Learning from the New Testament Church I. Introduction: Series of Lessons. A. We ve looked at most of the local congregations that we are told much about in the New Testament. 1. Corinth. 2. Ephesus. 3. Seven Churches of Asia. 4. Churches of Galatia. 5. Philippi. 6. Thessalonica. 7. Jerusalem. 8. Rome. B. Conclusion of our study. 1. Started 2-3 months ago. 2. We should have a pretty good idea of the pattern of the Church. 3. This morning, we are going to look at all of the lessons we have studied together. 4. To try to get a pretty complete picture of the pattern. 5. So that we can evaluate how closely we are following this pattern. 6. I have grouped many of the lessons together. 7. We will not be able to look at the individual points closely. II. We learned about the relationship we should have with our brethren in the Church. A. We learned how to deal with an Erring Christian. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2:1-11; Heb. 12:11; 2 Thess. 3:6-15. 2. That sometimes we have to chasten each other. 3. Tough love has to be exhibited. B. We learned how we have responsibilities of how we should treat each other. 1. Scriptures: Ephesians 4:2; Ephesians 4:25-32; Ephesians 5:21; Galatians 5:13; 6:1; 6:2; 6:9-10. 2. There is a certain standard that we should behave toward each other with. 3. We have responsibilities toward each other, in the way we treat each other. C. We learned about practicing self-denial. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 8-9. 2. Sacrifice our own rights sometimes for the sake of our brother. 3. Don t cause him to stumble. D. We learned to work together as a team. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12. 2. Paul uses the illustration of the body. 3. Every part is important.
E. We learned that there are certain characteristics that members should have. 1. Scriptures: Galatians 5:16-26. 2. Fruit of the Spirit versus the works of the flesh. 3. This was in the context of how we treat each other. F. We learned how to handle conflict and resolve it. 1. Scriptures: Phil. 4:2-3; Phil. 3:16. 2. Each party involved must take steps to resolve. 3. The church must not sit idly by while brethren are fighting. 4. Let us walk by the same rule establishes God s law as the standard to resolve a dispute. G. We learned that there should be an absence of complaining and disputing. 1. Scriptures: Phil. 2:14-15. 2. Do all things without complaining and disputing. 3. It hurts our standing before God, and it hurts our influence. H. The need for love in the church. 1. Scriptures: 1 Thess. 4:9-12; Rom. 10:13,10,15; Eph. 5:16; 1 John 3:17; Eph. 4:29; Heb. 12:6; Phil. 2:3; 1 Corinthians 13. 2. Throughout this study, several points were made over and over again. 3. One of them is that we need love in the church. I. The Danger of Division and the Need for Unity. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 1:10-12; 3:1-4; Ephesians 4:1-6; Galatians 3:26-29; Phil. 1:27-28; Phil. 2:2; Acts 4:32; Acts 9:31 2. Another point that is repeated many times. 3. We must endeavor to keep the Unity of the Spirit. III. We were admonished to do certain things as a Congregation. A. We learned that churches can repent and change. 1. Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 7; Revelation 2:5,16; 3:2-3,19. 2. Great lesson of the Corinthians: harsh letter brought sorrow which led to repentance. 3. Jesus message to the churches of Asia: Repent or face the penalty. B. We learned to take advantage of what we have, no matter how big or small we are. 1. Scriptures: Revelation 3:8-10. 2. Another great lesson from a congregation: Philadelphia. 3. You have a little strength. - yet they were one of the two in which Jesus found nothing wrong. C. We learned the need for joy in our lives and in the church. 1. Scriptures: Phil. 3:1; Phil. 4:4; Acts 2:46.
