LESSON 1
THE CHURCH AS A MYSTERY:
The Design in the Heart of God

LESSON 2
THE CHURCH IN THE ACTS:
Vigour, Beauty, Simplicity

LESSON 3
THE BODY:
Unity and Diversity in the Church

LESSON 4
INTER-DEPENDENCE:
The Spiritual Gifts at Work

LESSON 5
ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH:
Baptism and the Lord's Supper
 

LESSON 6
IN TOUCH WITH HEADQUARTERS:
The Apostles' Doctrine and Prayer
 
LESSON 7
LOCAL CHURCH GOVERNMENT:
The Shepherds and the Flock

LESSON 8
RELATIONS IN THE FAMILY OF GOD:
Fellowship and Discipline

LESSON 9
UNIQUE ROLES - THE GREAT LOVE STORY:
 Women & Men in the Church

LESSON 10
THE CHURCH'S FUTURE:
What God has Waiting for His People

Lesson 1

Although we are attempting in this series to be as thorough as possible in the time allowed (these notes are to provide more detail than the lecture can include), we know we are embarking on an inexhaustible study. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (see Rom. 11:33-36). We trust that our meditations will lead us into a greater understanding of the purposes of God for us, a greater zeal to obey the Holy Spirit in what we shall learn, and a greater sense of appreciation for the Son of God who "loved the Church, and gave Himself for it" (Eph. 5:25).

Some important introductory comments

1.   In a study of this scope we will be addressing many topics considered controversial. Our intention is not to stir up arguments among the Lord's people, but to instead stir all our hearts to worship the Lord for the wonders of His redemptive plan, culminating in a glorious Bride, masterpiece of His grace. Therefore we intend to be brotherly, treating all serious Christians in good faith. We only ask that we be allowed to present the truth as we believe it to be.

2.   It would be foolish to set any group of believers up as a standard for others. Do we not all carry on in weakness and have much for which we need the grace of God? Only the One in the midst has the knowledge and right to properly assess a church's condition: "I know thy works," He says. Instead we hold up the Word of God as the true mea­sure of our spiritual state; it "discern[s] the thoughts and intents of the heart." May we eagerly submit to the Spirit as He shows us our need and the wonderful possibilities awaiting those who happily "buy the truth" whatever it may cost.

3.   It is often asked, considering the wide array of churches and ways of gathering, whether the Bible's portrait of the Church is "prescriptive or descriptive." Is the book of Acts intended only as history, or is it modeling the way it should be done by all? This question will be discussed in Lesson 2, but perhaps for the time being grace could be granted the teacher to affirm that the New Testament has many helpful lessons relating to Church practice today.

The mystery of the Church

What is a mystery? When used in the Bible, a "mystery" is a truth that people could not discover for themselves, which was kept secret by God until the appropriate moment in history, when He revealed it to mankind. There are 14 mystery doctrines recorded in the New Testament. One of these is the mystery of the Church.
   What is the mystery of the Church? The word of God distinguishes the human race into three separate groups: "the Jews, nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God" (1Cor. 10: 32). The "Gentiles" refers to all the nations of the earth - except the nation that came from Abraham, called out of Ur of the Chaldees circa 2000bc. His family was chosen for a special role - to be the vehicle of God's blessing to the whole earth "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Through this nation, in spite of their failures, came the greatest gifts God ever gave the human race—the written Word of God and the Messiah.

To protect the Messianic he through Abraham and David to Christ, God erected a "middle wall." If the Jewish nation became absorbed into the other nations, how would God provide the "son of David, the son of Abraham" (Mt. 1:1) as Saviour? So God walled off the Jews by giving them different food laws and customs which kept them from freely intermingling with other nations. But once the Saviour came, God took down that middle wall. "For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us [Jews and Gentiles]" (Eph. 2:14).
 

Of course Gentiles could be saved in the Old Testament period—Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah are examples. But the mystery of the Church is this: "...the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel" (Eph. 3:4-6). Believing Jews and Gentiles now not only come in on the same basis, but share all the blessings equally, with the believing Jews now having no advantage over Gentiles.

The Lord unfolds the secret
What is the Church? People have many ideas about the meaning of the word "church." But we are only interest­ed in this study with the way the Bible uses the term. A fitting description of one New Testament church is given in this way: "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours" (1 Cor. 1:2). Notice that such churches are to be composed of those vitally linked to Christ, separate from the world system—"saints"—and linked to all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Composed of Jew and Gentile, all members of the true Church have one thing in common. We have discovered the astounding truth that "the Son of God... loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20). We have repented and believed the gospel (Mk. 1:15), receiving Christ by faith (Jn. 1:12). The Lord Jesus first introduced the subject in these words, "...I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Mt. 16:18):

I THE ARCHITECT. Man-made structures are doomed to failure; this building alone will survive the collapse of the universe. Only the Creator of the universe (Jn.1:3), described by Paul as "the Head of the church: and... the Saviour of the body" (Eph. 5:23) has the capabilities to design, construct, and see to completion this "glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" (Eph. 5:27). And only He could afford it, redeemed with His own precious blood!

