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These studies were written for Home Groups, Bible Study Groups and Cell Groups, but they are also very helpful for individual study.

 

Who is Jesus? From John's Gospel (7 or 8 studies)

Knowing God better (10 studies)

Studies in Discipleship (10 studies)

  Includes for study 8 REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS - a sermon on Hebrews 13

 

 

Who is Jesus?  Home Group Studies in John’s Gospel (7 or 8 studies)

 

This Spring we will consider this question by looking in John’s Gospel at seven well known and very important claims of Jesus, each beginning “I am …”

 

  1. “I am the bread of life”                                  John 6:26-40, 47-58
  2. “I am the Light of the world”                         John 8:12, 9:1-17
  3. “I am the gate”                                               John 10:1-10
  4. “I am the Good Shepherd”                             John  10:11-18, 25-30
  5. “I am the resurrection and the life”                John 11:1-45
  6. “I am the way, the truth and the life”              John 14:1-11
  7. “I am the true vine”                                        John 15:1-17

 

Week 1  “I am the bread of life”                        John 6:26-40, 47-58

 

  1.  Read this to the Group:  Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
    What does this wonderful declaration say to us about our faith and the nature of salvation?

     
  2. For many people bread is the staple ingredient of their diet, without which they would die! In our society so many different foods are available in such quantities, and bread has become an optional extra we put on a side plate rather than the main ingredient of every meal. How true would it be to say that Jesus saying, “I am the bread of life,” means less to us than it should? What alternative metaphor might Jesus use to speak to us today?

 

  1. Read John 6:26-40. How does this context help us to understand what Jesus meant by “I am the bread of life”?

 

  1. Read again verses 35-40. What does Jesus teach us here about our assurance of salvation? (See pages 38-41 of Making Disciples One-to-One for a Biblical case for “Once Saved, Always Saved”)

     
  2. Read John 6:47-58. What did Jesus mean in verses 54 and 56 when he said “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life”? What does it mean to “feed on” Jesus in verses 57 and 58? How in practice do we “feed on Jesus”? Note the context and particularly read verses 29, 40, 47, which talk about “believing in” Jesus.

     
  3. Note that John’s Gospel does not contain any account of or direct reference to the Last Supper, or to Jesus breaking bread and passing around the cup. Some people think that this passage refers primarily or solely to participating in Communion by receiving the bread and wine. What does taking Communion mean to us?
    Is regularly participating in Communion essential for salvation? (The Roman Catholics and many Anglicans would say that it is.)

     
  4. You might like to conclude this evening by sharing in Communion together.

 

Week 2  “I am the Light of the world”              John 8:12, 9:1-17

 

  1. Read this to the Group: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) What does it mean for us that Jesus is the Light of the world?

 

  1. What is the significance of Light in the Old Testament? Give each member of the Group one of these verses. Leave them for a couple of minutes. Then invite them in turn to read their verse and comment on its meaning in a couple of sentences.
    1. Psalm 27:1
    2. Psalm 36:9
    3. Psalm 119:105
    4. Isaiah 9:2
    5. Isaiah 42:6-7
    6. Isaiah 49:6

 

  1. The theme of Light appears in many places in John’s Gospel. Look at the following passages one by one. What does Jesus teach us about Light, and Himself as the Light of the world?
    1. Read John 1:1-5 and 9.
    2. Read John 3:19-21
    3. Read John 12:35-36, 44-45.

 

  1. Read John 9:1-17. In what ways does this healing of the man who had been born blind illustrate that Jesus is the Light of the world (verse 5)?

 

  1. How should our daily lives be different because Jesus is OUR Light?

     
  2. Spend some time in meditation in the following way:
    Light a candle in the middle of the room, or hold a candle each. 
    (You may choose to dim or turn off the lights. You might instead use an unusual light source, such as a multi-coloured lamp.)
    Spend some time praying gazing on the flame or lamp and reflecting on Jesus’s words,
     “I am the Light of the world.”

Finish by sharing any ideas which may have come to folk in their meditations.

Passing Comments on Biblical Interpretation

“I am the Light of the world” is a metaphor, just as last week “I am the bread of life” is a metaphor and number of the other “I am” sayings are metaphors. Like parables, they are comparisons which reveal spiritual truths.

In interpreting these sayings, we must avoid two mistakes. The first is to be too literal in our understanding. So for example Roman Catholicism took the language of “eating the flesh” of Jesus and Jesus’s words as he broke the bread, “This is my body”, so literally that it created the doctrine of transubstantiation which declares that the bread actually becomes Christ’s flesh. Jesus is not literally bread, a gate, or a vine.  The opposite mistake is to read too much or to read the wrong things into the comparison. Over the centuries the imagery of God as Light has been very important in Christian life and worship. Candles and flames have been used as expressions of prayer and as a focus for meditation. The important point here is to recognise that every idea which may spring into our minds as we think on the theme of light or gaze into a candle flame is not necessarily a valid interpretation of Jesus being the Light of the world!


 

Week 3  “I am the gate”                                      John 10:1-10

 

Background – a Palestinian shepherd would keep his sheep overnight in a pen surrounded by a high wall not only to keep the sheep in but to keep dangers out. Where there was no watchman or physical gate, the shepherd would himself sleep across the entrance and be the gate for the sheep.

 

  1. Read this to the Group: “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9)  What does it mean to us that Jesus is the “gate”? What is He the gate into? What does it mean to “enter through” Jesus?

 

  1. Read John 10:1-10. Jesus warns about “thieves and robbers”. Who is he referring to? Do you think there are the equivalents of thieves and robbers trying to “steal the sheep” in today’s world? Read Acts 20:28-31 where Paul uses similar pictures.

 

  1. Read John 10:10. Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV) “ life in all its fullness.” (GNB) “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (NRSV) “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (New Living Translation)
    What do you think Jesus meant by this “abundant life”, “life in all its fullness”? How do we experience this abundant life ourselves? Encourage the Group to share testimonies of the blessings they have experienced in their lives which illustrate “life in all its fullness.
    In what ways is Jesus the gate into life in all its fullness?

 

This study on the Gate could be short, depending on how many testimonies people share in question 3. If you choose, you could look at the short study below on the same evening.

 

OPTIONAL EXTRA STUDY:  Who says “I am”?       John 8:21-30, 51-59

 

Read the passages John 8:21-30, 51-59. Note how many times here Jesus says “I am”. At the end in verse 59 the Jews wanted to stone Jesus. But why? There are at least 3 reasons.

(a)   Jesus is claiming to be more important than the father of all Israelites, Abraham.

(b)  Jesus is claiming to be older than Abraham (who lived 2000 years earlier) so Jesus is claiming to be immortal or eternal.

(c)   There is a particular significance in Hebrew in the phrase, “I am”

Read Exodus 3:1-15. Note especially verse 14. Almighty God identifies Himself with the simple name “I am”. This name consists of the four consonants YHWH which could be pronounced “Yahweh” and is the root of the name Jehovah. Jews considered the name of God so holy that they would never speak that name aloud. They would only ever write the consonants, and in later years would replace the name with another phrase altogether – so where Mark records Jesus talking about “the Kingdom of God” the devout Jew Matthew uses instead the phrase “the Kingdom of heaven”. Where the Old Testament contains the name of God, YHWH, English translations including NIV and GNB conventionally use the name “the LORD” in capital letters.

YHWH means simply “I am” but it could equally mean “I will be what I will be.” The God who is defined by simply being.

In John 8:58 Jesus says “Before Abraham was (the word born is not stated, only implied) I am.” The Jews wanted to stone Jesus for the crime of blasphemy, because they understood that in that statement Jesus was applying the name of God, “I am”, to Himself. In other words, they interpreted it as a claim to be God. We will see that some of the other “I am” sayings should also be interpreted as claims to divinity.

