Devoted to Fellowship

What comes to your mind when you hear the word "fellowship"? Do you think of a casual date with someone from the opposite sex? Do you think about a pot-luck meal after the Sunday worship service? Is the only time you use the word 'fellowship' when you are describing the large hall of the church building where everyone seems to hang out before and after services?

It's sad. It's very sad that this word, fellowship, has lost its biblical meaning for Christians. The truth is we typically don't understand what the word fellowship (or even its Greek form = 'koinonia') really means.

Consequently--for the purposes of this little study on Acts 2:42 that we've been doing for a few weeks--it's hard to devote yourself to 'fellowship', if you don't know what fellowship refers to. So, I hope to provide a little illumination on that term, and a little challenge as well--that you engage in biblical fellowship.

First off, do a Bible study. The Greek word 'koinonia' is in each of the following verses... read them (Acts 2:42--fellowship; Romans 15:26--contribution; 1 Corinthians 1:9--fellowship; 1 Corinthians 10:16--sharing; 2 Corinthians 6:14--fellowship; 2 Corinthians 8:4--participation; 2 Corinthians 9:13--contribution; 2 Corinthians 13:14--fellowship; Galatians 2:9--fellowship; Philippians 1:5--participation; Philippians 2:1--fellowship; Philippians 3:10--fellowship; Philemon 1:6--fellowship; Hebrews 13:16--sharing; 1 John 1:3--fellowship; 1 John 1:6--fellowship; 1 John 1:7--fellowship). Are you getting a grasp of the depth of this word?

"Fellowship" is about sharing life with another; it's about giving for the sake of others in need; it's about deep relationships and intimacy; it's about joining others as partners to accomplish God-honoring goals; it's about recognizing that life is not a "lone ranger" experience; it's about recognizing that God is ever present with you and in you to comfort, empower, and strengthen you; it's about recognizing that the Christian life is a community process, not a solitary existence. ARE YOU SEEING IT? ARE YOU GETTING IT?

Fellowship isn't a meal you have in the gymnasium or basement of the church; it's not a hallway where folks drink coffee and engage in small talk. Fellowship is about the "one another's" of Scripture (e.g. Romans 12:10; Romans 12:16; Romans 13:8; Romans 14:13; Romans 14:19; Romans 15:7; Romans 15:14; Romans 16:16... just to name a few found in Romans). Fellowship is about recognizing that God has called you into relationship to Himself and to His other adopted children. In fact, He has even called you into relationship with the lost so that you might lead them to Christ (Matthew 11:19; Matthew 28:19-20; 1 Corinthians 9:22).

So, before this blog becomes a sermon... let me ask you a practical question: Are you regularly engaged in (biblical) fellowship? Are you partnering with your church? Are you fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit? Are you contributing to the needs of others (both physical and spiritual)? Are you "doing life" with other Christians--i.e. practicing the "one another's" of Scripture? Do you have a few people in your life with whom you have no secrets? If not, why not? Are you being discipled (mentored, invested in, etc.) by someone more mature than you in the faith? Are you discipling (mentoring, investing in, etc.) someone less mature in the faith than yourself (see 2 Timothy 2:2). Are you in a Discipleship Group (D-Group)? Are you spiritually accountable to some other people in your life?

If the above questions are real convicting--don't dwell on the guilt, just get in the game. Start. Start small. But start. Invest, give, share, open up, listen, empathize, sympathize, receive, accept, rebuke, counsel, etc. Engage in fellowship. It WILL change your life--God designed it that way.