will THE PURPOSE. On very few occasions when He was on earth did the Lord Jesus express His own will. But He did express His mighty and certain will here in Matthew 16:18, "I will build My Church" and again in those words to His Father concerning us: "Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory" an. 17:24). "The gates of hell," a malicious and relentless attack by the arch-fiend himself, "shall not prevail against it." In fact, we read concerning God's perfect Servant, "He shall not fail nor be discouraged" (Isa. 42:4).

build THE CONSTRUCTION. At this point the Church was still future; it would begin "when the day of Pentecost was fully come" in Acts 2. We know that the Church is a New Testament work only because it was to be "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone" (Eph. 2:20). His death at Calvary would make the "peace" necessary to bring Jew and Gentile together. Now stone by living stone, the structure rises.

My THE OWNER. We must acknowledge no other head but the Lord Himself. We can obey no other and hope to be blessed. We have no more right to come up with a new way of conducting the activities of the church than we do a new way to be saved. Both blueprints are in the Scriptures. Paul would link them in these words: "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ [that's the doctrine of the gospel]; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery [that's the doctrine of the Church], which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Eph. 3:8-9).
 

Church THE MASTERPIECE. The Church is not an earthly organization, certainly not a material building, but a living organism composed of all true believers as members of His body. Through it, God manifests His grace (Eph. 2:7), wisdom (Eph. 3:10), and glory (Rom. 9:23). Some day we will see her "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband" (Rev. 21:2). 0 how beautiful grace will have made her then—"without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing"!

The meaning of the word "Church"
   There are several words that might help us in understanding the biblical meaning of these important words, "Church" and "churches." Since the church has "ears" (Acts 11:22), can "pray" (Acts 12:5), and can be "persecuted" (1 Cor. 15:9) among other things, it is obvious that the word refers to people and not to a building or organization.

1. First is the English word church itself, which derives from an anglicized form of the Greek word kuriakos meaning "that which belongs to the Lord (kurios)." He is our center, our gathering place. As the prophecy reads: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah... until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be" (Gen. 49:10).

2. The word most often used is ekklesia, meaning "called out." Those saved have been "called.. .out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1 Pet. 2:9). "God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name" (Acts 15:14). We have been called out of this world system into a new society of those who love and follow the Lord Jesus.

3. A third word often used in English is "assembly." Although preferred as a better translation of ekklesia, it not only carries the idea of being called out but of being called together. The believer is no longer a part of this world but he is not alone. "Together" is one of the often repeated words in the epistles of Paul to the churches.
The first scattered congregations of Greek-speaking Christians... spoke of themselves as a "[convened] assembly"; at first each single congregation was so called, and afterwards the whole body of Christians everywhere was spoken of collectively as "the [convened] assembly." That is the most literal translation of the Greek word ekklesia. This self-bestowed name rested on the certain conviction that God had separated from the world His "saints" in Christ, and had "called" or "convened" them to an assembly, which was "God's assembly," "God's muster," because God was the convener. —Adolph Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 112

The Church and the churches

In these notes we will distinguish between the Church and the churches. The universal Church (with a capital C) is that great company, most already in heaven, regardless of creed or denomination, to which each believer is added the moment he or she trusts Christ—"And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47, NKJV). God "gave [Christ] to be the head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). We believe this embraces every believer from Pentecost to the Rapture.
 

However, the universal Church for practical reasons cannot meet on earth. Therefore groups of believers in every locale come together as a visible representation of it. Note the three expressions used in the New Testament:

   • "the churches of God" (1 Cor. 11:16). God is the source, the giver, of all the churches' blessings.
   • "the churches of Christ" (Rom. 16:16). Christ is the Redeemer and Head, ministering to her needs.
   • "all churches of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:33). Only saints should belong, made holy through the Holy Spirit's work. Local churches are also referred to by their location: "at Corinth," "at Philippi," etc.
 

The grand purpose in God's heart

     The New Testament unfolds many reasons for God's desire for the Church. Here are some of them:

• "that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Eph. 1:4)—for eternal companionship.

• "that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures" (Jas. 1:18)—only the beginning of a mighty harvest.

• "that we should be called the sons of God" (1 Jn. 3:1)—the Father wanted a family with which to share His joy.

• "that we should be to the praise of His glory" (Eph. 1:12)—we shall share in filling the universe with Christ's glory.
• "that we should bring forth fruit unto God" (Rom. 7:4)—as part of the harvest from the Corn of Wheat that died.
• "that He might present it to Himself [to be His bride]... without spot or wrinkle" (Eph. 5:26-27)—Christ's companion.
• "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus"

(Eph. 2:7). And to be eternal worshippers... and servants.. .and heirs.. .and on and on.
 

