THE CHURCH (God's People)
...we notice the construction itself-the church. This word, in the Greek
language, is a compound of two terms: "out of" and "calling."
The Church, then, is an assembly of people who have been called out of
the world and united together around the Lordship of Jesus Christ. This
idea was, to state it mildly, a radical departure from the popular Jewish
expectations of the coming Messiah. (Stephen D. Swihart, Logos International
Bible Commentary p193)
Christ Is The Head of A People Called Out
Instructed to Follow Apostles Teaching
Membership Requirements
Good Works of The Church
Offices of The Church
Early Church In Acts
Christ Is The Head of A People Called
Out:
Christ Is The Architect and Builder of The Church: Mat 16:18
I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My
church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Eph 4:1-16 / Col
1:18
Christ Is Head of The Church: Col 1:18 He is also head of the body,
the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that
He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Eph 5:23-23 / Eph
1:22 /, /Eph 4:15/ Col 2:10/ Col 2:19
Began at Pentecost: Acts 2:1-5 WHEN the day of Pentecost had come,
they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven
a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where
they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing
themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
was giving them utterance. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout
men from every nation under heaven.
The Body (The Church): 1 Cor 6:19 Or do you not know that your body
is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and
that you are not your own? / Mat 16:18 / Mat 18:20 / 1 Cor 3:9
Jews Viewed Church as a Sect: Acts 24:5 For we have found this man
a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout
the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
Church To Be a Witness of Christ: Acts 1:8 but you will receive
power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses
both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest
part of the earth.
1st Century Believers Called Christians: Acts 11:26 and when he
had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met
with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were
first called Christians in Antioch. / 1 Cor 12:12 / Eph 4:4 / Col 3:15
God's 'Called Out' Are Living Saints: Ephesians 1:1 PAUL, an apostle
of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and
who are faithful in Christ Jesus: / 1 Cor 1:2 / Phil 1:1
Priesthood of All Believers: 1 Pet 2:9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE,
A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so
that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of
darkness into His marvelous light;
Instructed to Follow Apostles Teaching:
Church Teachings (Founded on Apostles and Prophets, Christ): Ephesians
2:19-20 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow
citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built
on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being
the corner stone, / Acts 2:42 / Acts 2:46
Church Is Instructed To Proclaim The Gospel (The Apostles Teachings):
Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles'
teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. / Acts
1:8
Stability of The Confessing Church: Mat 16:18 I also say to you
that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the
gates of Hades will not overpower it.
Doctrinal & Moral Purity: 1 Cor 5:7 Clean out the old leaven
so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For
Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
Membership Requirements:
A) Believe and Trust in The Work of Christ: Jn 6:28-29 Therefore they
said to Him, What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God? Jesus
answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that you believe in
Him whom He has sent.
B) Baptism (does not result in salvation): Acts 2:38 Peter said
to them, Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.
Good Works of The Church (Believers):
Mark of True Believers (Not Cause of Salvation): Matthew 25:34-36 Then
the King will say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed
of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world. "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat;
I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and
you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited
Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' Mat 25:37-40
Neglect of The Vulnerable Is Not The True Church: Matthew 25:41-45
Then He will also say to those on His left, "Depart from Me, accursed
ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his
angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty,
and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite
Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did
not visit Me.' Then they themselves also will answer, "Lord, when
did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or
in prison, and did not take care of You?' Then He will answer them, "Truly
I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least
of these, you did not do it to Me.'
True Religion: James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight
of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress,
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Offices of The Church (To Exercise Authority
and to Teach):
Elders / Bishops: 1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be
considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching
and teaching. / Heb 13:7
Deacons: 1 Timothy 3:8-9 Deacons likewise must be men of dignity,
not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but
holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. / Acts 6:1-6
Conduct of Leaders In The Church: 1 Tim I 3:1-9 IT is a trustworthy
statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work
he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband
of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the
love of money.
