Introduction
The Church = Ek klesia
Ek = out; kaleo = to call.
Definition: The called out ones, assembly.
A helpful verse that expresses the idea of the true Church being made up of people who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ is Acts 15:14 - “...To take out of them a people for His name.”
Simply put, the Church is a people for His Name.
Seven NT Pictures / Names for the Church:
1. God’s Field - 1 Cor.3:9
2. God’s Building - Matt.16:18; 1 Cor.3:9
3. The Body of Christ - Eph.1:22-23
4. An Habitation of God in the Spirit - Eph.2:22
5. The Bride of Christ - Eph.5:25-27; 2 Cor.11:2
6. The House of God - 1 Tim.3:15
7. The Temple of God - 1 Cor.3:16
Seven Truths of the Church:
1. There is One body
2. Christ is the Head of the body
3. All believers are members of the body
4. The Holy Spirit is the Representative of Christ in the Church
5. The Church of God is holy
6. Gifts are given for the edification of the church
7. All believers are priests of God
Its Threefold Purpose
I. UPWARD – Exaltation of God - To offer up
A. We are to worship the Father - Jn.4:23 “for the Father seeks such to worship Him.”
B. We are to worship the Son - John 5:23 - “That all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.”
C. We are to worship in (or by) the Spirit - Jn.4:24 - “They that worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
D. We all are to worship - 1 Peter 2:5; Heb.13:15-16
1. The Priesthood – Holy & Royal - 1 Peter 2:5, 9
2. The Products – 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Heb.13:15-16
II. INWARD – Edification of the Church - To build up
A. The Church as a Building - Eph.2:19-23
1. The First Mention - Matthew 16:18
2. The Foundation – Eph.2:20; 1 Cor.3:11
3. The Framework - Eph.2:21-22
B. The Church as a Body - Eph.4:11-16
1. The Persons - 1 Cor.12:12, 22, 23; Eph.1:23; 5:30
2. The Parts - Eph.4:11-16
3. The Purpose - Growing Together - v.16d
C. The Church as a Bride – Eph.5:25-27; 2 Cor.11:2
III. OUTWARD - Evangelization of the World - To lift up
A. The Great Commission - Mark 16:15; Matt. 28:18-20
1. “Go and preach the Gospel to every creature – Mk.16:15
2. “Make disciples of all the nations” - Matt.28:19
B. The High Calling - Acts 1:8 -“And you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Notice the progression from the home base in Jerusalem, reaching out to the surrounding area of Judea and then to the despised and dangerous area of Samaria, and on to the regions beyond!
C. A True Burden - 1 Cor.9:15-23
1. Paul had a winsome way – vs.19c-22a
2. Paul did all to relieve that burden – v.22b
D. A Fulfilled Ministry - 2 Tim.4:5
1. Be watchful in all things
2. Endure afflictions
3. Do the work of an evangelist - Reaching Out!
The Church
Its Fourfold Basis
The Fourfold Basis of the Church is found in Acts 2:42 - “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
I. THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE
A. The Scriptures - Bibliology
B. The Godhead - Theology
C. Satan and Demons - Demonology
D. The Human Race - Anthropology
E. Salvation - Soteriology
F. The Church - Ecclesiology
G. Future Things – Eschatology
2 Tim.3:16 - “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
1. Doctrine ~ What’s Right
2. Reproof ~ What’s Not Right
3. Correction ~ How to Make it Right
4. Instruction ~ How to Stay Right
5. Equipping ~ How to make others Right
II. FELLOWSHIP
A. Persons in Fellowship
1. Name
a. Name to Whom we gather - In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ
b. Names by which we gather - The various names that “believers” are called in Scripture
1) A Plurality of Names
2) A Progression of Names
3) A Problem with Names
2. Numbers - Acts 2:41
a. Quality – Those who gladly receive His Word
b. Quantity – About three thousand souls
B. Principles of Fellowship
1. Reception - Acceptance in Christ – Romans 15:7
a. Acceptance is Instant
b. Acceptance is Interactive
c. Acceptance is Involvement
2. Responsibility - Authority from Christ
a. Headship of Christ - Matthew 23:8 ; Eph.1:15-23; Col.1:18
b. Elders - Plurality of Leadership – Phil.1:1; Heb.13:7, 17, 24
Other names used for elders are:
Overseers - Acts 20:28; Presbytery - 1 Tim.4:14; Bishops - Phil.1:1
1) As a Plurality - Phil.1:1; Heb.13:7, 17, 24
2) As a Pattern – 1 Tim.3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4
a) Qualifications of elders - 1 Tim.3:1-7
b) Exhortations to the elders - 1 Peter 5:1-4
c. Deacons - Acts 6:1-6
2) Responsibilities - Acts 6:1-4
3) Recognition - Acts 6:3-6
3) Requirements - 1 Timothy 3:8-12
4) Rewards – 1 Timothy 3:13
C. Participation of those in Fellowship
1. Priestly Ministry - 1 Peter 2:5, 9-10
a. Holy Priesthood - 1 Peter 2:5
b. Royal Priesthood - 1 Peter 2:9-10
2. Public Ministry
a. Men – 1 Timothy 2:8;
1) Expression of our Prayers – 1 Tim.2:8
2) Exercise of Spiritual Gifts – Public Teaching and Preaching
b. Women
1) Their Service
2) Their Silence – 1 Cor.14:34-35; 1 Tim.2:11-14
3) Their Submission
a) To the Lord’s Authority - 1 Cor.11
b) To Man’s Authority - 1 Cor.11:3; 1 Tim.2:12
The Head Covering
“Must I wear it?” some ask with dread,
“This covering of cloth upon my head?”
