10/08/2022 Wednesday
BIBLE BASICS
Church: Structure Review
What church membership qualifications are found in Acts 2:41?
Believed, baptised, added unto them
What passage in Matthew instructs us on church discipline?
Matthew 18:15-17
What church officers are listed in the Bible?
Pastor, deacons (possibly evangelists)
What biblical duties did the deacons have?
Care for secular matters
What word best describes biblical church government?
Autonomous
Church: Purpose
Why did God create local churches? What is their purpose?
The Great Commission
▰ In the N.T. God worked through local churches. This is our pattern.
▰ Jesus identified the purpose of local churches in Matthew 28:19-20.
▻ “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
The 1st Purpose of a Local Church
▰ Jesus said we are to “Go”.
▰ It is the work of members of a local church to go out and take the message of the Gospel to those who have not heard.
▻ The best way is to be so full of the Holy Spirit through a flourishing walk with the Lord that He overflows from our life and our lips in the presence of unbelievers
(2 Corinthians 4:3).
▻ We ought to purpose to share Christ also by word and tract.
▻ We also “go” by supporting and praying for missionaries.
Elements of Evangelism (Elmer Towns)
▰ Vision: We must see the need to evangelize and accept our duty (John 4:35)
▰ Compassion: We must love others enough to share the Gospel with them (Jude 1:22)
▰ Reaching: It is not just enough to hand a gospel tract to the unsaved and assume we have done our duty in evangelism. We have not completely
given out the gospel until we have urged the person to respond.
▰ Testimony: Share what Christ has done for you (Acts 1:8). Lazarus (Jn 12:11)
▰ Preaching: Preaching is communicating the gospel in an understandable manner and motivating that person to respond.
▰ Persuasion: Urge the unbeliever to repent and place his faith in Christ (2Co 5:11).
The 2nd Purpose of a Local Church
▰ Jesus said we are to “Teach all nations”.
▻ This word “teach” literally means to make disciples. It is leading a person to Christ so that he becomes Christ’s disciple.
▻ A disciple is one who follows the precepts and instructions of another. (Thayer’s Lexicon)
▻ ‘Disciple’ means more than one who listens to a teacher; it implies his acceptance of the teaching, and his effort to act in accordance with it; it implies being a
‘believer’ in the teacher and being ready to be an ‘imitator’ of him. (Hasting’s NT Dictionary)
The 3rd Purpose of a Local Church
▰ Jesus said we are to “baptise them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”.
▻ Baptism is a first step of a new believer to a public identify with Christ.
▻ Bible baptism is ALWAYS by immersion (under water) NEVER by sprinkling or pouring.
▻ Baptism is a church ordinance. Jesus gave it to those who would soon form the first local church. He did not give it to individuals. The local church’s pastor or
an appointed male member can baptize. No woman in the Bible ever baptised anyone.
Baptism is an Identification
▰ Elmer Towns puts it this way, “Just as we are identified with the Body of Christ in his death on the cross, so we should be identified with the Body of
Christ in baptism. Paul identified “the church, which is his body” (Eph 1:22-23). Again the church is called his body (1Co 12:25). Water baptism is an
act of identifying the convert also with a local body of believers, since the church is an organized assembly (body) of believers with the responsibility
of evangelizing the unsaved, educating Christians, worshiping God, and administering the ordinances.”
▰ See Acts 2:41
The 4th Purpose of a Local Church
▰ Jesus said we are to be “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever Christ has commanded us”.
▻ This word “teach” means to give instruction, to train.
▻ Churches are to teach all that Jesus taught. We are to preach the whole counsel of God. Most preaching ought to be expository (exposing the details in the
Bible). Church services should include a systematic teaching of Bible doctrine.
The 4th Purpose of a Local Church
▻ God ordained that the preacher be the primary Bible expositor and teacher in a local church , but not the only one.
▻ Trained members are able to teach Bible lessons.
▻ Churches teach through all members. You ought to be learning from your personal time in the Word and then sharing and teaching what you learn to others.
▻ We also teach through singing psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs (Col 3:16).
The 4th Purpose of a Local Church
▰ We are to teach the disciples to observe all that Christ has commanded.
▻ The word “observe” means to keep, to guard, to fulfil a command, to watch over, to protect.
▻ Believers must learn Jesus’ doctrine so they can obey it.
▻ They must learn to guard and protect it from error.
Church: Purpose Review
Who can quote Matthew 28:19-20?
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even
unto the end of the world. Amen.”
What is one of the best ways we can “go” with the Gospel?
Living a flourishing walk with God that overflows in daily life.
What does it mean to teach all nations?
To make disciples through evangelism
What is the only Biblical mode of baptism?
Immersion
Name three ways to teach / train.
Preach, teach, share personally, biblical singing
Let’s Get Practical
▰ What would you say is our church’s weakest area in fulfilling the purpose God has for us? Why? How can we improve?