PART II The Characteristics of the Church

Transcription

1 PART II The Characteristics of the Church Introduction Last lesson we saw that the power source of the Church is the Holy Spirit, who works through the Gospel. The Gospel consists of a four-part message of good news: Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus ascended, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit used the Gospel to work on the hearts of believers in Jerusalem, that gospel produced certain spiritual characteristics in their lives. As we study portions of Acts, chapters 2 and 4, we have an opportunity for personal and congregational self-analysis. Each of the spiritual characteristics which we discover in the church of Jerusalem will lead us to ask, "How are we personally and as a congregation doing in this area of spiritual life?" Acts of the Apostles They devoted themselves / Acts 2:42 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 2:42...to the apostles teaching Why do you think this is listed first? Read Ephesians 2: Why must a church be devoted to the Scripture if it is to be healthy? Explain how the following passages add to our understanding of how we can be devoted to the Scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16-1 Corinthians 3:2 - Hebrews 6:1-1

2 Which of the following skills, if any, do you feel like you re lacking when it comes to reading the Bible? Where to start? What books to read first? What plan to follow? Background information for each Bible book? Basic tools like maps and a concordance? Interpretation of the passage? Application? Scheduling time for Bible reading and study? What is our congregation doing to answer those concerns and raise those skills? What more can we do as a congregation to get people to be devoted to the apostles teaching? 2:42...to the fellowship The Greek word koinonia is very difficult to translate. It denotes a sharing of something. In secular Greek, it is sometimes used to describe business partnerships. Look up the following passages. Explain how they help you grasp the Biblical concept of fellowship. 2 Corinthians 1:7-1 Thessalonians 2:8 - Philippians 4: How many of your close friends are Christians? How many are non-christians or nonpracticing Christians? Is there such a thing as an appropriate balance? Americans are very private people. We even consider it a part of being a freedom loving nation, talking about the right to privacy. How comfortable are you sharing sensitive information about your life with fellow Christians? What happens if people are overly private? Agree or Disagree, and give the reason for your answer In hard times, the best person to go to for advice and encouragement is your pastor. 2

3 To encourage fellowship, some churches fill the calendar with church-sponsored fellowship events Other churches encourage fellowship, then let the members organize it privately, not as an official function of the church. List some pros and cons of each approach. What is our congregation doing to enhance the bonds of Christian faith? How can we do that better? 2:42...to the breaking of bread This most likely refers to the Agape, or love feast, which often preceded the celebration of the Lord s Supper. In the early church, the Lord s Supper was celebrated in the home. A fellowship meal would be held. When the meal was complete, those who had not been confirmed would leave. The Lord s Supper would then commence. Why, do you think, they celebrated the Lord s Supper in the home, rather than the synagogue? What was the purpose of dismissing those who had not been confirmed? What is your honest attitude about the Lord s Supper? A good way to assess that is ask yourself: Which of the following thoughts pops into your head when you see the altar set for the Lord s Supper? a. Thank goodness for the Lord s Supper! I need the personal encouragement it gives. b. I understand that believers take the Lord s Supper, but I admit I m not certain why. I already know that God has forgiven my sins. c. Ugh. The Lord s Supper! Church is going to be an extra 15 minutes today! What do you do to prepare yourself for the Lord s Supper? In 1 Corinthians 11:25,26 we read, After supper Jesus took the cup, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever [also translated as often as ] you drink it, in remembrance of me. For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord s death until he comes. Clearly, Christ intended we celebrate the Lord s Supper on a regular basis. What are some good reasons to celebrate it often, perhaps even weekly? What are some good reasons to have communion in public worship less often? 3

4 The Lutheran Confessions state: The Christian Church has outward marks so that it can be recognized: the pure doctrine of the Gospel, and the administration of the Sacraments in accordance with the Gospel of Christ. Namely, where God s Word is pure, and the Sacraments are administered in conformity with the same, there certainly is the Church, and there are Christians. (From the Apology of the Augsburg Confession.) What does that tell us is another reason for Christians to publically celebrate the Lord s Supper? 2:42 to prayer The Greek word translated prayer is broader than just personal prayer life. It implies also joining together with others to hear God s Word and subsequently responding together with prayer and praise. Thus, the term also includes corporate worship. How would you assess your personal prayer life? Check each of the following that apply. I pray daily. I pray using my own words (at least sometimes), not just by reciting a memorized prayer. So my prayer is more like a conversation than a chant. I pray confidently. I believe that God listens and expect he will answer for my benefit. Following the pattern of the Lord s Prayer, my requests for spiritual blessings outnumber requests for earthly blessings. I pray regularly for others. When trouble pops up or I am feeling anxious, one of my first responses is to pray. I desire to join with others in my prayer life (both at home and at church). Agree 0r Disagree, and give the reason for your answer - Corporate worship is the focal point from which all congregational activity flows. What could we do to make our corporate worship life Word and Sacrament, prayer and praise more edifying? 4

5 Spiritual and physical needs met / Acts 2:43-47; 4: :43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved... 4:32 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. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means son of encouragement ), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles feet. 2:44 everything in common Agree or Disagree, and give the reason for your answer The early Christian church practiced a form of communism. 4:32 No one claimed that any possessions was their own. Why is that a good and accurate attitude to have? Psalm 24:1,2 Deuteronomy 8:18 Notice, we find nothing in Scripture (or church history) which says the apostles commanded such generosity. Rather, our lesson suggests two things which motivated the early church to operate the way it did. What do the following suggest? Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. 5

