Being the Local Body
Acts 2:37-46

Purpose: The local church exists to make disciples in the place God has planted them.

1. Committed Together to the Gospel (Acts 1:8; 2:37-42a)

2. Committed Together to Public Proclamation (Acts 2:46a; 5:12)

3. Committed Together to Corporate Discipleship (Acts 2:42b-45, 46b)

4. Committed Together to Christ-Directed Growth (Acts 2:41, 47; 5:14)

As the body reaches out together in faithful gospel proclamation, and grows together in faithful discipleship, God adds to their number those who are being saved.

Generational Discipleship
Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Purpose: The future health of the body is built as one generation raises the next in the fear and nurture of the Lord.

1. The Blessing of Generational Discipleship (Deut. 6:1-3)

2. The Bedrock of Generational Discipleship (Deut. 6:4-5)

3. The Blueprint of Generational Discipleship (Deut. 6:6-9)

Parents partner with other members of the body to raise children to follow Christ until they grow into parents who partner with other members of the body to raise children who follow Christ.

“The First Command!”

Purpose: to correct misunderstanding, and exalt the truth of Christ’s Great Commission

1. “The First Command!”
       The Great Commission of Jesus Christ X 5!
             Matthew 28:18-20
             Mark 16:15
             Luke 24:44-47
             John 20:21
             Acts 1:8
       What makes these 5 Great Commission statements the “First” Command?

2. Correcting the Misunderstanding    
        Matthew 28 Correctly Understood
        The Great Commission begins with v. 18 “All authority…”
       “Go” means “Go”
        The command is to “make disciples” baptizing and teaching
       The receiver of Christ’s Command is the Church
       The object of Christ’s command is “of all the nations”!
       The promise is Christ’s presence!

3. Paul’s Understanding of the Great Commission in Covenant   
        Gal 3:8; Gen 12:1-3

4. God’s End-Vision of the Great Commission
       Rev 7:9-10

All of Scripture is about Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection for the salvation of repentant believers from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Staying Sharp
Matthew 11:28-30

Purpose: to show that only those who are staying sharp can sharpen others.

1. The Invitation to Rest In Christ (Matthew 11:28)

2. The Imperative of Resting In Christ (Matthew 11:29)

3. The Inference of Resting In Christ (Matthew 11:30)

Personal growth precedes corporate growth. Only when we are growing in Christ can we edify others, spurring one another on to love and good deeds.

Building Up the Body: Part II

1 Corinthians 12-14

Purpose: to use our God-given gifts to build up the body of Christ

1. “For the Common Good”: The Key Purpose for Spiritual Gifts (12:7; 14:12)

2. “For Edification”: The Right Use of Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor 14 esp. vv 3-5, 17, 19, 26)

3. “Peace in All the Churches” (1 Cor 14:33)

The true purpose for God-given spiritual gifts is to edify, to build up the body of Christ. God gives spiritual gifts for the common good, for the health and growth of His church!

Building Up the Body: Part I

1 Corinthians 12-14

Purpose: to use our God-given gifts to build up the body of Christ

1. “Now Concerning Spiritual Gifts, Brethren” (1 Cor 12:1)

2. One God: The Source of Unity in One Body (1 Cor 12 esp. vv 3-7, 13, 18-20)

3. God’s Love: The Key Unifier (1 Cor 13)

The church’s unity finds its source in God Himself. His Spirit unifies His people into one body. God gives gifts to the body for the building up of itself in love (Eph 4:16).

Being Together
Hebrews 10:19-25

Purpose: The body of Christ is created to be together.

1. Together In Presence (Heb. 10:19-22)

2. Together In Posture (Heb. 10:23)

3. Together In Practice (Heb. 10:24-25)

A healthy church is not only together in message, mind, and methods, but in presence, posture and practice.

Pulling Together
1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Purpose: A healthy body of Christ pulls together in order to pull together.

1. Conclusive Admonishment (1Cor. 1:10)

2. Competing Agendas (1Cor. 1:11-12)

3. Christ-centered Advance (1 Cor. 1:13)

Christ is the head of His body the Church. There is no room for any other agendas.

