Staying Connected

The word fellowship has many expressions: a partnership; to partner together as one; to participate; to communicate; to have common interest; a state of being together; communion; community; association for religious and spiritual purposes. The early church had fellowship with one another continuously both in the temple and in each others houses. (Acts 2:42, 46) It is noteworthy to understand that believer’s in the early church did not function independently. They recognized the power, life, and unity that is released through true Christian fellowship. The Psalmist tells us, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (Psalm: 133) The Apostle Matthew records, "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matthew 18:19-20).

The nature of fellowship or community was first established within the three persons of the Godhead, Father, Word and Holy Spirit. (1 John 5:7) When God created man, it was not because He was lonely and needed someone to talk to, He created man because He desired to share everything He had created with the only one created in His image and likeness. He also desired to establish community on the earth, “Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." (Gen. 1:26-28; also see Psalm 8:5-6)

Man was given the choice to enjoy community on earth with one another, and with God. Choice is at the center of community and is what makes it a powerful experience. It is not something that can be forced into operation, on the contrary, it must be something that one desires. In the Garden of Eden, Satan proposed his own plan to man, specifically, to the woman. Satan's plan seemed to be attractive to her, but in fact was full of deception. Man was now faced with another choice and the choice made was an act of disobedience so tragic it caused the breakdown of fellowship and community. Not only had community been twisted between God and man, but also between man and woman, “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (Gen. 3:8)

The fellowship which God intended between Himself and man was now broken and the very essence of community on earth would suffer unimaginable consequences. Look what took place with the breaking of fellowship with God. “Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him." (Genesis 4:8)  Can you fathom that? By the second generation of man, the first murder has taken place. Not only did Cain kill his brother Able, but Cain was also driven away, now a fugitive and a vagabond. (Genesis 4:14) This was yet another fracture to fellowship.

With time, the situation worsened, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:3) Throughout the Old Testament more chose to forsake fellowship with God rather than embrace it. Though man chose to break fellowship with God, it did not stop God’s desire to have fellowship with man, ”For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus reestablished community by modeling a lifestyle of love and acceptance with twelve ordinary men. Jesus spent a good portion of His time with the multitudes but always found time to be alone with the disciples, “Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. For He taught His disciples and said to them…” (Mark 9.30-31) Community was a vital part of Jesus’ ministry. Among the twelve, were fishermen, zealots and a tax collector who were living together with Jesus. Their paths may have never crossed if not for Jesus calling them together. They had to deal with one another's egotism, ignorance, habits, limitation’s and flat out selfishness. Eventually, these men began to lose themselves and began to identify with their Master because He gave them purpose beyond themselves. Jesus had a deliberate strategy in His work with the twelve, which was to prepare them for the work to come, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…" (Matthew 28:19-20)

This, what we call the "Great Commission" was certainly not limited to evangelism, but a building of community through Christ centered fellowship. We see this portrayed in the early church, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers...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, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42, 46-47) As we can plainly see, the early church was replicating the Godhead and the very community that Jesus had with His disciples.

What can we take away from what the Word tells us concerning fellowship and community? Mainly, the great premium that God Himself places upon fellowship and community with Him and His children as well as His children with one another. However, we must remember, all believers have been given the choice to enjoy community on earth with the Lord and with one another or not.  But as the Psalmist tells us, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity…For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore.” (Psalm: 133) So, let each of us examine our lives and schedules, offer them to the Lord, and ask Him to give us the desire, time and love for one another, get connected and get involved in one another's lives, in the Name of Jesus and see the life of God manifest in and through us. PTL