TRUE FELLOWSHIP

Today being football Fan's biggest day of the year, you see a lot of fellowshiping going on. Mostly men getting together to watch the big game and eat all the great tasting food that is not good for us prepared mostly by their wives or food just ordered in. Others will go to bars and do the same thing. They all sit around their TV's rooting for their favorite teams. They laugh, they joke, they just have a rip roaring time with each other. After the game is over they head home and may not see each other till the following year when they meet again or they see each other throughout the year.

FELLOWSHIP
What is true Fellowship?
A dear Pastor and man I call Friend put it this way:

The term we see translated “fellowship”, actually comes from three distinct nouns, and one verb. The First noun, koinonia, which is also translated communion, and communication. Its basic meaning is “sharing in common”. The second noun is moteche, meaning partnership. The third noun koinonos, denotes a partner, or partaker. The verb, koinoneo, means to have fellowship or communication with. Sunkoinoneo means the same. Basically, to fellowship, means to have in common, or have partnership in something. Here are a couple of verses that might better help us to understand.

1 John 1: 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
If we continually walk contrary to the light of Christ, then how can we claim to have fellowship with Him, or be a partaker of new life from Him?

"Tell me with whom thou are found and I will tell you who thou art." Johann Wolfgang

Let the reader, where we are equally confident, stride on with me; where we are equally puzzled, pause to investigate with me; where he finds himself in error, come to my side; where he finds me erring, call me to his side. So that we may keep to the path, in love, as we fare on toward Him, 'whose face is ever to be sought.'


True fellowship is when we can come to one another and lift each other up, we can mourn together, rejoice together, rebuke one another in love, we can grow together, learn from one another, have a genuine love for one another, a love that is like no other because our common bond is found in the Christ.

Christians in consort are an abridgement of heaven, shining like a firmament of bright stars. . . Surely, of all fellowships, this is the only good fellowship. Next to communion with God, there is no communion like the communion of saints.

One hundred worshipers meeting together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.... A. W. Tozer

Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word
But as Thou dwell'st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.

Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea.
Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth didst smile,
And though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee.
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.
Henry Francis Lyte, 1847. The three verses of Abide With Me which are often omitted.

I John 1:3. “declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us.” “Truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.” Now, whatever our fellowship is, it’s with each other as believers and it’s with the Father and the Son. Fellowship is a Partnership.

I appreciate the Fellowship I find in my brothers and sisters in Christ. I am thankful that they love me enough to come to me when I am in error and we can discuss our difference and grow together. I am thankful when life can get me down sometimes and just spending time with a fellow believer can lift my spirits up. Fellowship in Christ is what helps us get through some rough days. That common Bond that has us glued together is Christ, the greatest Friend a child of God has. I always remember "He Loved me First". He brought me into this wonderful fellowship with the body of Christ and my life has never been the same.

Cristina