Practical Issues
Fellowship
A Full Share
Giving
Suffering
Separation
Blessing
Fellowship
by Graham Jones - The Church at Gun Hill"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2 v 42.
Unity
Fellowship is being one. It is not so much 'fun, food, and fellowship', on which some churches seem to centre their activities, thinking that that is fellowship. They do that at the local pub or working man's club. This is something mightily different. This is being one in the Lord. In Romans chapter 12 v 5, we can read, "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."And then Romans 15 vv 5 & 6, "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." There is a wonderful unity there.
Then, in that chapter that speaks about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I Corinthians 12 v 12, Paul gives us some teaching there on this unity: "For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many."
Galatians 3 v 28 is one verse that many like to quote on the issue of the ministries of men and women. We shall consider the implications of that in a future study, but it is also a statement of our unity: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 4 v 25 "Wherefore putting away lying, speak everyman truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another." We are one.
A Full Share of Everything
Not only is that unity a fact but we have a full share of everything that the Lord has for us, together. This defies the laws of arithmetic. It is not a case of our sharing something and having half each. No, we each have a full share. What did Jesus do with five loaves and two fishes shared amongst five thousand men plus women and children? Did they each have a tiny crumb each? Of course not. They each had a full share, ate and were satisfied. They could all have had the equivalent of at least five loaves and two fishes. What is more there were twelve baskets full left over, signifying that there had been plenty for everyone and still there was an abundant supply. That is a picture of how the Lord provides for all of us, as we are one together in Him.In this fellowship we see that there is a provision for all our needs, whether they be physical needs, financial needs, psychological needs or needs of a spiritual nature. Every need in Him is supplied. We have a full provision and that provision is in the fellowship. It is a total provision. It is not eking out a meagre existence but an abundant and full provision, as the Scriptures promise us, for all that we need. If we see that what we have, whether it be in spiritual things or what Paul calls carnal things, is common, then we have a full share of things together. Let us look at Acts chapter 2 again. One of the barriers we have to break down is that of possessiveness and selfishness, you know, along the lines of "what's yours is mine and what's mine is my own. Keep your hands off!" That is what we are like naturally. That is a barrier to our progress and to our spiritual growth. Acts 2 v 42: "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers."
An Explanation of the Reason
Now in the next verses of this chapter we find an explanation of this fellowship: "And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart." They did not call their possessions their own. When I had a need, a brother in the Lord said, "Drive my car for the day!" When I protested that I was worried in case I dented it or something worse, his reply was to the effect, "So what?" The idea was, especially here in Jerusalem, and you can see how it progresses as you read through Acts, that the poor amongst them had a provision for all their needs, not out of a grudging charity, but out of the full provision that God gives. It was no good the community praying, "Lord, provide for these poor starving saints; let there be a miraculous provision Lord. Let them wake up and find that food on the doorstep." For the Lord would say to His people as He said to the disciples at the feeding of the five thousand, "You give them to eat!" Jesus showed them the way. Use what you have got. "What!" come the protests, "What is this amongst so many? I need all this for me." But as they gave, the need was met, and none went short. We shall find it too. It is so easy to say, "We'll pray about that need, sister." Certainly, pray! But then give. The provision is there.Paul later explained that those that were able should give since, after all, they were receiving spiritual teaching and nourishment from others in the assembly. Thus some were spending a lot of time in prayer and the ministry of the word that the assembly might be fed. There was a distribution of spiritual things; there ought also to be a sharing of material things. Everyone then gets everything that God wants them to have. In I Timothy 6 vv 17/18, we shall find these words used: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate...." The root of that word 'communicate' is koinonia, conveying the idea that people should have this attitude of having all things common. When I refer to some of these Scriptures that teach about fellowship, sometimes these words are translated differently in the A.V. Sometimes, in the Greek, it is a verb, sometimes it is a noun and sometimes it is an adjective, but they all come from the same root which means 'common-ness' (fellowship). So, in Romans 12 v 13, Paul refers there to distributing to the necessity of the saints. That word 'distributing' is, again, this word 'fellowshipping' to the necessity of the saints. Thus, reading from the previous verse, he says, "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints..." Yes, we want to rejoice; we want to be patient in trials and tribulations; but we must also distribute, give and not be selfishly clutching possessions to ourselves. Wherever there is need amongst the saints of a material nature - food, shelter, clothing, money - then communicate. You who have, give to those who have not. It is not yours anyway: God gave it to you. As good stewards, distribute.
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