Devoted To The Fellowship (Acts 2:42-47)

What this episode covers

When people are asked to describe the church they often use terms very different from Luke’s description here in Acts 2:42-47. The church is no longer known for its commitment to the preaching and teaching of God’s Word, but whether it is aligned with cultural norms. The church is not generally considered to be a loving community, but an exclusive and bigoted community. The sacraments are rare and often practiced with apology. And many churches spend more time on their announcements than in prayer. The typical church no longer seems to devote itself to what is essential. One of those essential distinctives that we emphasize here is “fellowship”. Acts opens with Jesus giving his followers a commission before ascending into heaven and sending the Holy Spirit. This is followed by Peter’s proclamation of the gospel and the response of the audience that resulted in 3,000 conversions. Last week, we saw that they were devoted to the apostles’ teaching. This morning we will see that they were devoted to the fellowship. James Boice writes, “If you find yourself out of fellowship with God you will begin to find yourself out of fellowship with other Christians. You will say, ‘I don’t really like to be with other Christians very much. They all seem to be hypocrites.’”⁠ I’m sure many of you have family and friends who think such things about the church. Of course, they are right. Hypocrisy has always been found in the church. But a lack of fellowship reveals more about a person’s own distancing from God than the state of the church. God has created us with a capacity for fellowship, but sin has distorted our ability to enjoy it without conflict. Fellowship involves the regular interaction of repentant believers who share a concern to provide for the spiritual and material well-being of others. Pray and Read Acts 2:42-47. Motivation for Fellowship There is a strong connection between these four distinctives of the New Testament community. The apostles’ teaching served as a motivation for fellowship which is partially expressed through participation in the Lord’s Supper and prayer. Fellowship is the fruit of receiving the apostles’ teaching. These two characteristics support one another. As biblical doctrine is rightly understood fellowship is rightly desired. Fellowship (koinonia) and common (koina) share the same Greek root. Verse 44 is an example of the fellowship they were devoted to (2:42). Not only were the material possessions shared (2:44-45), but their time was shared. Fellowship speaks to the interactive character of healthy relationships in covenant together. • They shared in a common identity in Christ (1 Cor. 1:9). • They shared in a common relationship with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14). • They shared in a common heavenly Father to whom they prayed. • They shared in a common partnership in the gospel (Phil. 1:5). • They also shared out of their abundance to meet the needs of others. They had common beliefs and common possessions. Metaphors of the Church Paul provides several metaphors of the Church in Ephesians: • Christians are “fellow citizens” who have the same King. • Christians are “one family” who have the same Father. • Christians are a Holy Temple of which the apostles and prophets serve as the foundation, Christ as the cornerstone, and the believers make up the building. Believers depend upon one another. Removing bricks from the wall drastically weakens it. • Christians are a body in which each member plays a role. Everyone serves a specific function that is essential to the body’s health. The message is consistent and clear with each one: The Church benefits from your presence. You bring a unique giftedness to this church that benefits everyone else. Privileges and Responsibilities Christ accepts us! You belong here! Don’t we all need to hear that? But, a sense of belonging also comes with a sense of responsibility. It means that you have

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