THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE *STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of this curriculum is to take newly converted brothers and sisters around our community or around the world and provide them with a foundation upon which they can become a vibrant, productive servant of Jesus Christ. We seek to do this by 3 methods; Bible study, fellowship, and prayer. At the end of the 6 week course the participant will know: 1. Conversion to New life in Christ 2. Eternal security 3. Baptism 4. Communion 5. How to read and study God's Word 6. What is prayer and how is it done 7. Why the church 8. The believers role in service - Spiritual gifts 9. Faithfulness and commitment Key to this whole 6 week course is the centrality of Jesus Christ in the believers life. Instructors are asked to keep the content focused on Jesus, thereby producing eternal fruit, not fruit that will disappear with the death or departure of an individual or of this church body. God bless you in your endeavors to build into the life of new believers, a sense of community with the fellow Christians of Clovis and High Plains Baptist Church. Included you will find instructors notes, suggested outlines to copy and distribute and reading suggestions. Please use your gifts and do not be restricted in method, but inclusive in content. BECOMING A CHRISTIAN Christianity is not a moral code or a religious system. Unlike ALL other such man-made systems created and then abandoned throughout human history Christianity is a personal relationship with the One True Living God in the person of Jesus Christ. Salvation is conditioned solely on faith in Jesus Christ. Nearly 200 times faith, or belief, is stated as the SINGLE condition in the NT (ie Jn 1:12; Acts 16:31). That faith must be placed in Christ as one's substitute for and Saviour from sin. It is not easy to believe someone whom you have never seen about the most important matter of eternal destiny, BUT this and only this is the way to be saved. With this in mind let us examine: 1) the Lord in whom we've trusted 2) the origin of our faith that has saved us 3) the process of salvation 4) the irrevocability of our profession of faith I. Who was Jesus? This question has been argued for thousands of years; a person's very eternal destiny hangs on how they answer this one question. Until this question is answered, PURSUING ANY OF THE OTHER ISSUES OF CHRISTIANITY ARE WORTHLESS AND A POINTLESS WASTE OF TIME. This will affect your relationship with Him more than anything else! Who do you say that I am? (take suggestions from class) Some say that He was: a good person but only a man a moral teacher a hoaxer a liar a lunatic a man who "became" God (Moonies, Mormons) Lord! A. Let's look at Scripture for our answers. The New Testiment authors in God's own Word clearly present Jesus as the Christ Who was BOTH undiminished Diety AND perfect Humanity, united in one Person FOREVER. It was NOT a 50/50 "mix", half God and half Human; He was somehow both TOTALLY God AND TOTALLY Man. God never does offer any explanation for HOW He accomplished this, only that it was in fact so. 1. Let us 1st look at the NT evidence for HIS HUMANITY: He had a Human body: 1. Born of a woman (Gal 4:4) 2. Subject to growth (Luke 2:52) 3. Seen and handled by men (1 Jn 1:1; Mt 26:12) 4. Sinless (Heb 4:15) He had a Human Soul and Spirit (Mt 26:38; Luke 23:46) He was subject to the limitations of Humanity: 1. He hungered (MtÊ4:2) 2. He thirsted (Jn 19:28) 3. He grew tired (Jn 4:6) 4. He wept and grieved (Jn 11:35) 5. He was tested (Heb 4:15) He had Human names [NEVER underestimate the importance of this, for to them a name was NOT just a label, it was a DEFINITION, a statement of fact]: 1. Son of Man (Luke 19:10) 2. Jesus (Mt 1:21) 3. Son of David (Mk 10:47) 4. Man (Isa 53:3; 1 Tim 2:5) He was able to DIE. 2. Next let us examine the NT evidence for HIS DIETY Proved by His Names: 1. God (Heb 1:8) 2. Son of God (Mt 16:16; 26:61-64a) 3. Lord (Mt 22:43-45) 4. King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev 19:16) Proved by His Characteristics: 1. Omnipotence (Mt 28:18) 2. Omniscience (Jn 1:48) 3. Omnipresence (Mt 18:20) 4. Life (Jn 1:4) 5. Truth (Jn 14:6) 6. Immutability (Heb 13:8) 7. Sinless life (2 Cor 5:21 "...who knew no sin to become sin for us...") Proved by His Works: 1. Creates (Jn 1:3) 2. Sustains and maintains all creation (Col 1:17) 3. Forgives sin (Luke 7:48) 4. Raises the dead (Jn 5:25) 5. Judges (Jn 5:27) 6. Sends the Holy Spirit (Jn 15:26) Proved by the Worship that is given Him: 1. By angels (Heb 1:6) 2. By men (Mt 14:33) 3. By all (Phil 2:10) Proved by equality in the Trinity: 1. W/ the Father (Jn 14:23; 10:30) 2. W/ the Father and the Spirit (Mt 28:19; 2 Cor 13:14) Proved by His Resurrection (Everywhere else in Scripture, someone ELSE raised the dead to life; He had NO one else raise Him, HE NEEDED NO ONE ELSE TO RAISE HIM): 1. There were multiple appearances over a 40 day period between the resurrection and His ascent into heaven, including more than 500 people at one time; this was NOT some scheme cooked up by a few religious lunatics (1 Cor 15:5-8; Acts 1:3; Jn 20:11-17; Mt 28:9-10; Luke 24:13-35, 36-43) 2. Proof of His Sonship (Rom 1:4) 3. Confirmed all He said (Mt 28:6) B. However, beyond the above New Testiment evidences, there is also the validation from ancient prophesy. The Old Testament was written over a 1500 year time span and the last book was written approximately 400 years before Christ was born. It contains 300 specific prophesies concerning the Christ, ALL OF WHICH Jesus fulfilled as described in the Scriptures. The scriptures containing these prophesies are listed in the handout. Note that there were over 35 prophies concerning His death alone that He fulfilled completely and perfectly. Although there were some prophesies that any man might do or fake knowing the OT prophesies, some were totally outside "human" control (ie virgin birth, place of birth, place of His being raised as a child, raising the dead in public and other healing miracles, etc). There were many men all claiming to be "Messiah" at the same time of Jesus earthly ministry, each gathering some followers, yet NONE of them even came close to fulfilling ALL the Prophesies, and when they died, their movements promptly collapsed (Acts 5:34-39). C. What did Jesus say about Himself? Lest there be any who might dispute what was said ABOUT Him, He Himself made sure there was NO question as to WHO HE claimed to be: A. "I am" - and they sought to stone Him (Jn 8:58-59) B. "I and the Father are one" (Jn 10:30-38) C. The Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11-14) D. The Gate - "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by me." (Jn 14:6) D. What about those who saw Him face to face, witnessing His life as described above and some even KNOWING the Scripture prophesies; what did these other 1st hand witnesses say about Him? 1. Peter - "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Mt 16:13-17) 2. Thomas, who doubted, a man NOT ready to easily take ANYone's word for ANYthing - "My Lord and my God" (Jn 20:24-29) 3. Paul, a man already convinced Jesus was a blasphemous curse in desperate need of purging - passionately witnessing in the Temple (Acts 9:1-20) 4. Roman soldier, a pagan who had NO "Jewish" Messianic mindset - SURELY this man was the Son of God (Mark 15:39) 5. John - "...that you might believe on these..." (Jn 20:30-31; 10:35-38) Remember, all but one of the Apostles died violent deaths, deaths they could have easily avoided if they would only admit that what they were saying about Jesus was simply untrue. They were NOT conspirators trying to conceal a tawdry secret of a faked death or phoney resurrection. Men do NOT walk to the slaughter for a lie or a joke; most men are unable to willingly face it for the truth, yet these men did. II. Now that we have some idea as to WHO He is, WHAT did He DO? HE DIED! Make no mistake, it was His DEATH that purchased our salvation. His life was His proof, His testimony to His Diety, that we might see and believe that His death was as He said it was: a perfect and satisfactory sacrifice for our sins. What DID His death DO for US anyway? This can be described through several different words: 1. Ransom/Redemption: the death of Christ paid the price of the penalty for our sin (Mt 20:28; 2 Pt 2:1; 1 Tim 2:6); To the Greek speaking culture the Gr word often translated as redemption commonly means to pay the slave price and remove from the market place (Gal 3:13) 2. Substitution: Christ died in the place of sinners, of US; Our sins are replaced by or substituted with Jesus' Righteousness (2 Co 5:21; 1 Pt 3:18) 3. Reconciliation: Man's state of alienation from God was changed so that NOW we ALL are ABLE to BE saved (2 Cor 5:18-19) 4. Propitiation: God is satisfied with what Jesus' death paid for our sins; Jesus death was sufficient for our sins; (1 Jn 2:2) III. So, how do WE fit in with the above? HOW does OUR salvation result from the above? It is the combination of God's working within our hearts, and our response to that activity. 1. Conviction: Through the actions of God within us, we gain an awareness of our personal sinful condition before a righteous God. (Isa 53:4, 6; Rom 3:10, 23; 6:23); of our NEED for salvation; 2. Believing and Recieving: Realizing that Jesus is our ONLY Saviour out of our sinful state (Jn 3:16; Is. 53:5; Rom. 5:8-9; Jn. 3:1-15; JnÊ14:6) and because of that WE ASK HIM TO SAVE US, TO APPLY THAT SATISFACTORY WORK THAT HE ACCOMPLISHED ON THE CROSS TO US PERSONALLY depending ONLY on what HE did at the cross as the basis for our salvation (Jn 1:12; Acts 16:31; Rev. 3:11) AND THE INSTANT WE ASK HE DOES! From THAT instant on we are SAVED; 3. THEN there will be growth in our New Life in Jesus Christ: it will manifest itself in our outward confession of Him as personal Saviour, a changed life characterized by repenting from previous sinful ways, desiring and doing good works, and a submissive spirit to the instruction of God (Eph 2:10; Phil 2:12-13; Jas 2:17) It is because of this Jesus - who bore our iniquities on the cross for us, and died - thus satisfying God's penalty for sin; that we live today and are called God's children. Thank Him now that He is in your life. IV. How sure can we be that our salvation will last? Can a TRUE believer ever lose their salvation by sinning, ceasing to believe, or in any other way? What PROOFS do we have of the security of our salvation? The doctrine of eternal security rests on a proper concept of what God actually does when He saves us: A. He loves us to the uttermost (Jn 13:1) B. He purposes to keep in spite of everything (Jn 10:28-30; 17:11) C. He intends to present us faultless before Himself (Jude 24) D. His Son ever lives to make intercession to keep us saved (Heb 7:25; 1 Jn 2:1) E. His Spirit has placed us into the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12;13) F. His Spirit has sealed us until the day of redemption (Eph 4:30); although man's seals can be broken easily enough, as witnessed by the seal on Jesus' tomb, what force possibly could break God's seal? G. His Word guarantees that NOTHING (including ourselves) can separate us from Christ (Rom 8:28-39). In order for one to lose their salvation ALL of these works of God would have to be undone, and the Bible NOWHERE even hint's that such an incredible thing is possible. BAPTISM AND COMMUNION Objectives: 1. The new believer will understand the biblical mandate for baptism of believers and it's importance in identification with Christ. 2. The new believer will understand the ordinance of communion, its significance and the scriptural commands surrounding its preparation and administration. I. What is Baptism? Baptism is an act of a new believer in Christ by which he or she fulfills Christ's commandment and identifies with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. A. What: It ultimately meant IDENTIFICATION with and/or a joining to something or someone. The Bible describes several different kinds of baptisms: 1st: The practice was NOT unique to the Church. There were various forms of practice ALSO used in Judiasm, usually to signify ritual cleansing as part of worship, and was done by the individual. (Heb 6:2; 9:10; John 3:25ff) 2nd: John's Baptism: (Mt 3; Mk 1; Luke 3) This was where an individual acknowledged his need of repentence for remission of sins; was this unto salvation? NO! There were those baptised by John who had not yet heard about Jesus - Acts 19:5ff - upon hearing and believing, they were then RE-baptised; 3rd: Jesus baptism: (Mt 3:13ff; Mk 1:9ff; Luke 3:21ff) Did He need cleansing? need to repent of anything? NO! So WHY?? Remember - Identification!: Jesus intentially identified Himself with John's message of righteousness, with John's declaration of the Coming Messiah; 4th: Baptism with/by the Holy Spirit: Obviously THIS has nothing to do with getting wet! This baptism is mentioned numerous times: Mt3:11, Mk 1:8, Lk 3:16, Jn 1:33, Acts 1:5, 11:16. BUT WHY was this required? See 1 Co 12:13 - It is how we become JOINED TO JESUS, totally identified with Him, literally made ONE with Him, see also Gal 3:27, 1 Pt 3:21, and Rom 6:3ff where vs5 clarified what vss3-4 said - identified with, UNITED WITH Jesus; The passages that mention this refer to the HS's work to identify, associate, JOIN us with/to Jesus as members of His Body; 5th: Baptism of Christians: This is the one that gets you wet! This is a physical act of PUBLIC identification specifically w/ Jesus as our PERSONAL Saviour, as our GOD; It is THIS baptism that we experience in the Church and that will be primarilyly the topic of discussion here. B. Who: New Believers Matt. 28:19 - "make disciples of all nations (how?) - "baptizing" - "teaching" Examples: Acts 2;38-41, 8:12-13, 8:34-38, 9:18, 12:44-48, 16:29-34, 18:8, 22:14-16 We see the pattern - believe - be baptized C. When: Upon receiving Christ as Lord & Savior - All examples - people believed and THEN were baptized What about INFANT baptism? 1. WHY do some people practice/believe in this? a. Baptism into a new covenant is analagous to circumcism which was done to infants b. There is mention of "entire households" being baptised (Acts 16:33) implying everyone in the family including infants; c. 1 Co 7:14 mentions how children in a househodls w/ only ONE parent believing somehow recieve a special blessing or setting apart to the Lord BECAUSE one of their parents IS a believer; 2. WHY do we NOT accept this? a. The WHOLE MEANING of baptism as a personal act publically declaring our identification w/ jesus as our Saviour restricts it to those who can CONSCIOUSLY exercize PERSONAL faith; b. Household baptisms do NOT state that even infants were included AND Acts 16:15 and 18:8 show that it was those in the households who BELIEVED that were baptised; c. 1 Co 7:14 does NOT mention that those children recieved salvation because their parent was a believer; D. Why: He COMMANDED it (Mark 16:16) - WHY did He command it? What did it mean to those 1st believers? - Sign of ownership - Matt. 28:19 (baptizing them in the name) - Sign of obedience (first of Christ's commands to the new believer) - Sign of PUBLIC identification - see all the examples in Acts mentioned above E. How: Immersion vs Sprinkling or Pouring; need to realize that about 3/4's of the Church worldwide do NOT immerse. SO, WHY do WE believe that immersion is the best and intended way for a Believer to be baptised? 1. The primary meaning of the Gr word Baptizo MEANS "immersion"; This verb was used by the Greeks primarily to signify the dying of a garment or the dipping of ones vessel. (Although it has been used rarely to describe OT rituals of sprinkling as well - Heb 9:10). 2. Baptizo usually is a/w the words "into" and "out of" in the text; this strongly argues for a process of complete immersion. 3. Jewish baptism for people who have CONVERTED to Judaism was total immersion, pointing to John's and then later the Churches baptism being for the same purpose: CONVERSION into a NEW belief; 4. Church history indicates that the early church practiced immersion; 5. Every mention of baptism in scripture allows for it, ie NO where does any example of baptism in the scripture indicate that any other process was used, AND THERE WERE OTHER Gr WORDS for "Sprinkle" and "Pour" which were NOT used in the texts; 6. Based on the use of the word in Rom 6:3-5, immersion BEST pictures what the work of the HS accomplished in our BURIAL w/ Christ (ie a complete covering by dirt). F. Where: Philip & Eunuch (Acts 8:36) "here's water - why shouldn't I be baptized?" - Any place where immersion can take place is best. II. What does baptism NOT do? A. Does not save. Eph. 2:8-9 CLEARLY states the condition for salvation: FAITH in Christ Jesus. THEN what about: 1. Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.' A Lit trans would BETTER read: "And now what are you waiting for? Having arisen [past tense], [therefore] be baptised; and wash away your sins having called [past tense, meaning its already occured, emphasis mine] upon the name of the Lord..." 2. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. The Gr word trans as "for" here can ALSO be trans 'BECAUSE OF" as was done in Mt 12:4. SO, the text can and should read: "...be baptised...BECAUSE OF the forgiveness of your sins." 3. 1 Pet 3:21 "...and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Here Peter specifically differentiates between getting wet and getting saved! 4. 1 Cor 15:29 "Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?" [Mention the Mormon practice] We 1st and always MUST remember to see any vs in the context of ALL other scriptures - ALL scripture MUST agree, and clearly OTHER scriptures declare that no one can believe for someone else, it always PERSONAL faith in Christ that saves; SO, what IS implied here? a. Could be refering to those baptised BECAUSE of the testimony of those believers now dead. Here again perhaps "for" could be trans "because of" as noted above in Acts 2:38. b. Or, it could mean "baptised in the place of (or to replace) those who died" as in NEW converts taking the place in the church of those older believers now dead. WHAT WAS PAUL'S POINT? WHAT ISSUE WAS HE ADDRESSING IN THIS PASSAGE? Our HOPE in resurrection! There were several heresies afloat in the church at this time: one was the Gr idea that there would be NO death for TRUE Christians, only an immortal living forever as we are now; another was that there was NO resurrection or after life at all, the Christian life was only here and now. SO, Paul's ultimate point was that unless one believes in the resurrection of the dead what's the point of following in the footsteps of those now dead by doing what they did, ie believing and being baptised? B. Does NOT bring the HS; It is NOT necessary to receive the Holy Spirit. Eph. 1:13-14 clearly teaches that believing in Jesus is ALL that's required to receive and be sealed by the HS. Also Acts 8:16 "...because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." and Acts 10:47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received [past tense] the Holy Spirit just as we have." BOTH show where the HS came BEFORE water baptism. But what about Acts 2:38 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."? The text does NOT imply a cause and effect relationship between baptism and the HS, but rather between salvation and the HS. CONCLUSIONS: Baptism is the logical first step response of the new believers faith in Christ. It identifies him or her with Christ and with the body of believers. It is a representation of Christ and the believers death, burial and resurrection to new life. COMMUNION In the last days of Christ's life, before He was crucified, He ate the Passover meal with His disciples in the upper room. During that meal Christ addressed His disciples in the following manner: Matthew 26:26-29 (NIV) While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." {27} Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. {28} This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. {29} I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." Luke 22:19-20 (NIV) And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." {20} In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 (NIV) For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, {24} and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." {25} In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." {26} For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. I. Who instituted: Jesus II. What: A. Bread, blessed and broken represents Christ's body. B. Fruit of the vine represents Christ's "blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins'. III. When: A. It was 1st instituted that night in the upper room. LukeÊ22:19-20 B. How often is it to be taken? Consider all the passages in Acts that mention the "Breaking of Bread" among believers: 2:42,46; 20:7,11. These imply that they partook frequently, perhaps even weekly; BUT NOTE: there is NO passage absolutely dictating a certain time or freqency any where in scripture; ONLY that we are, in fact, to do it often enough to make sure that we remember what He did. C. How long do we do it? 1 Co 11:26 "...until he comes." IV. Where: They were 1st gathered together in the upper room. According to the record in Acts mentioned above, it was always as a body of believers. We take the Lord's Supper as a church. Can it be taken individually? There is NO record of anyone in the early church performing this alone. V. Why: Commanded "Do this" A. As a remembrance (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24-25); TO WHO? To US, the Body of Christ B. As an acted sermon (1 Cor 11:26) "proclaim" - looking back to His life and death, and forward to His return, the Second Coming; C. Why body and blood? 1. Body - given for you Luke 22:19, Is. 53:4-10a 2. Blood - represented by the Cup of "fruit of vine" a. Matt. 26:28 - blood shed for many for the remission of sins. b. Heb. 9:22 - we receive forgiveness c. Eph. 1:7 - in His blood we have redemption >redemption: to pay the ransom price d. Rom. 3:25 - we have propitiation in his blood >propitiation: satisfaction of God's justice e. Rom. 5:9 - we have justification in His blood We are able to stand before G od's throne as His children because Christ's blood has been shed, He has given His life as a ransom for many, and God now looks at us as fully cleansed and righteous in Christ. PRAYER Prayer is our access to the greatest power in the universe. It is in prayer that we experience the supernatural work of God in our lives. It is through prayer that we are able to participate in God's activity here in the world. Prayer is the expression of our dependence upon the Lord for ALL things. Most of us pray only when we are in trouble, but for the believer prayer can and should become as natural as breathing. I. The Importance of Prayer If we are to learn to pray we must learn to exercise faith. (Heb. 11:6) Prayer is essential to salvation. Rom. 10:13 Prayer is the mark of a Christian. Luke 18:1 A. What are the promises of prayer? 1. Ask, seek, knock Matt. 7:7; persistence Luke 18:1-8; 2. Whatsoever you ask believing Matt. 21:22 3. That the Holy Spirit will help and enable us to pray; Rom 8:26; Zech 12:10; Eph 6:18; 4. That the Lord Jesus Himself will interceed for us before the Father; to present our prayers with the incense of His own Blood and the intercession of HIS OWN prayers - Rev 8:3-4; Heb 7:25 B. What are the powers found in prayer? 1. Unleashes the power of God. Jn. 14:13 2. We are to come boldly to find help. Heb. 4:15 C. What are the principles of prayer? Matt. 6:5-15 1. Privately - from your heart to God's 2. Sincerely - do not use vain repetition Matt. 6:7 3. Faithfully/trustingly - he knows our needs Matt. 6:8 4. Specifically - model prayer Matt. 6:9-13 , 5. Reverently - He is GOD... Ecc. 5:2 6. Perseveringly - We must not lose heart, for HE knows our need; He is rarely early BUT NEVER late; I Thes. 5:17; Lk 18:1ff; See note on Jacob below re:Gen 32:24ff 7. Intensely - He cares about the things that burden us the most Heb. 5:7; Peter told the lame man to "look on us" (Acts 3:4) as an example of the need for us to FOCUS our whole selves upon the object of our hope; In Gen 32:24ff Jacob wrestled with all his might with the Lord, until, unable to do anything else, he clung to Him, seeking His blessing; JerÊ29:13 "...seek Me with ALL your heart..." 8. Boldly - Not because of US, but because of JESUS Heb. 4:16 9. Expectantly - faith looks ahead expecting to glimpse what's not yet visible; the answer is to be "looked for" otherwise we are not really trusting in God's ability or willingness to answer (Hab 2:1; Micah 7:7) 10. Submissively and Dependantly - Trust is able to bow the head and say "not my will, but thine...", and leave the ultimate choice to Him; THIS is OFTEN the hardest part of prayer, accepting the limitations imposed by HIS will on OUR desires. (I Jn 3:22; 5:14,15; Jms 5:16) D. What are the Purposes of Prayer? 1. Petition and supplication; OT Heb Tepilla in Ps 65:2; 80:4; Isa 1:15; Job 16:17 and others; see lahash below; 2. Specific request, NT Gk Deesis gives prominence to the expression of personal need; NT Gk Enteuxis a childlike confidence, a coming near to God, a hearts converse with God, generally on someone ELSE'S behalf 3. Confession, OT Heb Lahash "to whisper a prayer" uttered in a low voice, a quiet whispering prayer of sorrow, from a consciousness of sin that crushes so completely that a man does not dare to address God aloud (Isa 26:16) 4. Praise, Every Psalm is a prayer and almost always filled with praise somewhere in each one; 5. Thanksgiving: it ALWAYS should accompany all other prayers; I Ti 2:1; Eph 1:16; 5:20; Phil. 4:6, 6. Worship and Adoration; OT Heb trans as "prayer" is Atar which lit means "to burn incense" therefore to pray to God as a act of worship (Job 33:26), and in NT the prayers of the righteous are compared to incense (Rev 5:8); NT Gk Proseuchee although does not imply any restriction as to the content of the prayer, it does imply a sense of devotion; One of the best examples of how these terms were used in the NT Church is in Philippians 4:6 where Paul combines these expressions about prayer. There are FOUR terms Paul uses in this verse; Prayer, Supplication, Thanksgiving, and Requests; "Prayer" is trans from Gr proseuche; it is a general term used only for the act of communicating with God, never used to describe communion between man to man; "Supplication" is trans from Gr deesis; it is a term that was used for both Divine and human requests; to the Greeks it emphasized the sense of NEED behind the act of requesting; Other trans translate it as "petition"; "Requests" is trans from Gr aitemata; this word describes the content of prayer as a making of definate and specific petitions; It is a detailed discussion of the exact things you're asking for; Thus prayer isn't just sort of mindless chatter or pointless wanderings; prayer can express itself in DIRECT and SPECIFIC appeals to the Lord; He is a detailed oriented kind of God; There are NO limitations to our prayers, we can ask Him for and about ANYTHING WITHOUT fearing He'll get bored or hacked off; NOTHING is too small or trivial to take to Him in prayer; If it's enough to bother US, it's enough to be important to Him too; ALL THAT WE ARE MATTERS TO HIM!! "Thanksgiving" is trans from Gr eucharistias; how important this is, how essential an ingredient to EVERY prayer we share with our Lord Jesus; The recalling of God's mercy and goodness and HIS UTTER AND ABSOLUTE FAITHFULNESS will save us from becoming too caught up in the immediate problems and issues that try to distract us from being really and fully focused on Him, the SOURCE of our confidence and hope; E. Problems with Prayer; or "WHY Pray since..." 1. God is described as immutable and unchanging - God is NOT a slave to "fate"; He IS unchanging with regard to His plan and purpose for each and everyone of us, and for the world in general; His character can NEVER change; He will never do anything that is not consistant with His own nature and Person; BUT He has clearly shown a willingness to change His ACTIONS towards men in response to THEIR actions; Otherwise, we would always be lost in our sins, God's just judgement falling on us as He has declared it must do because of our sin; AND YET if we take Jesus as our Saviour He has promised to do something ELSE INSTEAD, He responds to us with salvation; 2. God is described as being omniscient, knowing everything already - as if to say since God already knows our every need prayer is not necessary; Prayer was NOT meant to be merely an information service for God; It was meant to be the proper spiritual response of a soul in it's dependence and need, and thus becomes a means of US recieving God's blessings, and for US to learn what GOD wants to tell us; 3. God is so wise and good He'll give us what we need without asking - However, scripture (Jms 1 is a good example) clearly shows that God WANTS us to ask of Him our needs; It would be consistant with God's character and wisdom to withhold His favors UNTIL we DO ask for them in order to continue to teach us more about our absolute dependence upon Him; Now scripture (Eph 3:20) ALSO reassures us that because God IS so all knowing and good and wise that He will ALSO give us those things that we don't even KNOW to ask for; He will not limit Himself to giving us only what we can see. The goal here is to encourage us to participate as MUCH as we CAN in GOD'S activities among men; a "MAXIMALIST" rather than a MINIMALIST approach. And yet, ultimately this issue is NOT just one of getting needs met, it is ALSO one of LEARNING WHO GOD IS, of experiencing the DIRECT touch of His hand in our lives, of causing us to realize that He IS a LIVING GOD Who KNOWS US and LOVES US; and AND is One Whom WE can KNOW and LOVE as well. The ultimate purpose of Prayer is NOT to make God change His mind, but rather to place ourselves in such a place of mind and spirit that HE can change OUR hearts and minds to more closely match HIS perfect will; Note that in Phi 4:6ff Paul NEVER said that by those prayers, supplications, petitions and thanksgivings we would always get what we were asking for; NO! Regardless of HOW God answers our prayers, whether yes or no, He has promised us something VASTLY MORE PRECIOUS: HIS PEACE ALWAYS GUARDING OUR HEARTS AND MINDS IN JESUS!! II. Hindrances to Prayer A. Bitterness - unforgiving heart Matt. 6:15, Heb. 12:15, Mk 11:25 B. Hypocrisy - praying to be seen Matt. 6:5; Job 27:8-10; C. Selfishness James 4:3 D. Unbelief James 1:6; Jer 29:13; Mk 11:24-25; Mat 21:22; E. Disobedience I Sam. 28:6. I Sam. 15:22 F. Pride Job 35:12-13; Luke 18:9-14 G. Secret/Unconfessed Iniquity Ps 66:18; Prov 15:29; 28:9; Isa 1:15; III. People and their Prayers; as you read these, ask yourself these questions: Who is praying?; Why are THEY/HE/SHE praying (ie what were the circumstances leading up to the prayer)?; Who are they praying FOR?; What did they ask for?; How do they pray (ie, are there apparant "parts" to their prayer), does it have an obvious beginning, middle and end, or obvious functional divisions (ie confession, praise, intercession, request, etc)?; What was the mood of the person praying (ie depressed, afraid, tired, joyful, etc), and did it change during the prayer?; A. Abraham - Gen. 20:7, 21:33 B. Moses - Ex. 15:24,25; 32:31-35 C. David - Ps. 104:1; 105:1-119; 51 D. Daniel - Daniel 6:10; 9:3-19 E. Nehemiah - Neh 1:4-11 and 9:5-38 F. Ezra - Ezra 9:5-15 G. Hezekiah - 2 Kings 19; H. Jeremiah - Jer 32:16ff; 37:3; 42:4; I. Jonah - Jonah 2:1 J. Jesus - Jn. 17:1-26; Luke 6:12; Matt. 26:36-46 IV. Fasting & Prayer - Mark 9:29; Acts 13:3; 14:23 Fasting for a Christian is an act of self-denial meant to focus the heart, mind, body, and soul of the Believer NOT on the FAST, BUT ON THE LORD WHOM WE ARE WORSHIPPING and PRAYING TO; this time of denial is to help us in soul-searching and repentance. Such a special time of focused communion with the Lord can thereby bring greater awareness of the power of God in our lives. Fasting is NOT 1. A way to bribe God to make Him give you what you want just in case He might have had some other plan you didn't want... 2. A way to impress others 3. A way to earn extra points with God Begin a fast slowly, one day at first. Refrain from solid foods, but drink plenty of fluids. If your health is in question seek your physicians counsel. As you fast, meditate on God's greatness, power, and majesty. Praise Him for who He is and for what He has done for you. End your fast in prayer & worship. Then, eat and drink to the glory of God, filled with joy at the provisions He gives us, both spiritual and physical. READING AND STUDYING GOD'S WORD Objectives: The student/new believer will understand where the Bible comes from and what God's Word is. The newborn child of God is likened to a physical newborn. No longer passively fed by a lifeline to the mother, rather cut off from it. The newborn must actively seek nutrition if he or she is to grow. God is the nurturer of the young Christian. He uses many methods but one food source to cause His children to grow; namely the Word of God, the Bible. I. The Bible is the source of nourishment. God provides the Christian upon which he or she will grow and thrive. I Peter 2:2 II. God's Word is called the Holy Bible. >Holy - meaning these words are separated as unto Him - A compilation of His revealed knowledge to humanity. III. The Bible: The book, the scriptures, the oracles, the Word, the testaments or covenants and the Law, all of which are synonymous with and contained in this compilation of 66 books. The Bible is broken down into the Old and new testaments, or covenants. The Old testament shows the sinfulness of mankind and the need for a Savior. It predicts the coming of the Messiah, hundreds and thousands of years before Christ was born. It contains Genesis, or Beginnings; Psalms, Proverbs, and the Prophets. The new testament or covenant contains the Gospels which tell of the entrance of God into the world in the person of Jesus the Christ (Messiah). They tell of Jesus's life on earth and His death, burial, and resurrection which provided the only way by which we could be saved. The book of Acts tells of the early Church; the letters of the Apostles, Paul, Peter, John, and Jude explains practical Christian living; and Revelation discloses the future Second coming of Christ. READ I TIM. 3:16-17 The Word is inspired, meaning "God breathed." Though there are many human authors from Moses to David to the apostles, all these men wrote exactly what God wanted us to know. This is why we can trust God's Word as true and profitable for "instruction in righteousness". READ MATTHEW 4:4 The Word is not only profitable for instruction but for life itself. If a Christian is to live the abundant life that God promised (Jn. 10:10), he must get a grip on God's Word. You must hear God's Word - Rom 10:17 from preachers and teachers who use God's word as their authority, not their own opinion. You must read God's Word on a regular basis - it is like eating regularly. In order to keep healthy spiritually you must have a steady diet of His Word. How else would you get to know God, His relationship to us, how to grow as a Christian and experience the abundant life? In studying God's Word, you begin to discover the foundations of faith that will hold strong against life's tempests. "Study to show thyself approved". (II Tim. 2:15) Memorization locks the Word in your mind to be retrieved whenever the Spirit desires, such as in witnessing of your faith to others or when you are going through discouraging times. Meditation causes God to work in a believers heart to make him more mature. This is a real exercise in growth. READ JOSHUA 1:8,9 Remember, there is a cause and effect. Don't be hearers only, but doers of the Word. (James 1:22) SOME PRACTICAL TIPS: 1) Set aside a time to read and study daily. When can you get alone with God? Are you an early riser or a night owl? 2) Use a good translation, and a Bible with helps - like a study Bible. Do not use a paraphrase, such as the Living Bible, it is not a translation. 