 

Week 4  “I am the Good Shepherd”                           John  10:11-18, 25-30

 

  1. Read this to the Group: Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd.” (John 10:11 repeated in 14). What does it mean to us that Jesus is the Good Shepherd?

 

  1. Read John 10:11-18.What does the relationship between the Shepherd and the sheep teach us about our relationship with God and with Jesus the Good Shepherd?

 

  1. Read Psalm 23. What does the shepherd do to take care of His sheep? In what ways does Jesus the Good Shepherd take care of us?
    Note: God was the Shepherd of Israel. Read also Ezekiel 34:11-16. What does Jesus’s claim to be “the Good Shepherd” imply about his own identity?

 

  1. What does this passage and especially verses 11 and 17-18 teach us about Jesus’s love for us? What does it teach us about the death and resurrection of Jesus?
    Jesus speaks about the authority He has been given to take up His life again. What does this teach us about Jesus’s self-awareness and self-understanding as the Son of God?

 

  1. Read John 10:25-30. What do these words teach us about the eternal security of the believer safe in the hands of Almighty God? (Again pages 38-41 of Making Disciples One-to-One are relevant here.)

 

  1. What did Jesus mean when He said “I and the Father are One”?

 

  1. The shepherd was an everyday figure in Palestine. Setting aside the Old Testament imagery of God as Shepherd, what equivalent figure in today’s world might Jesus choose to express the relationship between God and His people?

 

 

Week 5  “I am the resurrection and the life”            John 11:1-45

 

  1. Read this to the Group: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)  What does it mean to us that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

 

  1. Ask the following questions and handle the discussion with sensitivity. How do the Group feel about death? How do the Group feel about dying? How does the fact that Jesus is the resurrection and the life bring us peace in the face of the inevitability of death?

 

  1. Read the whole story in John 11:1-45.  What does the story of the raising of Lazarus teach us about Jesus and about death and about faith?

 

  1. “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35). What does this verse teach us about the humanity of Jesus and His complete understanding of our situation, especially in the context of grief?

 

  1. Spend some time in silence reflecting and meditation on these words of Jesus and receiving them for yourselves:
    “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
    Then spend some time praying for those who are grieving.

 

Week 6  “I am the way, the truth and the life”                    John 14:1-11

 

  1. Read this to the Group: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6) Now consider each part in turn.

 

  1. What does it mean that Jesus is “the way”? How does that affect our lives from day to day?

 

  1. What does it mean that Jesus is “the truth”? How does that affect our lives from day to day?

 

  1. What does it mean that Jesus is “the life”? How does that affect our lives from day to day?

 

  1. Jesus said, “No-one comes to the Father except through me.” What does that teach us about other religions or ways of salvation?

 

  1. Read John 14:1-6. What is Jesus teaching us about our hope of heaven?

 

  1. Read John 14:6-11. What does this teach us about Jesus’s relationship with His Father and what it means for us to believe in God?

 

 

 

Week 7  “I am the true vine”                                        John 15:1-17

 

  1. Read this to the Group: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.”  What does this mean to us today?

 

  1. Read Isaiah 5:1-7. In this parable the nation of Israel is the vineyard and God is the vineyard Owner. When Jesus claimed to be the true vine, what do you think he was claiming?

 

  1. Read John 15:1-17. What IN PRACTICE does it mean to “remain in Jesus”, “abide in Jesus” (NRSV) or “remain in union with Jesus” (GNB)? What do we have to do to abide in Christ? Consider in turn verses 7, 10, 12-13, 17).

 

  1. What blessings are we promised if we do abide in Christ? Consider in turn verses 7, 8, 11,  14-15, 16. What kind of “fruit” does God look for in the lives of believers?

 

  1. How do verses 2 and 6 fit in with what we have said in Weeks 1 and 5 about “Once Saved, Always Saved”?

 

  1. Read John 15:4-6 again. Do we really believe Jesus was correct when He said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.”? How then should we express our dependence on Christ’s grace and strength?

 

  1. Spend some time in prayer responding to Jesus’s words in John 15:4-6.

 

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Knowing God Better (10 Studies)

 

The aim of this series of studies is to deepen our relationship with God. The way any relationship grows is by getting to know more about the other person. Discovering more about the Person and the character of God will help us to pray better, to worship better and to trust God more in every part of our lives.

 

So each week we will study Scriptures about an aspect of God’s character, or consider the implications of one of the names God has revealed Himself by. Some will be obvious, others perhaps less familiar. Our interest is not abstract theology, but devotional and pastoral. An important aspect of each study will be a time of prayer, worship or meditation to apply and express what we have been talking about. In ten studies between now and the end of July we will consider what it means to call God Faithful, Just, Light, Sovereign and Father. We will think about Jesus as Son of Man, Lamb of God, Messiah and Lord, and about the Holy Spirit as our Helper.

 

Each study will include a number of passages or groups of passages on the theme. You may choose to look at these in the whole group passage by passage, and there will usually be some logic in the order presented. Alternatively you might divide the group up into pairs, and invite each pair to look at one or two passages for a few minutes by themselves, and report feed back what they have discovered to the group. Either way, do leave time both to discuss the implications of the theme for our relationship with God, and to express this in a time of prayer, worship or reflection together.

 

1.  God is ‘Faithful’

 

  1. What images do the words ‘faithful’ and ‘faithfulness’ bring to our minds? (e.g. an ancient butler, ‘the faithful retainer’? ‘a faithful friend’, a pet dog? A ‘faithful wife/husband’?)

 

  1. What do the words ‘faithful’ and ‘faithfulness’ actually mean?

 

  1. How did God reveal His faithfulness? Exodus 34:5-8; Deuteronomy 7:6-11; Psalm 145:13. How is God’s faithfulness related to His eternal nature and unchanging character?

 

  1. How should we respond to God’s faithfulness in prayer and worship? See Psalms 71:22;  89:5-8;  98:1-3;  100:4-5;  117:1-2.

 

  1. How does God’s faithfulness help us in practical ways? 1 Corinthians 1:7-9 and 10:13;
     2 Thessalonians 3:3; Psalm 143:1; Psalm 146:5-10.

 

  1. Invite the Group to share any experiences they have of God’s faithfulness to them in their own lives.

 

  1. Since God is faithful, what implications should that have for OUR behaviour? Suggest some practical examples (e.g. in family life, in the workplace, in church).

     
  2. What are the implications for our prayer, worship and life of faith that God is the Faithful God?

 

  1. Now spend some time responding to God, the Faithful God, in reflection, praise and prayer!

 

 

 

2.  God is ‘Just’

 

God is the just and righteous God. Your Home Group are likely to be very familiar with the answers to questions 1 and 2 from our series of studies back in autumn of 2002, “Act Justly”. But the focus of these studies is “Knowing God Better” and the implications of aspects of God’s character on our personal relationships with Him. So you will probably spend more time considering questions 3, 4 and 5. If you need more background, you will find much more material on this topic on the INDIVIDUAL STUDY PLANS CD in the plan: E2 Act Justly – Poverty and Social Justice.

 

1.      The God of the Bible is a Just and Righteous God. How should that affect our attitudes to global issues of social justice such as world poverty, exploitation, fair trade, debt relief, etc.

2.      Read Isaiah 51:4-6 and 58:5-10; Psalm 89:14-16 and 140:12; Proverbs 31:8-9; Deut 15:1-11.

 

3.      How should God’s justice impact on our own behaviour, in areas such as social action and ethical lifestyle? Read Psalm 146;  Psalm 9:7-10;  Matthew 25:31-46; Amos 5:21-24.

