Koinonia

PRAYER - for understanding and application of koinonia.

The last few weeks I have spoken of Jesus being our Best Friend.

This morning I want to go deeper.

I want us to go way beyond culture’s definition of friendship.

I believe we can do that by exploring the NT concept of koinonia.

Let’s start with looking at:

Acts 2:42–43 (NLT) All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to [koinonia] fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.

1 John 1:3 (LSB) what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you may also have [koinonia] fellowship with us; and indeed our [koinonia] fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

The very first use of the Greek word, “Koinonia” is here in Acts 2.

It is translated “fellowship, sharing together, united together,

The NET Bible footnotes says: The word “Fellowship” refers here to close association involving mutual involvement and relationships.

I tend to believe few western churches today experience what the Acts 2 church had in the way of “fellowship.”

Such a close sharing of life is an alien concept to most of us.

And we are the poorer for it.

We do not know the essence of 1 Corinthians 12:25–26 (TPT) [That tells us that God speaking of the Body of Christ, the Church] … has [intentionally] mingled the body parts together so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern, and so that there will be no division in the body. 26 In that way, whatever happens to one member happens to all. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices.

We are mostly foreigners to such a concept.

Some have briefly experienced it (I know my family has), but most have not.

Well-known author Jerry Bridges comments on this Acts 2 use of koinonia in his book, True Community: The Biblical Practice of Koinonia :

We’re not surprised that these new believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to prayer. But to fellowship? It would seem strange to include fellowship along with teaching and prayer if fellowship meant no more than Christian social activity.

In both Acts 2:42 and 1 John 1:3, the New English Bible translates koinōnia as “sharing a common life.” This is the most basic meaning of koinonia, or fellowship. It is sharing a common life with other believers—a life that, as John says, we share with God the Father and God the Son. It is a relationship, not an activity.

Those first Christians of Acts 2 were not devoting themselves to social activities but to a relationship—a relationship that consisted of sharing together the very life of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

They understood that they had entered this relationship by faith in Jesus Christ, not by joining an organization.

My thoughts: the church was NEVER meant to be an organization — God intended it to be a living, breathing organism.

The Western church has turned it into an organization.

[These Acts 2 believers] realized that their fellowship with God logically brought them into fellowship with one another. Through their union with Christ, they were formed into a spiritually organic community. They were [as 1 Peter 2:5 says] living stones being built into a spiritual house, fellow members of the body of Christ.

As William Hendriksen said, “Koinonia, then, is basically a community-relationship.” It is not primarily an activity; it is a relationship.

So, our second scripture in 1 John 1 further clarifies what Koinonia is and from where it flows:

1 John 1:3 (BBE) We give you word of all we have seen and everything which has come to our ears, so that you may be united with us; and we are united with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ:

I am in complete agreement with the Complete Biblical Library that says:

[In 1 John 1:3] John regarded koinōnia as an impossible relationship apart from its being experienced both vertically with God and horizontally with humanity. If one has koinōnia with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ (1:3), then one will have koinōnia with other believers who have this same relationship to God (1:6, 7).

If fellowship does not exist between believers, then any claim to have fellowship with God is invalid.

The converse, though not stated, would also be true: True human koinōnia is impossible apart from koinōnia with God.

Too many come in just before, right at or just after service starts.

Then run out as service ends.

I get it.

Some of you have been hurt by church people.

Some of you are introverts.

I would like you extreme introverts to think about this:

Introversion does NOT excuse you distancing yourself from relationship with other people.

Holding people at arm’s length.

I don’t say this as an extrovert talking down to introverts.

NO!

I am an introvert who knows the value, the priority of a shared life with other believers.

No matter how much energy the cost.

To remind you again, the difference between extroversion and introversion is a matter of energy — not shyness.

An extrovert needs interactions with and stimulation from other people to gain energy.

Being alone and being self-stimulated is EXHAUSTING to them.

Conversely, an introvert needs alone-time and self-stimulation (reading a book, listening to music, staring at scenery, etc.) to gain energy.

