The spiritual communion and fellowShip in the church which is truly koinonia is something given by the Spirit; it is more than a function of our humanity. It partakes of the supernatural.
- The Problem of Wineskins, Howard Snyder
Two weeks ago I had a chance to co-lead the teaching time at Expression58, my community of faith for over two years. The word to be given that morning? A little topic I enjoy known as community. Kingdom community, to be exact. That morning I had a chance to speak to over a 100 people on why getting "community", not from a cultural context (though I believe we all long for belonging), but from a Biblical context is vital for the Church to not just survive, but succeed in its mandate to love God, ourselves, one another and the world.
Download Sunday's teaching with Jesse Grim and I here.
THE NOTES
THE TRINITY
To understand Biblical community, we have to start with Genesis 1 and the John 1. Genesis tells us that in the beginning was God and the Spirit hovering over the waters. John tells us that in the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word (Jesus) was with God and the Word (Jesus) was God. Community is found in the Trinity and the Trinity is founded in community. John of Damascus, a Arab Christian monk and priest from 676 AD, was influential in developing the doctrine of the perichoresis, the idea that of the Trinity "cleaving together." It's the idea that "in the Godhead that the Father and the Son not only embrace each other, but they also enter into each other, permeate each other, and dwell in each other. One in being, they are also always one in the intimacy of their friendship." (
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perichoresis)
They dance with one another, weaving in and out of one another with mutual love and care. It is in this dance, where they separate their connectedness and invite humanity in, to take the hand in this dance of community, with Father, Son, Spirit and with one another.
EKKLESIA
So the Father, Son and Spirit invite us into this dance. It's a very beautiful metaphor, but what does this dance look like more specifically, in the context of the Church. A lot, actually, and we must understand the word "church" to see how community must look like in the Church at large.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church (ekklesia), and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Matthew 16:18
This strange word is has a Greek origin and it means "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly." It comes from two words: kaleo “I call,” and ek meaning “out of.” Ekklesia was a common word in Greek culture and referred to a group of citizens who were called out of their houses by a herald for the discussion of civic business in the public square. Thus Christians were a called-out group.
However, the background of the New Testament meaning lies in the Old Testament. When the Septuagint translators sought for a suitable word to translate the Old Testament “congregation of the Lord,” they chose ekklesia. Israel was “called out” to represent God on the earth. The nation and it's destiny were quite visible and very real.
This word ekklesia was used by Jesus when He told Peter he would build His church on the rock.
KOINONIA
In Acts 1, we read how Jesus instructed the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit to come. Most of know the story, but if not, please read it in Acts 1 and 2. It's one of my favorite moments in God's story. But the gist of what happens is that they are told by Jesus to wait for the Holy Spirit. In other words, He sets them up and positions them for encounter. This is how the Church was born—through encounter.
What happens as a result of this particular encounter? Acts 2:42 has the answer for us.
They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship (KOINONIA), to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.
Acts 2:42-47
There is this word that is used in the Greek for fellowship: koinonia. It's a word that in the Greek means "fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation." It's a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible. It's first occurrence is in Acts 2:42.
Culturally, in the day and time this was written, the term related to a spiritual relationship. In this sense, the meaning something that is held and shared jointly with others for God, speaking to man's "relationship with God". The Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus talks of religion as ‘aiming to have koinonia with Zeus" (LINK). The early Christian community saw this as a relationship with the Holy Spirit.
SO WHAT'S THE POINT?
• The Church (ekklesia) was birthed by encounter. It is only by us being intentional to have a communal fellowship with the Spirit (koinonia) that we can sustain that encounter.
• The dominating principle of the New Testament Church (ekklesia) was fellowship, koinonia. The New Testament shows us, there cannot be an ekklesia apart from koinonia.
• Abiding in the Presence is what sustains Biblical community (koinonia).
• Lastly, you cannot have a sustained communal experience without making space for encounter with God.
Koinonia is an encounter with the triune God.
We need each other. But not only do we need each other. We need encounters with the triune God. Acts 2:42 depicts what can happens with such an encounter: sharing, hospitality, signs, wonders, an awe of God, no needs because all needs are met and somehow, a localized end to poverty! All because the Holy Spirit showed up and 120 people let Him have His way.
Here are some other great verses that reflect this koinonia encounter with a triune God (each using the word KOINONIA in the Greek): 1 John 1:3, Philippians 2:1–2, 2 Corinthians 13:14.
THE ADVANCING KINGDOM
The Kingdom is being advanced through community, but we must realize the lack of community among our churches is hindering/slowing this advancement. A lack of koinonia community will immediately down the move of God.
THE WORLD KNOWS CHURCH'S (EKKLESIA) COMMUNITY (KOINONIA) FOR WHAT IT IS NOT:- Controlling
- Legalistic
- Full of Gossip
- Unsafe
- Unloving
- Hypocritical
JESUS IS CREATING NEW COMMUNITY ON THE EARTH
Jesus is creating a community in which people bear with one another in their weaknesses and in their differences of opinions. A judgmental, accusatory community is not the Kingdom of God. That kind of community is an unpleasant place to live, a threatening world in which one can do no right.
JOHN 17
A parallel exists between the communion of the Trinity and the koinonia of believers among themselves and with God. Christ's prayer in John 17 is especially suggestive here. John 17:11,21. Koinonia is the fulfillment of this prayer in the church and thus a manifestation in space and time of the communion of the Holy Trinity.
17:17: I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.
17:21: ...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
PREREQUISITES THAT ARE REQUIRED OF US
People who gather together and yet do not truly know each other cannot rightly be called a community.The mark of authentic Christian community is not the absence of conflict but the presence of a reconciling spirit.
Reflecting on what happened in Acts 1-2, we must:
» Abandon Our Want To Control
It's An Invitation to be a People of Trust, of the Spirit and of each other.
» Be Okay With Being Vulnerable
It's An Invitation to be a People of Authenticity in our relationships with one another.
» Release Our Fear Of Failure
It's An Invitation to be a People of Safety. A space to fail, but to love well.
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
It's an invitation to be a People of Intentional Community.
Jesus told us, "For God so loved the world that He sent His son." He also said, "It is better that I leave you so the comforter can come". The Father, Son and Spirit live in intentionality all the time and it is time we do the same.
The thread that weaves through God's story is Him inviting us intentionally to be a part of His story. To play an active role and to let go of our sense of control and let the Holy Spirit encounter us, because after all, He is waiting to be encountered.
Community has to be to be intentional and it has to be championed for (notice I didn't use the word "fought" for"). This is especially true in today's technological, fast paced world. It's not Facebook, though that is a great tool to help us connect. It's not texting, though that is a great technology that continues relationship. It's face to face encounters with one another while we collectively encounter this Triune God. There are no lone-rangers in our faith, especially not when God Himself is three in one. Not when God said "It is not good for man to be alone". And not when Jesus said "when two or more gather in My name, I am there with them".
Let us be encouraged to intentionally become people who trust God and one another; people who are authentic with each other because we choose to trade fear for vulnerability; and people of safety, because safety is found when we are all being vulnerable together. Let us realize each interaction, conversation and moment with one another can become interaction with God Himself as we fellowship together with/in His Spirit.
This is the essence of what makes Biblical community and what should the Church apart. The ekklesia/church we are a part of is not supposed to be a club, social justice organization or group. We are called to be a people who are part of the living, breathing, always advancing Kingdom of the Living, Triune God.
I've said it many times and I'll say it again:
This kind of community is what the world and Jesus are longing for.
I hope you are encouraged to intentionally go after it.
LISTEN TO JESSE GRIM AND I FROM SUNDAY, JULY 11
» Download It Here
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