The early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42). Jesus commanded His apostles to go into all the world and teach people everything that He commanded them. The apostles taught others what they learned from Jesus, and what they continued to learn from Him through the work of the Holy Spirit.
We can only give what we have received
Fellowship in the Word of God happens when we first experience the living word of God. The apostles were able to teach the people because they had something to teach. That may seem like stating the obvious. But the reality is this – we can only pass onto others what we ourselves have. The apostles were rich with what they received from Jesus. Because they received from Jesus, they had much to give. If we are to be effective communicators of the word of God, we need to receive it, so we have something to give.
When we are filled with the word of Christ, we can declare Him to others
It’s not only preachers who are called to do this. Everyone in the body of Christ is called to be filled with His word so that we have something to share with everyone who needs to hear the word of the Lord. For example, Paul instructed the Colossians to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).
When we are filled with the word of Christ, the effects are wonderful. We can teach and admonish one another, with the wisdom God provides. We can sing songs of praise, and express our thanks to God, because of His word which lives within us. When our heart is filled with the word of Christ, we have something to teach others, something to sing, something to be thankful for. We can witness to others. All these things are expressions that come from a heart that is filled with the word of Christ.
If we are being filled with the word of Christ, then we have something to share when we come together. It may be a teaching, a word of encouragement or warning, a word of thanks to God. This can only happen if we receive the word of Christ into our hearts, and then, we have something to share.