Interacting with other people is absolutely EXHAUSTING to them.

But Jesus doesn’t give introverts a pass concerning being with other believers.

He requires us to interact with others as much as He requires extroverts to shut their mouths and spend quiet time in His Presence.

A couple of minutes ago I read from 1 Corinthians 12 where the Apostle Paul compares the church to the human body.

He says: 1 Corinthians 12:12–13 (TPT) Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we all were immersed and mingled into one single body. …

1 Corinthians 12:18–20 (TPT) … God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires. 19 A diversity is required, for if the body consisted of one single part, there wouldn’t be a body at all! 20 So now we see that there are many differing parts and functions, but one body.

Introvert and extrovert believers need each other.

Not just tolerate each other — we desperately NEED each other.

We balance one another out.

If the introverts separate themselves from the rest of the Body it will fail to operate properly — if at all.

So, I repeat what the CBL says: Koinōnia is an impossible relationship apart from its being experienced both vertically with God AND horizontally with humanity.

But Koinonia is only a part of what we read about in Acts 2:42-43

When the Holy Spirit birthed the church on the Day of Pentecost the early followers of Jesus prioritized:

The teaching of the Word of God

Koinonia - Developing strong bonds of mutual involvement, association and relationship

Breaking bread together

Which included shared meals as well as the Lord’s Supper

And, prayer.

What was the result?

KJV - fear

Which speaks of a deep sense of awe or, as the NET renders it: Reverential awe

We are talking about the “Fear of the Lord,” a concept that has been lost in the western church.

And yet:

Psalm 34:9 (BBE) Keep yourselves in the fear of the Lord, all you his saints; for those who do so will have no need of anything.

Psalm 111:10 (NLT) [The] Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever!

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) [The] Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 14:27 (NLT) [The] Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.

There are many, many scriptures that speak of “fearing God,” but the Preacher summed it all up in…

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 (NLT) … Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.

As the Acts 2 church prioritized the Word, Koinonia, the breaking of bread and prayer…

Not only was there a sense of reverent fear, holy awe — but God was in the house with signs, miracles and wonders.

It may have started with the Apostles — but God wasn’t showing favoritism.

As BELIEVERS, anyone who put their trust in Jesus, those who began to move in faith — God poured out miracles everywhere in fulfillment of:

Mark 16:17–18 (NLT) [where Jesus said:] These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Why did the shekinah glory of God fall in the first century church?

Why did God manifest sign, wonders and miracles?

Because the followers of Jesus DEVOTED themselves to…

The Word of God

Developing strong bonds of mutual involvement, association and relationship

Sharing meals together

Sharing the Lord’s Supper

And, prayer.

They didn’t just pursue these things…

When it was convenient.

When entertainment didn’t pull them away

When their feelings, their emotions were in the right place

They pursued these things, they devoted themselves to these things because they prioritized God.

They prioritized their relationship with Him.

What might happen in our day, in this church, if WE prioritized:

Corporate study of the Word?

Koinonia - the pursuit of deeper relationships with other believers — of followers of Christ who actually followed the NT pattern of intertwining their lives for the sake of the Kingdom

Of the breaking of bread together — sharing meals AND the Lord’s Supper together (Some of us are pretty fair at this)

And, deep and meaningful prayer.

During our prayer time together on Tuesday, as the Lord was dealing with me, I put together some thoughts of what the 2024 version of this passage would look like.

I will spare you the sarcasm of my original thoughts.

But it seems that in the western church of 2024 Instead of being DEVOTED to the pursuit of the Word, koinonia, the breaking of bread and prayer — there is an abandonment of these things.

So, there should be NO surprise that …

There is a sense that something is missing, that there should be more.

AND there is a complete lack of signs, miracles and wonders.

That, in fact, people are clueless about the divine supernatural.

They know about skeletons, Harry Potter, Halloween, zombies and ghosts.

But church people have become duped into believing that subwoofers, lasers and fog, and celebrity worship leaders are the Presence of God.

If we want something more.

If we want what the 1st Century church had, we WILL have to follow their pattern.