2. Joy should be evident. 3. Who has more reason to be joyful than a bunch of Christians? D. We learned about the determination to serve God no matter what. 1. Scriptures: Acts 17; 1 Thess. 2:17-18; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Thess. 1:6-8; 2 Thess. 1:3-5. 2. The first century Christians are a great example of this. 3. Facing imprisonment or even death, they were not deterred. E. We learned about the need for the church to set a good example. 1. Scriptures: 1 Thess. 2:14; 1 Thess. 4:10-12; 1 Thess. 1:6-7; Acts 2:47; Rom. 1:18 2. The churches at Thessalonica and Rome were great examples of faith and perseverance to Christians all over the world. 3. The Christians in Jerusalem were a great example to the community. F. We learned that the church should hold fasts to its traditions. 1. Scriptures: Matt. 15:6; Mark 7:8-9; 2 Thess. 2:15; 2 Thess. 3:6; 1 Thess. 2:4. 2. Not the traditions of men, but the traditions of God. 3. The traditions of God are what we read about in the New Testament. G. We learned the need for open minds and tender hearts. 1. Scriptures: Acts 2:36-37. 2. Never let your mind believe that you have it all figured out. 3. Always let your heart be tender enough to admit your mistakes and change. H. We learned that we should be steadfast in doctrine. 1. Scriptures: Acts 2:42. 2. For the last few weeks, we have emphasized this point. 3. Doctrine is important, and it must be maintained. IV. We learned about what the work of the Church should be. A. Throughout the years, we have maintained that the work of the Church is confined to three areas of work. 1. Evangelism, Edification, and Benevolence. 2. During this study, those are the only three types of work that we see any of the New Testament churches involved in. B. We learned that the church s primary work is in the area of evangelism. 1. Scriptures: Phil. 4:14-18; 1 Thess. 1:8; Acts 20:4; Acts 27:2; 2 Tim. 4:10; Acts 8:4. 2. It was the mission of Jesus to seek and save the lost. 3. And that is the mission of the church as well. C. We learned that the church was designed in part to strengthen each other. 1. Scriptures: Acts 28:15 2. We could also include all of the passages that we listed in the first point.
3. We are here to help each other. D. We learned that the church is also to assist saints who are in need. 1. Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 8-9; Acts 2:44-45; Acts 4:32,34-35; Rom. 15:25-27. 2. We should do this out of love for one another and because it is our duty to do so. V. We learned about how the Church should be organized. A. We learned that Leadership in the Church begins with Christ as the head.. 1. Scriptures: Ephesians 1:22-23. 2. He is the head of the church, not some man. 3. Since He is the head, He has all authority. B. We learned that the church is under the law of Christ, not the law of Moses. 1. Scriptures: Galatians 3:19-25; 4:21; 5:1. 2. Since Christ is the Head, we are under His law. 3. He issued a testament or a will which was to be followed by the church. - the New Testament. C. We learned that the church is made up of elders who rule, deacons who serve, preachers who preach, and members who work. 1. Scriptures: Philippians 1:1; Acts 20:17,28. 2. Anything else is out of the realm of authority. 3. We should follow this pattern of organization. D. We also learned that members should respect and honor its rulers. 1. Scriptures: 1 Thess. 5:12-13; 1 Pet. 5:1-3; Heb. 13:7,17. 2. We must not cause them to serve with grief. 3. They are doing us a great service in watching out for our souls. VI. We studied about how the Church should grow. A. We learned how the church grew through the work of its members. 1. Scriptures: Ephesians 2:19-22; Ephesians 4:11-16; Acts 19:20; Acts 5:14; Acts 6:7; Acts 9:31. 2. It takes the work of every member for the church to grow. 3. from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. B. We learned how the church was to continue to grow and increase in its maturation. 1. Scriptures: 1 Thess. 3:12-13; 1 Thess. 4:1-2; 1 Thess. 4:9-10. 2. As commendable as the church at Thessalonica was, Paul tells them to increase more and more. C. We learned that the church grows only so much as its members grow. 1. Scriptures: Revelation 2:19; Hebrews 5:12.
