The Nature of the Church: The Church as Community I. Introduction A. Let us spend some time looking into some aspects of the nature of the church B. The church, in functional terms, can be described in many different ways 1. a body (cf. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12) 2. an assembly (ekklesia) 3. a collective 4. a remnant (cf. Romans 11:5) C. Another description that incorporates many of the ideas above is "community" D. Just like a city or a neighborhood or another example of a group of people coming together for some common cause, the church is a community E. Let us explore how the New Testament shows the church to be a community and see how we can work to make the community function II. Church as Community: Ekklesia and Koinonia A. Let us begin by looking at the meaning of two words commonly associated with the church: ekklesia and koinonia B. Ekklesia-- "church" 1. The word ekklesia is many times understood by its etymology: ek + kleo, "the called out" 2. While etymologies can sometimes be helpful to understand the meaning of a word, when a word begins to be distanced by usage from its origin, the etymology can be a stumbling-block: root fallacy 3. This is certainly true with ekklesia, for it meant, in the New Testament world, an assembly-- specifically, the assembly of a city, which would congregate to perform the function akin to our legislatures (cf. Acts 19:39) 4. So, while Ephesus had its own Assembly, and Athens its Assembly, the Kingdom of Heaven has its assembly-- the ekklesia, the church! 5. While the ekklesia of Christ is not concerned with political legislation, it does represent the body-- or community-- of the saved 6. Just as a political ekklesia that did not assemble would be worthless, so too is the ekklesia of Christ that does not assemble (Hebrews 10:25)! 7. The members of a political ekklesia, however, do not only interact with each other during their assemblies-- the same is to hold true for members of God's ekklesia! 8. As the political ekklesia represented the body of citizens in a city, so also the ekklesia of Christ represents the body of citizens in the Kingdom-- and also the community itself! C. Koinonia-- "fellowship" 1. The term koinonia is used with reference to the relationship between Christians and their God and with one another (cf. Acts 2:42, 1 John 1:1-6) 2. Thayer: "fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse; the share which one has in anything, participation; a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship." 3. One can see "community" as one of the meanings for koinonia! 4. The idea implicit in an association, community, etc., is that the members of such a group interact frequently 5. After all, what is an association wherein its members do not associate? 6. It is important to note that in the New Testament, koinonia is a noun and not a verb-- it represents a state, not an action 7. One demonstrates the existence of koinonia through actions-- one does not directly "practice" koinonia 8. The community, then, is demonstrated to exist by the actions of those who would comprise it! 9. Let us look at the Scriptures to determine more about the nature of the church as community and how to establish and strengthen the community III. Church as Community in Scripture A. Acts 2:42-48 1. As the church begins, we are provided with a wonderful example of the association-- community-- of the believers 2. v. 44: all were together, had all things in common 3. v. 45: they sold whatever they had individually to benefit everyone in the group 4. v. 46: they came together in the Temple daily 5. Their association was very strong-- constantly together, sacrificing everything they had for one another 6. An extraordinary example! B. 1 Corinthians 12:12-28, Galatians 6:2 1. The church-- community-- described in terms of a body 2. Body has many parts that must work together 3. If one part has difficulties, the rest must bear the difficulties 4. hence the need to "bear one another's burdens" 5. Can a part of the body work independently of the rest, having no contact with the rest of the body? By no means! 6. Can a body work well if its individual parts are not familiar with working together? 7. Each part has its own function and is required for the whole, and the whole is dependent on the function of each part 8. Likewise with a physical community-- different people perform different functions that complement one another, and when one part suffers, the whole community can suffer 9. All these things describe the church-- it is comprised of different persons with different strengths, and all must function together and be familiar with functioning together for the body to operate 10. And if a part has difficulty, the rest must assist! C. Seeing these Scriptures advocating the community, and the need to keep it working together effectively, we can establish that the community continually requires strengthening-- more association, more participation D. Why do we need to strengthen the community? IV. Church as Community: Why Strengthen the Community? A. Reason #1: To make the body work 1. Many may think that they do not need to work to strengthen the community, thinking in individualistic terms 2. Characteristic of our society: we as Americans are not used to sharing space! a. physical examples abound b. on buses: when seating voluntary, and bus full of people not knowing one another, people will sit first at least one row away from others, then by necessity one per row, and then only when that is impossible will people sit next to each other c. we Americans value our space d. this is just as true in emotional terms: we want space from others 3. We cannot deny that we are accountable to one another (1 Cor. 5:11-12, 6:2-6, James 5:16) 4. Since we are accountable to one another, we need to act like it, and give account to one another! 5. Only when we are in close association with one another-- knowing one another, helping one another, encouraging one another-- will we function as smoothly as the body ought to function (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12-28) B. Reason #2: To be an example for those outside or astray from Christ 1. Another significant reason is to be an example to the world 2. When was the last time you heard anyone say, "this church is a cold organization whose members have little contact with one another and are not concerned for one another. I want to be a part of that group!"? 3. Not likely! 