THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH 1

1
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH 1

• We shall follow this theme in three sessions
• Church continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ in
  the world
• Church continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ
  today
• Church offering worship and service for the glory
  to God.
• Today we shall be considering the Church
  continuing the
• ministry of Jesus Christ in the world. To start,
  a short
• worship period.

2

• Hymn All hail, the power of Jesus name
• Reading Psalm 1451-13
• Prayer All your creatures praise you, Lord,
• and your loyal servants bless you.
• They talk of the glory of your kingdom,
• and tell of your might,
• to make known to mankind your mighty deeds,
• the glorious majesty of your kingdom.
• Our Father, we come together to praise and bless
  you and to learn about the glory of your
  kingdom, to speak about your power and might in
  order to make known your acts to this
  generation, within this community and beyond.
  May we praise you may your spirit be upon us,
  so that our life in every sphere be an
  expression of your wonder and greatness at all
  times, Amen.

3
BACKGROUND TO THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST

• The New Testament speaks of a new order breaking
  into the life of
• the world in Jesus of Nazareth
• At his birth wise men saw cosmic signs,
  shepherds travelled, angels faced the earth.
• Matthew says that here is one greater than the
  temple and the Sabbath here (121-8)
• Luke saw the new order as promised through the
  Prophet Isaiah, (416-19)
• John spoke of God making himself known to the
  world through Jesus Christ. (John 11-5, 14-18)
• Paul said if anyone is in Christ he is a new
  creation (2 Cor5-17)
• Revelation And now I make all things new.
  (211-5)

4

• The life and work, the death and resurrection of
• Jesus realising the hopes of Old Testament
• religion
• John the Baptist Prepare the way of the Lord
  (Luke 31-6)
• Events fulfilling the promises of the prophets,
  e.g. Matt. 1215 814-17
• The words of Jesus You have heard but now I
  tell you (Matthew 5 21-28)
• The New Covenant (1 Cor 1123-26)

5

• In Jesus the nature and quality of the life of
  the Living God appeared in its fullness. The
  rule of God came amongst his people in a new way
  God with us.

6

• We consider further
• Jesus people
• Jesus message
• Jesus actions
• Jesus Death

7
JESUS PEOPLE

• Jesus sought to reach out to all people
• Fishermen were his first disciples (Mark 116-20)
• He shares table with the tax collectors and
  sinners (Luke 191)
• Bartimaeus the poor blind person (Mark 1046)
• A woman from the town (prostitute?) Luke 737
• A woman from Syrophenicia (Mark 724)
• A woman from Samaria (John 4)
• Nicodemus, the Pharisee (John 3)
• Roman Centurion (Matthew 85-13)

8
BARTIMAEUS

• They came to Jericho and as he was leaving the
  town, with his disciples and a large crowd,
  Bartimaeus (that is, son of Timaeus), a blind
  beggar, was seated at the roadside. Hearing that
  it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, Son
  of David, Jesus, have pity on me! Many of the
  people told him to hold his tongue but he
  shouted all the more, Son of David, have pity on
  me. Jesus stopped and said, Call him so they
  called the blind man Take heart, they said.
  Get up, he is calling you. At that he threw
  off his cloak, jumped to his feet, and came to
  Jesus. Jesus said to him, What do you want me
  to do for you? Rabbi, the blind man answered,
  I want my sight back. Jesus said to him, Go
  your faith has healed you. And at once he
  recovered his sight and followed him on the road.
  (Mark 1046-52)
• Members may prefer to read quietly from their
  own Bibles.

9
WORK SHEET 1

• We pause here for individuals or groups to
  consider
• The story from the perspective of Bartimaeus
• Who was he, what was his condition?
• What was his cry and need
• How did Jesus approach him.
• The story from the perspective of Jesus
• - The location of the story close of chapter
  10
• The people around him their response
• Jesus response

10
What is the message?

• A blind beggar at the roadside is so valuable.
• Value of persistence and perseverance.
• The power of Gods reign restores and sets
  Bartimaeus free.
• The need to open peoples eyes to comprehend and
  to respond to the power at work in Jesus.

