Mediterranean Moments

Antioch was the first major city outside of Jerusalem in Judea to become a center for the activities of the Jewish believers who followed Christ. From the outset, these believers seemed to follow a different path than the other Jews. Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher and scholar, responded once, “The essential thing in heaven and earth is … that there should be a long obedience in the same direction.”  The way of the Christian is unique.

The Way

Jesus offers His words of farewell to His disciples in the closing moments of the gathering in the upper room. John records some of the words in the fourteenth chapter of his gospel. In the physical turmoil of life and the spiritual chaos inside the heart, Jesus tells the disciples to stop the “trouble” – the commotion. “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1 ESV). The Greek word for troubled (ταρασσέσθω, TARASESTHO) denotes a heavy sea in the midst of the wind and storm.

Troubles Along the Way

This “Moment” article began being written on April 15, 2021. The day began with a shooting in Chicago resulting in 4 people injured in Humboldt Park. Later five people were shot outside an apartment complex in Pensacola, Florida. Police say that four different shooters were involved. Soon three men and a teen-aged girl were wounded on the northern side of Washington, D.C. The stunning incident of the day was a shooting outside a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. Nine people are dead and another 7 injured. Among the dead was the shooter, a 19-year-old former FedEx employee.

The article was finished and posted in the afternoon on April 18, 2021. At 3:00pm, Kenosha, Wisconsin saw three people killed and two others injured after a shooting at a tavern. Another shooting was in progress in Austin, Texas, where three were dead and reports of injuries were beginning to trickle across the newswires.

In between the days, four people were shot at a vigil on the East Side of Detroit on April 16th. Columbus, Oh saw a woman killed and five others injured at a vigil for another homicide victim on April 17th.

The entire area is “troubled.” Things aren’t as they should be. Our culture reels from the trouble, pain and uncertainty.

In the hurricane that is life, or when the hurricanes hit life, I can’t find the way. There is too much wind. There is too much rain. I can’t see the way. I am not even sure there is a way.

Jesus said, “I am the way.”

A Better Way

The history of the faithful is a story of roads. The first followers of Jesus called themselves “the Way.” The name had Jewish roots as the name echoed the “way of life” that was threaded into the Torah. It spoke to the Christians’ belief that Jesus was “the way” to God the Father.

Throughout the history of the religions of people, religious icons claim to be signposts pointing the way. The goals of human existence. The path to the next life. Except Christianity.

As John Stott says in his classic Basic Christianity, “Jesus was not just another signpost, but the destination to which the signposts had led.” Jesus claimed to be the Way Himself.

The early believers seemed so like Him they became known as the Way. From Jerusalem to Damascus, Christians are known as the Way.

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem Acts 9:1-2 ESV).

And the name was known at least as far away as Ephesus.

9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:9 ESV).

 

Christians

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The actual origin of the phrase is unknown, but it is said to be coined by William Shakespeare. Juliet says the phrase in reference to family and particularly the family name of Romeo.

The truth is the creation of a new name is important. A name is embedded into a context – a context drawing from experiences and circumstances that help define a new reality.

The early church were known as followers of the Way, often shortened to just “The Way.” It wasn’t a name claimed by their own; it was a name bestowed upon them by others.  These followers of Christ were first called “Christians” by the leaders of the community in Antioch (Acts 11:26).

The interesting – and quite unusual – thing about this is that sects of the Jewish faith usually did not get a distinctive name among the Gentile population. The Jewish faith had Pharisees and Sadducees and Essenes but to the outside world they were all Jews. So why weren’t Christians simply lumped in with all the other variants of the Jewish faith?

More Than Just Another Sect

A little context to the culture might help. The city of Antioch was often referred to as “all the world in one city.” You could see the riches and diversity of the entire world located in one city. Antioch was designed like most cities of the day – a circular wall surrounding the boundaries of the city and inner marketplace at the center of the city, serving as its hub. From the hub of the city were inner walls, sometimes constructed, sometimes natural barriers that served as spokes reaching from the hub to the outer wall. The spokes marked ways that divided different people groups from one another. Jews from Gentiles. Rich from poor. Color from color.

Until the Christians came here. Christians could be found in every spoke of the city’s wheel. The image of Christians in Antioch was not just that they were united, but they united others, breaking down the barriers, seeing life existing through, and in spite, of differences.

And remember Antioch was one of the first cities outside Judea where Christianity spread.