The design—form follows function

The nature of the local church is portrayed in 5 different and effective ways—all of which we will utilize:
    • as word pictures, using metaphorical language to paint illustrations of the assembly in its varied aspects
    • by historical narrative, primarily in the book of Acts, stirring our hearts with drama, pathos and triumph
    • by intercepted letters, showing the breadth of knowledge and depth of passion in the early churches
    • through pastoral teaching, included in these epistles, which lays out the divine plan in clear precepts
    • in the very words of Christ, delivered through John to seven churches, and recorded in Revelation 2 and 3

Let us briefly look at the first of these-10 word pictures that give a general impression of the character of the church
 

i.    The BRIDE or CHASTE VIRGIN portrays the separatedness and devotedness of the Church for Christ
 

ii.  The TEMPLE and BUILDING (1 Cor. 3:9-17) shows the holiness of God's dwelling and progress in construction
 

iii.  The BODY (Eph. 4:11-16; 1 Cor. 12) emphasizes joint cooperation and the rich giftedness of the Church
 

iv.  The FAMILY (2 Tim. 5:1-2) portrays the love and loyalty of the believers to one another, a hallmark! (Jn.13:35)
 

v.  The FLOCK stresses the vulnerability of the Church, its dependence on the Shepherd, and the need to obey
 

vi.  The FIELD (1 Cor. 3:9, "husbandry," KJV) reminds us of God's ownership and the need for personal growth
 

vii.  The PILLAR and GROUND (1 Tim. 3:15): strength for service—grounded on truth; lifting it up for all to see
 

viii.   The LAMPSTAND (Rev. 1:20) reminds us that our witness is crucial; and we depend on the filling of the oil
 

ix.   The HOUSE (1 Tim. 3:15) where we must learn to behave! Submitting to godly order is the key to enjoyment
 

x.  The VINE with its BRANCHES (Jn 15) explains that fruitfulness and joy comes only by abiding in Christ!
 

In conclusion—some practical applications

We are often quick in our study of the Church to think about the mechanics—the way the church gathers and func­tions, church government, ordinances, etc. These subjects are vital (since the Holy Spirit has revealed them to us). But at the end of this first study, perhaps we could offer our hearts to the Lord that the dynamics of the early churches might be the motivating influence in our lives and local gatherings as well. We often speak of the characteristics of the New Testament Church relative to the great and glowing doctrines revealed in the Word. And so we should! But perhaps for a few moments we could examine our hearts and ask the following questions:

QUESTION

• Do I act like a CHASTE VIRGIN for Christ by both being separated from other loves, and being whole-hearted­ly devoted to the Lord Jesus? Has some other affection got in the way—even a "good" thing like the service of God? Am I known for being a lover of Christ? Is my local church known in the community by its love?

QUESTION

• Like the BUILDING and the FIELD, am I making progress in my Christian life? Do others notice my personal growth? Or have I, perhaps as a more mature believer, settled down in a kind of spiritual retirement? Am I regularly helping younger Christians in my local fellowship to also be well grounded and built up in the faith?

QUESTION

• As the PILLAR and GROUND of truth, how is the regular ministry of the Word in our fellowship? Are we not only holding up the principles of truth but also basing our lives, our families, our business, and our relationships with others on the practices found in God's blessed Book? When was the last time I was asked what made me different?

QUESTION

• How am I playing my part in the BODY? Am I using my gift for others' benefit? And in God's FAMILY, how is my love for my brothers and sisters? Is there something I need to make right with one of them? When should I do it?

QUESTION

• And what of the LAMPSTAND? Aren't we glad that the One who trims the lamps doesn't quench smoking wicks? Shall we ask Him tonight to make our flickering lights to shine more brightly for Him in this dark world?
 

Introduction: As has been pointed out, Luke's first volume (the Gospel According to Luke) tells of "all that Jesus began both to do and teach" (Acts 1:1). His second volume (The Acts of the Apostles) tells of the things that the risen Lord Jesus continued to do by His Spirit through His people. You also notice as you come to the end of the book that it seems unfinished—what happened to Peter? to Paul? In a sense, the book is unfinished. Every disciple of the Lord has a part in the story. Only eternity will tell it all. So we must "judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come" (1 Cor. 4:5).

Characteristics of the Church in the book of Acts
A.     They responded in faith to Christ's massive global vision (ch. 1) How does the book of Acts begin? The disci­ples asked the Saviour (only moments from His leaving them to go back to heaven), "Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (v. 6). He responded, "Ye shall receive power.. .and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (v. 8).

They were thinking small—of Israel; the Lord was thinking big—of the whole world. They were thinking about the past and restoring it; He was thinking about the present and redeeming it. They were thinking defensively; He was thinking offensively. They were longing for Israel. But He longed for the whole aching planet to come to Him.

Whose view won the day? Obviously the disciples caught the Saviour's vision. A while later, Paul wrote: "Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" (Rom. 1:8). More than that, "The gospel... was preached to every creature which is under heaven" (Col. 1:23)! Yet every generation must reach their world for Christ; Paul's generation can't do that!

We have the same Great Commission today. Has our generation made it the Great Omission? Have we concluded that Christ's promise to work with and through His Church "even to the end of the age" somehow has expired?

