In our world, children do not decide if they want to come from a strong, nurturing family, or from a home that is broken – plagued by abuse, hatred, or neglect. These children grow up bitter, dissatisfied, and possibly resentful of those who were raised in good homes. It leaves us wondering, “Why would God allow that to happen? Why doesn’t He do something about it?” Yet, without realizing it, God has provided a special family for the entire world – the church.
In this family, God is referred to as a “Father.” (Matt. 23:9) He demonstrates perfect knowledge to supply your needs (Matt. 6:8), perfect love to fill your soul (Ps. 63:3), and perfect mercy to deal with us with compassion (Ps. 86:15). For those who have never had siblings; in the church, they have an Older Brother - the Son of God (Rom. 8:29), and many other “brothers and sisters in Christ.” The Holy Spirit becomes that family member who helps us in times of need, never leaving us by ourselves (Rom. 8:26). The Father refers to the church as His house (Eph. 2:19, II Tim. 3:15), a place to be encouraged, rebuked and exhorted (II Tim. 4:2). Brotherhood is not only encouraged, but commanded (I Jn. 2:9).
In our last lesson, we noticed God’s message to all the world – salvation. This is where we stopped, but there was one point that was purposely left off – Acts 2:47.In that context, the people had heard God’s message of redemption through Jesus Christ and changed their ways and were baptized. (v. 38-42) As we move into verse 47, we discover one of the many added benefits of becoming a follower of Christ, “the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (NKJV) When you become a Christian you are automatically placed into the Family of God – the church. More than 100 times, in the New Testament alone, the Greek word for church (ekklesia) is used. It is a word that literally means “the called out” or “assembly.”
In ancient Greece, the word ekklesia had special reference to the calling of certain citizens out of the total population to serve as jurors in court cases. In order to prevent bribery and corruption, the ancient juries were very large, often consisting of 501 citizens. From the total population of qualified men, this large number would be called for jury duty. Later on, when Christianity was established, this familiar Greek word was used to convey the idea that the gospel of Christ would be preached to the whole world and that those who responded to the Lord would become his church, his assembly, his called out body of people. (Batsell Barrett Baxter, Family of God)
The church is composed of people. The church is the people, and the church cannot exist without people. (Acts 5:11; 8:3) Therefore, the church is family. There is the extended family – meaning the all the saved of the world (Eph. 5:23-25), and the local family – consisting of the saved in one community or congregation (I Cor. 1:1-2) We are banded together to carry out the Father’s plans.
The church is a family, not a social club or business. We do not view the church as a luncheon club, political party, or anything that would give equal loyalty. The Christian’s loyalty to the family of God is unique. It would be safe to say that it is a way of life. The church exists so “the family” may experience an intimate relationship with Christ and God, as well as one another. The Bible has a lot to say about this special people of God, and I want us to search its pages to discover the truth. Our society, and even the religious world, has tried to corrupt its original plan for mankind.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH.
Different people have held different ideas about when the church began. Some have said it began as far back as the Old Testament days; others said it began with the ministry of John the Baptist; and others have said that it still hasn’t yet been established. Even Jesus Christ was not walking the earth, in human form, when the church would be established. In fact, Jesus said, “I will (future tense) build my church.” (Matt. 16:18) This is why our first lesson in this series is so important, because we can trust what the Bible says about the church’s beginning.
· 7500 years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah foretold of its coming (Isa. 2:2-3). 600 years before the establishment of the church, Daniel prophesied its coming (Dan. 2). Several things to note from prophecy that establishes the date as between A.D. 30-33:
· The church would be established in JERUSALEM. Isaiah said, “the Lord’s teaching and his word will go out from Jerusalem.” (Isa. 2:3 – NLT) Micah’s prophecy is almost identical (4:1-2). Jehovah said through the prophet Zechariah, “I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy; My house shall be built in it…” (Zech. 1:16 – NKJV) Jesus said that His church would begin in Jerusalem (Lk. 24:47), and for His disciples to wait there after His death and resurrection for its coming.
· The church would be established with POWER. This has reference to the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His apostles, after His resurrection, “tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49 – NKJV) Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” (KJV) This was the second prophecy to be fulfilled so that the world could know that the church had been established.
· The church would be established with a PROMISE. That promise was the preaching of repentance and remission of sins. Luke 24:47, “…repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (NKJV) Repentance had been preached before Jesus’ death and resurrection, but not remission of sins. This would come with the establishment of the church.
The point is this: We can know when the church is established when all three requirements are met, and on a particular day. Do we have that record? Yes!
