LifeWay Bible Studies for Life Series for April 22: Jesus works through his church

Several years ago, a good friend of mine was highly involved in ministry to men who were incarcerated in our county jail. After one of these men was released from jail, my friend invited him to attend church with him. The first Sunday the newly freed man attended the worship service was fairly typical of most Baptist worship services. The music was uplifting; the preaching was biblical; and the people were friendly.

When the service ended and people began to leave, the first-time guest asked my friend, “But when do we do the stuff?” My friend responded as most of us would have: “What stuff?”

The guest’s only frame of reference for understanding a church had come from his reading of the New Testament. He had read the teachings of Jesus. He had studied through Paul’s letters to the early churches. He thought he knew what to expect at church. But instead, he was stunned by the differences he observed in today’s church and in the church of the New Testament.

Jesus spent time teaching his disciples who he was and what his purpose for his disciples involved. In Matthew 16:13-14, he asked his disciples who people were saying he was. The answers were as diverse as they are today. They saw Jesus as being credible and identified him as John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or another of the well-known prophets of the Old Testament. But the crowds were as wrong in their naming him as are those today who call him a prophet or a good man.

Jesus went on to question his disciples about who they thought he was. Matthew 16:16 records the words of Peter who spoke up quickly and declared Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of God. This is the first public acknowledgement by an individual that Jesus is the Messiah promised by God throughout the Old Testament.

For thought:  When a person states he is a follower of Jesus, how would you see his life differing if he defines Jesus as a prophet or as the Son of God? How do you think the majority of the followers of Jesus in our country view Jesus—prophet or Messiah? Would our churches have a different impact on people and communities today if all of the members of churches truly believed Jesus is the Son of God?

Jesus followed up his questions with a statement about his church and its durability. In Matthew 16:17-19, Jesus gives Peter credit for having paid attention to what God was saying so that he was able to recognize Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus affirmed his church would be built on this type of revealed faith. The church fortified by true believers would be able to withstand the onslaught of the strongest of all evil forces.
 
Matthew 16:19 records words that often leave the church confused. Jesus speaks of giving the keys and that the church has a role in loosing and binding in heaven and earth. For me, this simply is saying the church has the responsibility to present the gospel in such a way that people have the opportunity to come to faith in Christ as they repent of their sins and receive the forgiveness made possible by God’s Son.

For thought: Jesus’ purpose for the church was for it to be a conduit through which he would work to bring people to faith in him. Is that purpose still operational or have we detoured the church to a new purpose more aimed at benefiting us as believers? In other words, when do we do the stuff?

Next to John 3:16 and Psalm 23, Matthew 28:18-20 may be some of the most quoted and familiar Scripture in the Bible. These words of Jesus are spoken before his ascension into heaven following his walk on earth after his resurrection. We usually refer to these verses as the Great Commission. They are the specific instructions from Jesus himself regarding his purpose for his followers and his church.

Christians view this Great Commission from a variety of perspectives. My personal perspective includes three specifics:

1.    The word “go” indicates a proactive posture we believers are to maintain. Our place in this commission is not to sit back and wait on those we might reach. We are to be alert to people and opportunities in our daily activities as well as plan ways to put us in other lands and cultures.

2.    Our function is to make disciples. As we are going, we are sharing the gospel of Jesus with others by word and action. As people respond in faith, we baptize and we teach. In other words, the new believer publically identifies himself or herself as a follower of Jesus by being baptized. As those new in the faith, they must be taught the Scriptures to understand what Jesus expects from them.

3.    Finally, the new disciple begins to observe or obey the words and commands of Jesus as he learns and grows in his personal walk with the Lord.

For thought: If we are not fulfilling the Great Commission as Jesus instructed, what is holding us back? What have we substituted for Jesus’ words? What needs to be changed to return to Jesus’ purpose for his followers and for his church?