I recently began a new sermon series called Commit at my church on what biblically committed church membership looks like. This post is based off of the ninth sermon in that series, which was not recorded.
Every person, whether they will acknowledge it or not, longs to be a part of a community. In the town I live, we see the words “Hornet Nation” on the windows and signs of various businesses. For the most part, the people of my town rally around the school. We could say that “Hornet Nation” is a community.
We could also speak of other types of community. Farmers make up the farming community. Veterans make up the veterans’ community. Sometimes people refer to an ethnic community, such as a Hispanic community. We could speak of the academic community. There are organizations of people interested in social justice or the environment. There is the LGBT community. There are many people that rally around their favorite sports teams. I know this because I have a Facebook feed and I get tired of seeing everyone’s outbursts on Saturdays about the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Here’s the bottom line: every person wants to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves. From the very beginning of creation, we see that God has designed us to be social beings. We are not made be in isolation from other people.
Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
That passage is speaking of marriage, but the principle is the same. Human beings are made in God’s image (Gen 1:26-27) and we are made to be in relationship with one another. God has designed the church to be the community that every person is looking for. When we trust in Jesus, we have fellowship with God. Not only do we have fellowship with God, but when we join a church we have fellowship with one another. This is the community for which we have been designed – the community of those redeemed by Christ.
You might be thinking, why do we need a whole sermon on fellowship? I would answer by saying that most of us even in the church have an incomplete view of what fellowship is. We tend to think of fellowship as simply spending time with other Christians. We think of potlucks or ice cream socials. Certainly, fellowship can happen at those events, but Christians can spend time together and never have true biblical fellowship. I’m going to flesh this out in just a moment, but let’s first read Acts 2:41-47.
Acts 2:41-47
41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
This has kind of been our main text for this sermon series. Acts 2 is where the Christian church is born through Peter’s preaching about Jesus. Those who received his word were baptized and added to the church in Jerusalem (v. 41). Verse 42 says that these believers devoted themselves to four things: the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer.
Verse 42 is the first verse in our New Testament that uses the word koinonia (here translated fellowship). The word is used 19 times in the New Testament. In the ESV, it’s translated:
- Fellowship (9x)
- Participation (3x)
- Share (3x)
- Contribution (2x)
- Part (1x)
- Partnership (1x)
Notice right away from verse 42 that fellowship is not the same as sharing a meal. Fellowship is not the same as breaking bread (or sharing a meal together). Today, I want to help us to understand what it means to have fellowship with one another and how we can do it more effectively.
(1) The basis for biblical fellowship is our fellowship with God
1 John 1:1-3
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
In these verses, John is going to great lengths to show that Jesus was indeed God in the flesh. John has heard him, seen him, and touched him. John was an eyewitness of Jesus’ life. And what John is saying in verse 3 is that to have fellowship with him and those with him you must believe the same things about Jesus. In other words, you must first be a Christian to have true biblical fellowship with other Christians.
You must believe the gospel. You must believe that the Bible is God’s Word. To join our church, you need to believe what we believe.
You shouldn’t join a church because its members share your political party. You shouldn’t join because you share the same social status or economic status or skin color. Instead, you should join a church whose fellowship is built upon the gospel and the truth of God’s Word. If the fellowship of a church isn’t built on the right foundation, then it will not stand.
So, the basis for true fellowship between Christians is that they are in fact Christians.
(2) In biblical fellowship, there is a community relationship
We see this in Acts 2:42. These early Christians were not devoted to just social activities. Rather, they had a relationship with one another. Their fellowship with God (1 John 1:3) had brought them into this fellowship. They had been redeemed by Christ and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, they began to share their lives with one another.[1]Jerry Bridges, True Fellowship, 10-11.
That’s what true fellowship is. It is sharing a common life. Our shared salvation in Christ is an objective truth that provides the foundation for the experiential aspects of fellowship.[2]Bridges, True Fellowship, 50. One passage (in addition to Acts 2:42-47) that encapsulates the meaning of true fellowship is found in Romans 12. I’ve shared some of the verses below.
Romans 12:4-5, 9-13, 15-16a
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another…
…9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality…
…15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another.
These verses describe what it means to experience fellowship. We are individually members of the same body. We are to love one another, to avoid evil, and hold fast to what is good. We show honor to one another. We are to zealous and to fervently serve the Lord. We are to be patient in tribulation and constant in prayer. We’re to care for the needy among us. We are to be hospitable to one another. We rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We live in harmony with one another.
Acts 2:44 says it simply this way.
Acts 2:44
And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
That sounds like a community that I want to be a part of. I hope you do as well. Does Romans 12 describe your commitment to the church?
- Do you have a genuine love for other members of the church? Do you know their names? Do you know their kids’ names?
- Do you honor other members of the church by considering the good of the church above your own preferences?
- Do you fervently serve the Lord?
- Do you consistently pray for members of the church?
- Do you care for the needy among in the church?
- Do you rejoice with those who rejoice?
- Do you weep with those who weep?
- Are you seeking to live in harmony with others?
Does this describe your commitment to the church, or do you view the church as simply a service you attend?
Is the church a group of people you fellowship with or simply a service you attend? Are you sharing your life with others or simply sharing a pew with them?
We are not called to simply share a pew with one another. We are called to share our lives with one another! In biblical fellowship, there is a community relationship. In addition, there is a spiritual relationship.
