The Church of Jesus
Two theological descriptions of the ‘body of christ’:
Romans 12:4-5:“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others”
Picture of how the followers of Jesus combine all of their different gifts and skills to form the complete form of ‘the church’.
St Augustine:“Marvel and rejoice: we have become Christ. For if he is the head, we are the members; he and we together are the whole man.... the fullness of Christ then is the head and the members. But what does 'head and members' mean? Christ and the Church."
The meaning of the word "church" is derived from and understood in the light of the original Greek--the word "ekklesia" or "the called out ones." The word never relates to buildings for worship. Nor in a true sense, could "church" ever be a description of a religious organisation. It is a social grouping, rather than a physical object.
1 Cor 12: 12-13:“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptised by one spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one spirit to drink”
One thing in common – faith in Christ (unity). Christians should focus on what unites us, rather than what divides us. Maintain our individual nature, but become part of a wider body. Team Analogy – collection of gifted individuals often DON’T make a good team, what is required is a well-balanced squad of players who combine together well.
Romans 12: 6-8: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”
In Acts we see the first description of the body of Christ, which began following the ascension of Jesus into heaven and the delivery of the spiritual gifts from the holy spirit at Pentecost.
Acts 2:42-47:“They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the Apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need, 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, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
7 KEY POINTS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS
1. SUBMIT TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD
We are empowered by the spirit – as it makes Christian work different from ‘good work’. Spirit was pivotal to everything that they did – Jesus asked them to wait for the spirit. We need to be able to trust in God’s timing and be prepared to wait.
Acts 1: 4-5:“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”.
Acts 1: 7-8:“He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 2: 17 (quoting prophet Joel 2:28-32):“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams…”
Acts 5:29 [Peter speaking to the Sanhedrin]:“Peter and the other apostles replied ‘we must obey God, rather than men!”
2. UNITY IN THE CHURCH:
Body of Christ needs to be of one mind – we do that by seeking God’s will.
Acts 2:39:“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call”
Acts 4:32:“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No-one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had”.
3. PRAYER AT THE CENTRE OF CHURCH LIFE:
Prayer needs to be the soul of the movement (reference Bishop of London, Nicky Lee and others at Focus) and our works need to be empowered by prayer.
Acts 1:14:“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”.
Acts 2:42:“They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”.
Acts 4: 23-24 [Release of Peter and John from the Sanhedrin]:“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God...”
4. BURDEN FOR SOCIETY:
Prayer can be lifeless if we don’t have a burden (example of Nehemiah having a burden to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem). Ask God for a burden – watch news, read papers. My burden is for the family and I ache when I read reports about the broken marriages – involvement with Marriage Preparation Course.
Acts 2:45:“Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need”.
Acts 4:29-30:“Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus”.
5. RELATIONSHIP AT THE CORE OF OUR FAITH:
Not in a ‘religion’, but in a relationship with Jesus. Lives are transformed through that relationship with Jesus (Peter, Paul and examples from Alpha).
Acts 4:10-12:“Then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”.
Acts 4:29-31:“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of our holy servant Jesus. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly”.
6. GO THROUGH TRIALS – JOY IN EVERYTHING:
Thread of joy ran through everything that they did. As christians we are called to be joyful – even in times of difficulty and a credit crunch. Is our glass half-full or half-empty?
Acts 5:40-41 [Apostles brought before the Sanhedrin for preaching about Jesus]:“..They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name”.
Acts 7:59-60 [As Stephen was being stoned for proclaiming the truth about Jesus]:“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit’. Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’. When he had said this, he fell asleep”.
7. JESUS AT THE CENTRE:
We can be too intellectual as christians and miss out on Jesus. Some church services can pass without any mention of him and instead focus on motivational/management-speak. We need the word of Jesus; we need to believe in the foolishness of the Gospel; that Jesus lives; and that he transforms lives.
Acts3: 12-13; 16 [Explaining the healing of a crippled beggar]“When Peter saw this, he said to them ‘Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our Fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus...By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see”.