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The Church in Action Lesson 12 Lesson Text—Matthew 16:19 Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Lesson Text—Luke 10:1-3 Luke 10:1-3 1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Lesson Text—Luke 10:1-3 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Lesson Text—Luke 10:16 Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me. Lesson Text—Luke 19:12-14 Luke 19:12-14 12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come. Lesson Text—Luke 19:12-14 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. Lesson Text—Luke 19:15 Luke 19:15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Focus Verse—John 20:21-23 John 20:21-23 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Focus Verse—John 20:21-23 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. Focus Thought The word apostle means “one sent,” and the apostolic church emerged as a body of believers sent out to the world as personal extensions of Christ. Introduction Ephesians 2:19-20 Many people try to fit the church into various molds and paradigms they think are best suited to its establishment. In other words, they attempt to force the church to function within the frameworks they devise. For example, over the past generation we have witnessed various individuals advocating the Lighthouse Movement, the purposedriven church model, and numerous applications of church cell ministry. However, no single human idea of organizational structure can be a Ephesians 2:19-20 one-size-fits-all pattern for the church. A person cannot reduce the New Testament church—the apostolic church—to one simple organizational form. While this thriving church met in homes (Acts 5:42) and in the Temple (Acts 5:12), its work and worship were not confined to structured worship services. The sick were set beside the streets where Peter walked so that they might be healed as his shadow passed over them (Acts 5:15). One of the deacons, selected to Ephesians 2:19-20 ensure the fair disbursement of all resources, preached a convicting sermon in a courtroom (Acts 6:12; 7). Philip preached to the Ethiopian in the desert (Acts 8), and in Athens, Paul preached both in the Jewish synagogue and to everyone he met in the marketplace (Acts 17:17). Ephesians 2:19-20 Neither intimidation nor persecution was able to destroy the church. The church wielded no political power, yet no king or governor was able to stifle its growth or influence. Jesus assured believers that He would build His church and no force— not even hell’s most intense efforts—could stop it (Matthew 16:18). Leading this brand new collection of believers was a small group of men called the apostles. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines apostle as “1. a2:19-20 delegate, Ephesians messenger, one sent forth with orders, John 13:16 . . . 2. Specially applied to the twelve disciples whom Christ selected, Matthew 10:1-4 . . . 3. In a broader sense the name is transferred to other eminent Christian teachers; as Barnabas, Acts 14:14.” The twelve disciples of Jesus Christ certainly fit the definition of apostle as they carried the message of Jesus Christ to the world. The churches that formed as a result of the preaching of the Ephesians 2:19-20 apostles so embraced the message and lifestyle of the apostles that the assemblies became a reflection of their words and actions. Birthed by the passionate care of the apostles, the early church embodied the values and spirit of its builder, Jesus Christ, and became the most powerful force on earth. As we study the apostolic church, we will examine closely the definition of an apostle— historically, literally, and practically. Historically, there were twelve original disciples, the apostles, who Ephesians 2:19-20 had a unique calling by Jesus Christ, which was never again to be repeated or replicated within the church. The purpose of their specific calling was fulfilled and completed within their lifetimes— the establishment of the New Testament church of Jesus Christ. However, the general work of an apostle continues in its most literal and practical definitions; Jesus is still calling believers to carry His message into all the world. Our look at the church’s Ephesians 2:19-20 continuing efforts to perform apostolic ministry is in no way intended to diminish or blur the very specific one-time work performed by the original apostles. We endeavor only to examine and encourage the continuance of the essential idea of ongoing apostolic ministry. Having also received our special calling and orders from Jesus Christ, we continue to carry the message of Jesus Christ to every hamlet and village and region throughout the earth. The Office of Apostle I. The Office of Apostle Matthew 10 records the commissioning of the twelve apostles. As Jesus prepared to send them out, He gave clear instructions regarding both the message the apostles would deliver and the audience to whom they would minister. “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 10:6-7). These disciples were true apostles. I. The Office of Apostle They were called out and sent to deliver a specific message to a specific audience. Not only did Jesus commission these men to deliver a message of hope to the nation of Israel, but He used them to establish the foundation upon which He would build His church. Ephesians 2:19-20 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:19-20). Ephesians 2:19-20 Between the commissioning of Matthew 10 and the birth of the church (Acts 2), Judas forfeited his position with the Twelve when he sinned and chose suicide rather than repentance. Acts 2 describes how Matthias was selected to take his place. Later, Saul of Tarsus was converted and became known as the “apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). The message collectively constructed by these New Testament Ephesians 2:19-20 apostles