11
THE WOMAN FROM SAMARIA

• Meanwhile a Samaritan women came to draw water,
  and Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. The
  woman said, What! You, a Jew, ask for a drink
  from a Samaritan woman? (Jews do not share
  drinking vessels with Samaritans.) Jesus
  replied, If only you knew what God gives, and
  who it is that is asking you for a drink, you
  would have asked him and he would have given you
  living water. Sir, the woman said, you have
  no bucket and the well is deep, so where can you
  get living water? Are you greater than Jacob
  our ancestor who gave us the well and drank from
  it himself, he and his sons and his cattle too?
  Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water
  will be thirsty again but whoever drinks the
  water I shall give will never again be thirsty.
  The water that I shall give will be a spring of
  water within him, welling up and bringing eternal
  life. (John 47-14)
• Members may prefer to read quietly from their
  own Bibles.

12
WORK SHEET 2

• What is the significance of Samaria and the
  woman from Samaria to the story.
• What is the living water? For whom?
• Consider are you greater than our father
  Jacob?

13
WHATS THE MESSAGE?

• The living water is the love of Christ within us.
• It breaks humanitys thirst for true life.
• It destroys boundaries and old dividing lines.
• It creates a new human community.
• But the message is challenging it demands a
  response.

14
WORK SHEET 3

• 1 One of the Pharisees, called Nicodemus, a
  member of the Jewish Council, 2 came to Jesus
  by night, Rabbi, he said, we know that you are
  a teacher sent by God no one could perform these
  signs of yours unless God were with him. 3
  Jesus answered, In very truth I tell you, no one
  can see the kingdom of God unless he has been
  born again. (John 31-3)

15

• Consider
• The significance of Nicodemus THE PHARISEE
• Nicodemus confession v.2
• Jesus response v.3

16

• We learn
• Old Testament faith is inadequate. The new has
  come.
• Mind and heart need to be open to Gods new order
  is in Jesus
• Receiving the power of Gods love is the mark of
  fulfilling the old and receiving the new.
• The Church thus is
• The community of new life eternal life
• Its purpose is to live and proclaim the life of
  Gods reign as a foretaste of its coming in its
  fullness.

17
WORK SHEET 4

• As Jesus entered Capernaum a centurion came up to
  ask his help, Sir, he said, my servant is
  lying at home paralysed and racked with pain.
  Jesus said, I will come and cure him. But the
  centurion replied, Sir, I am not worthy to have
  you under my roof. You need only say the word
  and my servant will be cured. I know, for I am
  myself under orders, with soldiers under me. I
  say to one, Go, and he goes to another, Come
  here, and he comes and to my servant, Do
  this, and he does it. Jesus heard him with
  astonishment, and said to the people who were
  following him, Truly I tell you nowhere in
  Israel have I found such faith. 13 Then Jesus
  said to the centurion, Go home as you have
  believed, so let it be. (Matthew 85-10, 13)

18

• Consider
• Is the reference to Capernaum and Centurion
  significant?
• What impressed Jesus about the centurion?
• What is the significance of verse 13?

19
CONCLUSIONS

• The purpose of the Church is to continue the
  ministry
• of Jesus earthing to life Gods reign in the
  world.
• By living in the power and energy of Jesus love.
• Providing space for and bestowing worth on each
  individual.
• Developing an inclusive approach to its task
• Manifesting clearly the priorities and values of
  Gods Reign
• Challenging and calling humanity to experience
  and submit to the life of his reign.

20

• In Jesus the power of Gods reign became alive
  and real in His world. Jesus issues an
  invitation to live in that power making life
  whole is its aim.
• The church exists to extend that invitation to
  all people.

21
JESUS POWERFUL ACTS

• The miracles or powerful acts of Jesus provide
• further indication of the power of Gods
• kingly reign dawning upon the life of the world
• Healing of illnesses
• Release from evil spirits
• Restoration of sight and hearing
• Feeding multitudes.