Breaking Down the Walls

The term “Christian” comes from the world realizing that something new and unheard of was happening. Remember what Paul used to write? In Christ there was no male nor female, no Jew nor Greek.

After Acts 11:26 the word “Christian” is only found two other times in the New Testament. King Agrippa used the word in Acts 26:28 – an unbelieving king applied the name that he knew as an outsider. The apostle Paul uses the word the only other time in 1 Peter 4:16 to speak of being oppressed in a wider society because of the label of that name.

I wonder if he used it because of how aware Peter was that the spokes of the city needed to be gone. For a while Peter struggled because he was afraid of unity when he was around some conservative Jewish brothers (Galatians 2:11-17). God nudged him once before in a dream (Acts 10). This time Paul scolded him publiclly to his face (Acts 15).

Christians defied categories. They lived like they didn’t exist. Are we able to show the world a vision of a community in which there is no social, economic, racial or gender divisions (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:10-11)?

Billy Graham’s website carries an article written by Graham about ten years ago. He begins the lesson by asking, “Have you ever thought about what the word ‘Christian’ means? It comes from a Latin word. It means ‘partisan for Christ.’ When you come to Christ, you take sides. You take sides with Christ.

Partisans are never neutral. They never play it safe. They never sit on the fence. They’re never spectators of the struggle of their times. They commit themselves.”

Is it any wonder that on the first psalm sung in the ascent to Jerusalem, the psalmist chants:

Deliver me, O Lord

from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech,

that I dwell among the tents of Kedar!

Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace (Psalm 120:2, 5-6 ESV).

The Series This Lesson: Antioch This Lesson: The Pointe
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport grab your passport: antioch
grab your passport to antioch

“The City of Antioch” from the lesson series Grab Your Passport, April 2021

our Scripture

 Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are (Acts 15:36 ESV).

Acts 15:36-41 ESV
Acts 15:36-41 NASB
 Acts 15:36-41 NIV
 Acts 15:36-41 NLT
 Acts 15:36-41 MESSAGE

 

Other Scriptural References:

Acts 16:1-40

Acts 17:1-34

Acts 18:1-22

First century Christians were drawn to cities. The city of Jerusalem for its Old Testament heritage and for the chance to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.  Tradition has it that many would meet annually in the upper room to celebrate the “Last Supper.” Antioch became one of the prominent cities outside of Judea to be touched by the message of the Gospel.

Jerusalem was a center for the history and heritage of the church. But there is no question that Antioch was the Faith’s center – for encouragement, teaching, leadership and outreach.  In fact, churches today might consider Antioch as a model for what the church ought to do and be in the culture around them.

Antioch was the capital of Syria during both the Seleucid reign and the Roman imperial rule. Antioch today is modern Antakya on the border of Turkey and Syria. The ancient city was located on the east side of the Orontes River. In some places of the city, the river was completely surrounding the city.

The location of Antioch was the main reason for its status in the world. The city was located at the intersection of the major trade routes connecting Egypt, Asia Minor, Greece, Italy, Mesopotamia, Armenia and India.

It was a significant spot for the spread of the Christian faith. Antioch allowed a strong presence of Judaism to co-exist with the mythologies of the Greco-Roman world, coupled with the religions of Africa and Asia. In addition, education and the arts were held in high esteem.

 

Like most cities today, Antioch was racially diverse and culturally pluralistic.  As a result, when the believers were scattered from Judea and arrived there (Acts 11:19-20), they had to wrestle with how to make the gospel meaningful for the diverse groups.  There appear to be at least four factors that helped account for their success.

 

1) They wanted to create an ethnic union within the church rather than adhere to the world’s answer of ethnic division.  To maintain “peace” the political leader of Antioch “walled” off the four dominant ethnic groups of its population – Greek, Syrian, African and Hebrew.  Today’s political unrest in the Middle East has deep roots.  But the gospel breaks down walls of separation and hostility (Eph 2:14-22) and brings diverse peoples together in Christ.

