In Acts 2:42, Luke tells us that the early Christians were devoted to four things.

Acts 2:42 (ESV)
⁴²  And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Let us take a few minutes to consider fellowship tonight.  What is fellowship?  We often hear people talking about fellowship. We hear it said that what we need is more fellowship.  However, the modern idea of fellowship has become so watered down that the word no longer carries the same meaning it did in New Testament times.  Let us begin by talking about what fellowship is not.

The religious world today is confused about biblical fellowship.  Most religious people believe that fellowship involves engaging in social events, such as games and gimmicks, recreation and entertainment,  fun, frolic, and, of course, food.  All these things are placed under the canopy of biblical fellowship.  Today, the first room built in a church building is the kitchen, and the second is the so-called fellowship hall or multi-purpose center, rooms where true biblical fellowship never takes place because none of those things constitute biblical fellowship.

What is Biblical Fellowship?  The word fellowship has to do with joint participation toward a common goal.  The Greek word for fellowship is koinonia and Thayer says it means, “the share which one has in anything, participation, association, communion, joint participation, intercourse”

Fellowship, then, has to do with sharing something in common with someone else.  It involves common action, but not common action alone.  It involves a common goal or motive as well.  Individuals who do not have a common goal are not really in fellowship even if they are involved in doing the same work (Philippians 1:15, 16).  The two groups mentioned by Paul in this Philippians passage were not partners in preaching the gospel because, while they both preached the same gospel, their goals were totally different.    Fellowship is working together to meet a common goal.

This is what the early church did.  They worked together in serving and worshiping God and in the preaching of the gospel to the lost.  As local churches, they used the Lord’s money, which they collected on the first day of the week (1 Corinthians 16;1-2), to do the work of the Lord, especially as it related to benevolence and evangelism.   Many scholars believe this was the fellowship that Luke was referring to in Acts 2:42.  I am not sure that I would limit it to that, but benevolence and evangelism would have certainly been a part of that to which Luke was referring.  Paul used the word koinonia when referring to both benevolent and evangelistic work.  Regarding the contribution for the poor saints of Judea, Paul wrote this to the church at Corinth.

2 Corinthians 9:13 (ESV)
¹³ By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution (koinonia) for them and for all others, 

We also find Paul commending the brethren for their fellowship with him in the preaching of the gospel.

Philippians 4:15 (ESV)
¹⁵ And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership (koinonia) with me in giving and receiving, except you only.

Let us follow in the steps of the first-century church and continue in fellowship, not engaging in the social gospel, but working together in the carrying out of the Lord’s work.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things