22
WORKSHEET 5

• John, who was in prison, heard what Christ was
  doing, and sent his own disciples to put this
  question to him Are you the one who is to come,
  or are we to expect someone else? Jesus
  answered, Go and report to John what you hear
  and see the blind recover their sight, the lame
  walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the
  dead are raised to life, the poor are brought
  good news and blessed are those who do not find
  me an obstacle to faith.
• Matthew 11 2-6

23

• Consider
• How do you understand Johns question?
• How does Jesus deal with the question?
• What is the challenge?
• What does the episode tell us about the purpose
  of the Church today?

24

• We note
• What Jesus does as well as what he teaches
  heralds the breaking in of the reign of God upon
  humanity.
• His powerful acts are signs of Gods power at
  work in Jesus Christ.
• The purpose of the Church is to make real the
  challenge of his reign, bringing healing and
  wholeness to individuals, communities and nations?

25

• Miracles contain spiritual significance.
• Read Matthew 1413-21
• Consider
• The significance of compassion (v.14)
• The bread in the wilderness?
• The sacramental nature of the miracle

26

• Message
• The feeding miracles are signs of
• - the Messiah wonder and mystery
• - promise fulfilled
• - needs met

27

• The Church is in the world to share the bread of
  life and bring wholeness and fulfilment to all
  people, individuals, communities and nations.
• You give them something to eat

28

• No wonder-worker!
• Some miracles contain action
• - Jesus extending his hand to the leper,
• touching him (Mark141)
• - Took Jairus daughter by the hand (Mark
• 541)
• - Touches diseased part deaf mute (Mark
• 731)

29

• Some miracles contain no action merely the
• spoken Word.
• Jesus casts out demons with a word (Luke 435)
• Jesus calms the storm (Luke 824)
• Jesus cures the blind man (Luke 1842) or the
  withered hand (Luke 610)
• Message Both actions and word express the
  creative power at work in Jesus.

30

• 14 He was driving out a demon which was dumb
  and when the demon had come out, the dumb man
  began to speak. The people were astonished, 15
  but some of them said, It is by Beelzebul prince
  of demons that he drives the demons out. 16
  Others, by way of a test, demanded of him a sign
  from heaven. 17 But he knew what was in their
  minds, and said, Every kingdom divided against
  itself is laid waste, and a divided household
  falls. 18 And if Satan is divided against
  himself, how can his kingdom stand since, as
  you claim, I drive out the demons by Beelzebul?
  19 If it is by Beelzebul that I drive out
  demons, by whom do your own people drive them
  out? If this is your argument, they themselves
  will refute you. 20 But if it is by the
  finger of God that I drive out the demons, then
  be sure the kingdom of God has already come upon
  you. 21 When a strong man fully armed is on
  guard over his palace, his possessions are safe.
  22 But when someone stronger attacks and
  overpowers him, he carries off the arms and
  armour on which the man had relied and
  distributes the spoil. 23 He who is not with
  me is against me, and he who does not gather with
  me scatters. (Luke 1114-23)

31
WORK SHEET 6

• How do you understand the charge against Jesus in
  verse 15?
• How do you understand Jesus defence in 17-18 /
  19 / 20-21
• - kingdom divided
• - the source of his power Beelzebul?
• - the source of his stronger power it is
  from God!

32

• Two final points
• Need for discernment and understanding of whom
  Jesus is, i.e. faith
• The women with an issue of blood (Matt.922)
• The Blind man (Mark 1052)
• The Leper (Luke 1719)
• Means of forgiveness
• The healing of the paralytic (Mark 21-12)

33

• CONCLUSIONS
• His mighty acts are encounter with Jesus
• His power to meet and fulfil human need.
• To make whole broken lives.
• To make possible a transforming relationship with
  God himself.
• They are means of revelation
• Who is Jesus?
• His possession of Gods creative, restorative
  power of Love
• Signs of the dawn of his reign.

34

• For the Church they are confirmation of her
  purpose
• Affirmation of Christ as Lord, a sign of the
  kingdom which is coming.
• Material for teaching and instruction, in
  restoration, healing and making whole.
• Reminds her of the need to express faith with
  prophetic action in His power.

35
HIS MESSAGE

• The central concept of Jesus life is
• The Kingdom or the Reign of God
• It links together into an unity
• His people
• His powerful acts
• His message

36

• The roots of the concept of Gods Reign
• - Deep in the history and religion of the Old
  Testament
• Clear expectation in the Jewish religion
• It gave hope and aspirations to the nation.

