Fellowship
Fellowship
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
The Greek word for fellowship is Koinonia.
A definition of fellowship is; a close association of friends or equals sharing similar interests. Unfortunately, the word fellowship has lost its spiritual and scriptural context in the way we apply it today.
Fellowship has become more of a pre and post worship gossip session, story time and complaint seminar. Of the many fellowship events and pre-church services that I’ve attended, not many were centered around the seemingly similar interest of Jesus Christ. It’s always been a gathering of acquaintances who share friendly niceties and politeness. Most of the people you will seldom talk to through the rest of the week.
People talked about the best places to eat lunch, what happened at work, the best sports teams and how close deer season was - all while standing in church. I’m not saying these topics shouldn’t be talked about - it just shouldn’t be labeled fellowship. It’s false advertising.
The word fellowship was used to describe any time the similar interests of a gathering was because the attendees all went to the same church. Not because they professed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Less and less church attendees talk about Christ before or after a service. Less and less Christian’s talk about Jesus during the week. Our temporary home here on earth has become the permanent focus of our eternal lives. And because we label it fellowship, we are filling a requirement on a list with a box to check. This is not fellowship.
We’ve become social exquisites. We worry more about the angle of the picture and the clothes that we are wearing and what others will think, rather than pointing our fingers to Christ.
I see people that say they love the Lord, never talk about Him. I see people who would rather point to other people than to point to their Savior. Our lives should scream Jesus Christ if we want people to listen.
But we would rather hide behind the doors of a church. Keep our Christianity safe and comfortable within our networks and protect the information at all cost. We’d rather say what we would do, than do what we would say. I see activist for “the cause” raise their arms only to sit back down in the chair.
This is why fellowship has become weak. Because we’ve allowed it. The essence of fellowship is a community of like-minded believers who love and share with each other - the teachings and principles of Jesus Christ - not the things of the world.
I hope that people will see the work that Christ has done in me. I can’t even imagine what it would be like if the world saw communities where Jesus Christ was at the center. Can you?
Our common fellowship with one another should be based on our fellowship with Jesus Christ - this is fellowship. If it’s the world you want people to see - then that is what you’ll point to.
The essence of fellowship is love, faith and encouragement through being in agreement, being united and serving alongside “one another”.
“One another” is our fellowship with each other. It IS our like interest and belief. It is our community. But only if we treat it that way. Not if we don’t.
👉“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”
I Peter 3:8-9
👉“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
I John 1:5-7
👉“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”
Romans 12:10, 12-13
👉“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:32
👉“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”
Galatians 5:13-15
👉“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:16-17
👉“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
I Thessalonians 5:11
👉”And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
I Peter 4:8-10