3) Always read and study from the context of the passage to get the true meaning intended by God. 4) Remember the Bible means what it says. 5) Don't worry about what you don't understand... at some point God will reveal it to you. 6) Learn to use Bible helps - a Bible dictionary, a concordance, and a good commentary! Ask your teacher or Preacher. 7) Don't be afraid to mark in your Bible. Circle key words or underline key phrases. This will become a treasure to you as you see how God has worked in your life to mature you. WHAT IS A CHURCH? It is NOT enough to only explore the identity of the individual as one of God's newborns. Christianity MUST be understood by exploring what Scripture says about the corporate identity of Christ's people as a mystical unity and as functioning communities. The word "church" is used in so many ways by us today. It can mean a particular building (the church on 21st st), a denomination (the Southern Baptist Church), and even a Sunday meeting (did you go to church today?). NONE of these usages is particularly biblical. The Gr word translated in the Bible as "church" is ekklesia (ehÄklee'-see-ah). Like all but about 30 words found in the Gr text, this word had a plain every day meaning to the Gr speaking people. It was a combination of 2 words: ek "out" and kaleo "to call", literally meaning "called out group or assembly". By the 5th century B.C. ekklesia in common Greek usage had come to mean an official gathering of the full citizens of a Greek city-state who were called out to make political or judicial decisions. The Greeks never used the word to refer to religious fellowships. Actually ekklesia was used several different ways even in the Bible. Based on it's usage in the text, it was used to refer to: (1) A heathen assembly or town meeting (Acts 19:39); (2) The assembly of the Jewish people in the wilderness was called a "congregation" (Acts 7:38); (3) it was used to describe the entire number of saved persons through out time and the whole world who are united to one another and to Jesus Christ by the Baptizing work of the Holy Spirit (Rom 6:3-4; 1 Cor 12:12-13; Gal 3:27; Eph 4:5; Col 2:10-12), sometimes referred to by theologians as the "Church Universal". This "Church" started on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 11:15) and will continue until the Rapture (2 Thes 2; Rev 3:10-11; 1 Thes 1:10) at which time it will be removed from the earthly scene. (4) And finally, it was used to refer to a local or even regional gathering of Christian believers (Acts 11:22; 13:1; 1ÊCor 1:2; 8:1-2; 16:1, 19; Rev 2Ä3). The pathway into the local church is given in Acts 2:41: Saved -> Baptized -> added to the Church. The new community of Christians broke with Greek usage when they identified themselves as an ekklesia. The choice of words was appropriate though, since the Gospel proclamation called lost people out of the world to gather together in a totally new and unique fellowship. Ekklesia is mentioned 114 times in the New Testament and over 90% of the references relate to the local body of baptized believer in some certain specified place. Various good definitions of what a local church is (based on these references) can be found. Ryrie calls it a group of professing believers in Christ who have been baptized and who have organized themselves for the purpose of doing God's will. Another definition calls a local church an assembly of professed, baptized believers, in whom Christ dwells, under the discipline of the Word of God, and organized (1) to worship and glorify God, (2) to produce holy Christians, (3) to care for it's own (1 Tim 5), and (4) to do good in the world (Gal 6:10). And how is this all accomplished? It is done through evangelism, administering the ordinances (The Lords Supper and Baptism) and expressing and practicing the spiritual gifts (Matt. 28:19,20). As we talked about in an earlier lesson, these 2 ordinances can be briefly described as: 1) Baptism - the immersion of a believer wanting to publicly proclaim to the world what has taken place in his heart. It is the identification through obedience of one being a part of the body of Christ (the Church). It is NOT a requirement for salvation. 2) The Lord's Supper is a memorial of the redemptive work of our Lord and Savior. It is meant to edify, encourage and bring the individual believer into personal introspection (I Cor. 11:20-34). It is done in remembrance and is special and holy. It ALSO is NOT a requirement for salvation, although a Christain partaking unworthily brings God's chastisement upon himself. Another described the local church's purpose this way: when we gather for corporate worship, we should do so for exultation, edification, education and exhortation. When we leave, it should be to go out to ministry and missions. However, the church is more than an organization; it is an organism that has its life in the person of Jesus Christ. He is present in the midst of the Church (Matt. 18:20). Without the power and person of Jesus what once was a church becomes spiritually bankrupt (Rev. 2:5 [2Tim 3:5 about form /s power?). Jesus relates not only to individual believers but also to believers in community, as a gathering of believers. Scripture uses several images to better describe the actual meaning of the relationship between Jesus and His church: 1. The church is Jesus' body, a vital living extension of Jesus Himself. He is "appointed head over everything for the church, which is His body" (Eph 1:22). 