2) They soon had multi-ethnic leadership.  The church developed a strong leadership base, including pastors, teachers and evangelists who reflected the composition of the community.  Notice the cross-section of the city represented by the leadership team in Acts 13:

  • Barnabas, a Hellenist from Cyprus raised in a priestly family (Acts 4:36, 11:22-33)
  • Simeon (Niger), an African
  • Lucius of Cyrene, also of African descent
  • Manaen, childhood companion of Herod Antipas (Mark 6:17-28)
  • Saul (Paul), a Hellenistic Jew from Tarsus with rabbinical training and Roman citizenship (note how Barnabas intentionally recruited this young, untried leader (Acts 11:25-26)

3) They sent out ministry teams. Paul used Antioch as his base of operations for his three journeys (Acts 13:1-3; 15:36-41; and 18:22-23). Moreover, Antioch served as a crossroads for travelers from the Tigris and Euphrates River valleys to the east, Asia Minor to the north, and Egypt to the south.

4) They joined together to accomplish projects of compassion.  A famine in Judea became an opportunity for the Christians at Antioch to serve their Jewish brothers in Judea (Acts 11:27-30).

 

Lesson Series The Pointe Mediterranean Moments
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport
Paul's second journey

“Paul’s Second Journey” from the lesson series Grab Your Passport, April 2021

our Scripture

 Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are (Acts 15:36 ESV).

Acts 15:36-41 ESV
Acts 15:36-41 NASB
 Acts 15:36-41 NIV
 Acts 15:36-41 NLT
 Acts 15:36-41 MESSAGE

 

Other Scriptural References:

Acts 16:1-40

Acts 17:1-34

Acts 18:1-22

our Lesson

The mission of Paul’s second journey fits with a question many churches face today. How many of the new Christians in your congregation this year will persist until next year? Several organizations have conducted limited and local polls among new converts, but the results have been varied and inconsistent. Some surveys have found a persistence

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Charles E. Hackett, former national director for missions for the Assemblies of God in the U.S. said, “A soul at the altar does not generate much excitement in some circles because we realize approximately ninety-five out of every hundred will not become integrated into the church. In fact, most of them will not return for a second visit.”[/su_pullquote]

rate as high as 85%, while others cite stats that do not get out of single digits. The surveys rarely follow a structured method for data collection, and are not part of a scientific study. Many of the numbers appear to be based on anecdotal evidence. Given the myriad of divisions within the Church, and even disagreement about the definition of “falling away,” it is not feasible to ascertain conclusive answers or results.

How Do Christians Persist?

The Pew Research Center gives a more accurate view of the religious landscape in America. According to their research, Americans who describe themselves as Christians stands at about 65% in 2019. The number is down 12 percentage points from a decade ago. Both Protestants and Catholics are experiencing losses of the population share. Meanwhile, the number who identify as atheist, agnostic, or nothing in particular continues to grow at 26%.

Ed Stetzer, editor for Christianity Today and expert on church growth, writes about things mature believers can do to help keep people from falling away. “First, we can seek to understand why such people fall away. Second, we can discern and devise ways we can strengthen our discipleship environments to allow the full spectrum of seekers and strugglers have safe environments to belong, become and believe (and keep on believing).”

Paul’s Second Journey

When Paul wanted to return to visit believers from his first journey, his concern was for the persistence of the new converts to Christianity. Honestly, it is surprising that any Gentile church in the first century was able to endure. The resources upon which they were able to build were faulty and limited. New Christians were surrounded by a culture that was pagan and immoral. Few understood the teachings of this Rabbi from Nazareth. It was a time when Christianity was simply seen as a dissenting sect of the Jewish religion. These believers were subject to persecution from zealots of the Jewish faith to militants of the Roman Empire. Inside families, individuals were ostracized because they had abandoned the family faith.

Paul’s second journey found the Apostle returning to cities he had visited to see how the church and the people were surviving in such a hostile environment. Paul’s visit had an impact on the churches. Three phrases in three passages from Paul’s second journey provide threads of understanding of the Apostle’s methods and heart.

They Increased in Numbers Daily

When Paul and his companions traveled to the churches, they spent time with people and they proclaimed God’s Word as seen through the life of His Son. Luke connects this proclamation of the Word with “the churches were strengthened in the faith” (Acts 16:5). As a result, the church increased in numbers daily. The short phrase carries several implications. The growth happened outside and apart from a church building. There were no official church buildings until three hundred years later. The growth happened beyond the reach of the “professional” staff – the apostles and other church leadership. People shared their understanding of the good news of Jesus Christ to their friends, and their friends responded immediately.

