Church Defined: Why We Gather

The Original

Things change, but the Original is often the best
Pepsi/coke
TV show

Today, we are going to look at the ORIGINAL Christian church

But first a quick reminder of what we’ve learned…

In this series, learned what the church is…

The church IS a gathering of Christian believers

The church is NOT a building or business

This church IS the hope of the world and the light of Jesus to it’s community

The Church IS the body of Christ and WE make up the Individual parts

The UNIVERSAL CHURCH:

All Christian believers

The LOCAL CHURCH

The local gathering of Christian believers in a community

The Church began as soon as Jesus ascended into heaven

Acts 2:42

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ TEACHING, to the FELLOWSHIP, to the BREAKING OF BREAD, and to PRAYER. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 PRAISING God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

WHAT THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH DID:

Teaching
Fellowship
Breaking of Bread – Communion
Prayer
Praising
Baptism

1: Preaching/Teaching

Acts 6

2 The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Preaching/teaching has been a part of the church since the beginning

The Holy Spirit gifts some in speaking/teaching

PREACHING/TEACHING IS:

a: Practical

Helps with an understanding of both old and new followers of Jesus
Helps the pastor Shepherd the church
TIME — Pastor spends time studying and brings focus

b: Always birthed and bathed in prayer

Not good advice – go to Google for that
Prayer aligns the preacher’s heart with God

c: A partnering with the HOLY SPIRIT

Preaching is just words, but the HOLY SPIRIT gives them LIFE!
Always come ready to hear and be ministered by the HOLY SPIRIT

2: Praising/Worshiping

Praise and worship are all throughout the Bible

Much of the psalms are worship in song
Worship was important and present in the early church

Often a way to memorize key theological points of understanding Jesus

Here is a copy of one…
Colossians 1

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and by him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

PROPER PRAISING/WORSHIPING ALWAYS:

a: Points to God

It’s about HIM, not about US/YOU
Be careful of songs that talk more about us than God

b: Aligns with Scripture

Just because it sounds good doesn’t make it good

c: Realigns our hearts to God

How Good He is
How much He loves us
How great a price he paid for us

True worship EXALTS God and HUMBLES us

3: Communion

Luke 22

14 When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Communion can be called:

The Eucharist
The Table
Breaking of Bread

Jesus gave His followers communion at the last supper

The bread represents His body that was beaten and broken to give us new life

Bread was a staple in the ancient world and a symbol of life

The Wine represents His blood that was spilled starting the New Covenant and which covers our sins with His righteousness

What do we need to know about Communion?

Communion Is:

a: For Christian Believers

It does NOT make you saved
It does not forgive you of your sins

It is for “REMEMBRANCE OF ME”

We as Christ-followers remember what Jesus has done for us
Also what He is STILL DOING in the world

b: A way for us to experience the Presence of Jesus

Some traditions believe that the pieces transform (catholic)
Some that it is ONLY a symbol
I think there is a deep mystery at work in Communion

Jesus is spiritually present in relationship with the Christian partaking of the elements through the indwelling Holy Spirit

c: Sacred

It’s serious
Not to be taken lightly or in sin

1 Corinthians 11

27 So, then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sin against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself; in this way let him eat the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For whoever eats and drinks without recognizing the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep. 31 If we were properly judging ourselves, we would not be judged, 32 but when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned with the world.
Communion should always be taken after PRAYER, REFLECTION, REPENTANCE

Otherwise, you think curses

Communion Reading