B.     B.    They waited on the Holy Spirit "until" Pentecost "was fully come" (ch. 2:1-13). Something new was happening!
• Now we have an Intercessor in the heavens (a real Man on the throne of God), see Rom. 8:26, 34
• And we have an Intercessor in the heart (the indwelling of God the Spirit in the hearts of every believer)

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AT PENTECOST?

i.    It was a reversal of Babel (Gen. 11). At Babel (the beginning of the great false system of Babylon), the people gathered themselves together in rebellion against the word of God; and to make a name for themselves. God "confounded" their languages and they were forced to spread out because no one understood another. But at Pentecost, the disciples proclaimed "the Name" in obedience to the Word of God. When the gospel was proclaimed, ironically "the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language" (Acts 2:6). This One whom they preached was truly the "gate to God"—the meaning of Bab-el. (For Babylon's end, see Rev. 17-19.)

ii.     It was a reversal of Sinai (Ex. 32). At the giving of the Mosaic Commandments there were "about three thousand men" slain under the curse of a broken law (v. 28). This is called by Paul "the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones" (2 Cor. 3:7). But at the proclamation of "the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24)—what Paul calls the "min­istration of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:8)—there were "about three thousand souls" saved! (Acts 2:41).

iii.    It was a complete fulfillment of the Feast of Pentecost (Lev. 23:15). In the Jewish year, Pentecost (held in the late spring) was the beginning of the harvest since all their field crops were winter growth. So the events in Acts 2 were the beginning of a mighty harvest that would result from that "grain of wheat" that fell into the ground and died that it "might not abide alone" (Jn. 12:24). Notice the connections between the type and the anti (over against) type:
 

iv.       It was a partial fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21). It was only a partial fulfillment because there was only a partial turning of the Jewish nation to God. When "all Israel will be saved" (Rom. 11:26)—after 2/3 of the nation will be destroyed along with Anti-messiah's forces (Zech. 13:8-9)—then all of Joel 2 will be fulfilled. Please note that the promise of Joel 2 is NOT to Gentile believers; it is inappropriate to use it to explain the modern Charismatic movement. The use of the dialektos (Acts 2:8) tongues at Pentecost was a sign to Israel ("For the Jews [not the Gentiles] require a sign," 1 Cor. 1:22). It was a judgment, as Joel 2 states, proving to Israel that their God doesn't only speak Hebrew! He was now going out to the whole world. But Joel (and Peter) point out that "in wrath" the Lord "remember[s] mercy." "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).

v.    It was the birthday of the Church (Acts 2). As the disciples waited in obedience to the word of the Lord, the Holy Spirit—called "the promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4)—came down upon the assembled believers in the upper room. Later Paul would say, "By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13, NKJV). In other words,120 believers went into the room; one body came out—united forever by the Spirit. Note the differences between the role of the Spirit in the OT and the NT:

C.    They constantly gave witness to Christ in the proclamation of the gospel (ch. 2:14-41). Not every believer in New Testament days was a gifted evangelist, nor did everyone do it the same way. But notice, "They that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). The commission to go "into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:15) includes you and me. We are not all evangelists, but we are all to be witnesses. If we are willing to be involved, God will give each one a custom-designed way to fulfill His call.

D.      They proved the unifying influence of the Spirit by co-operatively working together (see "with one accord" in Acts 1:14; 2:1, 46; etc.). Without cell phones, email, or faxes, the early believers kept in touch. It seems from his writings that Paul knew the spiritual state of most assemblies, if not every one within his sphere of influence. Although constantly harassed by civil and religious authorities (and internal struggles), the Christians doggedly pursued their goal of world evangelization. Neither the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Roman Empire, nor the gates of hell could stop them.

Occasionally it looked like one thing would stop them—division (Acts 6:1-5; also chs. 11 and 15)! But the matters were wisely and quickly resolved, and the gospel work continued unabated. We cannot expect the sinner to believe

he can be reconciled to a holy God if we cannot even be reconciled to one another. Remember our Lord prayed, "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me" (Jn. 17:21). More on this in Lesson 3.

E.    They practiced baptism, and met regularly for the teaching of "the apostles' doctrine" as well as for "fellowship.., breaking of bread, and.. .prayers" (Acts 2:41-42). Of course this is not an exhaustive list of the meetings of the churches. There were meetings for the elders, for matters of church discipline, for united gospel efforts, and for missionary reports, but these four were the chief reasons for corporate gathering. More on these subjects in Lessons 5 and 6. But we can briefly note that those who shared this new life had:

• A NEW RULE OF LIFE, "the apostles' teaching" which was in fact the teaching of Christ through them On. 16:13)

• A NEW SOCIETY or BROTHERHOOD, the bond of "fellowship" with like-minded saints
 

• A NEW ORDINANCE, the weekly remembrance of their Lord out of devotion to Him
 

• A NEW ACCESS into God's presence for resources to serve: "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name" an. 16:24) Thus the early believers were marked by the outflow of TRUTH, LOVE, WORSHIP, and POWER.

