Post on 30-Dec-2015
Church and Saints
Saints means believers --- like you.But what is church?
What Church is:
• When the Bible says “church,” it doesn’t mean a building (there weren’t any church buildings until the 300’s, after Christianity became legal)
In the Bible, church means …
• A group of people who believe in Jesus.• It could be “all” the believers --- then it is
called the “universal church” or the “communion of saints)
Or, church could mean …
• The group of people who get together in one spot to worship together.
• Then it is called the “local church”
As soon as you believe in Jesus,
• You are automatically part of the “universal” church.
• Then, you look for a “local” church so you can get the benefits of being part of the church.
• (Benefits like communion, having a pastor, having a support-system like a youth group)
This verse compares the church to four things:
• You are fellow CITIZENS with the saints, members of the HOUSEHOLD of God, BUILT on the foundation of the apostles and prophets …. A holy TEMPLE in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
• What are the 4?• Let’s then look at the 4 in detail:
FELLOW CITIZENS means…
• The church is like a country. • It has a king (Jesus)• It has citizens (us)• It is called the kingdom of God• Discuss --- what do good citizens do for their
country? How does this compare to being a citizen of the Kingdom of God?
HOUSEHOLD OF GOD means …
• The church is like a family.• It has a father (God)• It has brothers and sisters (us)• It does things together
• Discuss --- What is it like to be a good brother or sister? What ideas does this give for being a church member?
If you are BUILT on a foundation,
• That means church (the group of people) can be compared to a BUIILDING:
• If the building has stones or bricks stacked on top of one another, each one depends on the one below, and holds up the one above.
• How does this compare to the people of the church? How good a job are the people of the church doing at DEPENDING and HOLDING UP?
If the church is a HOLY TEMPLE …
• You need to know what a temple IS.• A temple is A PLACE WHERE A GOD LIVES.• In the Old Testament, it was a building.• In the New Testament, it is the PEOPLE of the
church who are “built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” that’s why Jesus said, “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, THERE AM I in the midst of them.”
And here is a fifth comparison:
• We are transferred into the kingdom of God’s Son ….
• He is the head of his BODY, the church.
• The people are called the “body of Christ.”• In a body, what is the importance of the head?
Why get together?
• The Bible says, “Let us stir up one another to love and good works, NOT NEGLECTING to meet together, … be encouraging one another.” (Hebrews 10:25)
• Is getting together man’s idea or God’s idea?What does the verse say to do when together?
Not only in big groups
• Encouraging one another can also be done in smaller groups, such as youth groups.
And what else?
• The Bible says, “Let Christ’s message live in your hearts richly. Teach and instruct each other with wisdom. Sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” (Colossians 3:16)
• Is doing these things man’s idea or God’s idea?
And what else?
• The Bible says “they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to fellowship, to breaking of bread, and to prayers.” Acts 2:42
• Breaking of bread here means holy communion.
• What else did the early Christians do here?
What’s the purpose?
• Paul writes, “as we build up the body of Christ, we shall become mature people … no longer children who can be drawn away from the truth … by speaking truth in love, we grow up to be more like Christ, the head … when each part of the body works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:13-16)
Closing Prayer
• Jesus, thank you that we are already part of your body, the universal church.
• Help us to make our local church be strong and bonded together in love.