(3) In biblical fellowship, we have a spiritual relationship
As I mentioned earlier, we are not created to be alone. Spiritual fellowship is necessary for our spiritual growth and health. I think most of us have a truncated (or incomplete) view of fellowship.
We tend to think that Christian fellowship is simply spending time with other Christians. I would push back on that and say that unbelievers socialize with one another every day. Koinonia is more than simply sharing a pew with someone. It’s more than talking over a meal.
Isn’t it true that Christians can sit and talk together for ours and speak about sports, the weather, or politics? They can spend much time together and never discuss God, the Bible, and spiritual matters. If our fellowship doesn’t have a spiritual aspect to it and doesn’t help us grow in Christ, then it’s not biblical fellowship.
If our fellowship doesn’t have a spiritual aspect to it and doesn’t help us grow in Christ, then it’s not biblical fellowship.
Here are just a couple of verses indicating that fellowship is more than Christian social activity:
Heb 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
1 Thess 2:8
So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
How can we foster spiritual relationships with one another?
- We must commit to the church.
- We must seek to encourage, admonish, and pray for one another.
- We should be willing to watch out for one another.
- We seek to bear one another’s burdens.
- You should join a small group in your church.
- You should seek out relationships with other church members where you:
- speak of Scripture with one another.
- are open with one another.
- are accountable to one another.
- pray with one another.
Here are some questions you can ask someone to go beyond the surface: [3]Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, 161.
- What has God been doing in your life?
- What are some spiritual challenges you’ve had recently?
- What have you been reading in the Bible?
- How’s your prayer life?
- How can I pray for you?
Here’s what I’m saying. You’ll never experience true fellowship with others in the church if you only come to our Sunday morning service. You may be encouraged by the music and the sermon but you cannot have a deep level of Christian fellowship in one hour a week.
Fellowship is going to take some work. Don’t expect to become close with others just by walking through the church doors. Seek fellowship through small groups and conversations with others. If you want to have friends, you must be friendly yourself.
Biblical fellowship is built on a relationship with God through Christ. Biblical fellowship has both community relationship and spiritual relationship aspects.
(4) In biblical fellowship, we share our possessions and resources
Look again at Acts 2:44-46
44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
In v. 46, we see that these early believers broke bread together in their homes. Again, you see them sharing their lives with one another. Also note that in v. 45 that these Christians sold their possessions and belongings in order to care for the needy among them. An important aspect of biblical community is that we share our possessions with one another.
Before you ask, I’m not a socialist. I think that our capitalistic system in America has done so much good not just for us in America but for the entire world. That is a subject we could spend many hours talking about. Socialism is an economic system where your money is taken by force and redistributed.
When it comes to the church, we are not forced to give to others. While we are called to care for the needy among us, it should be something we desire to do because of the grace of God and the working of the Spirit (2 Cor 8-9). We care for others because we are members of one body (Rom 12:5).
Galatians 6:10
So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Biblical fellowship isn’t just having coffee and doughnuts together. Sometimes, biblical fellowship is digging deep into our pocketbooks to help a brother or sister in need. We talked about giving a couple of weeks ago. What is your attitude towards giving to another church member in need? Do you love to bless others in the name of Christ?
In our Commit series, we’ve talked about giving and serving. Both giving and serving are aspects of true biblical fellowship. Verse 46 also speaks of the believers breaking bread in their homes.
When is the last time you hosted another church family in your home for a meal? Church, let’s practice fellowship by sharing our possessions and resources with one another. Let’s fellowship with one another in our homes.
Finally, the last thing about biblical fellowship I want to mention is this:
(5) In biblical fellowship there is a shared partnership
We tend to think of fellowship as within the body of Christ and that’s true. As we build up and encourage each other we are in fellowship with one another. But the word koinonia, the word translated fellowship, can also be translated partnership. Look at Philippians 1:3-5.
Philippians 1:3-5
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
The word partnership in v. 5 is koinonia, the same Greek word that is most often translated fellowship. You probably remember from our sermon series in Philippians that the Philippian church were in a partnership with Paul. They supported him through prayer and financial support as he preached the gospel. Because of this, Paul regarded the Philippians as partners with him in the gospel.
Biblical fellowship is also a shared partnership. We work together within our own church for the sake of missions and evangelism. In addition, we support gospel ministry through prayer and giving. We’ve done that most recently with the Huffines and the Mintons. We give to the ministries of the Trinity Baptist Association, the ABSC, and the SBC.
I’ll say it once more. One aspect of biblical fellowship is a shared partnership in the gospel.
Conclusion
I know I’ve said a lot this morning, but I want to sum it up in a few words. All of us desperately need biblical fellowship. We cannot simply share a pew. We must share our very lives with others. Seek to know others. Be willing to be known. Let people into your business so to speak. In doing so, you will be encouraged more than you could ever imagine. Hornet Nation is great, but belonging and committing to the body of Christ is infinitely better.
Donald Whitney writes of a pastor that went to visit a church member who had been neglecting the fellowship of the church. The pastor went into the man’s house and they both sat down by the fireplace. Without speaking, the pastor looked at the fire for several minutes. He pulled out one of the red-hot coals and set it apart from the others. Soon it lost its glow and became dark and cold. After a short time the pastor put the coal back into the fire with the others and it quickly returned to its former strength. The strength of your spiritual fire is related to the fellowship you have with the body of Christ. We need koinonia fellowship with other believers. [4]Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church, 158-59.