“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.
But two obvious questions come to mind
about “Fellowship”:
1. Exactly what is it?
2. 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)
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).
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?
• Think about it this way…..
• “Fellowship” is a “ship” of “fellows” working
for a common cause….
• In our case, heaven!
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), and
heart (emotion/ desire). Acts 2:41-43
What we have to do is:
o First, want to be united- get our hearts right,
Eph.4:1-3.
o Next, think / understand alike- get our minds
right, Eph.4:4-6.
o Then, work together- get our bodies rowing right;
toward the same destination, Eph.4:11-16.
o Notice again how all three of these come
together through “fellowship” in Phil.2:1-4, 12-
16.
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 want and work to 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?
This morning we looked at fellowship, tonight let’s
spend a few minutes on brotherhood to help round
out our understanding of “church relationships”.
o As a fellowship can be
understood as a “ship” of
“fellows” ….
o Brotherhood is supposed to be
a “hood” of “brothers”!
o While our current concept of
“brother” may be close to the
mark, we may have to adjust
our modern thinking on
“hood”…
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”:
o 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.
o Therefore obviously, Jesus Christ is your brother, as are all
other children of the same Father, Rom.8:14-17.
o But the “hood” part is a little more tricky.
o “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 commonality of characteristics, qualities, ideals,
goals, and purpose(s).
o So, being related is not all there is to it, Rom.9:6-7; 2:28-29.
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:
o 1Peter 2:17, “Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God,
honor the king.”
o It is translated from the Greek word, adelphotes, which
means “brotherhood, brotherly kindness; a family of
brothers, the brotherhood” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon).
o It is also defined as “an association of believers with
adjectival strong sense of unity” (Dict. of Biblical Languages)
o 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.
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 commonality
of 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 family who 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!
Remember:
“Fellowship” is a ship of fellows- people of the
same mind, body, and heart working together
for the common purpose of heaven.
“Brotherhood” is a hood of brothers in and with
Christ in which all not only are related to Christ
and God, they resemble Them in attitude and
activity, Eph.4:32 – 5:10.