Characteristics of the Early Church: Fellowship

"They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."
Acts 2:42

What does the word fellowship mean in this passage? The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia, and this word is translated as contribution (2), fellowship (12), participation (2), and sharing (3) (NASB Dictionary). This fellowship meant that they belonged to each other, nothing was held back from each other. They shared each other's joys and sorrows. This is how the early church functioned. "And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need." Acts 2:44-45. They didn't regard anything as their own because everything they had was God-given. They took care of each other. I personally believe that we have lost this beautiful picture of community in the church today.

We regard fellowship today as meeting together, hanging out and eating. It always involves eating... :) But they believed that fellowship went deeper than just being with each other. According to Wes Hall, "The meaning of fellowship implies more than simply meeting together or participating jointly in events. It is a strong word that means the early believer shared their lives together in deep intimacy. They regarded themselves as belonging to each other."

So, what is the Biblical foundation/definition for fellowship?

Psalm 55:14 "We who had sweet fellowship together walked in the house of God in the throng" (crowd).
2 Corinthians 13:14 "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all."
Philippians 3:10 "...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."
1 John 1:1-4, 7 "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life-- and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete... but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

From these four verses (although there are many more) we can gain that the basic biblical definition of fellowship begins with God and ends with God. We love Him with our whole hearts and then He cases us to love others also, caring for them and loving them just as God loves them. It's the power of the 1st and 2nd commandments (Matthew 22:36-40) in each believer's heart, working together to accomplish unity in the body of Christ. "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired... But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' ...And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." 1 Cor. 12:18-26.

Fellowship in the church should look like wholehearted love for God, resulting in loving our brothers and sisters in Christ just like Jesus loves them. True fellowship and community is a group of people who are wholehearted in their pursuit of knowing God and loving Him. They have put the 1st Commandment in first place. They know that they cannot go this way alone, and so they come together in unity like Jesus prayed in John 17 and encourage each other and strengthen each other so that each one can run the race with perseverance and endurance (Heb. 12:1-3). They share each other's hardships and rejoice in each other's victories.

The church has drifted far from this picture of fellowship since the early days of the Church in the first century BC. To see this restored will look like laying down our rights, our selfishness, our "entitlements" and trusting our hearts and well being to the community around us. But first and foremost, it means getting right with God again and putting Jesus back in His rightful place in our lives: First place. It is absolutely right for Him to be the first priority in our lives. Without Him there we will lose, and we will miss out on the most beautiful, dynamic relationship that this life has to offer.

"For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts..." Isaiah 54:5

"We will rejoice in you and be glad; we will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they (we) love you [Jesus]." Song of Solomon 1:4

,,i.wanna.b.with.YOU..!

One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.
Psalm 27:4 NASB

David understood the cry of a lovesick heart. To be with Him changes everything, to see Him changes everything...

He changes everything.

The Genesis 1 Creator God, is also our Husband. He deeply desires intimacy with us. He won't force it on us because He is a Gentleman but He keeps knocking, and knocking and He is waiting for us to open the door of our hearts to Him.

He's so jealous for our affections. He's given us everything and He didn't have to do anything. He gave Himself for the sake of love! Can't we see His heart? We've lost sight of the God who's name is Jealous (Exodus 34:14)and given Him the name mean, cruel, unrighteous judge. When in fact, everything that He does is out of the heart of a Bridegroom! His language in the book of Hosea, and Jeremiah and many many others show that even before God came to earth and took on human form that He had a Bridegroom's heart. He's always been a Bridegroom!

"I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, the love of your betrothals, your following after Me in the wilderness... What injustice did your fathers find in Me, that they went far from Me and walked after emptiness and became empty?" Jeremiah 2:2-5

"...And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you." Isaiah 62:5

"Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry and have children of harlotry; for the land commits flagrant harlotry, forsaking the Lord." Hosea 1:2

"When Israel was a youth I loved him... Yet it is I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in My arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of a man, with bonds of love, and I became to them as one who lifts the yoke from their jaws; and I bent down and fed them... How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I surrender you, O Israel? ...My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled." Hosea 11:1-9

He's always been a Bridegroom and just like an earthly bridegroom who will not tolerate his wife to have other lovers, so it is with God. He is jealous for our affections and our heart.

Over and over again, He beckons us to return to our first love. He's given us His whole heart. Will we give Him ours?

Snow Days

Dear Reader,

I'm not sure if you are stuck inside your house today, but I am. We had a huge blizzard come through town yesterday and it basically shut the city down. They are calling it the 'Blizzard of 2011' and while they are trying to figure out a way to plow every street, I am stuck inside. Yes, stuck. I am going stir crazy and there is nowhere for me to go. So here I am.

Yesterday I read the book of Genesis. I've been wanting to read it, and so yesterday while the snow was falling and the winds were howling I curled up inside with a lot of coffee and chai teas and read it. The major thing that I realized yesterday was that Genesis REALLY happened. It's not just a bunch of cool stories. It's the beginning of a very long love story that God wrote just to show how much He loves us. It's real. The story about Adam and Eve really took place some 6000 years ago. Noah and His family really were in an ark for about a year while there was a flood destroying everything and everyone that they knew. (And I'm going stir crazy for 2 days...) Anyways, my point is that every story in Genesis really happened.

My favorite story in Genesis is found in chapter 24. Isaac and Rebekah. I'm not sure why I love it so much, but it has to be one of my favorite stories in the Bible. (I have a lot.) I've heard 2 teachings on this chapter. I've heard one on evangelism by Rich Stevenson, and one on the Holy Spirit's work in getting and preparing a bride for Jesus by Mike Bickle. They both caused me to fall in love with this chapter. Plus, anytime there is a bride involved I usually like the story- especially in the Bible. Then I read the book of Ruth before I went to bed. Which again, I love. After reading Francine River's series on the women in Jesus' lineage (I cannot remember the title) I have loved going back and actually reading the stories of each one. They are each so unique and different, and you can just see God's compassionate and loving heart in each one as the different stories play out.

Today it's done snowing, but we still have a snow day. I am going to attempt to make a good use of my day by reading Revelation. Although it isn't as long as Genesis, I am assuming it will take me most of the day. If it doesn't then I am planning on going back to the Old Testament to read some of Elijah's story.

And if I finish all of that, then I may just go outside and build myself a snowman because I've been dying to do that since winter started. All my friends want to go sledding, but I just want to build a snowman, take a couple pics with it and then come back inside for a nice hot cup of something :)

I hope that if you are stuck inside as well that you find something fun and creative to do!

Many blessings,

Whitney :)

Rebekah: The Extravagant Heart of the Bride (Gen. 24) by Mike Bickle
http://mikebickle.org/resources/resource/2976

Searching for the Bride: Rich Stevenson (September 2010)
http://ihop.org/Group/Group.aspx?ID=1000036428