4. How many leave the church because they do not feel like they are a part of it? 5. How many never join the church because it does not seem to want them? 6. Yes, some (or much) of such peoples' difficulties are their own, and they probably did not try to be a part of the church or want to be a part of the church enough... yet, on our part, have we done what we can? 7. Many times those from outside see a church for what it really is and not merely what it professes 8. Furthermore, how can we expect to evangelize the world and bring people into the community when we have not been tending to and strengthening the community? 9. We need to be examples (Matthew 5:13-16, 1 Peter 2:11-15, 3:16), not just as individuals but also as the community of believers! C. So we have seen that we need to strengthen the community, for our own sakes and for the sake of evangelistic mission. In what ways can we strengthen the community? V. Church as Community: Ways to Strengthen Community A. 1 Peter 4:7-11 1. Some of the things we are to do to strengthen the community 2. Love one another (v. 8) 3. Be hospitable to one another without complaint (v. 9) 4. Use whatever gifts we have to serve one another (vv. 10-11) B. Showing Love 1. A lot of us try to demonstrate love for one another, but are we being successful? 2. We have conversations with brethren, but does our relationship with them ever get beyond the platitudes of social convention? 3. If we know someone is having troubles, do we just, out of the blue, ask "do you need anything?" 4. What do you expect the answer to be? It's little different from the standard "how are you?"! 5. It gives the impression of little concern! 6. If we do not know the brother/sister well, perhaps we should be more specific, and ask if they have need for particular things 7. If we want to study the Scriptures with someone, perhaps we should be more specific and ask to study a particular topic at a particular time 8. Even without pressing needs, we should try to communicate to one another more consistently, both within and without the assembly! 9. There might be some distance between you and your brethren, but the phone and the Internet surely can bridge that distance! 10. If the members of the body do not know one another it cannot function effectively C. Showing Hospitality 1. This can be more difficult, especially if you have lesser means or are some distance geographically from other brethren 2. Few places of assembly, however, are not near eating establishments... 3. ...and none of us should consider it a trial to travel some distance to be with brethren! 4. There is far more importance placed on the love for brethren manifested by the inhabitants of a house than in the physical appearance of the house! D. Using what we have to Serve 1. It is admitted that many do not have a lot of money, or perhaps do not speak well, or other percieved "handicaps" 2. Yet everyone has their function in the body, and everyone can serve one another in some way 3. You can help with money, or with time, or with some skill-- or perhaps you may be the best thing for a brother or sister by just being present for them 4. We all have something to provide for one another E. The Essential Principle: Being Proactive, Not Reactive 1. Much good will be done, and the Body far more strengthened, if everyone were more proactive than reactive 2. Proactive: actively engaging people to find their needs 3. Reactive: waiting for people to come to you to tell you their needs 4. This same principle guides us in the rest of our lives... a. in our health, we get vaccinated or try to avoid disease-- proactive, as opposed to reacting to illness b. with our car, we get oil changes and tune-ups so that problems do not develop-- proactive, as opposed to taking the car in only when it has problems c. in our homes, the same principle 5. ...so since we diligently try in our physical lives to be proactive, why not in our spiritual lives? 6. It's a lot easier to be reactive! a. it's much easier to wait for someone to come to you b. our society has gotten us used to having services cater to us c. it takes less effort...and no emotional vestment...for us to wait for others to come to us, rather than putting our foot forward for them 7. But consider evangelism a. while some may react to an article, announcement, or some such tool of evangelism and come to the faith... b. ...the vast majority are brought to the faith because someone took the initiative and invited them to services or asked them to study or some such thing 8. What of you: did you convert on the basis of reaction or because someone approached you? 9. How much more, then, ought we be proactive with those already in our midst! a. Romans 15:1: the burden is on us, not them b. you ought not fear-- they won't reject you! c. you might just find that the standard platitudes you're used to hearing diminish, and you find out substantive issues that your brethren are dealing with d. you can help bear their burdens-- and they, in turn, will help you! e. by being more proactive, and actively working to strengthen the community, everyone benefits: you help others in their walk, and the inevitable consequence is that you yourself will be strengthened! 10. Let us strive to be proactive in our love for one another, being hospitable to one another, and serving one another in every way we can VI. Conclusion A. The church is well and accurately described as a community B. Ekklesia: the assembly of God-- what is an assembly that does not assemble? C. Koinonia: the assocation/community/joint participation of believers-- what association is there if brethren do not associate? D. The community may continue to exist, but, as with love, only through demonstration through works can the presence of community be felt and percieved E. We must constantly strengthen the community-- being proactive in loving one another, showing hospitality, and serving one another in every possible capacity F. Invitation/songbook 1. If you have not obeyed Christ, you are not a part of this community 2. and if you are not a part of God's community, you are part of Satan's, and will receive due punishment (Romans 6:16-23, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) 3. Leave the community of sin, and join the community of the elect! Obey Christ today! 4. Perhaps you are a part of the community, but have not lived up to its charge, or simply require encouragement-- we want to help you with your burden, as Christ has helped all of us with ours (Matt. 11:28-30). 5. Come to the front as we stand and sing