The Word

The 1st Century church prioritized corporate teaching and learning of the Word.

They devoted themselves to corporate study of the teachings of Jesus as presented by those who knew them best — the Apostles.

But those Apostles did what says:

2 Timothy 2:1–2 (NLT) Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

Are we doing that?

The Western church seems to say:

Listen to podcats

Do individual studies to the exclusion of studying with others (BOTH are needed!).

Go, travel to far-flung venues to hear celebrity preachers

Wednesday nights are devoted to corporate study of the Word and we have only a fraction of the Sunday morning attendance — NOT because people can’t be there, but because it’s NOT a priority.

God is calling His church to recapture the coming together of believers in a local setting to study, to work through practical application, to PRAY over the Word and, like Jesus, make the Word become flesh — lived out before an unbelieving world.

Koinonia

I have obviously spoken about this a bit in the message today.

But I want to emphasize that the first century believers prioritized community.

They prioritized relationships with other believers.

Hebrews 10:25 [reminded them to] not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

Assembling to what purpose?

In the previous verse: Hebrews 10:24 (LSB) And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

Can we start on improving our koinonia today?

As we gather for our meal would you dare to get outside your comfort zone?

Get outside of the same people with whom you always gather?

Get to know someone else in the church better?

Develop something more than a superficial relationship?

Breaking of Bread

The Acts 2 church prioritized breaking bread together.

Because sharing meals allows for the development of koinonia

In fact it seems like meals shared together is ideal for this.

It is a natural setting for talking AND LISTENING (you extroverts will struggle with this!)

Meals shared together will prepare us for our regular observance of the Lord’s Supper together.

Where together we remember the sacrifice of Jesus.

Where together we remember His substitutionary death.

Where together we rejoice that He is not dead — that He rose from the dead victorious.

Prayer

And yes, let us like the 1st century church DEVOTE ourselves to, PRIORITIZE corporate prayer.

Yesterday I received a copy of Influence Magazine.

A magazine for AG ministers.

The Executive editor, George P. Wood wrote:

There are moments when I almost despair at the state of Christianity in the United States.

The percentage of Americans with no religious affiliation continues to increase, while the share of those identifying as Christian and attending worship services declines.

Every week brings new reports of prominent Christian leaders discrediting themselves through sexual immorality, financial impropriety, or spiritual abuse.

And among those ministers who remain faithful, many report high levels of stress, burnout, and even a desire to leave vocational ministry altogether.

In short, the American Church seems like it’s failing — badly. Even so, my desperation is almost rather than absolute.... [because as I look at the Gospels, I see a reason for hope.]

The disciples … [also] seemed to have lost faith along the way, a loss that was evident in their prayerlessness. But Jesus encouraged His disciples with a complete trust in God characterized His own faith.

I cannot help but wonder whether the American Church’s seeming failure, like the disciples’ before them, is the result of a prayerlessness that reveals lack of faith.

Rather than trusting God, are we trusting in the long history of Christian influence in America, church-growth techniques, or politics?

If so, we are trusting in human means to accomplish divine ends, when, as Jesus said, some things will happen “only by prayer.”

As 2024 begins, then, let us commit ourselves afresh to faith-filled prayer for revival in America, for purification of the Church, and for the encouragement of disheartened Christians.

If everything is possible for God, and in Mark 14:36, Jesus said … “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You… ” then, there is always reason to hope.

We can hope for God to change our situations today as we prioritize, as we devote ourselves to prayer.

Let’s TODAY Pursue Koinonia

Let’s do what the first century church did — let’s prioritize koinonia.

First and foremost let us prioritize koinonia with God.

Then let’s be willing to go deeper in relationship with one another.

E.D. Martin says: Christian koinonia is too serious a matter to be trivialized and reduced into merely having a social good time. Koinonia will continue to be an essential element in church life and an attractive component of the gospel message for those outside of faith and thus outside of true koinonia.

Koinonia in the Church Today

Popular connotations of fellowship often fall far short of what the NT labels koinonia.

