The Church - A Story of Community
August 22, 2021      |     By: Jonathan Brickley      |      Category: Sermons      |      Location: El Dorado
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 “Koinonia” - Community, Joint Participation, Intimacy of Fellowship, One’s Share in Something

“TOGETHER”

Ephesians 2:21-22 (NIV)
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Ephesians 3:18 (NIV)
18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,

Colossians 1:26-27 (NIV)
26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians
- While in Ephesus (on a missionary journey) Paul evangelized Epaphras - a Colossian - who traveled back home and planted a church (Colossians 1:7)
- 5-10 years later, Paul under house arrest in Rome, hears from Epaphras, and then writes a letter to the Colossian church
- Same time as Philemon & Ephesians Philemon 1:6
- Paul, unjustly accused and in Prison, meets Onesimus, justly accused and in prison, and leads him to salvation.

Colossians 1:7 (NIV)
7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf,

Sends three epistles to the church in Colossae (Philemon, Ephesians, Colossians) from prison in Rome.

By the hand of Onesimus - the former thief/prisoner and Tychicus (Colossians 4:8-9, Ephesians 6:21)

Colossians 4:8-9 (NIV)
8 I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
9 He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

Ephesians 6:21 (NIV)
21 Tychicus, the dear brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know how I am and what I am doing.

Philemon 1:4 - 6 (NIV)
4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,
5 because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus.
6 I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 

Philemon 1:6
“And I pray that the sharing of (communion of, the fellowship of, the sharing of) your faith (our partnership in the faith) may become effective and powerful in the DEEPENING of your understanding of (the full knowledge of) every good thing which is ours (that we share) in Christ.”

(EXB)
6 I pray that the ·faith you share [the sharing/fellowship of your faith] may ·make you [enable/empower you to] understand every blessing we have in Christ.

Limited / Shallow Understanding = Limited / Shallow Revelation
…. into the mystery of Christ.

Matthew 21:10-11 (NIV)
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

How?  “the sharing of our faith…” (IN JESUS)

Ephesians 4:15 (NIV)
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,
27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

1) gave Himself up FOR her (in her place)
2) cleansing her by washing with water through the word
3) to present her to himself (radiant, without stain, wrinkle, blemish, holy & blameless)