37

• The New Testament message is
• Fulfilment of these hopes and aspirations in
  Jesus of Nazareth.
• The Kingdom has come in Jesus he is its
  incarnation.
• But it is yet to come in its fullness.
• The now is critical
• To the church
• To the world

38

• The teaching of Jesus speaks to us about
• The nature of the God who reigns
• The intentions of the God who reigns
• The call of the God who reigns

39
WORK SHEET 7

• The Nature of God
• Again he said There was once a man who had to
  sons and the younger said to his father,
  Father, give me my share of the property. So
  he divided his estate between them. A few days
  later the younger son turned the whole of his
  share into cash and left home for a distant
  country, where he squandered it in dissolute
  living. He had spent it all, when a severe
  famine fell upon that country and he began to be
  in need. So he went and attached himself to one
  of the local landowners, who sent him on to his
  farm to mind the pigs. He would have been glad
  to fill his belly with the pods that the pigs
  were eating, but no one gave him anything. Then
  he came to his senses How many of my fathers
  hired servants have more food than they can eat,
  he said, and here am I, starving to death! I
  will go at once to my father, and say to him,
  Father, I have sinned against God and against
  you I am no longer fit to be called your son
  treat me as one of your hired servants. So he
  set out for his fathers house. But while he was
  still a long way off his father saw him, and his
  heart went out to him he ran to meet him, flung
  his arms around him, and kissed him. The son
  said, Father, I have sinned against God and
  against you I am no longer fit to be called your
  son. But the father said to his servants,
  Quick! Fetch a robe, the best we have, and put
  it on him put a ring on his finger and sandals
  on his feet. Bring the fatted calf and kill it,
  and let us celebrate with a feats. For this son
  of mine was dead and has come back to life he
  was lost and is found. And the festivities
  began. (Luke 1511-24)

40

• Consider
• The younger sons desire to see the world was
  it an adventure, carefree, understandable,
  natural?
• Why did he fall?
• It is decision and action in returning home
  repentance.
• Make a list of the fathers detailed response as
  he saw him returning home (verses 20-24)
• Why the fathers response as compared to the
  elder brothers?

41

• The message
• Love forgiveness reconciliation
  justice
• New relationship
• Jesus said God is like that
• that is what he does

42

• There are other parables that illustrate love in
  action, e.g. read
• the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 1025-37)
  notice how
• bold Jesus is
• Uplifting a Samaritan as a pattern not the
  priest or levite.
• The details of the Samaritans action after hed
  seen the victim
• - came off his animal
• - dealt with the wounds
• - took him to the inn
• - paid for his stay
• Love and compassion demolishes dividing walls,
  broaden vision, creates new community, and
  encourages inclusive attitude towards humanity
• WHY?
• That is how God himself does things

43

• Are there other references of Jesus that
  emphasise love reconciliation
  justice new relationship
• The Lords Prayer Matthew 69-14
• Before offering authentic worship Matthew
  523-24
• forgiveness without bounds Matthew 1821

44

• Jesus greets God as Abba and encourages us to
  do likewise.
• He interprets the law through love (Matthew
  223-28 Mark 31-6)
• The command to love is simple that is what God
  does!

45
WORK SHEET 8

• Gods intentions
• Listen! a sower went out to sow. And it
  happened that as he sowed, some of the seed fell
  along the footpath and the birds came and ate it
  up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had
  little soil, and it sprouted quickly because it
  had no depth of earth but when the sun rose it
  was scorched, and as it had no root it withered
  away. Some fell among thistles and the thistles
  grew up and choked the corn, and it produced no
  crop. And some of the seed fell into good soil,
  where it came up and grew, and produced a crop
  and the yield was thirtyfold, sixtyfold, even
  hundredfold. He added, If you have ears to
  hear, then hear. (Mark 43-9)

46

• Consider the act of sowing
• It is intentional
• Loss or waste is inevitable
• Success is certain
• Compare with Mark 426-29
• Mark 430-32

47

• MESSAGE
• The Kingdom of love is here to stay
• God intends his work to succeed in order to
  transform the life of the world as a whole.
• This requires concentrated and relentless effort
  despite failure.