F.    They cared for each other, shared with each other, were in each others' homes and lives (Acts 2:44-47). This involved regular disciple-making, each one working with younger believers to help them mature in the things of God (Lesson 7 has more on this). Now here are six important reasons that we ought to "Love the brotherhood"
(1 Pet. 2:17):

• because it is our Lord's express desire (Jn. 15:9-14; 1 Thess. 4:9)   

• because by loving those we can see, we love Him whom we have not seen (1 Jn. 4:17-21)

 • because it is a most effective means of proclaiming our faith On. 13:34-35)

• because it is a family characteristic (1 Jn. 4:7-11; 1 Pet. 3:8-9), just like our Father 

• because they are loved above On. 16:27) and we ought to love what God loves

• because they are blood-bought, Spirit-indwelt, heaven-bound—members of the royal family
 

G.   They took seriously the leading of the Spirit (Acts 2:44-47). The apostles planned and acted, first praying that the Lord would direct their steps. And He did exactly that. When they "assayed to go into Bithynia" (Acts 16:7), the Lord did not allow them to do it, and the Spirit's redirection was most welcome. This conscious and constant aligning of themselves under the eye of God was key to their success. Mark reminds us that "they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them..." (16:20). Luke states: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved" (2:47, NKJV); "And the hand of the Lord was with them" (11:21).

H.     They were known for their good works (Acts 2:44-47). Isn't it amazing how much our Lord in His earthly ministry was involved in doing good works? He "went about doing good" (Acts 10:38), tirelessly ministering to the needs of others. And this was a pattern that the early believers followed. For example, "There was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha... this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds" (Acts 9:36). Her winsome ministry softened the ground along the Sharon Plain so that Peter's seeding bore a mighty harvest.
 

Paul wrote: "These things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men" (Titus 3:8). What happens when we do some good deed? "... they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Mt. 5:16). You must give the Lord the credit, of course; otherwise they will think you are just a good person. But Paul links good works with our fruitfulness! Is it possible that we are unfruitful in the gospel because we do not "maintain good works" ? (Titus 3:14).
 

Christians should be encouraged in this. We need to "provoke [each other] unto love and to good works" (Heb. 10:24). Those who are rich (who of us isn't rich by world standards?) are to be charged: "That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate" (1 Tim. 6:18). "...Our Saviour Jesus Christ.. .gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Titus 2:13-14).

Widows over the age of 60 who have, during their married lives, been known for good works are a blue chip resource in the local church. They should not, after their husband dies, be forced to eke out an existence. They should be financially supported to do visitation and good works in the community. So says the Scripture (1 Tim. 5:3-10).

I.   They fulfilled the Lord's promise that "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father" (Jn. 14:2). The early Church was hallmarked by "great power.. and great grace" (Acts 4:33); by 'great fear" which "came on all them that heard" and "great fear" which "came upon all the church" (Acts 5:5-11). And in spite of "great persecution" (Act 8:1), "there was great joy" among the saints (Acts 8:8). There is no hint that we should excuse our ineffectiveness by calling today the "day of small things." That phrase, from Zech. 4:10, refers to the Tribulation when God brings in such a mighty harvest that John describes it as "a great multitude, which no man could number" (Rev. 7:9)! The "small things" are the few resources He uses, not the results.

J.   Their lives were kept simple, vibrant and effective by concentrating on preaching and living Christ (see 1 Cor. 1:23; Eph. 4:20). Notice the many references to "the Name" in Acts. They preached in that Name (2:21), baptized in that Name (2:38), healed in that Name (3:6), said that people were saved by that Name (4:12), taught in that Name (4:18), and "rejoiced] that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name" (5:41). s Paul would say later to those tempted to allow their lives to be distracted and complicated by other things: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3).

K.   They lived in the moment-by-moment anticipation of the return of Christ (see Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 1:10-11). What does this hope do for us? Of course, it makes every day an exciting one because this could be THE DAY! But as well:

• it reminds us about the long war we are in, and keeps us from becoming entangled in this life
(2 Tim. 2:4)
• it keeps us pure (1 Jn. 3:3) and from being involved in anything that would be embarrassing then
(1 Jn. 2:20)

• it motivates us to redeem the time (Col. 4:5) and to be serious about evangelism: "NOW is the day of salvation"

• it puts suffering and temporal disappointments into perspective (Rom. 8:18); it is "not worthy to be compared"
 

What it means to be a New Testament assembly

The word "assembly" simply describes a group of people together with a common purpose. The same word is used for the mob in Ephesus (sometimes we do look similar!). So the question is not whether we meet as assemblies, but is my local church a "New Testament assembly"? There is no local church, of course, that perfectly aligns itself with the description of the Church in the Word. But we should strain every nerve to become more like this model every day. But is this model a good practical way of doing things? It certainly is! For example:
 

• the New Testament design is adaptable to every situation. It will work with tribal groups, in prison camps, or among the disenfranchised in poverty-ridden inner cities. There is no need for expensive buildings, special vestments, highly-trained professionals or contact with earthly headquarters. And it is transferable to every culture.
 

• this design is ideal for the rapid deployment of the gospel. As soon as a group of people are saved, they can be mobilized for action. It is also persecution-proof. The first thing oppressive regimes do is to shut down headquarters, jail clergy, confiscate buildings, close seminaries. And with what are you left? Small, purified groups of believers meeting simply with the Spirit to lead them, the Word to guide them, and gifted local believers to minister among them—just what the Lord intended in the first place! They cannot reach the headquarters of those who "hold the Head."
 

