1. Kingdom People
Romans 15:7-13 (p. 1049)
April 3, 2011

2. 1. Koinonia Koinonia – Grk for “fellowship” Acts 2:42ff Acts 4:32ff
Koinonia is rooted in the love of God
“We love because he first loved us” (I John 4:19)

3. 2. Diversity in Koinonia
Church in Rome was diverse: Jewish Christians & Gentile Christians
We are also diverse!
Types of diversity:
Functional – different roles to play
Socio-economic status
Age & Stage of life
Ethnic – different assumptions, ways of life, ways of communicating, food, language, gestures, manners, etc.
… and more!

4. 3. Accept One Another
Rom 15: 7 - “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
Ps 18:49 – “I will praise you among the Gentiles”
God’s name is being praised while in the midst of Gentiles
Deut 32:43 – “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people”
Gentiles themselves are rejoicing; they are in the midst of the Israelites

5. 3. Accept One Another
Ps 117:1 – “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, let all the peoples extol him.”
Gentiles praise him on their own
Isa 11:10 (LXX) – “The Root of Jesse will spring up…in him the Gentiles will hope.”
It is through the Messiah (Jesus) that the Gentiles are brought in
Jews and Gentiles alike place their hope in Jesus
The body of Christ is to be a “fellowship of the naturally unlike” (Gore, 1907)

6. 3. Accept One Another
We must honestly ask ourselves if we have stereotypes about those who are different from us
Examples
Americans
Communication Styles
What is it for you?
We must move away from mere tolerance towards understanding, acceptance and love.