 

4.      Invite the Group to share any times when they have experienced the Justice and the Righteousness of God in their lives. If they find it hard to think of examples, discuss why this might be. Is it possible they may have had more experiences of the Just and Righteous God BEFORE they were believers than since they have been saved?
How true is it that Christians focus so much on the love and grace of God that they neglect or even forget the Justice and Righteousness of God? Read Romans 3:21-26.

 

5.      He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ (Micah 6:8) What impact do the justice and righteousness of God have on our relationship with Him? What does it mean to “walk humbly with your God”? In what ways should the fact that God is Just and Righteous affect our prayer and worship?

 

6.      Spend some time in prayer, worship or reflection responding to the God who is the Just God.

 

3.  God is ‘Light’

 

“God is Light” is a metaphor, a symbolic representation of a deep truth. Metaphors touch not only our minds but also our hearts. So parts of the study tonight are designed to engage our emotions as much as, if not more than, our minds. N.B. the final meditation will require preparation beforehand.

 

1.      Read 1 John 1:5-7. When we read “God is Light” what images does that bring to our minds? What ideas do the metaphors ‘light’ and ‘darkness’ in Scripture represent? You may like to read Numbers 6:22-26; Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 60:1-3, 19-20; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6;  

 

2.      Read John 8:12; John 9:5. What did Jesus mean? See also John 1:3-8, Revelation 22:5

 

3.      Read 1 John 1:6-7 again. What does it mean to “walk in the Light”?  See Matthew 5:14-16.

 

4.      For some people light conveys safety and darkness makes us afraid. How do the ideas of “light” and “darkness” make us FEEL? How does the truth that “God is Light” make us FEEL? How should that affect our prayers and our worship?

 

5.      “God is Light”. So ask the group “What colour is God?” Why do they think so?

 

6.      Spend some time in meditation and prayer on our theme, “God is Light”. Light a candle (or one each) or use any other unusual light source (a multi-coloured lamp?) to inspire you.

SOME GROUPS MIGHT FIND THE OPEN-ENDED REFLECTIVE APPROACH IN STUDY 3 TOO DIFFERENT! If that is the case and you prefer “straight” Bible Study, do feel free to jump on to Study 4 J   There should be at least one spare study in the series.

 

4.  God is ‘Sovereign’

 

  1. God is described as Sovereign, Ruler of all, almost 300 times in the Bible. He is in control of the whole of His creation, and has “the last say” over everything that happens. Begin by asking the Group what they understand by “the Sovereignty of God.”

 

  1. Are there any areas of life where we find it difficult to believe that God is Sovereign?
    (e.g. Innocent suffering? Natural disasters? Specific crimes?)

 

  1. What do these passages of Scripture tell us about God as Sovereign? You may like to invite pairs to look at different passages for a while, then report back. Read Acts 4:23-31; Isaiah 14:24-27; 40:10-31; 43:10-13; Amos 7:1-9; Proverbs 21:30-31; 2 Samuel 7:18-29. Ezekiel uses the title “Sovereign Lord” over 200 times!  Read Ezekiel 11:7-16; 12:23-28.

 

  1. Invite the Group to share any experiences they have had which have confirmed God’s Sovereignty over their lives and over His world.

 

  1. Then invite the Group to share any experiences in their own lives which have caused them to doubt that God is Sovereign, to doubt that God is really in control! (Treat sensitively – some of these experiences, which might include bereavement, illness, bad treatment by other people, etc, could be very painful to recall.) Is God really in control of everything? Or does human free will sometimes over-rule God’s Sovereign rule?

 

  1. How should the truth that God is Sovereign affect our prayer, worship and life of faith? Spend some time in prayer, praise and reflection for the Sovereign God.

 

5.  God is ‘Father’

 

  1. Ask the Group, “Who do they pray to?” In other words, how do they address their prayers? To “God”, to “Jesus”, to “Lord”, to “Father”? Which aspect of God do they imagine (maybe even visualise) while they are praying? (There is no “right answer” to this question!)

 

  1. The Christian name for God is “Father.” Jesus the Son of God Has made it possible for us to become God’s children and know His Father as Our Father. Remind yourselves of this glorious truth! Read John 20:17; Luke 15:11-24;  Galatians 3:26-4:7; Psalm 103:8-14.  

 

  1. Ask the Group, what does it mean to each one of them to be God’s precious child, and to know God as Father? In what ways is our relationship with God the same as that with our earthly parents? In what ways is it different? (For different reasons, some people may find it difficult to relate to God as Father and may prefer to think of God as e.g. the Perfect Parent.)

 

  1. How might knowing God as Father affect our prayers? Read and reflect on Luke 11:2-4,   9-13; Matthew 6:25-34; Romans 8:15-18; Ephesians 1:3, 16-19; 3:14-19; 6:23.

 

  1. Spend some time in prayer, worship and reflection on the theme of the Fatherhood of God.

 

 

6.  Jesus is ‘The Son of Man’

 

To begin with, just a reminder that this series is about Knowing God Better. So the principal purpose on these occasions is to learn things which help us develop our relationships with God, particularly in prayer, worship and everyday Christian living. How do these various titles of Jesus Christ affect the way we think and feel about our Saviour, how we speak to Him and how we trust and depend upon Him in our daily lives?

 

  1. The title “Son of Man” is used more than a hundred times for Jesus in the Bible. What do these verses (or any others you can think of) teach us about Jesus? Individuals or pairs might take a verse each to think about for a couple of minutes and then report back.
    Matt 8:20; 11:19; 16:13-17; 17:22-23; 20:28; 26:24; Luke 19:10; John 3:13.

 

  1. How important is in to you in your prayers that Jesus is Son of Man, completely human, and therefore understanding totally everything we go through? Read Hebrews 4:14-16.

 

  1. Recall and share specific occasions when specifically the HUMANITY of Jesus has made a real difference to your praying or your worshipping.

 

  1. The Bible also speaks of the glorious “Son of Man”. Read Luke 21:25-28; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:12-18. What impact does THIS vision of Jesus Christ as Son of Man have on our worship and our prayers? When we pray, is our focus more on Jesus the Man or Jesus the Son of God? How might tonight’s study deepen the ways you pray?

 

  1. Spend some time in prayer and worship to Jesus Christ, “Son of Man”.

     

7.  Jesus is the ‘Lamb of God’

 

  1. Ask the Group to tell each other about the occasion when it first struck them that Jesus Christ laid down His life for them individually and personally. (e.g. was it a church service, Billy Graham rally, time of prayer?) Can they remember how that realisation made them feel?

 

  1. What does the image of Jesus as Lamb of God mean to you? What might it have meant to a Christian who had first been a Jew? Look at the Old Testament background to the sacrificial lamb. Read Genesis 22:7-8; Exodus 12:1-14; Isaiah 53:4-7

 

  1. Look at how the New Testament takes and extends the idea of the Lamb of God.
    Read John 1:19; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18-20; Revelation 5:1-10; 7:9-10; 21:22-22:5.

 

  1. Of course it is significant that Christ is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” at times of repentance and confession. But how does it affect your OTHER prayers that Jesus sacrificed His life for you. For example, how does Christ’s death on the cross affect our intercessions?

 

  1. “Breath prayer” are simple one sentence prayers which we can say in one breath at many times during the day. The oldest recorded “breath prayer” is this. “Jesus Lamb of God have mercy on me.” You may like to encourage the group to use this prayer in the week ahead.

