BIBLE STUDY AUDIO
TEACHIINGS FOR YOUR EDIFICATION AND BRINGING YOU TO THE FULLNESS OF THE STATURE OF CHRIST
Our Bible Study audio messages can be accessed from here. These are teachings recorded in the course of our weekly serialised Bible Study meetings for your spiritual edification and development.
Besides the audio, the conclusion/summary of the message is also displayed. This notwithstanding, the full Bible Study outline can also be accessed from the link indicated at the end of the conclusion/summary.
We pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to you as you listen.
The Birth of the Church (4): The Manifestation of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit may not necessarily show Himself in certain events/occurrences that we have always associated Him with—the wind, earthquake, etc. He can be experienced in a very personal and practical way, but even that should not be sacrosanct! Which begs the question, “So, how can we be sure of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit?â€
Hence, we should note that the manifestation of the Holy Spirit is not just about:
• Speaking in tongues, but also in other spiritual gifts.
• Spiritual gifts, but that you may edify the body!
• Edification of the body superficially, but the manifestation of fruit—the fruit of the Spirit—which is itself, the result of a crucified and sanctified life!
The true manifestation of the Holy Spirit is thus, both the display of the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit—to display the former without the latter makes such a manifestation suspect; for the display of the latter is indeed, the evidence of Christ abiding in, and with us! The absence of the love of Christ (a fruit of the Spirit), eventually cost the church in Ephesus her candle stick (John 14:18-24; 1 John 5:2-3; Revelation 2:1-5)—a mark of the true church of God (Revelation 1:20)! May this not be our portion, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
LET US PRAY!
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The Birth of the Church (5): The Significance of the Manifestations of the Holy Spirit
Everything the Holy Spirit does, and indeed, every manifestation of the Holy Spirit, is for a purpose, and it is tied to the eternal plan and purpose of the Godhead (Genesis 1:26; 3:14-15; Isaiah 14: 12-15, 24-27; Psalm 110:1, 3; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:6; 1:21; Luke 10:17-24; Ephesians 3:1, 6, 10-11).
On the day the Church was born, the sound from heaven drew people’s attention to the remarkable event that was about to take place, so that they could be witnesses of God’s awesome power—men speaking in languages they neither learned before, nor even understand; and yet are communicating the wonderful works of God to a dying world! The cloven tongues as of fire signified the work of God on the total man by reason of the Holy Spirit in taming the tongue and bringing such men to the control of the Holy Spirit (self-control)—purging, purifying, and preparing men and women to be able to serve God acceptably! The speaking in tongues showed the awesome ability of God to communicate through men and to all men, and His desire to have all men saved through the preaching of the gospel—as He manifested it in Simon Peter.
Indeed, for everything God does, there is always a purpose. May we, like Moses did, be able to turn aside from our daily schedules, pursuits, and dreams, and turn to God, and hear and receive His instructions!
LET US PRAY!
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The Birth of the Church (6): The Voice of Peter; The Message of the Holy Spirit
Simon Peter’s spontaneous message was essentially the message of the Lord Jesus Christi, prepared from the foundation of the world, and presented by the Holy Spirit through Peter! God’s plan is to bring people to the place of salvation through the preaching of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:17-25). All we need to do is make ourselves available to God through His Holy Spirit to say what He desires. If this must happen, we must allow Him to prepare us (1 Corinthians 12:1-6).
The goal of the Holy Spirit is to bring men to salvation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) by taking them, through His message from where they are—steep in sin—to where they ought to be—salvation in Christ! The message of the Spirit has Christ front-and-center, and emphasizes not just His salvation, but also, His Lordship—you cannot be saved and live like you wish, No! you live henceforth, for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15)!
LET US PRAY!
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The Birth of the Church (7): The Response to the Message of Jesus Christ
Whenever the message of the Lord Jesus Christ is preached there is always going to be a REACTION which can be positive or negative. It is positive when the listener is convinced that he is a sinner who needs a Saviour; and it is negative otherwise. Where the reaction is positive, you as the deliverer of the message of Christ must point them to the cross as the way forward—this is not the time to sugar-coat things! But where it is negative, pray for them, even when the reaction is brutal and may even lead to our death! And following the reaction of the people, remember that not all will accept Christ. Those who accept Christ, receive into the body by leading them to Christ through repentance and baptism. Those who reject Christ deserve our prayers and intercession continually (2 Corinthians 5:11, 14).
Remember the figure of the two loaves (Leviticus 23:17)? With the baptism of the approximately 3,000 souls, the birth of the Church was completer! But the Church must continue to live and grow (Matthew 16:18—“I will build My Church …â€)!
LET US PRAY!
