Fellowship is Fundamental

Don Graham tells a story about Linda, a young woman, who was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta to the Yukon.

Linda didn’t know you don’t travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture.

The first evening she found a room in the mountains near a summit and asked for a 5 A.M. wake up call so she could get an early start. She couldn’t understand why the clerk looked surprised at that request, but as she awoke to early morning fog shrouding the mountain tops, she understood. Not wanting to look foolish, she got up and went to breakfast. Two truckers invited Linda to join them, and since the place was so small, she felt obliged.

“Where are you headed?” one of the truckers asked.

“Whitehorse.”

“In that little Civic? No way! This pass is dangerous in weather like this.”

“Well, I’m determined to try,” was Linda’s gutsy response.

“Then I guess we’re just going to have to hug you,” the trucker suggested.

Linda drew back. “There’s no way I’m going to let you touch me!”

“Not like THAT!” the truckers chuckled. “We’ll put one truck in front of you and one in the rear. That way, we’ll get you through the mountains.”

All that foggy morning Linda followed the two red dots in front of her and had the reassurance of a big escort behind as they made their way safely through the mountains.

“Caught in the fog in our dangerous passage through life,” Don observed, “we need to be ‘hugged.’ With fellow Christians who know the way and can lead safely ahead of us, and with others behind, gently encouraging us along, we, too, can pass safely.”

Fellowship, one of the most fundamental aspects of our faith, is perfectly illustrated in this story.

Oh, we could cite the Greek word, koinonia and the scholars definition as “sharing in common, joint participation, and communion.”

We could list the 14 New Testament verses that speak of our fellowship as a spiritual relationship and exegete each one.

We could further describe fellowship with words like association. Intimacy. Partnership. Community. Comradeship. Companionship. Commonality. And togetherness.

We could reference the importance of fellowship as Luke describes the Jerusalem Christians who “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Ac. 2:42, ESV).

We could illustrate and apply fellowship as…

…Contributing to the needs of the saints. (Rom 12:13)

…Extending hospitality (Ac 2:46).

…Sharing your faith (Phile 6).

…Mutual participation during the Communion service as we  focus on Christ death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor 10:16-17).

…Enjoying Divine association with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (1 Cor 1:9; 2 Cor 13:14)

…Walking together in the light of the Lord and receiving cleansing from our sins (1 John 1:7)

…Weeping with those who weep; and rejoicing with those who rejoice (Rom 12:15).

…Sharing in the suffering of Christ together, while knowing we will be partakers together of His glory (1 Pet 5:1).

All of this and more speaks to the importance our fellowship in the Body of Christ. Yet, its most basic application and fundamental purpose is “hugging” one another through life’s fog and its treacherous trek as we journey from earth to heaven.

 

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman