Wayne's House 偉恩的家

Because of Typhoon, we did not have small group meeting tonight
but I still went to Justinbourg to be with Justin and pray together

Jesus' Body:

The Words we are looking at:
Mark 1:16-20; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41-42; 6:7; 9:31

In our series, “Jesus, Who Is He?” we have looked at what the gospels have recorded of Jesus' response to many things: His response to sinners, to religious people, to Pharisees, to followers, to sickness, to poverty, etc.. What about the “church?” Matthew's gospel records the first time this word is mentioned in the New Testament making the context and meaning very important.

What did Jesus mean by his choice of words? How did he expect the disciple to understand what he was talking about? Not long afterwards Jesus explains to his disciples how to handle a problem of sin and offense between believers. Please note that Jesus said the final authority for settling the difference was the “church.”

What did synagogue attending and Old Testament scripture believing Jews make of this teaching? Our assembly is likened unto the “Body of Christ” or the earthly representation of Jesus Christ in our world today. What relationship did Jesus intend us to have with this church? What kind of authority did Jesus envision for the church? What kind of power would his “Body” have on earth or in heaven? What kind of perpetuity would this body have?

Matthew, the gospel-writer with primarily a Jewish mind-set, is the only one to mention this new entity, organization, community, fellowship, or assembly and he mentions it only twice. However, we learn from other New Testament authors, particularly Paul, what Jesus was intending for his church. What should your relationship to the Body of Christ look like and what expectations should we have for the only community sanctioned by the New Testament?