The Fellowship of the Church

Acts 2:42–47 “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”

Introduction:

I have shared with you before that I know it is a miracle that I came to Jesus at all. What delayed me was the impression that I had of the church. I had met many people who would go to church but act completely contrary to what I believed a redeemed person would act like. I thought of them as hypocrites. Many of you might have been in the same boat that I was in. Some of you may have even been a reason someone has not found the love of God.

There are many things wrong with the church, first and foremost being that it is full of people like me and you. Its like the old saying goes, “If it wasn’t for the people it would be perfect.” (LOL). But here is the reality of it. You cannot have Jesus without having the church. The church is His idea. It is His creation. It is His plan and He is holding it all together.

The church has recieved a lot of criticism over the years and some don’t trust it at all. It really is a shame because there are many great things about the church.

The word we use for church comes from the Greek word “ekklesia” which means “called out ones.” Each time you see the word “church” in your New Testament, it is translated from “ekklesia.”

The church is not a building at 2303 Highway 341. It is the people of God who have been called out of a world of sin and been given a new identity and a new home of address.

So when people criticize the church they are not criticizing the building they are talking about you and me. And we have a great opportunity to show the world what we are really like.

One of the great things about the church is the fellowship of the believers. The Greek word, “koinonia” is so much more than going out to eat or having some fried chicken in the social hall after the preaching. It is the joint participation of individuals for a common cause of purpose (Dr. Tim Hill).

This Christian Fellowship or Koinonia is one of the things that I really admire about the church.

Lets dive into what its all about.

Fellowship’s Beginning

Fellowship didn’t start with the first fried chicken dinner. It started in the Garden of Eden when God walked with Adam and Eve. Genesis 3:8 says that God walked with them in the cool of the day.

As I have expressed before God is complete, lacking in nothing. He does not need anything from man but He desires that closeness with His creation. He enjoyed koinonia with Adam and Eve until they disobeyed Him thinking they could be like God themselves.

Adam and Eve destroyed the fellowship with God but it didn’t cause God to quit drawing people into it.

God has been consistently inviting His creation into fellowship.

Take Enoch:

Genesis 5:22–24 “After the birth of Methuselah, Enoch lived in close fellowship with God for another 300 years, and he had other sons and daughters. Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.”

Take Abram:

Genesis 12 outlines when God called Abram out of his native country and invited him into fellowship with Him. God even tells others that Abraham is his friend.

Isaiah 41:8 ““But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend,”

Take David:

1 Samuel 13:14 “But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.””

God is still drawing people into fellowship with Him through His Holy Spirit.

Fellowship’s Ingredients

1 John 1:5–7 “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

People love to be a part of something.

I have people who I know that are part of motorcycle clubs. They like to feel like they belong somewhere or with someone.

I loved that about the Marine Corps. We called is Esprit de Corps. We enjoyed a fellowship that many don’t understand. Just put two Marines in the same room and they will soon it out and they will have a kindred spirit. It really is interesting to see and experience.

Some people go to gyms or the YMCA to be around other people.

Seniors like to get together to play bingo.

Activist groups like to rally together around a common cause.

All of these are a type of fellowship but they lack a much needed ingredient.

They lack the light.

That is the light of Jesus Christ.

It is because the light of Jesus Christ that people from all different nations can come together and not understand each other’s languages yet still have fellowship. They can enjoy the Koinonia because they are walking in the light and that light is evident in other’s lives as well.

Fellowship must have Jesus in it!

Fellowship’s Limits

Hoping to lead a girlfriend/boyfriend to the Lord

Hanging out/partying

Things that test fellowship

Difference of opinion (Paul, Barnabas, Mark)

Difference of operation (Paul - Peter)

Styles

Can’t let differences cause us to miss out

Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

Concluding Thoughts

Don’t shy away from fellowship

Be intentional about fellowship

Be sincere about fellowship

Altar