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What is the Church of God? (1): Introduction
The Church of God is made up of people who have confessed Christ for their salvation and are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit to make them fit for heaven, while being useful here on the earth! Without the Holy Spirit, Who does not come and go, but Who is resident in those who have confessed Christ for their salvation, any gathering of people is not the Church of God; anything they do is dead works—be it preaching, teaching, casting out demons, working of miracles, etc. What is uppermost in the mind of Christ is that we are available to do the Wil of God; not the ambition or goals of man!
Acts 8:5-40, gives us a case study of what constitutes the Church of God as per the people who are gathered and the Holy Spirit’s involvement. Philip preached, people accepted Jesus, signs and wonders were wrought Simon, the Sorcerer became a disciple; and he and the people were baptized by the authority of Jesus, yet there was no church in Samaria (Acts 8:14-17)! We see that when eventually the church in Samaria was formed, it was because the Holy Spirit came within and upon the people who had believed and had been baptized. However, Simon the Sorcerer, was not part of the Church, even though he had confessed Christ and been baptized in the name (authority) of Jesus, and this was because he could not receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:18-24)! Finally, we note that Peter and John left Samaria; Philip was taken away by the Holy Spirit; so, was there a church really in Samaria? If Yes, who was running the church? This will be the subject of our next discussion on “What is the Church of God?â€
LET US PRAY!
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What is the Church of God? (2): Who is Running the Church?
The Holy Spirit forms the church coming into and upon those who have believed in Jesus for their salvation and who are being sanctified, making them able to obey God (“… walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.â€). After the church is formed, He (the Holy Spirit) also ordains those who will be engaged in keeping the meetings going—these are called the “eldersâ€. Please note that these ‘elders’ were ordained by the Holy Spirit using men (Acts 20:28). Also note that no ‘elder’ doubled as minister over more than one church (Titus 1:5—“Elders in every cityâ€)!
The work of the Holy Spirit continues even after the church is formed, as He sanctifies men and makes them ready for the work He wants them to do. These men are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, elders! In our next meeting (by the grace of God), we shall look at the Officers of the Church of God and what their role is.
At this time, we let us pray that we would be yielded to the Holy Spirit’s working in and upon us, so that we can be fit and useful to God (2 Timothy 2:20-22); and that we would allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in the Church and not usurp His role!
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What is the Church of God? (3): The Place of the Ministers of God in the Church
The place of the ministers of God in the church is not insignificant. Indeed, if anything, at all, they are extremely essential, as God uses them to establish/confirm the souls in the churches. Also, the ministers of God must necessarily be prepared and spend time with the Lord.
There are ambassadors and administrators, each performing his/her role without causing confusion—there are ‘planters’, ‘waterers’, and, ‘harvesters’. But the minister must be called, chosen, and consecrated for the work of God, which is primarily to grow and groom the saints of God to do the work of God here on the earth! We are here on earth to serve God by Him sending us to where He can do His work through us! And so, we can say, “Here I am, send me … As the Lord needs somebody … Here I am, send me!â€
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What is the Church of God? (4): The 4 ‘P’s (1)
What makes the church of the Living God are the people gathered together within a meeting venue in a geographical territory that they ought to influence with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, for a witness/testimony in the day of Judgment (Matthew 24:14). The question then is, “How has the church witnessed to its community?†Or put in more personal terms, “How have you witnessed to your neighbourhood, including your community/place of vocation/employment about the Lord Jesus Christ?†Or put differently, “Has the church been salt and light to the world, or more specifically, to the community/locality within which it has been planted?â€
Let us call to mind the hymn:
“Must I go, and empty-handed?â€
Must I meet my Saviour so?
Not one soul with which to greet Him,
Must I empty-handed go?
“Must I go, and empty-handed,â€
Thus my dear Redeemer meet?
Not one day of service give Him,
Lay no trophy at His feet?
Not at death I shrink or falter,
For my Saviour saves me now;
But to meet Him empty-handed,
Thought of that now clouds my brow.
Oh, the years in sinning wasted,
Could I but recall them now,
I would give them to my Saviour,
To His Will I’d gladly bow.
O ye saints, arouse, be earnest,
Up and work while yet ’tis day;
Ere the night of death o’er take thee,
Strive for souls while still you may.
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What is the Church of God? (5): The 4 ‘P’s (2)
(1) If a people gather together in a locality but have not the Holy Spirit, which confers on men an ability and authority, that gathering is not the church of God, no matter how large the gathering.
(2) If a people gather together, even in the name of the Lord Jesus, but are unable to impact or influence their locality with the righteousness and love of God, that cannot be the church of God! (2 Timothy 3:5)
(3) If a people gather together and they cannot be distinguished by the peculiarity of their lifestyle and values, they are not the church of God (Romans 8:9, 29; Galatians 5:24).
