SERMON NOTES: REVIVAL RELATIONSHIPS 02

Special Focus

• We are very excited about Easter 2019 at Toronto City Church. We are going to have a Good Friday Service and 3 Outreach Services on Resurrection Sunday
• We are going to have a 10 Day Spiritual Challenge leading up to Easter that is going to have video devotionals, daily readings and prayer targets
• We will have full information next week and begin to build up to it.

Prophetic Roadmap for 2019

2019 is a year…

1. That will rise and fall on our prayer lives.
2. To step out into new things that God is doing in your life.
3. For a new level of maturity.
4. To grow in and develop our faith and to exercise our faith
5. To stand with our church family members who are believing for spouses
6. For us to focus our prayer/action on the upcoming National Elections
7. For us to contend for revival

“THE FELLOWSHIP”

I want us to continue to focus on relationships and talk about the direct link between revival and relationships

• In our last teaching, we talked about how #RelationshipsReallyMatter
• “Revival = Family = Relationship = Connection”
• The strength of our connection to one another builds the bridge that ‘revival will drive across’ – it creates an atmosphere to see it and to sustain it

Let’s take a look again at a Biblical example of a “Revival Culture” from the Early Church:

Acts 2:42-47 (ESV) – 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.

Focus = “The Fellowship”

Fellowship is the Greek word “Koinonia”. Koinonia is a Greek word that occurs 20 times in the Bible. Koinonia’s primary meaning is “fellowship, sharing in common, communion.” The first occurrence of koinonia is Acts 2:42. Christian fellowship is a key aspect of the Christian life. Believers in Christ are to come together in love, faith, and encouragement. That is the essence of koinonia.

Philippians 2:1-2 declares, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” Koinonia is being in agreement with one another, being united in purpose, and serving alongside each other. Our koinonia with each other is based on our common koinonia with Jesus Christ. 

A powerful example of what koinonia should look like can be found in a study of the phrase “one another” in the Bible. Scripture commands us to be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), honor one another (Romans 12:10), live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 3:8), accept one another (Romans 15:7), serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), admonish one another (Colossians 3:16), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13), spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24), offer hospitality (1 Peter 4:9), and love one another (1 Peter 1:22; 1 John 3:11; 3:23; 4:7; 4:11-12). That is what true biblical koinonia should look like.

(Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/koinonia.html)

For a great resource talking about the “One Another” Commands check out: https://overviewbible.com/one-another-infographic/

What if one of our core goals truly became “being devoted to Koinonia”?

The Message: 41-42 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. 43-45 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s need was met. 46-47 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.

Some practical ways to walk in ‘The Fellowship’ or ‘Koinonia’:

1. Studying the word together
2. Doing life together
3. Taking communion together
4. Praying together
5. Living in harmony together
6. Meeting one another’s needs
7. Worshipping together
8. Meeting in homes together
9. Eating together
10. Winning people to Jesus together

The essence of koinonia is embracing “together”. I need you. You need me. We need each other. Will you join me in asking the Lord to teach us what it means to be devoted ’to the fellowship’ and walk it out together?

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