God Had Called us to Preach the Gospel to Them

Luke includes vital details of the ministry of the Apostle  (Acts 16:6-10 NIV) that affirm an important principle. God is at work in achieving His purposes in the spread of the Gospel. Paul and his companions were sensitive and open to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit in their decisions and their journey. As they traveled through the regions of Phrygia and Galatia, they had been kept from entering Asia by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6). When they tried to enter Bithynia, the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them (Acts 16:7). They immediately departed for Macedonia after Paul had seen a vision (Acts 16:9-10). God wants to guide us; do we want to listen?

I See That in Every Way You Are Very Religious

When Paul would enter a new city or area, he would first connect with the people who had a religious or spiritual culture, even if the culture disagreed with the message of Christ. He would first go to the city’s synagogue and begin talking to the Jews who understood the longing for a Messiah. In his famous speech to the men of Athens (Acts 17:22-23), Paul commended them for being religious. He pointed them to their own altar offering reverence to “the unknown god.” Paul began speaking about the unknown God who could be known through His Son, Jesus the Messiah. He wanted the people listening to feel welcomed and connected, rather than antagonize them by ostracizing them.

Highlights of Paul’s Second Journey

Paul’s second journey featured some incredible highlights. A few of them include:

  • Paul befriended a young man named Timothy at one of the first stops. His mother and grandmothers were Jewish believers, but from what can be determined, his father was Greek. Timothy had a good reputation among the believers so Paul invited him to join them on the journey. Timothy would receive at least two letters written by Paul which are now a part of the New Testament. The young man would one day be left in Ephesus to lead the believers there. How important are mentors in understanding the doctrines of faith – and in living the faith out each day?
  • As Paul was traveling through the edge of the region of Mysia, near the town of Troas, Paul had a dream that a man from Macedonia (north of Greece) called to him to come to Macedonia and help them. Paul took this as a sign from the Holy Spirit to alter their plans. Immediately the left for Macedonia. Do you look for signs of God’s leading in your life? How do you know God is directing you?
  • On the way to Macedonia, they traveled to Philippi where they met a slave girl who had an evil spirit. Through the power of the spirit, she was able to foresee the future. The girl followed Paul around until finally he cast the demon out of her. The girl’s owners were not happy because their means of making money was gone. They incited a riot against Paul and Silas and had them thrown in prison. Can demons be active today? What are their purposes? How do we see their effects?
  • As Paul journeyed, he spent about a year and a half of this tour in the city of Corinth. To support himself and his companions, Paul used his skills as a tent-maker. What does this say about the importance of our faith in the workplace? How does faith affect what we do at work?

As we travel from city to city, we will learn lessons that will help us share the Gospel with an “unchurched” culture.

KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport
“Let’s Travel with Paul” from the lesson series Grab Your Passport, April 2021

 

our Scripture

 Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are (Acts 15:36 ESV).

Acts 15:30-36 ESV
NASB Acts 15:30-36 NASB
 NIV Acts 15:30-36 NIV
 NLT Acts 15:30-36 NLT
 MESSAGE Acts 15:30-36 MESSAGE

 

Often, in addition to the main Scriptural passage, other biblical references will be listed here.

our Lessons

Most of us are aware that Paul was an instrumental leader in the spread of Christianity through his missionary journeys. Three of the journeys are detailed in the book of Acts, with one or two more journeys hinted at in Paul’s epistles. We may even be aware of some of the cities that Paul visited, but we may not remember which city corresponded with which journey. Did Paul help start the congregation there? Who was with him at the time?

In the GRAB YOUR PASSPORT series, we will look at ten stops on Paul’s second missionary journey. We will use a few chapters from the book of Acts for the Scriptural foundation, but will glance at other references in the New Testament. We will try to learn more about the area, culture and people. The GRAB YOUR PASSPORT lessons can be found on the Koinonia website. You can read and study about the city or area prior to each Sunday’s lesson. Each city will have a wealth of links to help you “visit” the city before our time together and learn more about Paul’s journey.

 

Exploring Behind the Scripture

During the lesson time together, we will explore one or two important doctrines or events that are connected with the city on Paul’s second missionary journey. We will look for applications and truths from the passages that we can use today. A QUICK GLANCE will talk to you about the city, give Scriptural references that mention the city, provide a map of the area, and a link to the lesson page on the website. Look at the far right menu to find “THINGS TO SEE.” These links will take you to websites, like the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, that will give you a richer understanding of the area. You will get a chance to understand the ancient site, as well as explore the city today. A printable copy of A QUICK GLANCE will be available and will have a link to the lesson’s website.