 

  1. Spend some time in prayer, worship and meditation on the Lamb of God who takes away YOUR sins.


 

8.  Jesus is ‘The Messiah’

 

This is NOT a study on the place of Israel in the purposes of God! It continues our series on “knowing God better.” It explores the question of how our personal relationship with God is affected by the historical facts that Jesus came as the Christ, the Jewish Messiah, and that His racial, ethnic, cultural and religious identity was not as a “Christian” (whatever that means) but as a first century Palestinian Jew. Just what was Jesus like as a man? First and foremost, Jesus was a Jew!

You may prefer to avoid giving the game away by not revealing tonight’s title too soon!

 

  1. Ask the Group, “When you think about Jesus, how do you picture Him?” Some people may think of Robert Powell in Zefirelli’s “Jesus of Nazareth.” Others may think of Jesus as portrayed in “The Passion of the Christ”. Others may imagine Jesus “just like one of us”.

 

  1. Then ask, “How would everyday life for Jesus have been  different from our lives today?” Folk might mention factors such as subsistence farming rather than supermarkets, lack of electricity, education, transport, communication, simplicity and a slower pace of life. They might think of the problems of poverty, shorter life expectancy, or living under the occupation of the Romans. Note how soon or how long it takes before somebody remembers that Jesus grew up and lived as a practising Jew. Discuss “In what ways would his Jewish identity have shaped Jesus’s everyday life and culture?” (e.g. synagogue and Temple, centrality of Old Testament Scriptures, Jewish festivals, Sabbath observance etc.)

 

  1. I remember a striking talk given by the African evangelist Morris Stuart with the simple title, “Jesus was black”. We can easily forget that Jesus came as the Jewish Messiah. This translated into Greek as “The Christ” meaning “the Anointed One”. What do the following verses teach us about Jesus as Messiah, fulfilling God’s Old Testament promises to Israel?
    Read Matt 16:13-16; Acts 2:36; Rom 1:1-4, 16; John 1:41. Note also that Jesus was indeed “the King of the Jews” in Matthew 26:68; 27:17, 22;  And the Early Church freely applied prophesies about the Messiah such as Psalm 110:1 to Jesus e.g. Acts 2:34-36.
    For OT background on the Messiah, you could look at Isaiah 9:2-7; 11:1-9; 61:1-7.

 

  1. Jesus said  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)
    In what ways does Jesus fulfil the Old Testament? How does that affect our Christian faith?

     
  2. Another not unrelated question, but one needing sensitive treatment. “Jesus was born as a man. Not as a woman. What effects does that historical fact of gender have on our relationship with God?” How might men and women answer that question differently? Does the maleness of Jesus (or of God as Father) help or hinder our relationships with God?

 

  1. Jesus was a Jew, with all that implied in terms of customs and practices, history and hopes. His racial, ethnic, cultural and religious identity was as a first century Palestinian Jew. How should Jesus’s Jewish identity affect our worship, prayer and daily walk with God? Does the fact that we are not Jews introduce a distance between us and Jesus? Or does having a clear picture of what kind of man Jesus was and the kind of life He led actually bring us closer to Him, and He to us?

 

  1. Spend some time in worship and prayer to Jesus the Messiah.

 

 

 

 

9.  Jesus is ‘Lord’

 

  1. Ask the Group again (as you did in Study 5) WHO they address their prayers to? The most common name of God used in most Christians’ prayers is probably “Lord”. So ask the Group, when they pray “Lord” who do they have in mind? e.g. “Almighty God, Lord of Heaven and Earth” or “Jesus Christ, Lord of all.” Is “Lord” to them the Father or the Son?

 

  1. What do we actually mean when we pray to our “Lord” or the “Lord”? I am convinced that there is often much less “content” in the word “Lord” than there should be when we use it time and time again in our prayers. It has become just a convenient label, rather than the true Name of God on our lips.

 

  1. So what SHOULD it mean for us to call Jesus “Lord”? Reflect on the following passages. Matthew 5:21-23; John 20:26-29; Acts 4:23-31; Romans 10:8-13; 1 Corinthians 12:1-3;  Philippians 2:6-11; 3:7-11;  Revelation 4:11; 15:3-4; 19:6-8, 11-16.

 

  1. Remind the group that in the days of the Early Church there was only one Lord recognised in the Roman Empire and that was the Emperor. Christians were martyred because they refused to utter the words “Caesar is Lord”! How can we make sure that we do not trivialise the title of “Lord” in our prayers or our worship?

 

  1. Spend time in prayer and worship to Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

 

10.  The Holy Spirit is ‘The Helper’

 

  1. Begin by asking the group, “What contributions does God the Holy Spirit have in our praying and our worshipping?

 

  1. Ask “Should Christians ever pray directly to the Holy Spirit?” “Should Christians ever worship God the Holy Spirit?” Some evangelical traditions would answer these questions very definitely no. Some charismatic traditions encourage prayer to and worship of the Holy Spirit. Some traditions explicitly call down the Holy Spirit by prayers such as, “Come Holy Spirit”. What do the Group think of these practices? (You may remember that I do sometimes use prayers such as, “Come Holy Spirit” or “Holy Spirit, fill this person.”)

 

  1. Read Romans 8:27-28. Encourage the group to share their personal experiences of when and how the Holy Spirit has helped them in their praying, and in particular guided them to know specifically what to pray for. (These verses may refer to the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, and folk may wish to share testimony or discuss tongues as a form of private prayer, but Paul clearly has other kinds of spiritual experience in view here as well.)

 

  1. Read Ephesians 6:18. What do we think Paul means by praying “in the Spirit”? Can members of the Group give any examples of “praying in the Spirit” from their lives?

 

  1. Read what Jesus promised about the Holy Spirit as our Helper in John 14:15-21, 23-27, 15:26-27, 16:7-16. What do these passages teach us about the Holy Spirit’s work in our devotional lives?

 

  1. Suggest practical ways steps we could take to invite the Holy Spirit to help us more in our personal prayers, in our prayer meetings and in our prayer and worship on Sundays?

 

  1. Invite the group to share specific ways in which their prayer and worship have been enriched by this series on Knowing God Better. Then spend time in prayer J

 

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STUDIES IN DISCIPLESHIP (10 studies)

 

1. From Atheists to Missionaries:   Part 1 "Believers"  

 

This autumn a number of our morning services will look at the theme of Discipleship, and our Home Group studies will pick up aspects of this topic in more detail. Later on we will study topics such as the Bible, Christian conduct, brotherly love, stewardship, and the issue of the balance of the authority of church leaders against individual freedom and responsibility.

INTRODUCTION

Somebody has described the Christian life as the process whereby God turns atheists into missionaries. Somebody else has summed up Christian growth as a progression from Believer to Follower to Messenger. We will look at this progression over three weeks.

September 5/6 (1) Believers; September 12/13 (2) Followers; September 19/20 (3) Messengers. If your group does not begin on September 5/6 you will still want to follow the studies through in sequence.

TO START YOUR THINKING

Take as long as you like to talk through the following “starter” exercise.