provides the foundation upon which the apostolic church is built. While God continues to send men and women forth with a message to declare, that message always springs from the words first delivered to us by the apostles. Paul expressed the completeness of their work when he wrote, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). The Function of an Apostle II. The Function of anestablished Apostle and With the church God’s Word delivered, the work of the apostles as mentioned in Ephesians 2:19-20 was completed. However, God’s plan for His church requires that men and women continue to hear and obey His command to carry the gospel to every person. Consequently, the essential function of an apostle goes beyond the work of the original Twelve and will remain a vital role in the church as long as the church remains on the earth. A. Go with a Mission A. Go with a Mission Jesus made it clear that He was sending forth all His disciples with a message. Before He ascended into heaven, following His resurrection, Jesus’ final words to His disciples were instructions to prepare themselves to deliver His message to the world. shall a receive power, after A.“But Goyewith Mission that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus had given believers the message (Acts 1:3) and He expected them to use the power He would supply to carry the gospel to the whole world. B. Complete the Task God’s naturethe and Task power do not B. Complete permit His work to languish unfulfilled. From the example of His creation of the world to the specific prophecies fulfilled by Jesus’ birth, it is obvious that He deals in completeness. The resident Spirit of God within provided the power that made the apostles effective witnesses. (See I Corinthians 6:19.) God does not expect men and women to establish His church solely by the use of their own intelligence and resources. are mere conduits to facilitate B.WeComplete the Task the building of the church through the resources of Jesus Christ, for He said He would build the church. It is built by the power of God. The apostles knew their role in laying the foundation of the church, and they completed it faithfully. Now, it is incumbent upon believers today to continue the work of constructing His church. Building the the church is a spiritual B. Complete Task work whose progress cannot be measured by natural observation, but we are to be faithful to whatever work He has assigned us. Only God can calculate the real significance of our faithfulness to perform His work on earth. He has placed the great commission in our hands and is depending on us to do our part. C. Give an Account C. Jesus Giveoften an Account told stories to illustrate truth. In Luke 19, He told of ten servants who were called to account for how they had managed their lord’s goods. While God does not measure the success of His church or of His disciples by how much money they generate, He has clear expectations for His stewards. God bases His judgments on faithfulness and obedience. C. Give an Account He does not expect every person to produce the same quantity, but He expects every person to produce. God knows each person’s strengths and weaknesses and commissions and judges each one accordingly. Examples of A. Abraham’s Servant Apostolic Function A. Abraham’s Servant Abraham sent his servant on a mission that parallels the task that Christ has given His disciples. Recognizing that it was time for his son Isaac to marry, Abraham directed his most trusted servant to find a suitable bride. A.Not Abraham’s Servant wanting his son to marry into the heathen families living nearby, Abraham had his servant travel back to his homeland to select a wife from among Abraham’s own people. The servant became, in a sense, an apostle sent to perform a function vital to Abraham’s covenant with God. A. Abraham’s Servant The work of the apostolic church is centered on the bride that Christ will claim as His own—His church. (See Revelation 21:9.) Just as Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for Isaac, so the Lord has sent the apostolic church to acquire a bride for Him. (See Revelation 19:7.) B. Jesus B. Jesus We clearly witness an apostolic function in the life of Jesus Christ. His message was not His own, as He explained to the Jews: “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (John 8:28). Neither did Jesus come to pursue B.pleasure, Jesus but as He told the His own crowd, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). His prayer in Gethsemane revealed that He was fully committed to seeing the Father’s will done. “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus Jesus’ purpose PaulB. summarized when he wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15). C. Paul and Barnabas C. Paul and Barnabas “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (Acts 13:2). GodActs demonstrated 13:2 His sovereign will when the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to do a special work. The church is a spiritual body (I Corinthians 12) and God assigns each person his place within it (I Corinthians 12:18). Responding to the Spirit’s call is one characteristic of an apostolic church. The church is not the product of its own plans and programs but is the result of the divine intervention of God who is guiding it. D. Andronicus and Junia D. Andronicus and Junia In the closing lines of his letter to the church at Rome, Paul greeted Andronicus and Junia, thought by some scholars, including Matthew Henry, to be a married Jewish couple and cousins to Paul. He saluted them for being distinguished among the apostles and for having been converted longer than he (Romans 16:7). D. It is possible this couple was Andronicus and Junia among the seventy believers Luke wrote about in chapter 10 of his Gospel (Luke 10:1, 17). Jesus organized this group of disciples into pairs and sent them to minister throughout the