At the bottom of each web page, you will find opportunities for further studies. The menu will look like this. The pictures will provide links to THE POINTE ane MEDITERRANEAN MOMENTS. There will also be a printable page of the QUICK GLANCE along with some discussion questions that could be used in a small group study. The Pointe shares the Scripture’s purpose in the passage. The Mediterranean Moments shares a deeper, personal devotional study helping you build a working context of the Scriptures.

 

Are you ready to travel with Paul? Grab your passport!

KBS Courses - Studies 2021

Koinonia Bible Studies announces its lineup for the Bible studies coming during the 2021 season.Two of the studies are single lesson studies, Tradition and Love of Another Kind. Both of these lessons will be active on January 1, 2021. The other lessons are parts of a series and will be available three weeks before the series is to begin. The series “Confirm Your Calling” can be used in connection to the Lenten Season leading to Easter Sunday. This series will have a daily devotional book, Confirm Your Calling, available through Amazon. Every lesson has several ways that it can be presented, both for individual and small group studies.

2021 KBS Course of Study
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport

Let’s take a closer look at the “Tradition” lesson to see the format and structure of each series. Each lesson has its own web page. If you are an individual wanting a ten to fifteen minute study each week, you can read the information on the main page of the lesson. The menu on the left has several links for additional study. There are also links to internal and external reference sources within the text. Every Scripture reference is linked to a pop-up window, so you don’t even have to have a Bible at your fingertips. From the lesson web page alone, an individual could easily fill an hour or more time in devotion and study.

Studying On Your Own

Below is a screen shot from the web page for the lesson, “Traditions.” Each web page has an accessible menu bar at the upper left hand corner of the page. The three bars click to open a menu of links to biblical study resources, a daily Bible verse, an inspirational quote, and several other features. Every link on the webpage can be clicked or hovered over to access information or other websites to use for reference. Every Scripture verse is linked so the Bible verses themselves will appear in a window.

Needing More to Study?

If the individual wants something to study each day during the week, there are at least two ways to do so. With each lesson, there are daily Bible readings, quotations and prayers for five to ten minutes of meditation and contemplation.

If the individual wants a little more Bible study each day, there are five sub-lessons which will help the student develop a biblical context for the passage or topic. Each lesson has the following five sub-lessons:

Each lesson series has its own main page, with each lesson its own page that is accessible from the lesson series’ main page. The stand-alone lessons each have one page that functions as both. When a series is active, you can click on the picture above and be taken to the lesson series’ main page.You can click on these pictures to find out more about each of the units of study.

Studying the Context

Together these five lessons help you build a context for the topic or passage that is being discussed in the lesson. We often make the mistake in thinking that the context of a passage is the verses before and after the verse we are studying. Context is that plus so much more. “The Pointe” shares the main point of the topic or passage of Scripture. It is going to reference that point with the entire message of the Bible, so that an idea cannot be taken out of context. “Mediterranean Moments” helps you understand the cultural and historical background of the passage. “Wrangling with Words” digs into the background of some of the words in the passage to give you a better and deeper understanding of the subject. “In the Shadows” brings ideas and Scriptures from the Psalms to the table. Psalms captures the heart of the passionate emotions involved in the reality of living here on earth while we are trying to please a spiritual God. Finally, “Walk with God” explores the application of the passage to daily living. If I have understood the passage of Scripture correctly, what should I do about it?

Leading a Small Group

Personal study is helpful, but many of us are involved in leadership. We are often called upon to present in a more formal, almost “lesson-like” setting. Perhaps you lead a small group or Bible study, or have been asked to lead a devotional in an elders’ or deacons’ meeting. A KBS Bible study presents the perfect format to help you lead the presentation of a lesson to others.

There are several ways that you can use this material in a smaller group setting. First, you can handout an excerpt of the lesson material for use with the group. In addition to material that can be found on the website, the points to ponder and the conclusions to consider are printed on the handout. Hover your mouse over the image of the PDF handout. Make as many copies to distribute as your group needs. Second, there is a handout that provides daily Bible readings for the coming week. The Scriptures reinforce the material and pointe from the lesson. Again hover over the image to access a menu that will allow you to examine and print the material. Finally, each of the five context lessons (The Pointe, Mediterranean Moments, Wrangling with Words, In the Shadows, and Walk with God) will have devotional thoughts that you could use in a presentation.

Let’s return to the web page from the “Traditions” lesson.

