't travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture. The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wakeup call so she could get an early start. She couldn't understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early- morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood. Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged. "Where are you headed?" one of the truckers asked. 'Whitehorse'

"In that little Civic? No way! This pass is dangerous in weather like this." "Well, I'm determined to try," was Linda's gutsy, if not very informed, response. "Then I guess we're just going to have to hug you," the trucker suggested. Linda drew back. "There's no way I'm going to let you touch me!"

"Not like THAT!" the truckers chuckled. "We'll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear. In that way, we'll get you through the mountains." All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains. Caught in the fog in our dangerous passage through life, we need to be "hugged." With fellow Christians who know the way and can lead safely ahead of us, and with others behind, gently encouraging us along, we too, can pass safely.

All of us need the “hug” of Christian fellowship… sometimes we are the “hugger” and sometimes we are the “huggee”. Life is full of foggy mountain passes that apart from the fellowship of Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ are impossible to navigate.

Now fellowship in New Testament encompasses several qualities. The Greek word for fellowship comes from a root meaning common or shared. So fellowship means common participation in something either by giving what you have to the other person or receiving what he or she has. Give and take is the essence of fellowship and give and take must be the way of fellowship in the common life of the body of Christ.

Further, Christian fellowship is two-dimensional, and it has to be vertical before it can be horizontal. We must know the reality of fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ before we can know the reality of true fellowship with each other in our common relationship to God. While N.T. fellowship combined ministry to one another, gathering for instruction from the teaching of the Apostles, and sacrificing for the good of the Church, it also involved the joy of being with the saints. With that in mind, today at 5 pm will all gather for a church-wide fellowship. It is the second of 3 planned for our summer season here at Ridgecrest. I hope you will join us at the Recreation and Fitness Center… there will be inflatables for the kidos, tables and chairs in the gym for you to gather and eat with friends, laugh, and enjoy being together. There will also be 3 food trucks—a dessert truck, a hot dog truck, and a Greek food truck… you can purchase whatever you like or bring your own styled meal—just be sure and join in the joyous gathering.

Today is also the last day that Alison and I will be here until August. Thank you for allowing me this time away to refresh, pray, rest, and read! As always, I’ll spend most of the first part of my day in study, prayer and reading… most of my preaching agenda for the coming year happens during this time so I covet your prayers. I’ll be recharged and ready to be back the first week of August… in the mean time, don’t you take off. Be faithful to support the guys that will be preaching in my absence, be faithful in your financial gifts, and be faithful in the work of God. I love being your Pastor and remember that God is always trying to take us someplace new.

For God’s Glory Alone,
Pastor Ray

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