There is no place for thinking ourselves superior to some other group of Christians, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2 Cor. 10:12). There will be no room for pride if we honestly measure instead how far we fall short of the ideal. Nonetheless any group of believers who honestly desires to be true to the pattern in the Scriptures and seeks to obey everything the Spirit shows them can rightly claim to be New Testament assemblies, since they willingly study and submit to this standard.

Introduction: The body, one of the most graphic and helpful portraits of the Church used in the New Testament, is applied both to the universal Church and to local assemblies. This first part of the study will focus on Ephesians 4 and the gifts given for the Church at large to see its growth beyond the limits of existing local churches. This is often a neglected aspect of the vision the Lord had for His people. We know He expected individual believers to reproduce, having children in the faith, as Paul called them. But the Lord also wanted churches to reproduce and especially gifted certain men to be used in accomplishing this. These gifted men are introduced to us in Ephesians chapter 4.

The differences in the lists of gifts

There are four key passages when we consider gifts in the New Testament: Romans 12,1 Corinthians 12 (along with chs. 13-14), Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. In this lesson, we will be turning most of our attention to Ephesians 4. Here the risen Christ shares the spoils of His victory by giving special gifts to the Church. But notice the differences between this passage and the other lists of gifts given in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12:
 

2.The Head-body relationship and member-to-member relationships

1. The relationship between the body and the Head. There is one passage dealing with Christ's headship relative to church government (1 Cor. 11:3); and one verse stating Him to be the capstone or "head of the corner" of the spiri­tual temple being constructed of "living stones" (1 Pet. 2:7). But apart from these, there are six key references to Christ's headship relative to the body, three in each of the Ephesian and Colossian epistles:

• Eph. 1:22, which declares His supremacy, the place God gave Him due to His victory over death (Heb. 2)

• Eph. 4:15, which explains His sustenance of the body—"from whom the whole body" is supplied (v. 16)

• Eph. 5:23, using the husband-wife relationship, shows us the importance of submission to the head

• Col. 1:18 concludes a section showing the sufficiency of our head: Redeemer, Revealer, Creator, Sustainer

• Col. 2:10, it's the singularity of our head (2 are not better than 1): "He is the fullness.. .Ye are complete in Him" • Col. 2:19, again the simplicity of "holding" to this one head; don't be beguiled (v. 18; see also 2 Cor. 11:3)
 

Believers who want to meet as New Testament churches will "hold the head." But practically how do we do that? First, we cannot expect to acknowledge Christ's headship together if we do not acknowledge His Lordship personally. Submission by a local church to Christ begins with the individuals yielding personally to Him day by day. Some may ask, How does the Lord communicate His desires to the local church? The Lord has no communications prob­lem, does He? By His Spirit, He makes His will unmistakably clear, for those who "will do His will" (Jn. 7:17) shall know if the matter is of God or not. We see this kind of direction throughout the book of Acts. He uses His Word (Acts 11:16), His Spirit (Acts 16:6), a sense of peace in the heart (Col. 3:15), prayer and fasting (Acts 13:2), other godly believ­ers (Acts 11:28), and circumstances. We should be quick to pray, ready to search the Scriptures, and willing to do whatever the Lord shows us He wants. And of course ready to repent when we find ourselves on the wrong path. Elders are the ones most responsible for knowing the Lord's will for the church. They are not selected because they are clever but because they are spiritual. They are not a decision-making body but a discerning body, not to make up their own minds but to discern the mind of the Lord in the matter. We need to earnestly and regularly pray for them.
 

2.   The systems in place in the body. Much like the skeletal, nervous, and respiratory systems—whose benefits are shared by all parts of the body—there is common life shared in the churches through prayer, fellowship, encourage­ment, worship, teaching, and the ministry of the Spirit. These are not for only some; all may enjoy them to the full.

3.   The particular organs of the body. If the "systems" in place stimulate unity, the particular gift given to each individual reveals the diversity of the body, and therefore the inter-dependence needed—since you have spiritual abili­ties which I need (and do not have) while the opposite is also true. We need each other; the Lord has designed it this way on purpose. "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (1 Cor. 12:7).

How important is unity to the heart of Christ? to the success of the Great Plan?

In John 17, the Lord Jesus prayed, "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me" (vv. 20-21). Earlier He had told the disciples: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another" (13:34-35). Could He have stated it any more strongly?

• If we visibly and practically show our love to one another, then, and only then, will the world take us seriously.
• If we visibly and practically show unity with each other, then the world will take the claims of Christ seriously.

