Jesus is building His church (B)
Today we cover three elements: a healthy church, which church, and a worshipping church.
A healthy church
In our lesson 9 last week we studied three priority aspects of a healthy church. They were:
1. Glorify God
2. Edifying the saints
3. Fulfill the Great Commission
Today we add a fourth priority aspect: doctrine.
Doctrine in 7 steps
If you visit a church and you doubt about one or more of these aspects, something might be missing in that church. Or even worse, the church is unbiblical, or a great deal focused on environment, politics and social aspects of society at the cost of Biblical truth. Check these aspects in the Statement of Faith on the church’s website, before you decide to join that church.
Expressions of the church
Most healthy churches today have at least small groups meeting during the week and one or more Sunday celebrations.
Small groups
Churches use different names for small groups, like: life groups, connect groups, cell groups, fellowship groups, family groups, etc. Mostly all aspects of church play a role in these groups. Certainly, Bible study, but not only Bible study.
- The Word of God is applied to daily lives.
- Worship is exercised
- Issues of life are shared and prayed for
- Relationships are formed
- People learn to use spiritual gifts
- Discipleship takes place
- Evangelism is trained, seekers are invited
In healthy small groups various levels of love and care are discovered and practiced, such as:
- Love for God (Matthew 22:37)
- Love for one another (John 13:34)
- Love for the world (Matthew 22:39)
Question 1
Discuss what you experienced in your fellowship/small group. Is it balanced? If not, try to say how you could contribute yourself.
The Sunday celebration/service
In most churches we’ll have:
➢ a time of worship, singing songs
➢ Bible reading, related to the sermon
➢ A time of teaching; a sermon, given by a pastor or guest speaker
➢ A time of prayer and testimonies
➢ Announcements, church leadership/missionaries
➢ Final song
➢ Final benediction by the pastor
The church may have more than a pastor. Often there are administrative personnel, worship leaders, sent-out missionaries, and a host of volunteers (for toddlers, children). If you belong to a church, it is good to get involved serving in one of these areas.
Question 2
If you are not yet involved in church, ask yourself in what you are gifted, and how you could get involved.
Which church
The first churches were dedicated. We read in Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Let’s focus on these four aspects as a good model for our churches today.
(1) Apostle’s teaching
In a New Testament church, the Bible should be central. However, the early Christians only had the Old Testament. In addition, they listened to the apostle’s teaching about Jesus and how He wanted them to live. They carefully read the letter the apostle wrote and lived out what they were learning. Those letters are now part of the New Testament.
A good church believes that the Bible is the Word of God (John 1:1). In the preaching the speaker won’t focus on his own ideas but on what God says. People in the congregation have their Bibles open and take notes, so that they prove to obey God’s instructions.
(2) Fellowship
New Testament Christians love each other like members of a family. They spend time together and share meals. They even sold their possessions to meet each other’s needs (Acts 4:32-35) 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Question 3
Does fellowship life today reflect the heart and mind of the Christians back then?
(3) Breaking of bread
Communion (partaking in bread and wine) is an ordinance for the church and
a command for the believer in memory of Jesus’ death on the cross. In the early church it was done in the home churches as a remembrance of the Last
Supper that Jesus had with His disciples. It is a celebration of Christ’s love which believers can enjoy in churches and at home. Jesus’ sufferings for our benefit as well as His resurrection are remembered.
It is only for Christians (1 Corinthians 11:26–29). As Christians take communion together, they demonstrate their union with each other and with Christ. Communion is a “common sharing in the Spirit” (Philippians 2:1) and an answer to Jesus’ prayer “that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united” (John 17:22–23).
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 says 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the
REVEAL ANSWER ; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.Question 4
What do the bread and wine represent?
Question 5
Until when do we break bread?
Question 6
What should we do before we break bread?
(4) Prayer
Christians pray much. Prayer is an important way of communication with our Lord. When we pray, God will act. Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” John 16:24. Bible reading is receiving, and prayer is returning to Him. A healthy church has a prayer life at many levels.
Question 7
Practice now! Make a list of prayer points in the box below. Take turns to pray for these prayer items.
A worshipping church
A follower of Jesus in a healthy Biblical church worships the Lord in Spirit and truth.
Question 8
What does that mean? See article
Question 9
What do we learn from Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman,
John 4:6-30?
In John 4:24 we read God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Question 10
What would be better? Joining a worshipping church or becoming a worshipper.
Save this worksheet by pushing the EMAIL-button
Close in prayer.
CLEAR
Today we cover three elements: a healthy church, which church, and a worshipping church.
A healthy church
In our lesson 9 last week we studied three priority aspects of a healthy church. They were:
1. Glorify God
2. Edifying the saints
3. Fulfill the Great Commission
Today we add a fourth priority aspect: doctrine.
Doctrine in 7 steps
- Who does the church say God is?
God exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Together they form the trinity: one God in three persons. See article - Who does the church say Jesus is? Jesus is the Son of God. He is fully God and fully man; see article
- Does the church teach that Jesus was crucified for our sins and was physically raised from the dead? Jesus died on the cross for the remission of our sins, was buried and resurrected.
- Does the church teach that all humans have a sinful nature; we all are sinners, in need of a Savior? see article
- Does the church teach that we, as followers of Jesus, are saved by grace through faith alone, not by works? (Ephesians 2:8-9)
- Every regenerated person is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
- Does the church teach that the whole Bible is the inspired Word of God and that the Bible is our highest authority? (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
If you visit a church and you doubt about one or more of these aspects, something might be missing in that church. Or even worse, the church is unbiblical, or a great deal focused on environment, politics and social aspects of society at the cost of Biblical truth. Check these aspects in the Statement of Faith on the church’s website, before you decide to join that church.
Expressions of the church
Most healthy churches today have at least small groups meeting during the week and one or more Sunday celebrations.
Small groups
Churches use different names for small groups, like: life groups, connect groups, cell groups, fellowship groups, family groups, etc. Mostly all aspects of church play a role in these groups. Certainly, Bible study, but not only Bible study.
- The Word of God is applied to daily lives.
- Worship is exercised
- Issues of life are shared and prayed for
- Relationships are formed
- People learn to use spiritual gifts
- Discipleship takes place
- Evangelism is trained, seekers are invited
In healthy small groups various levels of love and care are discovered and practiced, such as:
- Love for God (Matthew 22:37)
- Love for one another (John 13:34)
- Love for the world (Matthew 22:39)
Question 1
Discuss what you experienced in your fellowship/small group. Is it balanced? If not, try to say how you could contribute yourself.
The Sunday celebration/service
In most churches we’ll have:
➢ a time of worship, singing songs
➢ Bible reading, related to the sermon
➢ A time of teaching; a sermon, given by a pastor or guest speaker
➢ A time of prayer and testimonies
➢ Announcements, church leadership/missionaries
➢ Final song
➢ Final benediction by the pastor
The church may have more than a pastor. Often there are administrative personnel, worship leaders, sent-out missionaries, and a host of volunteers (for toddlers, children). If you belong to a church, it is good to get involved serving in one of these areas.
Question 2
If you are not yet involved in church, ask yourself in what you are gifted, and how you could get involved.
Which church
The first churches were dedicated. We read in Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Let’s focus on these four aspects as a good model for our churches today.
(1) Apostle’s teaching
In a New Testament church, the Bible should be central. However, the early Christians only had the Old Testament. In addition, they listened to the apostle’s teaching about Jesus and how He wanted them to live. They carefully read the letter the apostle wrote and lived out what they were learning. Those letters are now part of the New Testament.
A good church believes that the Bible is the Word of God (John 1:1). In the preaching the speaker won’t focus on his own ideas but on what God says. People in the congregation have their Bibles open and take notes, so that they prove to obey God’s instructions.
(2) Fellowship
New Testament Christians love each other like members of a family. They spend time together and share meals. They even sold their possessions to meet each other’s needs (Acts 4:32-35) 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Question 3
Does fellowship life today reflect the heart and mind of the Christians back then?
(3) Breaking of bread
Communion (partaking in bread and wine) is an ordinance for the church anda command for the believer in memory of Jesus’ death on the cross. In the early church it was done in the home churches as a remembrance of the Last
Supper that Jesus had with His disciples. It is a celebration of Christ’s love which believers can enjoy in churches and at home. Jesus’ sufferings for our benefit as well as His resurrection are remembered.
It is only for Christians (1 Corinthians 11:26–29). As Christians take communion together, they demonstrate their union with each other and with Christ. Communion is a “common sharing in the Spirit” (Philippians 2:1) and an answer to Jesus’ prayer “that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united” (John 17:22–23).
1 Corinthians 11:23-29 says 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the
REVEAL ANSWER ; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.Question 4
What do the bread and wine represent?
Question 5
Until when do we break bread?
Question 6
What should we do before we break bread?
(4) Prayer
Christians pray much. Prayer is an important way of communication with our Lord. When we pray, God will act. Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” John 16:24. Bible reading is receiving, and prayer is returning to Him. A healthy church has a prayer life at many levels.
Question 7
Practice now! Make a list of prayer points in the box below. Take turns to pray for these prayer items.
A worshipping church
A follower of Jesus in a healthy Biblical church worships the Lord in Spirit and truth.
Question 8
What does that mean? See article
Question 9
What do we learn from Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman,
John 4:6-30?
In John 4:24 we read God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Question 10
What would be better? Joining a worshipping church or becoming a worshipper.
Save this worksheet by pushing the EMAIL-button
Close in prayer.
CLEAR