Look to Acts 2. This is known as the day of Pentecost, some 50 days after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This was a Jewish feast, which was celebrated 50 days after the Passover. It was at this event that God chose to establish the church – His family. No doubt the great crowds had much to do with this time in history, people from all over the world (v. 9-11).This event took place in Jerusalem (v. 5), which is the first fulfillment of the prophecy.
A great power came through (v. 2), “as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (NKJV) This was the second fulfillment of prophecy.
Then, the apostle Peter delivered a powerful sermon on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In that lesson Peter preached repentance and baptism for the remission of sins (v. 38). The third prophesy being completed. In fact, Peter quoted Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2:28-32) as proof that this was the day the church was being established.
Going back the prophecy of Daniel, in Daniel 2:31-45, Daniel tells the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, which later was interpreted by Daniel. The king had dreamed of a great image, which had a head of gold, a breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay. In the God-inspired interpretation which Daniel gave, the head of gold represented the Babylonian Kingdom, over which Nebucahnezzar was presiding, a kingdom which lasted from 612 B.C. to 536 B.C. The breast and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persian Empire ruled by kings Cyrus and Darius among others, an empire, which fell in 330 B.C. The belly and thighs of brass represented the Macedonian Empire, ruled by Alexander the Great, which was divided at his death in 323 B.C. The legs and feet of iron and clay represented the Roman Empire, headed by the various Caesars. This empire began about 30 B.C. and fell in 476 A.D.
There is one other very important element in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. In addition to the great image which he envisioned, there was a stone cut out of the mountain without human hands which came rolling down the mountainside until it struck the image and broke it into pieces. The interpretation of this great stone is that a different kind of kindgom – a spiritual kingdom established by God – would be established in the days of the final empire represented by the image and that it would triumph over that empire. The interpretation fits perfectly with the fact that the Lord’s church, or kingdom, was established during the Roman Empire, on Pentecost, A.D. 30, during the reign of Tiberius Caesar.
Jesus also prophesied the establishment of the church as coming during the generation he met on earth. Mark 9:1, “…There be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.” (KJV) A final evidence that the church was established on Pentecost is found in a statement the apostle Peter made sometime later when he was explaining that the Holy Spirit had guided him to preach the gospel to Cornelius and other Gentiles.Peter said, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.” (Acts 11:15) >From Pentecost on, the church is no longer spoken of as something in the future, but as something that has come.
Any church that was not established in this way, and on this day, is not the church Jesus said we would build (Matt. 16:18). The church that had its origin in Jerusalem, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, and preached remission of sins, is the church, which I am a member, and anyone can be today.
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH.
Every church, church of Christ or otherwise, has a purpose for the existence. Sometimes these are written down, and sometimes they are understood. The important thing is for everyone to be on the same page. How is that done? Through God’s Word. This is important because we all have our own opinions as to what is important in church work. Some people are driven by their traditions, others by personality, and still others by such things as money, programs, buildings, and even events. These all may be well and good, but unless we are fulfilling the business that God has laid out for His people we are accomplishing nothing. Proverbs 19:21, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” (NLT) In other words, plans, programs, and personalities don’t last, but God’s purposes lives on. As one author stated, “The starting point for every church should be the question, ‘Why do we exist?’” In other words, what is our foundation in the church. Isn’t this what these lessons are all about?
Let’s look into God’s book and discover these purposes: These are also based on the studies of Rick Warren from Acts 2.
EDIFICATION.
Verse 42, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine…” (NKJV) This reveals the task of edifying through teaching to promote spiritual maturity. The church exists to edify, or educate, God’s people. It is to help us become more like Christ in our thoughts, feelings, and actions.Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matt. 28:19-20 – NKJV) Knowledge does not end with the conversion of an unbeliever – in fact it is just the beginning. This was the purpose of incorporating Bible classes on Sunday morning and Wednesday nights. It is an opportunity for God’s children to fulfill His purpose of the church. Preaching is certainly another area of teaching, but it does not lend itself to questions or comments.
FELLOWSHIP.
Continue reading verse 42 and we discover they devoted themselves to fellowship. This relates to our title – family or relationships – and how we are to work toward this goal. The church is not just something we believe in, it is also a place to belong. We are to live as a family and be members of his body. Paul, in writing to the Gentile Christians, said, “So now you Gentiles are not longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.” (Eph. 2:19-21 – NLT)
A church building is sometimes called God’s house, but God house is not a building but a group of people. When Jesus prophesied that he would build a church (Matt. 16:18), there were no architects with blue prints of a new building on a piece of land. Baptized believers are the church, and when one is absent a piece of the building is missing. When people refuse to fellowship with God’s fellow Saints, they are destroying God’s purpose for the church. This fellowship extends further than our weekly assemblies. Look to verse 46, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.” (NKJV)
WORSHIP.