How lightly we often take this two-fold charge! Dear brothers and sisters—are the offenses we cause and take worth such horrendous collateral damage? Shall we allow such offenses, hurts, tension, and ill will to continue even one more day? Can you take responsibility for the continuation of the offense though you may not be guilty of caus­ing it? Eating humble pie can taste quite good, especially if we keep in mind the massive implications and waves of blessing that could ensue if we buried grudges and refused to recall them again (see Appendix 8). "How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!... there the Lord commanded the blessing" (Ps. 133:1, 3). If there is an obvious lack of blessing, we may not have far to look for the reason. The Lord tells us, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them" (Mt. 18:20). This is often applied to regular church meetings, but the primary interpretation has to do with Christians meeting to seek reconciliation. The Lord is saying, "I'm all for that. I'll be there, ready to help." There are challenges, of course, but we who love Him should be able to unite around Christ and against our common foe. Blessed (though often bloodied) are the peacemakers.

A closer look at unity in Ephesians 4:1-6

1. What is the "therefore" there for? The Ephesian letter has been climbing up to one of the highest mountain peaks anywhere in Scripture. In chapter 1, he has told us of the plan in the heart of the Godhead and the particular ways in which each Member of the Godhead has contributed to that plan: the Father (vv. 3-6a); the Son (vv. 6b-13a); and the Spirit (vv. 13b-14). Each section ends with a call to the praise of His glory (vv. 6, 12, 14).
 

In chapter 2, Paul explains the extent of the damages to the whole human race which needed repair (vv. 1-3) and the special problem of the Gentiles who were "without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12). Bleak prospect indeed! But through Christ we have been not only reconciled to God; we have been united with believing Jews in the Church.
 

This is the reason Paul was a prisoner (4:1). He writes in 3:1, "a prisoner for you Gentiles." This fired the animosity of the Jewish leaders against Paul—preaching "the revelation of the mystery" (see Lesson 1). Paul wanted the Gentiles to appreciate what it had cost their Jewish brothers for preaching this universal gospel. We should as well.
 

As Paul comes to the pinnacle at the end of chapter 3, he concludes: "Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen" (v. 21). And how is the glory of God revealed in the Church? The previous paragraphs tell us: THE WISDOM OF GOD is revealed in the Church (v. 10), as is the POWER OF THE inworking SPIRIT (v. 16), as well as THE LOVE OF CHRIST (v. 19). Now Paul begins our section with a "therefore" that calls us all, in the light of such a vast plan, to accomplish our part—"the vocation to which we are called"—by first getting along with one another. If we are going to exercise our giftedness in co-operation with others, there will need to be some lubrication to keep the expected friction from building. What are the graces provided for this?

• lowliness: to follow the example of Christ who "humbled Himself," willing to take the low place to save your soul! Are we then willing to take such a place, to do whatever it takes, to fulfill our calling?

• meekness: a mildness and gentleness of spirit that belies the influence I could use to get my way; strength in con­trol. The Lord invites us into His school to learn meekness and lowliness from Him (Mt. 11:28-29).

• longsuffering: steadfastness in times of difficulty, long-tempered: "that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate; the opposite of anger, associated with mercy" (Vine).

• forbearance: to hold up, to hold one's self erect while under a load, to sustain, to bear, to endure, not to let go one's end of the load even under difficult circumstances. To be the kind of person one can count on at all times.

• love: agape, selfless love that does not think of itself, seeking the highest good for others. Supernatural evidence that we are saved: "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us" (1 Jn. 4:12).

Two kinds of unity

• "Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (4:3). In this God-provided organic unity, all true believers are one—no ecumenical compromise needed! God's people are one and it is our responsibility to "keep" it.

— one BODY: we have the unity of a common life, provided through Christ's mighty sacrifice.

— one SPIRIT: we have the unity of a common Teacher, Guide, and Provider.

— one HOPE: the unity of a common objective; we long to be with Christ and like Christ.

— one LORD: we have the unity of command from one Captain, "and all ye are brethren" (Mt. 23:8).

— one FAITH: a common body of truth, "the faith... once delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3).

— one BAPTISM: a common Church history! We all look (or should) back to the same historic event.

— one GOD AND FATHER OF ALL: He is the Father of all, above all, through all and in us all.

• "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (v. 13). This is not an historic fact but a promise that will come true through a process. And that process is outlined in vv. 11-12. The resurrected and soon-to-be exalted Christ gave gifted men to the Church (Ephesians primarily has the whole Church in view). These gifted men were to continue the chain reaction begun by Christ equipping them. Their ministry was 'for the perfecting of the saints" so the saints could do "the work of the min­istry" and the end result would be "the edifying of the [whole] body of Christ."

The five special kinds of gifted men

The APOSTLES and PROPHETS had ministries that were obviously not only to one particular local church. What did they do? And do we still have apostles and prophets today?

• apostles: the word is an anglicized form of the Gk., meaning a messenger, one who is sent at another's behest. Peter explains that such apostles, along with obvious spiritual qualifications, must be trained personally by Christ and were witnesses to His resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). Paul was especially qualified, though "born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15:8) because he was a witness to the resurrected Jesus, and was personally trained by the Lord (Gal. 1:11-12). Of course the word can be applied in a wider sense (as it is to Timothy, Barnabas and Silas) when we speak about mis­sionaries, or those sent on a mission. But that is not the way in which Paul was using the word in the epistle to the Ephesians. These men, he says, had a foundational work to do (Eph. 2:20). Once a foundation is laid, it is time to build the superstructure upon it. The only apostolic succession Paul knew about is found in Acts 20:29!