What Does it Mean to Be the Church? Part II

Purpose: to biblically define key terms in the Christian church

5. Why the Church? What is its Purpose? (Matt. 22:36-40; Mk. 12:29-31; Lk. 10:27;
   Ex. 3:14; Jn. 8:58; Isa. 42:8; 45:23; Phil. 2:10; Jn. 12:28; Rom. 11:26; Rev. 1:17, 13)
       To Love God and Love Others, the Great Commandments
       For God’s glory!
       To grow up into the Head, Jesus Christ (Eph 4:15)
       The church is the bride, Christ is the Bridegroom (Eph 5, esp v. 23)

6. What is the Doctrinal Authority of the Church? (Lk. 24:44-47; Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)
       The Scriptures and the Gospel

7. What are the Ordinances of the Church and Their Importance? (Matt. 28:18-20; Rom. 6:1-14; 1 Cor. 11:20-26)
       Baptism
       The Lord’s Supper

The true church exists for the glory of God, for the love of God and neighbor. The true church has the Christian Scriptures and the gospel as her authority. Members in the church are identified by their faithful observance of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

What Does it Mean to Be the Church? Part I

Purpose: to biblically define key terms in the Christian church

1. Who Builds the Church? (Matt. 16:13-17; Eph. 1:22; 2:8-10; 5:23; Col. 1:18)
       The Great Confession

2. What is the Foundation of the Church? (Matt. 16:18-19; 21:42; 1 Pet. 2:7-10)
       Jesus Christ, the Son of God
       Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone

3. What is the Church? (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 5:23-24; 1 Pet. 2:7-10)
       A body of baptized believers
       Christ is the Head
       Distinctions of the church universal and local

4. Who is a member in the Church? (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:27)
       Repentant believers who have been baptized
       The Great Commission

The source of the true church is God Himself. Christ is the foundation and Head of His church. Believers in Jesus Christ are baptized into His church.

Be Strong and Courageous

Joshua 1:1-9

Purpose: Christian courage is not confidence in ourselves. Christian courage is obedience rooted in the presence and promise of God, secured for us in Jesus Christ.

1. Courage is founded on a clear assignment from God (Joshua 1:1–4)

2. Courage relies on the assurance of God’s presence (Joshua 1:5, 9)

3. Courage is strengthened through obedience (Joshua 1:6–7, 9)

4. Courage is established by the Word of God (Joshua 1:8)
       Proclaim it
       Possess it
       Practice it

Being A Healthy Body
Ephesians 4:1-16

Purpose: A healthy church is united in purpose under the Lordship of Christ.

1. One Body of Many Parts (Ephesians 4:1-10)

2. Parts With Unique Purpose (Ephesians 4:11-12)

3. Parts That Build Strength of Unity (Ephesians 4:13-14)

4. One Body, United and Led By The Head (Ephesians 4:15-16)

A healthy church is a body of believers, each one actively working together to build one another up in love, under the Lordship of Christ.

The Supreme Gospel!

Acts 21:15-40

Purpose: the Supremacy of the Gospel exalted by its vindication on trial!

1. Reunion in Jerusalem (Acts 21:15-18)

2. Report From the Harvest (Acts 21:19-20)
        The Gospel is for Jews AND Gentiles!

3. An Old Refrain Recurs (Acts 21:20-26)
        See Acts 15:23-29
        A Remedy Requested

4. Paul Arrested! (Acts 21:27-29)
        Remedy Rebuffed
        Paul Remanded and Restrained

5. Riotous Raucous Unrest! (Acts 21:30-36)

6. Paul’s Response! (Acts 21:37-40)
        Stage is set for Paul’s first of his five defenses of the Gospel!
        Paul in Jerusalem (21:15-40)
        The “Fuse Lit” when Paul Falsely Accused & Seized in the Temple (21:27-29)
        TRIAL #1: Paul’s Public Trial on the Steps (22:1-21)
        TRIAL #2: Paul Before the Council/Sanhedrin (23:1-29)
        TRIAL 3#: Paul Before Felix (24:1-27)
        TRIAL #4: Paul Before Festus (25:1-19)
        TRIAL #5: Paul Before Agrippa (25:23-26:31)
        Paul Sent to Rome (26:32, fulfills Jesus’ prophetic statement to Paul in 23:11!)

The Gospel may be on trial, but God and His Supreme Gospel are vindicated at every step!