Restoration of the Church
Body, life and fellowship
1- Meaning of the word fellowship
A Greek word, “Koinonia” from which two words are translated:
a- Fellowship - companionship, mutual sharing, gathering of people having the same interest.
b- Communion - to have in common, to share by all, or participation, partnership.
2. Fellowship must be directed two ways in order to be effective:
A- Fellowship vertically, Godward.
Fellowship with the Father
1 John 1:3 “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
Fellowship with the Son
1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Fellowship of the Spirit
Philippians 2:1 “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,”
The fellowship is expressed in prayer, praise, worship in the Spirit and in truth.
John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
B- Fellowship horizontal, Manward.
There must also be a two way communication with believers.
Fellowship with one another
1 John 1:7 “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.”
The right hand of fellowship
Galatians 2:9 “and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
The fellowship of the Ministry to the saints
2 Corinthians 2:4b “For out of much [a]affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.”
3- Fellowship worked out Spiritually
a. Praying together.
b. Singing, praising and worshipping together.
c. Sharing together in testimony, exhortation, encouragement, edifying one another in the Spirit’s operations.
d. Ministry of the Word. Apostle’s doctrine.
e. Communion as in breaking of bread.
What we receive from the Lord must be given to others, from vessel to vessel.
Jeremiah 48:11 “Moab has been at ease from his youth; He has settled on his dregs, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent has not changed.”
4- Fellowship worked out Practically.
a. House or home fellowship
Acts 2:46 “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart”
b. Meeting needs
Acts 2:45 “and sold their possessions and goods, and divided[b] them among all, as anyone had need.”
c. To communicate
Hebrews 13:16 “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
d. Distributing to the necessity of the saints
Romans 12:13 “distributing to the needs of the saints, given[a] to hospitality.”
e. Given to hospitality
f. Getting to know and appreciate each other. Visit, etc.
Fellowship becomes the way of life. There is joy in real fellowship, meeting and sharing in spiritual, practical and social needs.
5- Walking in fellowship together.
1 Corinthians 12:12-17 “12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink [a]into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honour to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no [b]schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”
One of the greatest truths set forth in the New Testament as pertaining to fellowship is that typified in the church as the Body of Christ. The human body with its millions of cells and members, all working together in harmony, unity and life, illustrate that unity, harmony and life which is to flow in the Church, the Body of Christ. In the Body every cell, every member lives for the other.
6- Result of true fellowship according to the principles laid down in the Scripture
a. All men will know we are His disciples.
John 13:35 “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
b. Personal and Corporate growth and maturity.
Ephesians 4:13-16 “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ”
c. God’s glory shall be seen, Revival!
Isaiah 60:2-5 “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.
3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: they all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5 Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.”
Haggai 2:9 “The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Pastor Steve Maile & Karina Maile