What makes a person a believer? Which of the following doctrines are does a person have to believe in, in order to be a believer? Which are essential for salvation?

a)     God is creator of all things.

b)     God created the heavens and the earth in six days.

c)     Jesus Christ was truly and completely God born as a man, not just a very good man.

d)     Jesus Christ was truly human, not just God appearing to be human.

e)     Jesus Christ died on the cross so we could be forgiven.

f)      Jesus Christ died as a sacrifice of atonement in our place.

g)     Jesus Christ is Lord of all.

h)     Jesus Christ is the only way to God.

i)      God is three in one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity.

j)      A real personal evil spiritual being called the Devil or Satan actually exists.

k)     Those who are not saved will spend eternity in judgment in a conscious hell.

l)      The Bible contains God’s word for humankind.

m)   The Bible is God’s word for human beings.

n)     The Bible is inspired by God and totally reliable for all matters of faith and conduct.

o)     The Bible is inerrant and true in every detail. (We will look again at (l)-(o) in October)

p)     A person must be baptised as a believer in order to be saved.

q)     Only people who are members of the Church can be saved. In essence this is the Roman Catholic view, and in theory it would be shared by many Anglicans. See again next week.

r)      The church as Christ’s body should be governed by the whole congregation.

s)     A Christian should “Make Sunday Special”, especially by attending worship if possible.

t)      Christians should give a tithe (10%) of their income to the church.

 

Now let’s see what the Bible says about what you have to believe in order to be a Christian.

1.           Read 1 Corinthians 12:3. What does this say about becoming a Christian?

2.           Read Acts 16:29-34. What can we learn from the Philippian jailer?

3.           Read 1 Corinthians 10:9-11. What core beliefs does the Bible say are sufficient for salvation? Note that belief is more than intellectual assent. What more is required?

4.           Read Luke 23:39-43. What does this teach us?

5.           Based on these verses, and any other Scriptures you can think of, sum up the answer you would give if somebody asked you, “What do I need to believe in order to be saved?”

 

2. From Atheists to Missionaries: Part 2 Followers

 

INTRODUCTION

Somebody has described the Christian life as the process whereby God turns atheists into missionaries. Somebody else has summed up Christian growth as a progression from Believer to Follower to Messenger.  We saw last week that the core of beliefs which a person must hold in order to become a Christian and be saved is actually very small. Romans 10:9 says “If you confess with your mouth, `Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Do notice here that belief requires more than intellectual assent – outward and public declaration of the Lordship of Christ is also required. But to follow Jesus properly there are many other things that God requires of us too.

TO GET YOU STARTED

“We are saved by faith alone, but saving faith is never alone.” Our beliefs should be expressed in words and actions. Christians should be followers of Jesus. But just what does God demand of those who follow Jesus? Take as long as you like to talk though the following starter exercise before you go on to look at the questions.

For each of the following decide whether this is an ESSENTIAL part of following Jesus, or A GOOD THING TO DO for some Christians, or merely OPTIONAL for everybody.

a)     Being an active member of a local church.

b)     Worshipping God at church on Sundays.

c)     Always telling the truth.

d)     Reading your Bible every day.

e)     Spending some time in prayer every day.

f)      Never getting drunk.

g)     Giving a tithe (10%) of your income to the church.

h)     Taking Communion regularly.

i)      Being baptised as a believer.

j)      Making sure that all your family and friends know you are a Christian.

k)     Never swearing or talking indecently.

l)      Studying the Bible with other Christians.

m)   Not going to night clubs or discos.

n)     Showing God’s love to your neighbours in practical ways.

o)     Serving God in the church in some way, according to the gifts He has given you.

p)     Putting right your relationships with other people.

q)     Reading Christian books

r)      Letting church leaders guide you in your walk with God and your Christian service.

s)     Supporting and encouraging other Christians in their faith and life.

 

Now what does the Bible say about following Jesus?

1.           Read Luke 9:21-25. Taking the three phrases one by one, discuss what it should mean for us in our daily lives to “deny himself,” “take up his cross daily” and “follow Jesus,” especially “following Jesus” in the light of verses 21-22. Jesus called for “disciples”, not just “believers”. Is it true that Jesus demands more of His followers than we do?

2.           My guess is that there were a number of actions in the list above which you described as a good idea for some, or perhaps even optional. Revisit the list above. In the light of Luke 9:23, should any of those things should be upgraded to the “essential” category?

3.           What could we do to encourage and support each other to be better followers of Christ? What should we do when somebody else treats as “optional” to their Christians lives something which we view as “essential”? How could we support new Christians better?

 

3. From Atheists to Missionaries: Part 3 "Messengers"

 

God calls each and every Christian to be His Messenger. But we miss the point if we think the only message God has given to us to deliver is the gospel we proclaim to a lost world! Sharing God’s messages with each other to build each other up is one of the most important things we can do to help each other grow as disciples.

 

Note – you may not have time to cover all these questions in depth! In particular, you may want to emphasise question 3 on church discipline and challenging each other over sin, or question 4 on encouraging each other, or question 7 which raises the issues of prophecy and spiritual gifts. Feel free to dwell on the sections which will be most profitable for your Group. But to show the full breadth of the messages God gives us to deliver in His name, it would probably be a good idea to cover all the questions, however briefly.

 

  1. Invite the Group to share occasions in their lives when God has used them to be His Messengers. What kinds of messages does God give us to deliver in His name?

     
  2. Read Colossians 3:16. What do “teaching” and “admonishing” mean? Who is supposed to do these things in the life of the church? (The answer, at least in Colossians, is all of us!) Why is “admonishing one other with all wisdom” so rare between Christians?

     
  3. Read Luke 17:1-4. When we forgive each other that declares God’s forgiveness. But why do we find it difficult to rebuke each other when we sin? How could we better help each other to be holy? Read Matthew 18:15-17 to see the pattern Jesus gives us a pattern for “church discipline.” How should we put these principles into practice in our church?

     
  4. Read Hebrews 10:23-25. What could we do to “spur one another on towards love and good deeds”? How could we “encourage one another” more effectively?

     
  5. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:11-15. Paul uses the words “encourage”, “admonish”, “warn” and “help”. What can we do to make these more a part of our church life together?

     
  6. Read 2 Timothy 4:1-2. What are the differences between correcting, rebuking and encouraging? Whose responsibilities are these tasks in the life of the church?

     
  7. Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13. How can we be certain that the messages we deliver are truly the Word of God and not just the words of men? (Hint: you may well mention both prayer and spiritual gifts like prophecy, words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discernment.)

     
  8. So finally to evangelism and witnessing – just one part of being God’s Messengers!
    Read Acts 4:31; Acts 8:4 and Romans 10:13-15. Note that it was not only the apostles, but the ordinary Christians, who spread God’s word! And we can practise being God’s Messengers to a needy world by being God’s Messengers to each other in the church.
    So to return to question 1 – what kinds of messages does God give us to deliver in His name?

     
  9. Spend a few minutes in prayer. Then give time for Group members to share any messages from God they may feel they have been given to deliver to each other or to the Group.


 

4. Loving God           Mark 12:28-34       

 

Continuing our theme of discipleship, this month we begin with two studies on practical Christian living, Loving God and Loving our Neighbour. Then we have two studies, tying in with a Sunday morning sermon, on the place of the Bible in our discipleship. The texts of these sermons are available - just email peter@pbthomas.com

Working in pairs

This month sees the introduction of a new regular element in our Home Group evenings, “working in pairs”. From now on, many studies will include one or two questions with the suggestion that you discuss them in pairs rather than in the whole group. Additionally or alternatively I will sometimes suggest a subject to pray about in pairs, rather than all together.

 

The purpose of this work in pairs is twofold. Firstly it will hopefully help those who sit in silence throughout every study to become more confident in making a contribution. Secondly it may encourage some to get together in “pairs for prayer” or “prayer triplets” outside the Home Group. We will discuss in November this aspect of one-to-one discipling, either of pairs of equally mature Christians or where one is the spiritual “aunt or uncle” of a new Christian. From a practical point of view, if your Group has an odd number of people, one small group can be a threesome! But try to stick to pairs where possible. Let people choose their own pairing, but if you think it would be helpful to the individuals to suggest a particular pairing, please do so.