Verse 42 also suggests their worship together. They partook of the Lord’s Supper and prayed. Some have debated whether this was a common meal or the communion, but regardless the disciples did both. The church exists to worship God. No doubt there are times we should worship in private (Matt. 6:6), but God also expects His children to join together in worship. The Psalmist said, “O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together.” (Ps. 34:3 – NAS)
In my opinion this is the most basic of God’s purposes for the church.
BENEVOLENCE.
Verse 45 says they “sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” (NKJV) This exhibits the benevolent attitude of the early church, and one of the ministries of the people. “Ministry is demonstrating God’s love to others by meeting their needs and healing their hurts in the name of Jesus.” (Warren) Yet, this type of need doesn’t end with financial concerns, but includes spiritual and emotional needs. We learn who is in need through continued fellowship together, and we gain the heart to help others through our worship to God. When we realize how much benevolence God has shown to us, we will want to show that benevolence to others.
EVANGELISM.
Verse 47 shows the real mission of the church – outreach. People believed in Christ, changing their lives, and being baptized into Christ. This is the final purpose of the church – communicating God’s message (that we study last week) to mankind. We are ambassadors for Christ and our commission is to evangelize the world. Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mk. 16:15 – NKJV) The Greek word for go comes from a present participle that should read “as you are going.” It is every Christian’s responsibility to share the Good News wherever we go. And notice the use of the word share and not give, because it is a sharing of a precious gift that has been handed down to us from God.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
THE CHURCH HAS NO UNIVERSAL HEADQUARTERS.
When you here names like, Springfield, Missouri; Salt Lake City, Utah; Independence, Missouri; Anderson, Indiana; Cleveland, Tennessee; and Rome, Italy, you generally think of headquarters for various denominations. However, while prophecy named Jerusalem as the place it would be established, God never named a city for the church to set up headquarters. There is to be no pope, no presiding bishop, no council or convention to legislate the Lord’s church. Only Christ and the Word of God are given that authority to establish rules and regulations. Jesus was given this authority by the Father to set laws, otherwise known as the “Law of Christ.” (I Cor. 9:21) Ephesians 5:23 says that “Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” (NKJV)
Where is the headquarters of Russia? We know the answer is Moscow, for this is where the head of the Russian government resides. The headquarters of the United States is Washington, D.C., because this is where the congress and the president reside.
So, where is the headquarters of the church of Christ? It is where the head resides. Christ being the head of the church, resides in heaven (I Pet. 3:21-22), therefore our headquarters is found in heaven. This explains why there is no central office or group we report to or who give us our orders. Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship is in heaven.” (ASV)
THE CHURCH HAS LOCAL ORGANIZATION.
God gives this organization to us. Elders (I Pet. 5:1) are responsible to lead the local congregation (Acts 20:28). There are deacons (I Tim. 3:8-13), who are special servants of God. Evangelists (II Tim. 4:5) proclaim the truth of the gospel, and every member is responsible to work with the elders in the various missions of the church.
Philippians 1:1, “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ (evangelist). To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are in Philippi (members), with the bishops (elders) and deacons (special servants). Together they carry out the mission of the church – evangelism, benevolence, fellowship, teaching, and worship. Through the organization God has given us, in His word, we can fulfill these various purposes of the church.
If what you are looking for in a church is not based upon Scripture, then it is false and will one day be uprooted. Jesus said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.” (Matt. 15:13 – NKJV) The purpose of this congregation is to follow the pattern of Christ’s church. No one said we were perfect, only that this is our desire. It is true the divine side of the church is perfect in its plan, but it is far from perfect on its human side. There are hypocrites in the church, and while there is no excuse for this type of behavior, we must keep in mind that the members of God’s family are in the process of becoming men and women that Christ wants them to be.
Batsell Barrett Baxter put it this way, “The church is not a showcase in which to display perfect people; it is more like a hospital in which spiritually sick people are becoming well.” Do you want to be a part, of what Paul referred to as “one body?” (Eph. 4:4; Rom. 12:4-5) God’s Family is the church! And you can be a part of that family. Maybe you are one of God’s children, but you have wandered away like prodigal son (Lk. 15). It’s time to come home.
References:
1. Family of God, Batsell Barrett Baxter
2. Why I am a Member of the church of Christ, Leroy Brownlow