region. Jesus not only placed the burden of ministry upon them, but He empowered them to act on His behalf: “He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me” (Luke 10:16). D. Andronicus and Junia What occurred after the disciples ministered was not their issue to handle. Their task was to minister. None of them possessed the power to heal diseases or forgive sins on their own. Their only responsibility was to obey Jesus Christ by preaching the gospel to the lost. The results were totally dependent upon God. (See Mark 16:17-20.) Jesus’ Object Lesson A. Jewish Passover Meal A. Jewish Passover Meal As the Jews celebrated their deliverance from Egypt during the Passover meal, they set an extra, but empty, place at the table for the Messiah. They set bread and wine before this seat to remind them of the deliverance they had received and the Redeemer who was yet to come. B. B. Jesus’ Last Passover Meal Meal Jesus’ Last Passover As Jesus shared the Passover with His disciples, He took the bread and wine reserved for the Messiah. Passing the bread and wine to His disciples, He referred to them as His body and His blood. 1. Jesus theMeal role of B. Jesus’ Last assumed Passover Messiah. Jesus was not timid when it was time to answer the call of God. He knew for what purpose He had been born, and He was determined to fulfill it. Outside pressures and the expectations of others did not stop Him. Although the message He had to deliver was going to shatter the religious traditions many people held dear, He was faithful to His calling. B. Jesus’ Last Passover Meal 2. Jesus fulfilled the disciples’ expectations. By assuming His role, Jesus confirmed to His followers that He was indeed sent from God. Although His methods often confused them, there was no denying the power of God that was resident in Him. B. 3. After Jesus referred to the Jesus’ bread Last as His Passover body and theMeal wine as His blood, He distributed them to His disciples and invited them to partake. By inviting the disciples to partake of His body and blood, Jesus was uniting them, making them one with and in Him. They would not only be witnesses to a moment of great historical significance, but propagating the message of Jesus Christ would become their very lives—the whole purpose of their existence. B. No longer did they live to build their Jesus’ Last Passover Meal own lives and fortunes, but their lives became lost in His, and His purpose became the force that motivated their lives. 4. Jesus performed the messianic ministry (Luke 4:18-19). His purpose in coming to earth was to provide the only true sacrifice for sin and to proclaim the hope of the living gospel. In sharing communion with His disciples, He also passed to them the responsibility of carrying the gospel message to the world. Sent as Individual A. We HaveApostles Been Sent A. We Have Been Sent Before Jesus ascended, He commanded His disciples to continue His work upon the earth (Acts 1:8). His work was not to build His own kingdom, but to speak and do those things the Father taught Him. A. We Have Been Just as Jesus was Sent careful to surrender His own will to the will of the One who sent Him, each bornagain disciple must lose himself in Christ’s message and mission (Colossians 3:3). Jesus taught His disciples that A. they Wecould HavenotBeen SentHis accomplish work without the Spirit He would send (Acts 1:8). From His instructions, it is apparent that the Holy Ghost is not just an added blessing. Jesus told them to expect power when they received the Spirit and not to attempt to do His work without it. Apostolic ministry is possible only when the believer is empowered by the Holy Ghost. B. We B. We Have Our Job Description Have Our Job Description The job of proclaiming the gospel to the world has been placed upon the shoulders of God’s church. The foundational message has been clearly established by the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:19-20), and now the church has orders to go, preach, teach, and baptize. B. We Have Our Job Description No one who has received the Holy Ghost can claim an exemption. The primary purpose of that gift is to empower believers for their life in Christ, including their call to share the gospel. By supplying the power Himself, God has made it possible for every believer to be an apostle. B. We The standard is not to measure Have Our Job Description up to the knowledge of the apostle Paul or to the boldness of the apostle Peter before one can be a witness, but God establishes a standard for each believer based on his or her talents and abilities (Matthew 25:15). Not only does the Holy Ghost set a person free from his past, but it also frees him from unreasonable expectations regarding the future. God will judge believers by what they do with the gifts He gave them, not by how well they do compared to someone else. C. We C. We Have the Have the Apostolic Apostolic Message Message On the Day of Pentecost, the power Jesus had promised was delivered to His disciples. They had tarried in Jerusalem as He had commanded, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. C. And they were all filled with the Holy We Have the Apostolic Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them Message utterance” (Acts 2:2-4). Now that they had the power, they were ready to deliver the message. When the people asked what they needed to do to be saved, the brandnew church was ready. Standing united with the other apostles (Acts 2:14), Peter said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). ThisHave message, first one C. We thethe Apostolic preached after the formation of the Message church, was repeated throughout the Book of Acts as the disciples took the gospel throughout their world. Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpretation. Dr. J. Edwin Hartill wrote in his book Principles of Biblical Hermeneutics, “Unless consistent principles of interpreting its passages are followed the truth of God becomes blurred and confused.” C. We Have Apostolic Later in thethe same book Dr. Hartill listed “The First Mention Principle,” Message which is “that principle by which God indicates in the first mention of a subject, the truth with which that subject stands connected in the mind of God.” In other words, Dr. Hartill continued, “The first time a thing is mentioned in Scripture it carries with it a meaning that will be carried all through the Word of God.” C. We Have the Apostolic Message Using this principle of interpretation, the first message preached to those not in the church instructing them on how to enter must be considered whenever a similar circumstance arises. The message of salvation preached by the apostles is the same one delivered by today’s apostolic church. C. We Have the Apostolic Message An apostle is not free to choose the message he will deliver. Without a message there is no need for an apostle. And if the message is distorted, changed, or confused, delivering it is pointless. The message, then, is more important than the messenger— something that the apostolic church must always keep in mind. D. We Have Our Scheduled Have Our Scheduled Day Day of Accountability D. We of Accountability In Matthew 25, Jesus told of a man who took a long journey, leaving the management of his affairs in the hands of trusted servants. Upon his return, he assembled his stewards to account for what they had done in his absence. The lord was pleased with those who had increased his wealth, but he was angry with the man who had taken no action to improve the portion of the business he had been assigned. D. He still retained all he had been We Have Our Scheduled Day given, but had no contribution of ofhisAccountability own to add to it. In the end, the man who preserved only what he had been given lost even that and was discarded as an unprofitable servant. Expanding the boundaries of the church is every disciple’s assignment. While some may be more gifted or have more available resources, every believer possesses the ability to bless and strengthen the church. D. The command to “go” lists no We Have Our Scheduled Day exceptions and bears no excuses. ofSpreading Accountability the gospel is the responsibility of every Christian. The servant’s lord was not unreasonable. He did not expect his servants to produce identical results, but he did demand that they all show some gain on what they had been given. In the same fashion, our Lord has reasonable expectations of us. E. We E. We Have Been Charged Have Been Charged with with a Mission a Mission As members of the body of Christ, we are called to complete the work Jesus began on this earth. Paul stated our job description when he wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15). E. We Have Been Charged with Jude a reiterated Missionthe apostolic responsibility and accompanying influence: “And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 22-23). E. We Just as Jesus brought the early Have Been Charged with church apostles into ministry with HimabyMission having them partake of His flesh and blood, so we are made partakers of His ministry. The same Holy Ghost that empowered them to serve their generation has been given to us for the same purpose. We are sent with a mission. Our lives are not ours to spend as we choose. The burden of the great commission rests with us. Reflections Choosing a certain name or denominational affiliation does not make a religious body an apostolic church. The actions and behavior of the believers within that body are the only factors that determine whether or not a church is apostolic. Being apostolic is about the values and core beliefs a person’s actions reflect rather than the words that person may choose to describe himself. E. We A person cannot purchase, claim, Have Been Charged with or inherit the apostolic life. He can Missionit. onlyaexperience Paul described the new birth as an inside-out transformation, not an external makeover. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). When the Holy Ghost fell on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples, who had been fearful and faithless, became bold and passionate champions of the gospel. E. We Have Been Charged with Their prayers shook houses, their shadows healed diseases, and their a Mission message changed the world. (See Acts 17:6.) Threats did not sway them and prisons could not confine them. Attempts to snuff out this powerful new force only fanned the flames and pushed the apostolic revival into other cities and onto other continents. This was, indeed, a new thing. E. We God was no longer relegated to Have Charged specificBeen locations dedicatedwith to worship, but His Spirit was set free a Mission to work wherever people gathered as the born-again believers shared their joy without reservation. That power has not subsided and its effect has not diminished. Apostolic churches flourish even in nations closed to Christian missionaries. God has used ordinary people without religious training or organized assistance to introduce the Holy Ghost in places where governments have fought to keep it out. God is still calling and empowering E. We Have Been Charged with His disciples. a Mission The effect of the new birth is so great in the lives of those who experience it that they no longer belong to this world and its culture. As Paul helped the Corinthians to understand their new role and identity, he identified the new position that every Spirit-filled believer attains: ambassador for Christ (II Corinthians 5:20). E. We Have Been Charged with The completed new birth supplies a Mission the disciples with the power necessary to fulfill the commission that Jesus gave the church. May the power of the Spirit of God impact every land and every culture as the church faithfully executes its apostolic mission.