 

  1. Read Mark 12:28-34. Being a disciple means obeying the teacher – and Jesus our teacher here gives us the two most important commandments to obey. We begin with the first.

 

  1. When we say we LOVE God, what do Christians mean? What does it mean in practice to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”? Go round the Group and invite them to suggest specific things they have said or done as expressions of obedience to this commandment,

 

  1. What is the distinction between loving God with your heart, loving God with your soul, loving God with your mind and loving God with your strength? We are commanded to love God with ALL of each of these faculties! What does the word ALL imply?

 

  1. Jews and Christians have often seen marriage as a picture of the relationship between God and his chosen people (see Hosea and Song of Solomon), or between Christ and his Bride, the Church. Read Ephesians 5:25-32. But there is a trend in some recent worship songs to express the Christian’s love for Christ in “romantic” and sometimes even intimate language. Is loving God the same as “being in love with God”? How important is it that we have feelings of love towards God?  What does the fact that we are commanded to love God tell us about the nature of loving God? (You cannot command a feeling!)
    (Comment – Our love for God should involve our heart and emotions as well as our mind and will. But I don’t see any evidence at all that the relationship of the disciples towards Jesus was ever expressed in the kind of “romantic” language some song-writers use today. The words used in the Bible for “loving” God are concerned with actions, not feelings.)   

 

  1. Get into pairs. Share with each other what it means to you to love God. Talk about an occasion or an experience where you were most aware of God’s love for you, and most conscious of your love for God. Then talk about what it would mean for you personally to love God more.

 

  1. Prayer – Day by day, dear Lord, may I see you more clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly. Amen

 

5. Loving your neighbour       Luke 10:25-37

 

  1. Before turning to today’s most familiar passage, begin by asking the Group what they think the Parable of the Good Samaritan means for us today.

 

  1. We come this week to the second of the greatest commandments – to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. What does it actually mean to love our neighbour? (Remember as we said last week, God’s kind of love is more about actions than about feelings.)

 

  1. Read Luke 10:25-37. What does this parable teach us about “who is our neighbour”? What are the implications of the fact that it is the hated racial enemy the Samaritan, rather than the priest or the Levite (Jewish teacher) who helps the victim?

 

  1. From this parable, who are our neighbours? Hint: not necessarily just the people who live next door to us. Our neighbours include complete strangers who are in some kind of need who God brings across our path. What does it mean when Jesus tells us to “go and do likewise” to our neighbours. Who are the neighbours we should be loving as a church?

 

  1. What does it mean to love our neighbours “as we love ourselves”? It has been said that the problem which many Christians face is that before we can love our neighbours we must first learn to love ourselves. How does the Group react to that idea?

 

  1. Get into pairs. Discuss NEW ways in which you could obey this commandment to “love your neighbour as you love yourself” in the weeks ahead.

 

6. How do we read the Bible?             

 

The aim of this study is to encourage people to read their Bibles more, not to embarrass or shame anybody who does not read as much as they would like to. So ask the questions with sensitivity.

 

  1. Begin in pairs. Share with each other your favourite Bible verse and why it is so precious to you. After 10 minutes gather the Group together to discuss the following questions.

 

  1. What pattern do members of the Group follow in personal devotional Bible reading and prayer? Every day? What time of day? Once a week? Just at certain times (e.g. holidays)? What “daily reading” books do people find helpful? Are there any other practices they find helpful? (e.g. lighting a candle, putting on particular music?)  

 

  1. Are any of the group following (or have followed in the past) any program of systematic Bible study, e.g. a published course, or a pattern of their own invention.
    Are there any books or courses or approaches they can recommend? 

 

  1. Are there any magazines, radio or TV programs or computer programs which people find helpful for their devotions or Bible Study or to build up their faith?
    Do people have a favourite Christian book they would recommend to everybody?

 

  1. What Bible translations do Group members prefer to use, or not like, and why?

 

  1. Pray for each other that each will grow in your knowledge, understanding and love of the Bible. Think about ways the Group could support each other in Bible reading and study – e.g. using the same book of devotional readings and sharing what they have learned as part of the Home Group evening, or by phone or text or email during the week.

 

7. Why should we read the Bible?   

 

Last time we thought about the ways in which Group members read and study the Bible. This time we think about WHY we read the Bible.

 

  1. Ask the Group WHY should Christians read their Bibles?

 

  1. Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17. What does it mean that Scripture is “God breathed”?
    Make a list of the blessings which the Bible brings to believers found in these verses?

 

  1. What do the verses below tell us about why the Bible is important to Christians? You may like to divide into pairs to each look at one or two of the verses, and then report back on what you have discovered.
                Hebrews 4:12-13;
                Matthew 5:17-20;
                2 Peter 1:16-21;
                Psalm 19:7-11;
                Psalm 119:9-11;
                Psalm 119:105;

 

  1. Ask the Group what they would say to a non-Christian who asked, “Why should I read the Bible?” Remember that quoting Scripture and effectively saying “because the Bible says so” may not prove to be a very helpful answerJ

 

  1. Get into pairs. For one minute each take it in turns to offer your answer to the question, “Why should I read the Bible?”  imagining you are talking to an unbeliever. 

 

  1. Pray for each other that each will grow in your knowledge, understanding and love of the Bible.

 

By way of a brief answer to questions 4 and 5, I would make the following points.

 

  • The Bible is a record of God’s words through the prophets and the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • The Bible is a record of the historical events of God’s saving acts, especially in Christ.
  • The Bible contains the reliable interpretations of God’s words and acts by the faith communities to whom God spoke and among whom He acted.
  • From all these we derive our all beliefs, our conduct and our practices.
  • We are in continuity with the church through the centuries in basing our faith and our lives on these Scriptures, correctly interpreted.
  • We have the “inner witness” of the Holy Spirit to the truth of Scripture.
  • The Bible brings us to encounters with the Living Christ and to genuine experiences of salvation. We trust the Bible because it changes our own lives and the lives of others.

 

 

We should recognize that the authority of the Bible is not universally self-evident. It is recognized primarily in the context of the church and with the help of the Holy Spirit. The Canon of Scripture is important because it identifies those texts which the church has historically recognized to be authoritative and which have consequently shaped her life. PBT

“We may be moved and induced by the testimony of the church to a high and revered esteem of the holy scripture, yet, notwithstanding, our full persuasion and assurance of the infallible truth, and divine authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy Spirit, bearing witness by and with the word in our hearts.” (Westminster Confession)


The New Testament texts “bear the hall-mark of reality and the ring of truth.” (J.B.Phillips)

 

8. Discipleship and Obeying your Leaders 

 

10 days ago Peter preached about learning from each other. His challenging third point talked about learning from church leaders. This study asks whether in some senses “obeying church leaders” is actually an essential expression of Christian discipleship and obedience to Christ?

 

  1. Introduction: What is a Minister for? What are Elders for? What are Deacons for? DiscussJ

 

  1. In your usual pairs, encourage each other by sharing some occasion on which God has blessed you through a Minister or Elder. Ideally this will be in some way which is somehow more individual and personal than just an uplifting sermon (unless it was dramatically uplifting!)

 

  1. In what ways would Group members expect Minister and Elders to help them in their discipleship? (You could also include Home Group Leader, Deacons, Youth Worker, Outreach Worker in the list if you chose.) In a perfect church what could the Minister or Elders do more or differently which would be of more help? How could they be more useful and effective?

 

  1. Read Hebrews 13:7 and 17. What does it mean to imitate leaders in the church? What should it mean to Obey your leaders and submit to their authority? How Biblical is Brentwood Baptist Church in these things?
     