(4) If a people gather together in a locality and display characteristics that show lawlessness, indiscipline, and disorder, that is not the church of God (1 Timothy 3:5; Hebrews 13:7, 17).
(5) The power of the church is love, which governs the authority and ability of the saints to function in partnership with the Holy Spirit with compassion, to manifest the goodness, mercy, and love of God to a dying world through intercession, benevolence, and the preaching of the gospel (Matthew 9:36; Mark 8:1-9; 10:17-22).
(6) The authority of the church as relates to internal affairs, is applied for the purpose of internal cohesion and discipline, through the government of the local church—the elders (Hebrews 12:5-11).
(7) When, therefore, the saints of God are gathered together in a meeting, there is always order, decency, and, discipline (1 Corinthians 14:26-40).
(8) The demonstration/manifestation of ability must be subject to authority, and both must be enveloped in the love of God! You may have ability to do something, yet God may not authorize the use that ability because of His love!
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What is the Church of God? (6): The 4 ‘P’s (3)
If the saints in a locality are not engaging in the primary purpose of proclaiming the gospel (evangelism), making disciples of those who have accepted Christ through doctrinal teachings, making known to the world the knowledge of God and His longing desire for their redemption, and, by demonstrating the love of God to one another, they are not the church of God, but an aberration!
Someone may say, “But what of the demonstration of miracles, healing, etc.?†Miracles, healing, etc., are a launching pad to preaching the gospel, but not the primary purpose of the gospel (Matthew 7:21-23; Acts 3:11ff; Romans 11:29). This explains why the apostles went straight to work once the 3,000 souls were added to their number (Acts 2:41ff). Baptism did not confer on them the full status of disciples, but an identification mark as belonging to the body of Christ (Acts 8:9-23).
Therefore, the true church of the Living God is made up of saints in a locality with power to be like Christ (submissive, humble, holy) and do His Will, so as to fulfill the purpose of God in bringing together all men as at the first, before the fall of man (Genesis 1:26-28; Revelation 21:1-8).
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Church Life (1): Rituals or Relationship
Rituals are a set of religious activities or actions or rites that adherents engage/participate in during religious events/meetings—liturgy, order of service, baptism, doctrine, Holy Communion, prayer, giving, etc. Rituals are usually traditions that are handed down, but because people are more interested in the tradition than in the reason for it (the ‘why’) they just do it anyway, with no life! Relationship on the other hand, is that personal interaction between an individual and God, and is specific, dynamic, and spiritual, resulting in the manifestation of the life of Christ (of the Spirit) in and through the individual (Acts 4:13).
It is thus possible to engage in several religious activities like church attendance, water baptism, singing in the choir, even prayers, and giving; and yet be performing a ritual—a tradition—without any meaning or life! Hence, after such rituals we go right on committing sin! What God is particular about, which must be the essence of our relationship with Him is that we are spiritual—“energized†by the indwelling Holy Spirit. For this to happen, the individual must be truly saved and sanctified, and must trust Christ absolutely (Hebrews 11:6—without faith you cannot please God). What people try to do is engage in rituals as the basis for pleasing God, rather than build relationship with God, seeking to know Him and how to relate with Him, which is what He desires! The individual must also submit and yield to the workings, guidance, and direction of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16)—which is how the life of Christ/Spirit is formed!
Thus, baptism cannot just be the ritual that we do just ‘to fulfill righteousness’; we must experience it as a translation from the kingdom of Satan and darkness unto the kingdom of the Son of God and light. We must understand that we are now children of God and must learn His ways! Our lifestyle must clearly be different, distinct, and distinguishable from the world—this takes time, but we must be consistent and persist, and eventually, like with the metamorphosis of a butterfly, we emerge as bearers of the life of God through the Lord Jesus Christ!
For this reason, the doctrine of the apostles is crucial, so also is fellowship with the brethren. Holy Communion as well as sharing meals and possessions from house to house knit us closer to one another, and to God Himself. Prayer is not just a matter of asking for our own needs (rituals) but must be seen as primarily a means of having conversation with God and getting to know His mind and Will, etc. (relationship)!
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Church Life (2): Teaching for Living
The goal of teaching, especially of scripture, goes beyond mere learning—it requires that the learner understands why he is being taught, and this is really that he lives out what he has been taught. One major aspect of learning about spiritual things is the matter of understanding. Understanding is more than a mere intellectual comprehension of what is being taught, rather it is the good sense that comes as a result of such teachings which makes the learner to be able to distinguish between what is holy and what is not holy; to be able to depart from evil and keep company with it; and to always want to do the Will of God.