He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children
under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage
his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not
a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation
incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside
the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the
devil. Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or
addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery
of the faith with a clear conscience. / 1 Tim 3:10-12
Leaders of The Church Should Be Worth Imitating: Hebrews 13:7 Remember
those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the
result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Divisions Can Have God's Approval: 1 Cor 11:19 For there must also
be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident
among you.
Many Will Only Have A 'Form of Godliness': 2 Tim 3:2-5 For men will
be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient
to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips,
without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness,
although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
Early Church In Acts:
Christ Instructed the Church(Disciples) To Be His Witness: Acts 1:8
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and
you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and even to the remotest part of the earth.
Preached The Gospel (Life Death and Resurrection of Christ): Acts
2:24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death,
since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. / Acts 2:30-31
/ 8:25 / 10:36 / 13:32 / 14:7 / 14:15 / 17:18 / 24:21 / 26:23
Resurrection Central To The Christian Faith: Acts 25:18-19 When
the accusers stood up, they began bringing charges against him not of such
crimes as I was expecting, but they simply had some points of disagreement
with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul
asserted to be alive. Acts 2:24, 2:31-32, 3;15, 5:30, 5:32, 4:2, 4:10,
10:31, 10:39, 13:28-30, 13:32, 13:37, 17:3, 17:18, 24:21, 25:19, 26:8,
26:23
(Apostles)Witnessed The Events of Christ: Acts 3:15 but put to death
the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which
we are witnesses.
Believers Devoted Themselves To Apostles Teachings / Lords Supper: Acts
2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching
and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:31)
Believers Shared / Sold Their Belongings / Property and Gave To The
Needy: Acts 2:44-45 And all those who had believed were together and
had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions
and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
Christians Met Together In Temple Courts and In Homes: Acts 2:46
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from
house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and
sincerity of heart,
Believers Like Paul Preached In The Synagogue: Acts 19:8 And he
entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months,
reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
Christians Had The Lord's Supper In One Anothers Homes: Acts 2:46
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from
house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and
sincerity of heart,
Bereans Tested Paul The Apostle: Acts 17:10-11 The brethren immediately
sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they
went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than
those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
Early Christians Prayed To Jesus: Acts 7:59 They went on stoning
Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!
Early Christians Believed They Had A Spirit / Soul: Acts 7:59 They
went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit!
Miraculous Signs and Wonders By Apostles: Acts 2:43 They were continually
devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer./ Acts 15:12
There Were Sharp Disagreements (Paul vs Barnabas): Acts 15:39-40
And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one
another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But
Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace
of the Lord.
Conflicts Arose In The Church (Faith vs Works 'Law'): Acts 15:1
SOME men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, Unless you
are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.
see Ch 15
Promoters of Conflict (Claimed Gentiles Must Observe The Law IE Works):
Acts 15:5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood
up, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe
the Law of Moses.
Conflict in Jerusalem Therefore a Council Was Held: Acts 15:2 And
when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren
determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up
to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Acts 15:4
Conflict Resolved - Trust God By Faith Through God's Grace: Acts
15:7-9 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them,
Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you,
that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe.
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit,
just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them,
cleansing their hearts by faith. / Acts 15:11
False Teaching Put A Heavy Burden On Believers: Acts 15:10 Now therefore
why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples
a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
Paul Distributed The Council Decrees Regarding The Errors In The Jerusalem
Church: Acts 16:4 Now while they were passing through the cities, they
were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles
and elders who were in Jerusalem, for them to observe. / Acts 15:2
Early Believers Forbidden To Speak In The Name of Jesus: Acts 4:18
And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach
at all in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:2 / Acts 5:28 / Acts 5:40
Early Believers Risked Their Lives For The Lord Jesus Christ: Acts
15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Early Believers Received Persecution In Christ's Name: Acts 9:16
for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.
Apostles Taught That We Are Justified By Faith: Acts 15:8-9 And
God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit,
just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them,
cleansing their hearts by faith.
People Of The Military Can Be Part of The Faith: Acts 10:22,44 They
said, Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken
of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel
to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you..... While
Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those
who were listening to the message.
SOS OUTREACH
