Message: We Proclaim: So That You May Have Fellowship January 27, 2013

‘koinonia’ defined ‘koinonia’: It is the close association between persons, emphasizing what is common between them, it is a participation, a sharing together.

‘koinonia’ translated as ‘fellowship’  Acts 2:42 - They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  1 Corinthians 1:9 - God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.  l Corinthians 5:2 - And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?  2 Corinthians 6:14 -[ Do Not Be Yoked With Unbelievers ] Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

‘koinonia’ translated as ‘fellowship’  2 Corinthians 13:14 - May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.  Galatians 2:9 - James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me.  Philippians 2:1- If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,  Philippians 3:10 - I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

‘koinonia’ translated as ‘fellowship’  1 John 1:3 - We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.  1 John 1:6 - If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.  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, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

‘koinonia’ translated as ‘sharing’  2 Corinthians 8:4 - they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.  2 Corinthians 9:13 - Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.  Philippians 3:10 - I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  Philemon 1:6 - I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

‘koinonia’ translated as ‘participation’  1 Corinthians 10:16 - Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

‘koinonia’ translated as ‘common’  Acts 2:44 - All the believers were together and had everything in common.  Titus 1:4 - To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Truths of Authentic Biblical Koinonia 1 St Truth: The eternal life proclaimed is now defined as a relationship – as fellowship with each other and fellowship with the Father and the Son.

Truths of Authentic Biblical Koinonia 2 nd Truth: This fellowship together as believers is inextricably linked to the individual believers’ fellowship with the Father and the Son.

Truths of Authentic Biblical Koinonia 3 rd Truth: This fellowship (with God, and each other) is divine/supernatural and it is grounded in Christ’s Gospel. Jesus said: “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” John 3:3, 6

Realization You Must Accept You must realize that the same life heard, seen & touched by the Apostle John is present today in and through the true fellowship of believers. 1 John 1:4: we write this to make our joy complete.