6 In the Old Testament, the LORD asked for a series of tithes. One tithe was offered annually to support the priests and Levites scattered throughout Israel. Another was offered annually to help fund the major religious festivals held in Jerusalem. A third tithe was collected every three years and used to help the poor. Thus, on average, the Israelites gave 23% of their income to support synagogue and temple worship, and that did not yet include the sacrificial offerings they would bring for their personal worship, not special offerings they might bring for special occasions. Those were over-and-above. (See Deuteronomy 12:11). Now in the New Testament, the percentage seems to jump in the sense that people shared everything they had according to need. If there was a widow that needing caring for, if there was a missionary to send out, believers were will to sell off assets, including property and homes! Compare that to the average church-going American, who gives 2.5% of his income to church. (In a home earning $50,000 a year in total income, that would be $1,250 annually, about $25 per week.) Why do you think it is harder for people to be generous in their support of church work today than it was in the Old Testament church or the early church? Agree or Disagree, and give the reason for your answer Since Christ has fulfilled the Law for us, there are now no regulations governing how we are to use our possessions or give our offerings. What is the giving potential of our congregation? X ( X ) = giving units / households average household income reasonable % How close are we to our potential? reach that potential? What are some things we could do if we would We call the way people handle their possessions to God s glory stewardship. A steward is a manager, and we have been called by God to manage not just 10%, but everything he gives us, in a way that serves him and others. What are some ways our congregation can encourage and help people grow in their life of stewardship? 6

7 2:27...praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number The early church didn t just support ministry with their wallets. They participated in it. The word translated praising can also mean proclaiming. The people shared the Good News of Christ with all who would listen. What was the result of the lay-people participating in the proclamation of the Gospel? Which of the following best describes your personal witnessing efforts: It s a total failure. I don t do anything. Sometimes I try, but with limited success. I m willing to invite people to church, but I m not comfortable actually talking about my faith. I enjoy opportunities to witness and look for them. What could we better do as a congregation to further your skills in personal witnessing? Summary The early church dedicated itself to four things: They studied the Scriptures both in their homes and through daily gatherings at the temple so that they might grow in knowledge and spiritual maturity. They cared for one another and helped each other bare burdens. They were Sacramental, making regular use of the Lord s Supper. They did this not only because the Lord s Supper forgives sins, but also because it was a sign of the presence of God s Church. Corporate worship and group petitions were central to their activity and ministry. The early church was exceedingly generous in theirs, using their possessions to help meet personal and spiritual needs. The members of the early church saw it as their responsibility to be for Christ. The Lord blessed their efforts, and the church grew. 7

8 For Discussion 1. You could spot the early church by spotting the presence of certain characteristics. For example, they were dedicated to the apostles teaching. They cared about sound doctrine. As we continue through this study, we ll see they did not put up with false doctrine. The early believers were also intensely Sacramental. Baptism and the Lord s Supper were central to their ministry. If you wanted to know if you were in a presence of a truly Christian church, you could ask, Do they use Baptism and the Lord s Supper regularly and properly? There were additional marks of the presence of the Church. Not only could you look for the Word taught in its truth and purity and the faithful administration of the Sacraments, you could look for the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). The way the early Christians took care of one another, the way they were welcoming and hospitable to strangers wanting to learn more about Christ, the way they simple enjoyed spending time together these too gave powerful testimony that the Holy Spirit was present. And so, to mark ourselves as the Church, we want to be serious about Word and Sacrament, but we also want to be serious about demonstrating love. Which is more important? Consider the following. When it comes to fruits of faith, we must realize they while they are a sign of the presence of the Church, they are not an infallible sign. Only the Gospel provides us with such certainty. However, let us also acknowledge that to the spiritually immature (which could be nonmembers or members) fruits of faith are often the first thing they look for as the sign that this is where I need to be. It s similar to when I buy a used car. I know that the most important thing is that the engine is in good shape. Unfortunately, I have no clue what to look for under the hood. And so, I look at secondary things. Is it rusty? How did it run during the test drive? Etc. Given my limited knowledge of cars, it s all I have to go on. So also, for many, when assessing a church, they don t know what to look for under the hood. They settle for kicking the tires a little. Therefore, to assess the presence of the Church or the health of a church, while you and I would not rely too heavily on apparent fruits of faith, let us recognize others do. Consequently, let it never be enough for us to say, We have the Gospel in its truth and purity! That should be all that people care about. Sure. If they were spiritually mature. Since not all are, recognize the weight of Jesus words. Let your light shine before men. (From The Church and Her Members, by Jonathan R. Hein; 12,13) Restate that in your own words. 2. We practice close communion, admitting to the Lord s Table only those who a) are able to properly examine themselves, and b) who are in confessional agreement with our doctrine and ministry. We tend to be apologetic, thinking our practice is odd or unusual. It isn t. It is the historic practice of the Christian church and the current practice today of about 1.3 billion Christians worldwide. Churches that believe in the Real Presence of Christ s body and blood and yet don t practice close communion are in the extreme minority! Therefore, what might be a better approach than apologizing for our practice? 8