48
WORK SHEET 9

• Read Matthew 2531-46
• Note - the Kingdom is to come in its
  fullness (31)
• - it is a worldwide reign (32)
• - the decisive principle is meeting the
  needs of people
• - uplifting life and making it whole
• - urgent need to respond (see Matthew
  251-3)

49

• Jesus said
• God is LOVE
• - It is in love he acts for the benefit of
  humanity and creation.
• - In loving, he makes reconciliation possible
• - he acts justly
• - he makes life whole throughout creation
• This is the GOOD NEWS in which Jesus trained
  his
• disciples and sent them out to live and share.

50

• The experience of those nearest to him is that he
  is so unusual so that the living God shines
  through him thus the only appropriate title for
  him is Son of God.
• And again, he is so close to them, identifies
  himself so much with them and with humanity,
  that the other appropriate title is Son of Man.

51

• THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS
• To give herself
• in love to the world and its people
• tirelessly
• relentlessly
• without counting the cost
• like Jesus himself

52
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?

• Such revolutionary ministry was so challenging
  to
• Tradition, custom, contemporary culture
• Understanding of God and his ways
• Status and authority the Pharisees scribes etc.

53

• So that suspicion of him
• enmity towards him
• plotting against him
• (Matthew 1214)

54

• Maybe Jesus interpreted his ministry in terms of
  the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 531-12)
• Through his unwavering commitment to Gods
  purpose
• His death a sacrifice that confirms Gods
  commitment in love to his creation and people
• His love is a means of cleansing, purifying and
  restoring.
• Through his stripes we are healed

55
BUT

• The unexpected happened in the resurrection of
  Jesus
• We note - the variety of resurrection appearances
• - the variety of experiences received
• The resurrection is entirely consistent with the
  life, work and teaching of Jesus
• - that the reign of God is more powerful than
  the worst of human plotting
• - that the love that gives itself in Jesus
  overcomes
• the depth of rejection.

56

• The power of Gods love has been released
  throughout the whole creation and is here to stay
  to transform its whole life into his reign.
• It affirms totally Jesus life as a whole
• - there would be no message
• - there would be no Church
• without the Christ who died and is raised

57

• We can speak of the Christ who goes ahead of his
  people to all places at all times because of his
  resurrection (Matthew 2810)
• Following the resurrection Jesus breathed his
  energy upon his disciples and sent them to the
  world as apostles to make disciples of all
  nations. (Matthew 2816-20)

58
WORK SHEET 10

• Jesus said again, Peace be with you! As the
  Father
• sent me, so I send you. Then he breathed on
  them,
• saying, Receive the Holy Spirit!. (John
  2021-22)
• Who said Peace unto you, when, to whom and to
  mean what?
• The meaning of the word send he had previously
  called them, why is he now sending them?
• What is the significance of the word breathed

59

• Summary
• In the gospels we see Jesus
• Calling his disciples
• Training them through word and deed thus ...
• Giving them a living and personal experience of
  his message and work.
• Opening their lives to his power and purpose.
• ... and after the trial of the cross and
  resurrection

60

• Sending his disciples the apostles
• As Gods new Israel, Gods new creation to the
  task of living and spreading the life of his
  Kingdom
• With
• New life-giving power, the power of Christs life
• To enable them to fulfil the task.
• ... And so ...

61

• Jesus people are called and sent people.
• Sometimes the word elect is used to describe
  them indicating
• - responsibility as well as privilege
• - purpose as well as honour
• - being the Lords people, being light,
  being a blessing, being hope.
• This is the Church of Christ

62

• There are four emphases that need to be unpacked
  further

63

• THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH IS
• i) continue in fellowship with the living
  Christ.
• ii) living in faith and obedience to the life of
  Gods reign through
• iii) Witnessing in thought, word and deed to the
  Kingdom of love which has come and is to come in
  its fullness make Christ-like disciples.
• iv) Like Jesus, to offer her life to God in
  worship and service, to his glory.