“Fellowship”

1. “Fellowship” is one of those words that just make us feel good- all warm and fuzzy both inside and out. It’s a “comfort word” instead of a “comfort food”. And it isn’t, or at least shouldn’t be, fattening! “Fellowship” provides us with a much-needed sense of belonging, family, and acceptance. It is not only wanted and needed, it is something that is essential to our spiritual well-being. We are supposed to receive tremendous benefits from our spiritual association one with another.

2. But two obvious questions come to mind about “Fellowship”: Exactly what is it? How do we get it? The first occurrence of the word “fellowship” is found in Acts 2:42. The word translated means “close mutual association” (Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains). It has to do with “association, community, communion, joint participation” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). It is the coming together and binding together of people into a homogenous group by common birth, purpose/practice, and emotion. (Philip Strong)

3. Let me show you… Notice carefully some basics of “fellowship” the text of Acts 2: -They were taught the same thing, vv.22-36, 38-40(common gospel/seed) -They believed the same thing, v.37(common understanding) -They did the same thing to become saved, vv.38,41(common birth) -They practiced the same things to grow and remain saved, vv.42(common activity/purpose) -They therefore felt the same way, v.43(common emotion).

4. But can we have it, and if so, how? Note again from the text of Acts 2: -This was a very diverse group of people, vv.5-11 -They had differing languages, cultures, habits, social and economic standings, etc. -But they became “one”! vv.41-46 -Now, if that group of people who spoke different languages, came from different places, had different jobs , and had different social and economic standards, could be “one,” so can we. How?

5. Think about it this way….. • “Fellowship” is a “ship” of “fellows” working for a common cause…. • In our case, heaven!

6. So…. • You can’t be united in a “ship” of “fellows,” • and paddle your own canoe! • Going in “your own direction” necessarily makes you alone; • And thus separates you from the “ship” of “fellows”! • Such is not, and cannot become “fellowship” because fellowship emphasizes commonality of mind (understanding), body (activity), andheart (emotion/ desire). Acts 2:41-43

7. What we have to do is: • First, wantto be united- get our hearts right, Eph.4:1-3. • Next, think / understand alike- get our minds right, Eph.4:4-6. • Then, work together- get our bodiesrowing right; toward the same destination, Eph.4:11-16. • Notice again how all three of these come together through “fellowship” in Phil.2:1-4, 12-16.

8. Conclusion: True “fellowship”, when saints are really united together in mind, body, and heart, is truly a wonderful thing of which to be a part. But it doesn’t just happen. We are all different, and have wantand workto have fellowship with one another. Please understand, we cannot be in fellowship with one another as a “church” unless we are first in fellowship with God as an individual, 1John 1:6-7. Such is the starting place- can we help you get started today?

10. This morning we looked at fellowship, tonight let’s spend a few minutes on brotherhoodto help round out our understanding of “church relationships”. • As a fellowshipcan be understood as a “ship” of “fellows” …. • Brotherhoodis supposed to be a “hood” of “brothers”! • While our current concept of “brother” may be close to the mark, we may have to adjust our modern thinking on“hood”…

11. So let’s go (biblical) “old school” and get back to the original meaning of “brother” and “hood” Again, “brotherhood” is a “hood” of “brothers”: • The “brother” part is pretty straightforward- in biblical terms, it is someone to whom you are related by shared parentage: God the Father, 1John 3:1; 1Pet.1:17; John 1:12. • Therefore obviously, Jesus Christ is your brother, as are all other children of the same Father, Rom.8:14-17. • But the “hood” part is a little more tricky. • “Hood,” when used as a suffix, comes from the Middle English “hod” and the Old English “had”and refers to a state, condition, quality, character. It means an association based on commonalityof characteristics, qualities, ideals, goals, and purpose(s). • So, being related is not all there is to it, Rom.9:6-7; 2:28-29.

12. Let’s also look at “brotherhood” from its usage in the New Testament: You might be surprised to learn that “brotherhood” actually only appears once in the New Testament: • 1Peter 2:17, “Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.” • It is translated from the Greek word, adelphotes, which means “brotherhood, brotherly kindness; a family of brothers, the brotherhood” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). • It is also defined as “an association of believers with adjectival strong sense of unity” (Dict. of Biblical Languages) • The only other occurrence of adelphotes in the N.T. is also Peter’s first epistle (1Pet.5:9) where it is translated as “brethren”. It is a reference to brethren in other parts of the world.

13. So what should all of this mean to us? A couple of things actually: Truly being able to address God as “Father” makes us brethren- and in a universal sense, part of the “brotherhood”. But, since hood implies “an association based on commonalityof characteristics, qualities, ideals, goals, and purposes,” then we “brethren” must be associated with one another in these ways to be part of the “hood of brothers” in Christ! Think about it this way: Jesus had familywho did not believe in Him, nor act according to His being the Son of God, John 7:3-5. But He did have a hood of brothers besides them, Luke 8:19-21!

14. Remember: “Fellowship” is a shipof fellows- people of the same mind, body, and heart working together for the common purpose of heaven. “Brotherhood”is a hoodof brothersin and with Christ in which all not only are relatedto Christ and God, they resembleThem in attitude and activity, Eph.4:32 – 5:10.