2. The church cannot grow unless its individual members grow. 3. Are you stronger today than you were five years ago? D. We learned that the Gospel is the Answer for how to make a church grow. 1. Scriptures: Romans 10. 2. It isn t found in human ingenuity or some great new activity. 3. The answer is found in the pure message of the Gospel. VII. We saw certain ways in which our worship services should be conducted. A. We learned that worship is to be conducted in an orderly manner. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 14. 2. The worship services of the Corinthians must have been mass confusion. 3. Let everything be done decently and in order. B. We learned that music in the church should be singing from the heart. 1. Scriptures: Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16. 2. No mention of the use of mechanical instruments. 3. Making melody in your hearts. C. We learned that members should give to support the work of the church. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. 2. The example is on the first day of the week. 3. God loves a cheerful giver. D. We learned that the assembly is not the place for common meals. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 11:22. 2. Do you not have housed to eat and drink in? 3. The emphasis of the worship service is on spiritual needs and not on physical. E. We learned how to partake of the Lord s Supper properly. 1. Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. 2. We learn that the Lord s Supper is a solemn occasion and needs to be taken seriously. 3. Let a man examine himself. VIII. We were warned about some dangers. A. We learned that we need to be careful to never forget the basics. 1. Scriptures: Revelation 2:1-7. 2. We see the example of the Ephesians who had left their first love. 3. What prompted you to become a Christian? B. We learned to guard against apathy, or indifference. 1. Scriptures: Revelation 3:15-19. 2. Because you are lukewarm...i will vomit you out of My mouth. 3. The Laodicean church thought they were okay, but they had drifted into apathy.
C. We learned to guard against hypocrisy. 1. Scriptures: Romans 2:17-24. 2. Hypocrisy is a dangerous temptation. 3. We want others to live differently, so we must always make sure that we are living properly. D. We learned to be watchful of false teachers and not to tolerate them. 1. Scriptures: Acts 20:28-30; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; Revelation 2:2,6,14-15,20; Phil. 3:2; Rom. 16:17-19. 2. Another lesson that kept coming up. 3. It is a danger for even us. Don t think it can t happen to us. E. We learned that it is possible to fall away from the truth. 1. Scriptures: Galatians 1:6; 3:1; 5:7; 4:9-11; 5:4 2. Those of you who are older can see clearly the danger of churches falling away from the truth. 3. How many congregations were sound in the truth 50 years ago but now have drifted away? IX. We saw a Pattern of Salvation. A. Acts 18:8. 1. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized. 2. Hear, Believe, Be Baptized. B. Ephesians 2:1-10. 1. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. 2. Emphasis on grace and faith. C. Acts 16, regarding the church at Philippi. 1. Lydia heard the word, believed it, and was baptized. 2. Philippian jailor heard the word, believed it, and immediately was baptized. D. Philippians 2:12. 1. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 2. Work is necessary to be saved. 3. Nobody can do it for you; you must work out your own salvation. E. Philippians 3:14. 1. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 2. Set our eyes on heaven, and don t stop until we get there. F. Romans. 1. We looked at several passages from the book of Romans. 2. Emphasized faith, hope, confession, and baptism. X. We observed a need for patience and endurance.
A. We learned that we must endure and continue to be faithful. 1. Scriptures: Revelation 6:9-11; 2:10; Luke 6:22-23. 2. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life. 3. Indeed your reward is great in heaven. B. We learned of all the rewards that come from enduring trials. 1. Scriptures: Revelation 2:7,11,17,26-28; 3:5,12,21. 2. Tree of life, not be hurt by the second death, a new name, power and the morning star, not blot out his name from the Book of Life, a pillar in the temple of My God, to sit with Me on My throne. 3. Anything is worth it. XI. Conclusion: Benefit of such a Study. A. The pattern is important. 1. Just as it was to Noah and the ark. 2. Just as it was to Moses and the tabernacle. 3. Just as it was to Solomon and the temple. 4. We aren t building a physical building but a spiritual one, and God has left us a blueprint to follow. B. There is a lot more involved in the pattern than just: 1. having the right name. 2. observing the public worship in the correct manner. 3. or even being sound in doctrine. C. Are we striving to follow the pattern? 1. Many things we are doing well. 2. But there are several things that we need to work on.