  2. Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. What does it mean to respect and “hold in the highest regard” leaders in the church. In what sense are Minister or Elders “over you in the Lord”? Have we got these things right?

 

  1. Read Acts 20:27-31 and Hebrews 13:17. What does it mean for the church leaders to “keep watch” over the church? Read 1 Peter 5:1-5. In what sense are church members “under the care” of the leaders? In what sense should the young be submissive to their elders? Do we need to change?

 

  1. Read 1 Timothy 5:17 and Romans 12:8. How should church leaders direct and govern the church? (The metaphor is of a helmsman steering a ship). What then is the place of the Church Meeting?

 

  1. “The minister should not be a chaplain but a spiritual director.” (Paul Goodliffe, Head of Ministry Department, Baptist Union)
    “Pastoral care is not about wiping spiritual noses but building spiritual muscles.” (Pete Gilbert, evangelist)
    Do we agree with these statements about pastoral care and the tasks of Christian ministry? In the perfect church, how should they work out in practice?

 

This study is NOT the first step in any Minister’s or Elder’s masterplan for world domination!!! It is intended simply to raise important questions about the role of Christian leadership as understood in the Early Church and laid out for us in Scripture.

 

Below is the slightly shortened text of a sermon Peter gave a year ago on this subject as hopefully useful background and clarification. Do feel free to read out any portions of this which might be helpful for people to understand what the issues are, or to clarify what Peter actually thinks! J For more details you will have to wait to read his next book, “Juggling with Chickens”.


 

REMEMBER YOUR LEADERS - a sermon on Hebrews 13

 

As a Baptist Christian I believe in congregational government, government by Church Meeting. I believe that each church is capable of governing itself independently. I don’t believe that any individual or organisation should have authority from outside over the local church. Rather each local church, each local community of believers working through its Church Meeting, has within itself ultimate authority over all of its beliefs and practice.

 

I am Baptist by convictions. I am convinced that the way of being church which the Baptist Churches practice is the best. Baptists express better than any other denomination the priesthood of all believers – the Bible truth that we are all equal in God’s sight and all have our own part to play in the Body of Christ. There are no “special” kinds of Christian called priest or vicar or minister who are different from ordinary “lay” Christians. And Baptists also express better than any other denomination what some have called “the prophet-hood of all believers” – the Bible truth that we have all received the same Holy Spirit who inspired the prophets and who can inspire EVERY Christian with messages from God. Which is why we believe that God can speak through ANY member of the church to guide the church and we are all equal before God when we are seeking His guidance at the Church Meeting. I am a Baptist by convictions. I have no desire at all to stop being a Baptist and join any other denomination because I believe we “do church” better than any others do.  I am very happy being a Baptist! Except for rare occasions when I read certain verses of Scripture, like these verses which I have been ducking from our study of Hebrews 13 over the last weeks. Verses which say this:-

 

Hebrews 13:7  Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

 

Actually that’s not so bad. “Remember your leaders”. Imitate them. “Be nice to them” – I quite like that. But here comes the problem.

 

Hebrews 13:17  Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

 

Here is the verse which makes me very uncomfortable to be a Baptist. Here is a verse which is very difficult to square with the priesthood of all believers and the prophethood of all believers. Here is a verse which fits very uncomfortably with the idea of government by church meeting.

 

“Obey your leaders.” “Submit to their authority” “Obey them” and obey them in a helpful cooperative way so that being a leader is a joyful experience, not in a grudging or arguing way so that being a leader becomes a burden and a trial.

 

And unfortunately for me and for us Baptists this is not the only verse where the Bible talks about the authority of church leaders!

 

1 Thess 5:12  Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  13  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

 

OK this only talks about RESPECTING leaders, but it DOES talk about church leaders being “over you in the Lord”. It talks about leaders “admonishing” other Christians. Not just guiding or encouraging but challenging and rebuking as well! How does the idea of some Christians being put in a position “over” other Christians fit with our ideas of government by church meeting where all are equal in God’s eyes? As Baptists do we agree with the idea of minister and elders and deacons being in some senses in authority over the rest of the church, and that the church should “submit to their authority”?

 

Here is what seems to be to be an inherent problem in leadership in Baptist Churches. Our beliefs in government by church meeting are, shall we say, “in tension” with these verses of scripture about the authority of church leaders.

 

Indeed the general assumption in the New Testament was that leaders were appointed in the churches and the rest of the church would follow their lead. The apostle Paul certainly assumed that everybody would follow His lead 2Th 3:14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.

Church discipline there for disobeying Paul’s commands!

 

And remember that our Baptist way of appointing leaders is different from the way they did it in New Testament times. Our Elders and Deacons are appointed by the Church Meeting. Even Baptist Ministers are called to be ministers by the Church Meeting. Among other factors, our leaders are appointed on the basis of their teaching gifts, wisdom, spirituality, maturity and Christian character, approachability and sensitivity and their acceptability to the church as a whole. But the bottom line is that the church chooses its own leaders. Or rather, we pray and hope that God chooses the Leaders and guides the church to His appointed people through the Church meeting!

 

In New Testament times it was very different.

Throughtout their missionary journeys Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

 

Not only in the first century, but indeed for the first fifteen centuries of the church, ALL local church leaders were appointed by “the church”, by the regional bishops who were appointed in turn by the successors to the apostles and in turn by the Popes. It was only at the Protestant Reformation that breakaway groups of “non-conformists” began to choose their own church leaders. And that only happened in “congregationally governed” churches like the Baptists.

 

Even today, churches in most other denominations have their leaders appointed from outside. Catholics and Anglicans are allocated their priests by the bishops. Methodists and URCs and most Pentecostals are given their leaders by the denomination. Most of the new churches like New Frontiers and Pioneer all have their leaders appointed by regional apostles. Even churches like Vineyard Fellowships and Soul Survivor (which has its roots in the Church of England) do not choose their local leaders – they are appointed from above.

 

I am a Baptist. I firmly believe in congregational principles and government by church meeting. But we must not forget that we Baptists are unusual, and distinctive, in our way of appointing our church leaders.

 

And it is also true that most other denominations have no trouble at all in asserting the authority of church leaders. They should be obeyed. In principle a Roman Catholic or an Anglican Christian is joined to the universal church only insofar as they have a relationship with their regional bishop, mediated by the bishop’s representative the priest or “vicar”.  So Catholic and Anglican priests logically receive a great deal of respect from their flocks and carry great authority. The same would also be true of leaders in Pentecostal Churches and the New Churches, although here the reasons are more to do with issues of “the anointing of the Holy Spirit” on those leaders and on the regional apostles who appointed them. Indeed it would be fair to say that it is only congregationally governed churches like Baptists, and Congregationalists, and a few independent evangelical churches, only we see any tensions with obeying our church leaders and submitting to their authority.

 

I do firmly believe that our Baptist way of doing things is the best. It is the best because it avoids at least two traps which all the other denominations can fall in to. The first is the trap of ordinary Christians leaving everything to the leaders. When leaders take authority, especially if they are seen to be somehow different or special Christians, it is easy for “the people in the pews” to opt out. We know well what the apostle Paul says about ministry in Ephesians 4.

11  It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,  12  to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

As Baptists we know that the task of ministers and church leaders is NOT to do all the works of Christian service. We know that the minister’s task is to teach and train and inspire and EQUIP all of God’s people for works of service. Then  we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ  16  From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

Our Baptist way of being church reminds EVERY believer that they have a part to play – no opting out! And it also avoids the other great trap which has diminished and even destroyed the work and mission of churches through the ages. The risk of self-seeking leaders taking TOO MUCH authority and exploiting or manipulating their congregations for their own ends. We have seen too much of that kind of authoritarianism in church history. And we can see too much of it in too many churches today, from some of the American tele-evangelists to “health wealth and prosperity” churches in Africa and throughout the third world, and even in some of the excesses of “heavy shepherding” in the House Church movement in 1970s to the present day.

