SERMON NOTES (Aug 23, 2015): Koinonia - Fellowship - 1 Cor 10:6-11, 14-22; 11:20-22, 29

Koinonia- Fellowship

Read Text: 1 Cor 10:6-11, 14-22; 11:20-22, 29

Koinonia:Fellowship::Agape:Love

Koinonia is the building block of Spiritual Body Building like amino acids are to building muscles.

I.                    Koinonia can be fostered or defeated by our Actions (1 Cor 10:6-11)

Often Bible gives examples both to show what happened badly and to instruct how the opposite will bring a positive result.

Examples of the Old Testament: DON’T LET HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF!

A.      Idolatry Divides us while Worship Brings us together (vs. 7)

a.       EXP. “eat, drink, stood up to play”

b.      When? Ex. 32:1-6- Moses delayed, prayer deferred, golden calf, offering, creativity, idol- “this is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (32:4)

B.      Immorality Divides us while Purity Binds us together (vs. 8)

a.       EXP. “23,000 fell in one day”

b.      When? Numbers 25:1-9- daughters of Moab enticed Israel to idolatry & immorality with Medianite prostitute in public view. 23K died on day one; additional 1K died until they executed the death penalty on the prostitute & adulterous man.

C.      Grumbling Divides us while Encouragement Draws us together (vs. 9)

a.       EXP. “destroyed by the destroyer” (Verbal Rebellion)

b.      When? Numbers 16:41-50- 14,700 plague (Aaron had to make quick atonement as God wanted to destroy them all for grumbling against moving forward into promised land) +250 Korah’s men (rebellion)

D.      Testing God Divides us while Trusting God unites us together (vs. 9)

a.       EXP. “destroyed by the serpents”

b.      When? Numbers 21:5-9 “became impatient because of the journey, why? We loathe this miserable food, Lord sent fiery serpents, intercede”

II.                  Koinonia is shared like a meal (1 Cor 10:14-22)

A.      Dedication: “Cup of Blessing” – represents the blood of Christ (vs. 16). Our Salvation is a shared experience of His Blood flowing through us in the body.

B.      Distinction: “Bread” – represents the body of Christ (vs. 17). Our church relations are the shared experiences of being a part of same loaf.

C.      Demarcation: “Cup of Demons” – represents idolatry (vs. 21). Our separation from the world’s demonic system of worship is the shared experience of refusing to drink the poisonous cool-aid of the Devil.

D.      Demonstration: “Table of the Lord” – represents singularity of spiritual source (vs. 21). Any unrepentant sin in the camp is a double dipping that contaminates the shared experience of the spiritual meal Jesus blesses.

III.                Koinonia is prerequisite to Communion Meal (1 Cor 11:20-22,29)

A.      Let there be no hunger and no drunkenness, no selfishness and no lavishness: “private suppers” vs. shared spiritual meals (my gifts, my service, my tithe: all corporate for the common good)

B.      Let there be no humiliation, no exploitation of the poor: “humiliating” vs honoring (daily provision: OUR daily bread)

C.      Let there be recognition of the body before we taste the wafer and cup: “judgment” (discernment) vs. fellowship. When I take a bite, I recognize that the one sitting next to me is an integral part of the body. If there is something amiss, it must be dealt with prior to my participation in the ceremony.

Conc. “Let a man examine himself”- Matt 5:23-24 - "Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

Next week: Lord’s Supper – Get yourself ready for a blessing, by making everything right in the body.