Understanding is obtained by a combination of the inner working of the Holy Spirit, and your desire to know God intimately. Hence, in the parable of the sower, the man who had no interest in God enough to want to depart from evil, was said to lack understanding, the man who was only in church for what he wants rather than for God discovered that he could not endure hardship, and the man who did not dispense with the “old man†or “the flesh†ends up being unfruitful; but the man who had understanding was eager for God, was said to have a good heart that yielded forth fruit in varying degrees of abundance.
Hence, the flow of teaching that results in living for God must involve our hearing with the intention to do, as well as our desire to gravitate towards God in all things (which is understanding), and then the doing of the word of God as a matter of intimacy with God, rather than as a bland performance of a ritual. The way we live is indeed a reflection of what we are being taught, how we are learning—with understanding or without—and, by what spirit we are being taught. If we are being taught Christ and Him crucified, and are desirous of not wanting anything to do with Satan and his cohorts, and are being taught by people who have been prepared and filled by the Holy Spirit, it will our lifestyle will manifest the life of Christ, and so will the church, which is a conglomeration of Holy Spirit filled individuals, living for God and eternity!
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Church Life (3): Church Business (Teaching & Learning)
The primary activities of the church of the living God, which makes for a well rounded and grounded Church life, are; teaching and learning, bonding and sharing, celebrating and remembering the sacrifice of the Lord, and communing and conversing with our heavenly Father. Of these primary activities that we should engage in, in our church meetings—when we gather, as against when we are not gathered—the fundamental activity is teaching and learning; for it enables us to live the new life and be able to engage in the other activities based on relationship (knowledge of God’s righteousness), and not as rituals!
We must be focused on learning, as every good student is also a good teacher; and since it is God’s desire that those who are learning today become the teachers of tomorrow, it is only proper that we devote and dedicate ourselves continually and steadfastly to the sound doctrine of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
May God help us to learn and to teach others by His Spirit, as we act faithfully in all things, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
LET US PRAY!!!
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Church Life (4): Church Business (Bonding & Sharing)
Psalm 133: 1-3. Another of the primary activities of the church of the living God, is for people who make up the church, to live together in harmony or peace, having one mind—minding the same things and having the mind of Christ—and having one purpose—the purpose of the Father. It is the plan of the Father and the Son, that the Church, through the Holy Spirit, will be one with the Godhead!
The bonding of believers can only take place when we are all filled with the love of God, and thus can love one another (Romans 5:5). As a result, we can meet each other’s needs as the Early Church exemplified. When the Body of Christ is truly united, we shall see the demonstration of the power of God like never before seen, as well as the joy of the Holy Spirit, as there can be no discrimination on any sort. Indeed. Faith is only truly faith when it brings us all together (James 2:1ff).
LET US PRAY!!!
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Church Life (5): Church Business (Celebrating & Remembering the Lord Jesus Christ)
The expression “breaking bread†connotes the Lord’s supernatural provision of food; the Lord’s Supper—as a symbol of the suffering and death of the Lord Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind; an ordinary meal being shared with others, but may hold some spiritual implications; the means by which the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, recognized and affirmed the risen Lord; and, the sealing of God’s covenant with man. In application, “breaking bread†is our demonstration of the Lord’s compassion toward those who have need by sharing our meals with them. It also shows our willingness to make sacrifices for others, just as the Lord made for us when He died for our sins; as well as our willingness to share our meals with those who don’t have. “Breaking bread†also speaks of our realization of the presence of the Lord in our midst, even at meal time; and it is indicative of our renewal and reminder of the Covenant the Lord has made on our behalf, and to which we must be true.
The implication of all these is that:
1. We are being warned not to take our salvation for granted, by engaging in sinful acts and then say, “I am under graceâ€.
2. We are being reminded that we are all one in Christ (as the one bread that is broken) and there must be no discrimination of any sort among the brethren.
3. We are being reminded that we are partaking of the Lord’s table—not the table of a man, or an earthly lord—and so, we must not only be properly clad outwardly, but more importantly, we are living a life of holiness before God.
The Early Church “broke bread†from house to house because there really wasn’t a place large enough for them to gather together for that purpose. Be that as it may, the “breaking of bread†from house to house, was more importantly relational in the sense that it enhanced relationship among the brethren during these meetings (love feasts), since they were in smaller, more cohesive groups.
Breaking of bread does not imply that one person foots the bill while others sponge off the individual. No! each one should play his part as best as he can. Also, when we are set to eat our meals, we must remember those who may not have anything to eat, as well as those who may have, but who cannot eat because of one health challenge or another. We should also send food from our table, to the needy in our neighbourhood from time to time!
The breaking of bread, which is really the celebration and remembrance of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ (including His sacrifice), must also be seen as a means or even another form of bonding and sharing—fellowship!
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