 

Government by church meeting protects Baptist churches from unbiblical distinctions between “clergy” and “lay” Christians. And it also should protect us from church leaders exploiting their position for personal gain. But it does leave us with this great tension. What does it mean in a Baptist Church for us to obey our leaders? To submit to their authority. For leaders to be “over” the church?

 

1Timothy 5:17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

In just what ways are the church leaders, minister, elders and deacons, meant to “direct” the church, in a setting where every decision is ultimately subject to the agreement of the church meeting. Talking about Spiritual Gifts Paul writes in Romans 12:8,

Romans 12:8  if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;

For us Baptists, what does it mean for church leaders to GOVERN the church

 

1 Peter 5:1-5 1 ¶ To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow-elder …  2  Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers- not because you must, but

because you are willing, as God want you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;  3  not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. …

5 ¶ Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.

 

 

 

What does it mean for church leaders to be “overseers”? In what sense is the flock, the congregation, UNDER THE CARE of church leaders? What does it mean when it says that the flock in “entrusted” to these leaders. And how should young men, young Christians, be SUBMISSIVE to older Christians?

 

Let’s just sum up the tasks of church leaders as defined in the New Testament and see what that tells us about what it means to obey and submit to leadership.

 

 

1.TEACHING  - Leaders must be sound teachers              Titus 2:1-8; 2 Tim 2:24-25.  

Titus 2:1 ¶ You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.  2  Teach ….  7  In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness  8  and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

2 Tim 2:24  And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  25  Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,

 

In previous generations, and in many places in the third world today, teaching the flock was much easier than it is for ministers and church leaders today. Then and there the Minister was the one who knew the truth, He brought the words of eternal life which the people received with gladness! Today is different. We can ALL read! We have books, and Christian Radio, and Spring Harvest and Soul Survivor. Every one is an expert!

I preached in another church this time last year – one of my best sermons ever, well at least you all seemed to like it when I preached it here. And as she shook my hand as she left one lady said, “I didn’t agree with that. You got that wrong”. But I am sure that “submitting to authority” has something to say to us about the way that Christians listen to sermons – something about starting from the assumption that God has something he wants us to learn, rather than listening to check up and see if the preacher has got it right or not.

 

2. Keeping watch over the flock                                           Acts 20:25-35; Hebrews 13:17

Acts 20: 27  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.  28  Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.  29  I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.  30  Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.  31  So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Heb 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

 

We do not really know what “keeping watch over the flock” is all about. It is more than the minister and elders watching to see when somebody is sick and needs a visit or discouraged and needs our prayers. It is also about keeping watch to see when a Christian is wandering from the path, falling into temptation, or neglecting the things of God. It is about challenging and admonishing as well as supporting. But very few Christians are open to that kind of discipling nowadays. Even fewer welcome it! It often amazes me how much more willing non-Christians and new Christians are to ask the advice of a minister than established Christians are!!
 

3. Helmsmen steering the ship                 Rom 12:8; 1 Cor 12:28; 1 Tim 5:17; 1 Th 5:12

Romans 12:8  if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;

1 Corinthians 12: 28  And in the church God has appointed ... those with gifts of administration.

1 Timothy 5:17 ¶ The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

The word for the spiritual gift of administration carries the idea of piloting or steering the ship. Governing. Directing. Steering. This is part of the responsibility of Christian leadership which is most in tension with our Baptist government by Church Meeting.

Who steers the ship? The church meeting? Or the Minister and Elders and Deacons? Whose responsibility is it to receive a vision from God which the church will then follow? The leaders or the whole church? Where does the balance lie? In the Scriptures it is the leaders who direct, who govern, who steer the ship.

 

In boat race - most important person is the one who doesnt have oar! the cox - steering the boat, keeping everybody else in step.

Steering an ocean liner into harbour to escape from a storm the crew dont take votes on which way to turn to get past the rocks and the shallows - they trust the pilot who's come on board to steer them safely in.

 

This sermon has more questions than answers. How do we stay faithful to our Baptist convictions on government by church meeting, and also submit to our leaders, and even obey them? How should I, as minister, serve the church? How should I exercise a ministry of leadership? What form should my leading take?

 

"Pastors are called to feed the flock, to care for the flock, to seek the lost ... but they must never lose sight of the fact that they are called to lead. A pastor may delegate the teaching, he may delegate the caring, he may delegate the seeking of the lost, but he cannot delegate the leading.  Or if he does, then he is failing in his calling and the church will just go round in circles".

                        (Rev.Dr.Paul Beasley-Murray, Principal  Spurgeon's College.)

 

 

1 Thess 5:12  Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  13  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

 

Hebrews 13:17  Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

 

 Now back to the next study:-
 

9. Identifying your Spiritual Gifts  

 

  1. Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Tonight we will think about the different spiritual gifts members of the Group may have. Note that EVERY Christian will have one or more spiritual gifts, one or more ways in which God the Holy Spirit works through each one “for the common good”.

 

  1. Read the passages below and quickly make a list of the “spiritual gifts” mentioned. It might help if Group members write the list down. NB I have deliberately left out celibacy and martyrdom!
    1 Corinthians 12:7-11 again
    1 Corinthians 12:27-30
    Ephesians 4:11-13
    1 Peter 4:10-11
    Romans 12:6-8

 

  1. Get into your usual pairs. Each person should tell the other, “The spiritual gift(s) I think God has given me is/are …… because …….” For a couple of minutes the person should talk about one or two occasions when God has used them through exercising that gift. (This question should only take 6-7 minutes)

 

  1. Now go round the group one by one. For each person, the other one in their pair should begin by telling the whole group “I believe the spiritual gift(s) God has given this person is/are ….. because…….” Then other members of the group can join in, either saying “I agree that that is your gift because …..” and talking about some occasion when they saw or heard the person exercising that gift. Alternatively Group members may say “I believe your gift could also be  ……(something different) because …..” It will NOT be appropriate for anybody to say “You’re wrong – your gift is not …. !” The idea is to ENCOURAGE each other!

 

  1. Conclude by praying for each other

 

10. How can we help each other to serve God?   

 This evening is not so much a Bible study as a time for mutual encouragement and support.

 

  1. Read Hebrews 10:23-25. How in practice do you think we can spur one another on towards love and good deeds ? What can we do to encourage one another ?
    (Reminder:- we only just discussed these questions back in September).

     
  2. For most of this evening we are going to invite each group members in turn to encourage and support each other in the following way.  Divide the total time you want to give to this exercise by the number of people present. You will spend approximately that amount of time focussing on each person. For each person:-

     
    1. Spend half their allotted time inviting the person to share with the group aspects of their Christian service under a general heading such as “things I do for God” or “ways I serve God”. This may be responsibilities or duties they undertake in the church e.g. deacon, family church, women’s own etc etc, or else some Christian activities in another context. They may also or instead talk about particular situations where they are witnessing e.g their workplace, a secular club or group they belong to. They may serve God as carers or parents. Encourage members to share both the joys and the challenges of their particular spheres of Christian service. Help even the shy members to realise that they have something to share.

       
    2. For the second half of that person’s time, invite the whole group to think of ways in which they could better support that person in their area of service. You are looking for a commitment to ongoing and practical ways in which we can support each other in our Christian faith, service and witness.  

 

  1. Finish by spending a little time as a whole group praying for each other.

 

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Last modified: 11/07/09