Below is the list of the different lesson series, the day(s) when the lesson will be taught, when the main pages will be accessible and when the five special context lessons will be accessible.

Series Title Lessons Begin Main Pages Accessible Context Pages Accessible Pages Come Down
Tradition January 3, 2021 December 31, 2020 January 3, 2021
Fear Not January 10, 2021 January 3, 2021 January 10, 2021
Love of Another Kind February 14, 2021 February 7, 2021 February 14, 2021
Confirm Your Calling February 21, 2021 February 14, 2021 February 21, 2021
Mediterranean Moments April 11, 2021 March 28, 2021 April 4, 2021
Doctrines of Contention June 6, 2021 May 23, 2021 May 30, 2021
Road Warriors: Ephesians August 1, 2021 July 18, 2021 July 25, 2021
Restore September 26, 2021 September 19, 2021 September 26, 2021
Royal Psalms October 31, 2021 October 17, 2021 October 24, 2021
Music of Christmas November 28, 2021 November 14, 2021 November 21, 2021

Connecting with Other Leaders

More than likely, if you are on this webpage, you are a leader in your church. Leaders in churches face a unique kind of stress and pressure, one that often leaves feelings of isolation and confusion. My father used to describe it as “being alone in a crowd.” A church leader is rarely alone – meetings, worship, small groups, service – we find ourselves busier than what we want to be most of the time. But in the midst of being with people, we shield a portion of ourselves from others. We don’t want to come across negative, lest we discourage others in the church or leave a bad taste in the mouths of visitors. We don’t want to appear weak, we want to be the mature, strong believer. Probably most importantly, we don’t want to be hurt. Opening ourselves too much – being too vulnerable at the wrong time and in the wrong place can have devastating results.

One of the goals of Koinonia Bible Studies is to provide a safe haven for leaders. What does this website and these lessons hope to accomplish?

Three Purposes of Koinonia Bible Studies

  • Biblical content – whether it be study material for small groups, inspirational or devotional books, or books on any of the theologies – can lead to several interpretations and different meanings. I attended a lecture from a very liberal biblical scholar who said, “The belief in the resurrection is the most attested to fact in history.” At first glance, it sounded like the theologian was being very conservative and biblical. But he wasn’t saying the resurrection was a fact. He was saying that it is a fact that lots of people (mistakenly) believe it.

One of the reasons for the site is the chance to share with you the results of almost fifty years of studying the Bible. These are not intended to be academic, scholarly works of theology. I studied Greek for six years in college and seminary, two years of Hebrew. If I mention Greek, it is not to impress you with my knowledge, but to share something that is going to expand your English. Here is why the Greek is important – here is the difference it will make in how you understand, how you feel and how you act. Maybe it will also give you insights that you can share in your teaching with others.

Many times I have wanted to talk with an author and ask, “What did you mean by this?” During the weeks the lesson is live, you can do just that. Ask me anything about what I have written or what I am saying. I am not here to argue with you, nor convince you to change your particular opinion. But if you want to know what my conclusion is, and how I reached it; I will be glad to share with you.

  • Methodology – sometimes the examples writers give for discussion questions or activities are difficult to interpret. What is the point in doing this?  Sometimes you can see the point, but you know their suggestion would never work with your people. Again, I want to provide a forum where you can ask me – or interact with others who are using the lessons – about ways to present the material, teaching plans, and other ideas. When we share best practices and bounce ideas off one another, we are challenged, refreshed, renewed and probably become a stronger teacher.
  • Prayer – if you are like me, you spend most of your time in leadership praying for others. For people in the church, people who have fallen away a bit, for your family, and for the lost. But it is difficult to even ask for someone to pray for you. We would like to create a place where you can share requests – even in an anonymous way – and know that someone will pray for the circumstance and for you.

Koinonia Studies

There you have it. The reason for these studies – and the reason this website is here. Join with me in this journey. Allow yourself to grow and strengthen and be encouraged. We all need that – regardless of the leadership role we play in the local congregation. Sometimes we need material that we can use as we teach others. But mostly we need the quiet place in the cave where we can watch the lightening go by, we can hear the thunder roar, we can feel the earth shake .. all while we are patiently waiting for the whisper. Lean with me to hear the whisper.

“Fellowship and the Father,” from the lesson series Come Together | fellowship at a distance, October 2020

 

 

 

 

 

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our Scripture

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).