Koinonia is more than meeting together from time to time; it is more than merely enjoying the presence of others; it is more than those feelings of well-being which warm our hearts when we greet our friends at church functions; it is more than common ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and historical ties (although these may well represent important psychological and sociological values); it is more than the organization of a congregation into a series of subgroups related to interest, age, and sex (such multiplication of activities can become a substitute for true koinonia). (Driver, 1976:29)

Koinonia is first of all an experience of commonality and community before it is something that people do. The reality of the bonding of human and divine in Christ, issues in genuine, tangible human relations that encompass the whole gamut of human existence. Believers are to experience the koinonia of faith in the worship assembly, and also in the social and economic aspects of life. The genius of true koinonia is in the intertwining of the spiritual and material in the sharing of life. It is not enough to confess a “spiritual” kinship with all Christians while failing to cross the social, racial, and economic fences of the prevailing culture in tangible and authentic ways.

Martin, E. D. (1993). Colossians, Philemon (pp. 258–259). Herald Press.

Look in this study guide beyond what I have below: Fellowship with Believers

① As you read the following definition, underline the word or words that best help you understand the meaning of koinonia with God.

Koinonia is a Greek term the New Testament writers used to describe the practical expression of God’s love toward His people. Sometimes it is translated fellowship, partnership, sharing, or even stewardship. The term expresses the way God’s love is manifested in real life and is the standard by which we are to love one another. Koinonia is the way we experience the fullness of God’s love for His people and in His people. In a real sense, koinonia is the essence of God’s great salvation. Koinonia is also the basis of the way we relate to one another as the family of God.

Without a personal relationship with God, there is no salvation; there is no eternal life. The relationship is not about external acts of ritual; it is an internal response of the heart. Salvation frees us from sin so that we can know God. Some people think we are freed from sin in order to act right; yet God’s desire is that we be right. God created us to be in a right relationship with Him. “God’s Word for Today,” John 17:3, illustrates the significance of Koinonia, the personal interaction between God and His people.

The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (see Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37–38 below). Our relationship with God is to be first and foremost in our lives. As we experience a relationship with God, He expects us to relate to others in the family of God the way He relates to us.

“Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”—Deuteronomy 6:5

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment.”—Matthew 22:37–38

Jesus told a parable about a servant who owed his master a great sum of money (see Matthew 18:21–35). The servant deserved to be thrown in jail, but the master was gracious and forgave the debt. Now free, the servant found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money and, instead of showing mercy, had him thrown in jail. When the master heard about it, he was angry. After being forgiven of a great debt, the servant was not willing to forgive a small one! The master asked the servant, “Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?” (v. 33). He then revoked the gift and had the servant thrown in prison.

② Write some words below that describe God’s love for you. Then compare what you wrote with the list in “God’s Love” below.

Today’s Spiritual Reality

God expects us to have sincere fellowship with one another.

↕ Read and meditate on “God’s Word for Today” and “Today’s Spiritual Reality” above. Begin today’s study with prayer.

The word Koinonia, which describes our relationship with God, is the same word John used in 1 John 1:3–7 to describe our relationship with the family of God. In other words, the love relationship expressed between God and His people is the same love relationship we are to share with others in the church. His love in us ought to flow through us to those in the church.

Blackaby, M., & Stevens, B. (2008). Fellowship with Believers (p. 56). LifeWay Press.

Sharing. Koinonia also implies sharing. It is releasing everything in you to the one with whom you are sharing. Scripture tells us that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness (see 2 Peter 1:3–4). In addition, we are told that we share in the divine nature when the Spirit of Christ comes to live in us.

Blackaby, M., & Stevens, B. (2008). Fellowship with Believers (pp. 54–55). LifeWay Press.

Bill Hybels- “The local church is the hope of the world. There is nothing like the local church when it’s working right. Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community. It builds bridges to seekers and offers truth to the confused. It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, the disillusioned. It breaks the chains of addictions, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized of this world. Still to this day, the potential of the local church is almost more than I can grasp. No other organization on earth is like the church. Nothing even comes close.”