As if the command were stern to obey –
But I ask the question a different way:
If by this simple act I honor the Lord,
And model obedience to His precious Word; If the Church may thus learn, as the Scripture hath said,
Her own sweet submission to her glorious Head;
If thus may the brothers be challenged to lead;
If in this small sign the daughters may read
A woman’s true beauty; If angels discern
And pause from their praises to wonder and learn:
Then I ask, not “Must I?” but “May I?”
3. Personal Ministry - Acts 18:24-26 - Aquila and Priscilla with Apollos
D. Preserving the Fellowship – Unity of the Spirit - Eph.4:3-6
1. One Body
2. One Spirit
3. One Hope
4. One Lord
5. One Faith
6. One Baptism
7. One God and Father
E. Perfecting those in Fellowship – Spiritual Gifts – Eph.4:7-8
1. The Survey of the Gifts (A Spiritual Gift List)
Romans 12:(3-5), 6-8; 1 Cor.12:1-11, 28-31 (12-31); Ephesians 4:7-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11. a. Gifts given to the Christian - Rom.12:6-8;
1 Cor.12:1-11, 28-31; Eph.4:7-8; 1 Pet.4:10-11
1) Sign Gifts - Proof - Gifts given to authenticate the Truth of God
2) Speaking Gifts – Public – Rom.12:6-8; 1 Pet.4:11
3) Serving Gifts – Personal – Rom.127-8; 1 Co.12:9-10
b. Gifts given to the Church - Eph.4:9-16
1) Apostles - v.11a
2) Prophets - v.11b
3) Evangelists - v.11c
4) Pastors - v.11d
5) Teachers - v.11e
2. The Source of the Gifts – 1 Cor.12:4-11
3. The Sphere of these Gifts - 1 Cor.12:4-6
4. The Scope of these Gifts - Eph.4:7, 11; 1 Cor.1:7
5. The Service of these Gifts - 1 Peter 4:10-11
a. For the Good of One Another - v.10
b. For the Glory of God - v.11
6. The Seeking of the best Gifts - 1 Cor.12:31
a. Desire - 1 Cor.12:31
b. Direction - 1 Cor.12:31b - 13:1-2; 14:1
1) According to Love - 1 Cor.12:31b-13:2
2) For the Good of All the assembly - 1 Cor.14:3-4
a. Edification
b. Exhortation
c. Comfort
7. The Stirring up of the Gift - 1 Tim.4:14; 2 Tim.1:6
F. Protecting the Fellowship - Discipline
1. Matters for Discipline
a. Sins of a Inter-Personal Nature - Matthew 18:15-17
b. Those who are Unruly - 1 Thes.5:14; 2 Thes. 3:6-12
c. Those who cause divisions - Romans 16:17
d. An Heretic (KJV) - Titus 3:10
e. Open Immoral sin - 1 Cor.5:11, 13
2. Methods of Discipline
a. Sins of a Inter-Personal Nature - Matthew 18:15-17
b. Those who are Unruly - 1 Thes.5:14; 2 Thes. 3:6-12
c. Those who cause divisions - Romans 16:17; (Prov. 6:16-19)
d. An Heretic (KJV) - Titus 3:10
e. Open Immoral sin - 1 Cor.5:11, 13
3. Motivation for Discipline - Gal.6:1; 2 Cor.2:5-11
a. The motivation is always for the Restoration of the erring believer - Gal.6:1
b. The purpose is Forgiveness - 2 Cor.2:5-11
G. Practical Fellowship - Giving - 1 Cor.16:1-2a
(Outline: H.G. MacKay)
1. Regularly - On the first day of the week – vs.1-2a
2. Individually - Let each one of you - 1 Cor.16:2b
3. Proportionately - Lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper - 1 Cor.16:2c
4. Bountifully - 2 Cor.9:6,8
5. Freely - 2 Cor.9:7b - not grudgingly or of necessity
6. Cheerfully - 2 Cor.9:7c
7. Worshipfully - Heb.13:15-16; Phil.4:15-18
2 Cor.8:9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich.
2 Cor. 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
III. THE BREAKING OF BREAD - 1 Cor.11:23-28
A. The Pattern – Matt.26:26-30; Mk.14:22-25; Lk.22:19-20
B. The Proclamation – 1 Cor.11:23
C. The Picture – 1 Cor. 11:24-25
D. The Purpose - 1 Cor. 11:26a
E. The Prospect - 1 Cor. 11:26b
F. The Participants – 1 Cor. 11:27-28
IV. PRAYERS
A. Examples
1. The Lord praying - Mark 1:35; Matthew 26:36
2. The Lord teaching His disciples - Luke 11:1
3. The Lord praying for His Church - John 17
4. The Church praying – Acts 1:14; 4:23-31; 9:11; 12:5-17
5. Paul’s Prayers for the saints – Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21
B. Exhortations
1. The Lord’s exhortation – Luke 18:1
2. Paul’s exhortations – 1 Thes.5:7; Phil.4:6-7; 1 Tim.2:1-2
3. Jam
4. es’ exhortation – James 4:2b-3
5. Peter’s exhortation – 1 Pet.4:7
C. Effects
1. God hears us - 1 John 5:14-15
2. God answers us
3. God uses us – James 5:15-16