Acts 2:42-47 NASB

Acts 2:42-47 NIV

Acts 2:42-47 NLT

Acts 2:42-47 MESSAGE

Our fellowship is with the Father. “And indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3 ESV).

 

Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.

[doc id=3472]

 

One of the incredible reasons that God adopted us (Ephesians 1:5) into His family is for the opportunity to fellowship (1 Corinthians 1:9) with the God of creation.

 

Before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed (John 17) that His disciples would have the same relationship with God that Jesus experienced throughout His existence. What does it mean to have that kind of unity and fellowship with the Father?

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

  1. Considering what you know about fellowship, how is it possible to have fellowship with someone you cannot see?

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The Bible describes that fellowship with two distinct analogies. The first describes our fellowship with God as a walk. The image goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the evening.

 

[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize

“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36 ESV). [/su_pullquote]

What images come to mind when we describe a relationship as a walk?

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

1. What image comes to mind when you see  yourself “walking with the Father?” [/su_pullquote]

The other symbol is just as stunning. The relationship that we have with the Father is seen as walking in the light (1 John 1:7). You walk differently in the light than you do in darkness, don’t you?

Walking in the light describes the kind of walk that we should experience. It is contrasted against walking around in darkness.” Proverbs tells us that the path of the just is as a shining light … while the way of the wicked in as darkness (Proverbs 4:18-19).

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

What changes about you when you have fellowship with the Father?

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God has promised that for those in His fellowship, He “will lead them in paths they have not known” and that He will “make darkness light before them, and make crooked things straight” (Isaiah 42:16).

How do these concepts add to your understanding of fellowship? How important is our fellowship with God to our fellowship with others?

 

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Want to take your study to a deeper level? The images to the below represent five “sub-lessons,” each supporting the theme in today’s lesson.

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“Fellowship,” from the lesson series Come Together | fellowship at a distance, October 2020

 

 

 

 

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our Scripture

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47 ESV).

Acts 2:42-47 NASB

Acts 2:42-47 NIV

Acts 2:42-47 NLT

Acts 2:42-47 MESSAGE

 

How would you define Christian fellowship?

Enjoy a one page summary of the lesson. You can print copies for use with your group.

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The word κοινωνία (koin-oh-knee-uh) is used 20 times in the New Testament, but only about half of them use the definition of “fellowship.” If your understanding of “fellowship” is that of “friendship,” you are missing much of the riches this word has to offer.

 

Κοινωνία is a word used to describe the things in common between believers and their God. The word includes the common belief system or worldview (we look at the world through the same eyes), experiences (worship, rejoicing, comfort, hope), expressions (prayer, giving, communion) and the intimacy and security of God intermingled with the human existence.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Points to Ponder

  1. Describe your ideal setting for fellowship. Do you have memories of times of fellowship at a church? What does it include? How has it changed as you have grown older?

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Although the concept is primarily a New Testament development, it finds its roots in the covenant and promises made between God and Israel. The foundation for the experience is the Lord’s promise, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12, etc). The promise was structured through the laws and agreements of the covenant (Genesis 17:7-8; Joshua 24:2-14; Jeremiah 50:5).

[su_pullquote]Verse to Memorize

“Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the Word of the Lord, and see how they are” (Acts 15:36 ESV). [/su_pullquote]

 

Fellowship intertwines the compartments of life. Faith is directed towards God, but it is meaningful when it is expressed, shared and affirmed with others. Love is directed towards God as a grateful response to His unending love for us, but it finds expression not only to others in the faith, but to those who are currently deemed “unloveable.” Hope points us to our future but finds its rest in the past and its demonstration in the present.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Words to Wrangle

The Greek word for fellowship shares roots with unity, common and communion. Why are these important?

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The root of the word κοινωνία regularly used as a prefix in the ancient Greek language with words like family, home, meeting and business. Adding the prefix describes an immediate family or a public meeting.

 

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Conclusions to Consider

When things are going well in life, do I tend to fellowship more or less with other believers? Why is this?

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Jerry Bridges wrote, “There are many elements that go into the total concept of fellowship, but the sharing together in suffering is one of the most profitable.”

 

 

 

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Want to take your study to a deeper level? The images below represent five “sub-lessons,” each supporting the theme in today’s lesson.

When you study these five sub-lessons, you will have developed a thorough understanding of the context of today’s main passage of Scripture.

Click on an image and you will be taken to another page of content. Pick as many as you like.