• prophets: from two words meaning "to speak before," it was used of holy men raised up by God both to foretell and to tell forth His thoughts. Again it can be used sometimes of any servant of God who speaks His Word, especially those who speak to present needs. However once again in this epistle it is used of the foundational gift given to those who completed the canon of Scripture, as Peter would write: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Pet. 1:21). Peter goes on to explain, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you..." (2 Pet. 2:1). Notice the change. While the Scriptures were being written—while there were true prophets—there were also false prophets to beware. Now the danger is of false teachers; every prophet (in this sense) would be false since the Bible is a completed work.
 

However, note the following: while we no longer have these two kinds of gifted men working among us, we still have their ministry—apostolic authority and prophetic revelation—captured for us in the Word of God, which is able to prepare us all 'for every good work." Indeed it is, for everyone who wants their church life based only on the teach­ing of God's Word, lest we fall into the trap of which our Lord spoke: "Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition" (Mk. 7:13). Of course He was not condemning our doing things not specified in Scripture (times of our gatherings, etc.) in a sensible, Christ-honoring way. He was condemning the teaching of traditions as if they were the commandments of God. Woe betide those who put a heavier obligation on the Lord's people than He does!
 

• evangelists: again an English form of the Gk., for "a bringer of good news." While local churches have also been equipped with gifted evangelists, these special gifts from Christ have a broader task. Not only are they to spread the gospel, they are also to equip the saints so they can also evangelize. How important this is! As well, these evangelists break new ground for the good seed, "to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand" (2 Cor. 10:16). We must remember to pray for and financially support such pioneers, "Because that for His name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles" (3 Jn. 1:7).
 

• pastors: this is simply the word for shepherds, and again the elders of the local churches are also shepherds. But these pastors, men like Timothy and Titus, worked alongside the evangelists and stayed afterward to help the fledg­ling believers. Their role (described in detail in the pastoral epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus) was to prepare these new Christians for their life and ministry, to see the new church functioning properly, and as soon as possible to point out the elders that God had raised up in their midst. They would then move on to work with other new groups of believers to do the same work there. Today, unfortunately, because the elders in some places feel unable or ill equipped, they ask for a man with pastoral gift to head up the shepherding work—or do it all. This is a redundant arrangement, duplicating the work and robbing this man from a work he should be doing among new Christians. It also robs the believers of all having a vital part in the work of God.
 

There is another problem. Because some of these evangelists "go into all the churches to preach the gospel" instead of going into all the world to do it, there are few new gatherings of believers for these pastors to help in this way.
 

• teachers: those with the special ability to clearly explain the Word of God. In the case of these teachers (as opposed to those given for one locale), their ability also includes the training of the local teachers and every student of the Word. Apollos was just such a man. His gift was not to replace those who ministered the Word locally but to encourage them in becoming better and more useful teachers of the Word. This is very needed today: men who can help to improve the calibre of public ministry and teach the people of God to effectively study the Word themselves.
 

Introduction: Every child in God's family is a gifted child! So says the apostle Paul to the Corinthians: "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activi­ties, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (1 Cor. 12:4-7). There is no doubt we are all custom designed; every believer is equipped for the Lord's service in a dif­ferent way (we will study this later in the lesson) but Paul makes it clear: "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." What is a gift in this sense? What gifts are available? And how do I discover which gift I have been given? Are all the gifts mentioned in the New Testament still in use today? These and other important questions are in our thoughts now. How important it is to know what ministry the Lord has called us to, for there are no bibli­cal distinctions between clergy and laity. Peter tells us that we are all "the servants of God" (1 Pet. 2:16).

Spiritual gifts distinguished

The Spirit Himself is a very special gift to every believer, given by the Father at the request of the Son (Jn.14:16). Then through Him, as the already quoted 1 Corinthians 12:7 shows, each child of God has received a gift. Let us begin by seeing what a gift is not:

1.   A gift is not a natural talent. Just as we received certain natural talents by our natural birth, so we receive some supernatural gift by our new birth. We may distinguish between the two by asking which abilities may be shared with unbelievers. On the one hand, natural talents include the ability to draw, sing, speak well, etc. On the other hand, showing mercy in a Christ-like way to those undeserving, preaching the gospel, or teaching the Word—these are obviously spiritual gifts. Now many natural talents can also be used for the Lord, often in conjunction with a gift. All such resources, natural or spiritual, should be developed for the use of the Master.

2.     A gift is not an "office." In the governing of the local church, certain men are called by God (elders) or chosen by the congregation (deacons) to a responsible stewardship. Obviously elders and deacons are gifted, but they at some point are called to take up a special burden on behalf of the Lord's people. It is not only gift that qualifies such for this responsibility. They must also be scripturally, morally, domestically, and socially suited for it.

3.   A gift is not a fruit. The Spirit of God is the active agent in our receiving a gift and in our bearing fruit. However these are different. Warning: you may use your gift and see blessing, all the while being thoroughly unspiritual!