This study was first taught on September 30, 2018

Topic: Church Life (4): Church Business (Bonding & Sharing)

(use the audio to study)

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Background
We began last week, to look at the activities of the Church when they meet, and which shows that they are the Church of the Living God, and therefore, a living church. Under the sub-theme “Church Business”, we noted that the Early Church engaged in four primary activities, and have thus left for us, today’s church, a pattern to follow. These activities are, Teaching and Learning, Bonding and Sharing, Celebrating and Remembering the Sacrifice of the Lord, and, Communing and Conversing with God.

We looked at the first, Teaching and Learning, and noted that the Church of God is really a ‘school’ where those who have confessed the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, are taught all about Him and the Father, and all that they need, to have to be able to live the new life in Christ. We said that while teaching is going on, those being taught must also learn, otherwise, the essence of teaching is lost. Teaching was the Lord’s pre-occupation while on the earth, and so was it the focus of the apostles, so much so that they refused to leave it off to attend to the problem of the distribution of food.

We noted that Barnabas and Saul of Tarsus joined other teachers in Antioch to teach the church for one full year, so that they were called Christians (like Christ). Also, we noted that Paul taught in Ephesus, using the school of one Tyrannus for two years, and saturated Asia Minor with the word of God, as a result. All this impact was because those being taught were learning. If we are to benefit from teaching, we must first be rid of the filth of sin and self, and, with meekness, receive the word of God. We also need to understand what we are hearing and put same to practice, for learning to be said to have taken place.

We concluded by noting that we must never stop learning, as the church leadership must never stop teaching. We said that teaching and learning is to help people not to stray away from God; it is also to equip the saints for service to God, as well as make disciples. Furthermore, teaching and learning keeps the church spiritually healthy by keeping the church informed and instructed and enabling continuity of passing on what has been taught on to the next generation, and so on.

Scripture Text(s)
Acts 2:41-42
We shall now proceed to look at the second primary activity—fellowship—what we termed “Bonding and Sharing”.
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit brought together into the church, people of different cultures, languages, backgrounds, etc.; and now, we are told they continued steadfastly in fellowship with the apostles (including the rest of the 120) along with their learning. It is important for us to note that the church is made up of people of different backgrounds, skin colour, languages, old beliefs, etc. Having all been brought in, the Holy Spirit now works at bonding them together as one, such that they can share with one another, and conduct themselves as members of one family—the family of God!

The word “fellowship” conveys the meaning of participation and partnership based on a common experience—salvation, faith, the life of Christ, etc.
2 Peter 1:1; Jude 1:3; Ephesians 4:3-6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-16a; Ephesians 4:25, 31-32; 5:31-32; Genesis 2:18-25; Acts 2:44; 4:32-35; John 17:20-23; 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 John 1:1-3; 3:10-19; 4:7-13; John 15:4-8; Philippians 2:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Romans 12:3ff; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; Galatians 6:6-10; Acts 6:1ff.

Conclusion
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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