A New Life Beyond "Progressive" or "Libertarian"

Fellowship

(1 John 1:3, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, January 3, 2016)

(3a) The honest eyewitness proclamation

[3]  that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you,

Last Sunday we saw how serious God was in His Immanuel project. This amazing heavenly endeavor has always been so shocking that many throughout the centuries who wanted to be considered “Christians” by the church have nonetheless felt compelled to find a way to reject the apostolic teaching that Jesus was really there as a full human being. They wanted to assert that the Son of God was real, but that He only seemed to be a man. See “docetism” for more.

John's response to this false teaching was to assert the apostolic witness that those who were with Jesus during his brief earthly ministry and even in his days of resurrection not only heard and saw the Lord, but even touched Him with their hands. They knew Jesus with their senses, and therefore they were unwilling to deny His full humanity. Furthermore, the Jesus that they had seen and heard was the same Savior that they proclaimed to all who wanted to know more.

(3b) The sincere desire for inclusiveness

so that you too may have fellowship with us;

The goal of this proclamation, according to 1 John 1:3, was “koinonia” or fellowship with those who had already received the message of Jesus. This person to person sense of belonging is a very special gift, but it is not limited to those who are Christians. A band of brothers can have a common endeavor involving great sacrifice that causes them to have a shared life. Certainly this is supposed to be one of the joys of life within a healthy extended family or community.

(3c) The startling truth of fellowship between God and people

and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

Yet John goes far beyond this horizontal experience of koinonia to one that was both vertical and horizontal, built upon the foundation stone of the koinonia man who was and is both fully God and fully man. To have fellowship with Jesus is to have fellowship even with the Father, and then in a completely unheard of way, to have fellowship with all those everywhere who have become a part of Jesus koinonia.

This word (see etymology back from “fellowship” to “partner” to “common” to “with”) is barely used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (LXX), and was only tasted by prophets and worshipers prior to the incarnation of the Son of God. It comes to life in the New Testament community and appears about twenty times, with this rich theology:

1. Through Christ, it is possible for humans to have a real koinonia with God including all three persons of the Godhead (1 John 1:3, 1 Cor. 1:9, 2 Cor. 13:14).
2. This fellowship with God results in a deeper fellowship with others who share in this koinonia with God, His message, and His mission in the world (1 John 1:3, Phil 1:5).
3. This church connection with God and His people of faith is reflected in a sacramental koinonia that we experience at the Lord's table (1 Cor. 10:16).
4. That sacramental communion is to be lived out in a living and giving togetherness that is an essential part of what the church did from the beginning (Acts 2:42).
5. All of this rich theology and Christian experience leads us to view our sufferings in a very powerful and new way (Phil. 3:10, Phil 2:5-11).

Those who respond to the message of the apostles by receiving and resting upon Christ alone as He is offered in the gospel have fellowship with the church and with the Lord God Almighty. Our fullest fellowship with God is a most important human need that can only come through embracing the apostolic message recorded for us in the Scriptures.

Living out koinonia is essential to Christian theology and experience. It sounds so different from normal life that it may sound like communism. The truth is that Christian koinonia is an indictment upon our over-identification as either “progressives” or “libertarians.” Progressives tend to see ultimate authority and ownership in the collective, with the collective granting rights to the individual. The libertarian starts with the assumption that human beings own themselves, and that any role for the collective is granted by the free choice of individuals with constitutional protection against an overzealous majority. Both miss the biblical importance of the words of 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “You are not your own. You were bought with a price.” and Psalm 24:1: “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”

Our identity is not in any political movement, but in the God of Christian koinonia who gave Himself for us, and who owns us and everything else.

How then does this Christian koinonia work. Consider this testimony from Bill and Beth Spead's daughter, Elizabeth: “As this year comes to a close, I had originally been planning on posting a "good riddance" type of status. This has been a very hard year for our family (immediate and extended, and continuing right up to the final hours with mom's fall and breaking her back today!), a year that was difficult for our marriage, a year that has been more stressful than any other year we have lived through, both emotionally and financially, and a year in which several close friends experienced huge doses of physical and relational pain. However, God is Good, ALL THE TIME, and this year we have felt the outpouring of His blessings and protection over our family in ways that we would have never seen if He has chosen an easy path for us in 2015. We have had friends come around us, lifting us up in prayer, providing tangibly for our family in many many ways, and allowing us to show others a visual testimony of how Christians are called to care for one another. In many ways I'm glad 2015 is drawing to a close, but I can honestly say that I'm humbled and honored that He has taken our family through these trials this year, so that we can grow closer to Him and to our church family. Here's to 2016 hopefully giving us more opportunities to do the same for others!”

Consider also the experience of early Christians recorded for us in Acts 2:41-47: “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. [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.”

Above all consider the incarnation and the cross, and let Jesus' mind be in you. (Phil. 2)

Old Testament Reading—Genesis 28:10-22 – Stairway to heaven

Gospel Reading—Luke 2:41-52 – The boy Jesus at the temple