Saturday, April 21, 2012

The Church as Christ's Body

Our lesson for tomorrow's adult discipleship class is about what it means for the Church, specifically the local church to be the Body of Christ.  The focus of the lesson is not so much about learning all that we can possibly learn on the subject, but rather to learn the "what" and then the "so what" of being a Body of Jesus Christ.  The notes are below.

This series is to provoke us to think and do in a way that will effectively change each of us and to change our local church!

______________________________________________________________________________


What is One of the Primary Goals of Our Church?


To ______form_________ Jesus Christ ___in our church as one new man________

            Read the following verses to complete the above
                        Ephesians 1:15-23

                        Ephesians 4:13

                        Colossians 1:22-29

                        1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

                        1 Timothy 1:5



Picturing What the Church is Like

1.   Using contemporary pictures (draw or use word pictures) complete the following sentence:  “I think the church is like…”










2.   In the Bible, there are many symbolic pictures and metaphors for Christ’s Church.  
       What are a few of them?

            a.         _________________________________________________
Romans 12
1 Corinthians 12
Ephesians 1:15-23;
Ephesians 4:4ff
Colossians 1:18ff


            b.        _________________________________________________
            John 11:52
Romans 8:12-17
2 Corinthians 6:18
Galatians 3:7,26, 29;
Ephesians 3:14-21
1 John 3:1


            c.         ________________________________________________
            Matthew 25
John 10:1-18
Hebrews 13:20
1 Peter 2:25
1 Peter 5:2,3

            
            d.         _________________________________________________
            1 Corinthians 3: 9, 16-17
Ephesians 2:19-22
Hebrews 10:21
1 Timothy 3:15
1 Peter 2:4-10
1 Peter 4:17


            e.         _________________________________________________
            Romans 9:25
2 Corinthians 6:16
Ephesians 4:12; 5:3
Philippians 3:20-21
2 Thessalonians 1:10
Titus 2:14

            f.          _________________________________________________
            John 3:5-6
Matthew 16:18-19
Acts 14:22
Colossians 1:13
1 Thessalonians 2:12
1 Peter 2:9-10


3.         Reflecting upon the first point and the first biblical analogy above, let’s describe what
            the church is and discuss what that means for us:


               Christ’s  _____________________________________
Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; 5:23; Colossians 1:18; 2:10, 2:19


Theologically, what does this mean?


Life change:
How should this make a difference in our church today?





List some specific, practical ways this should impact us as individual believers and as a church:









           The Church of Jesus Christ is the body of Christ, and we are a local expression of 
           his Body:

What does the Bible say about this?

(1)  1 Corinthians 10:17; Ephesians 1:23, 4:4
__________________________________________________________


(2)  Romans 12:4-5 compare 1 Corinthians 12:14-15
__________________________________________________________


(3)  1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:16
__________________________________________________________


(4)   1 Corinthians 12:15-17
__________________________________________________________



           Compare the biology of the human body and how it works with Jesus’ body on earth.





       Life Change:
       What are the life-changing implications of the above (think of how this applies to us
        in specific, tangible ways)?


(1)  1 Corinthians 10:17; Ephesians 1:23, 4:4




(2)  Romans 12:4-5 compare 1 Corinthians 12:14-15





(3)  1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 2:16





(4)  1 Corinthians 12:15-17




How does God bring about a fully mature body in Christ?  How are we involved in 
this?

(1)  Romans 12:4-8


(2)  1 Corinthians 12


(3)  Ephesians 4:11-16




Challenge:
Write down one application you will do this week.  We will reflect, share and discuss this
 in our next session.

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