2. The Shepherd and His Sheep (John 10) 3. The Vine and the Branches (John 15) 4. The Cornerstone and the Stones of the Temple (1 Co 3:9; Eph 2:10-22; 1 Pe 2:5) 5. The High Priest and the Kingdom of Priests (Heb 5:1-10; 6:13-8:6; 1 Pet 2:5-9) 7. The Bridegroom and the Bride (John 3:29; 2 Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-33; Rev 19:7-8) These themes must have been given to counteract the Western cultural worship of individualism. Christians MUST learn to live as a people called out of the world to BE TOGETHER, called to function AS A COMMUNITY and FURTHERMORE to do so in complete dependence upon the Saviour. We MUST learn to discern the Lord's will for us AS A COMMUNITY, AS A BODY OF BELIEVERS. Whenever we see the word "church" used in the NT, we need to look to what it says to US about OUR identity AS A COMMUNITY; about HOW we are to function as a community, NOT just how an individual functions apart from the body of believers. Not only do we, the church, have a relationship with our Saviour, we as Christians also experience relationships between each other in the church. God's Word creates several images to better describe the meaning of these relationships between believers within His church. Three major NT passages portray the church as a body: Rom 12, 1 Co 12, Eph 4. Each passage stresses interdependence, spiritual gifts, allegiance to one another and LOVE. We, as members of the Body of Christ, have different functions, just as a human body has different parts (Ro 12:4,5; 1 Co 12:4,5; Eph 4:11). The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts - divine enablements for ministry - so that each Christian in the body can function in a ministering way toward each of the other body members (Ro 12:6-8; 1 Co 12:7-11; Eph 4:11). God gave the early church seven sign gifts. They were gifts given as signs for unbelievers of Gods miraculous work through the first century Church. They were: Apostleship - Eph. 4:11 Prophet - Eph. 4:11 Healing - I Cor. 12:9 Languages - I Cor. 12:10 Miracles - I Cor. 12:10 Interpretation of Tongues - I Cor. 12:10 Discerning of Spirits - I Cor. 12:10 Then there were given serving gifts as well that continue even today. Gifts given by God to accomplish the building of His Kingdom. The serving gifts are: Pastor/Teacher - Eph. 4:11 (Overseer and Bible instructor) Evangelist - Eph. 4:11 (Church planter) Helps - I Cor. 12:28 (Meeting needs) Ministry - Rom. 12:7 (Spiritual guidance) Administration - I Cor. 12:18 (Business/organization) Ruling - Rom. 12:8 (Church leadership) Wisdom - I Cor. 12:8 (Scriptural Truth) Knowledge - I Cor. 12:8 (Practical application) Faith - I Cor. 12:9 (Spiritual trail blazing) Prophecy - Rom. 12:6 (Speaking forth the Word) Giving - Rom. 12:8 (Time/Talent/Treasure) Exhortation - Rom. 12:8 (Encouraging) Showing Mercy - Rom. 12:8 (Compassion) Love - Rom. 12:9 (The believers basic) God has given you one or more of these serving gifts. You will discover it by opportunity, ability, ease of accomplishment and a God-given desire. God never calls a Christian without giving the gift necessary to accomplish every deed and action. God also places every believer in a body where he or she can be most effective. But many believers through their own fleshly wisdom do not settle but move on and continually find less than God's best. Begin personal prayer to find what gift God has given you to serve Him. Each members contribution is needed (Ro 12:5; 1 Co 12:14-26) since only as each believer's ministry is practiced will the body grow and "build itself up in love" (Eph 4:14-16). In each of those 3 major passages mentioned the quality of interpersonal relationships is stressed. Love, intimacy and involvement in one another's lives are essential if we are to function as His body (Ro 12:9-21; Eph 4:25-32; 1 Co 13). This image of the body shows us that the church is to function as an interdependent, ministering community, gathered together so that we can serve one another. This is possible only if we are close to each other and love one another. In this way each of us as well as all of us together will grow. We can meet together Sunday mornings for worship and other activities and call that "going to church", but unless we also come together to function as the body described ib the NT, we have failed to truly be a Church. Another image found in Scripture is that of the Church as a Family. Family terms are seen through out the NT. Again and again we are identified as brother and sisters and at times even as fathers and mothers (1 Tim 5:1-2). Paul tells us in Ephesians that our corporate identity as a family is derived from God's nature as Father (Eph 3:14). In becoming children of One True Father, each of us has been drawn into God's universal family of faith, and therefore into family relationships with one another. Paul goes on to say that his prayer is that believers might function as family; that "rooted and established in love", the family members might "have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ" (Eph 3:17-18). As brothers and sisters under the One True Father, our family draws it's direction and discipline from our Father. A local church is to place itself under the authority of the Word of God (Acts 2:42). There are two types of discipline: 1. Positive discipline - positive proclamation of God's Word that leads to correct living and believing. 2. Negative discipline - "stop doing wrong"; rebuking because of sin as described in God's Word. Both are to bring the believer to growth and, when necessary, correction. God raises up leaders to shepherd the flock of believers (1 Cor. 12:28, Heb. 13:17). One God-ordained position of leadership is the Pastor and the Lord lists the pastoral qualifications in 1 Tim 3. BUT, the pastor was NEVER meant to be the SOLE source of leadership in a body of believers. Just as a family has children of different ages, God gives older believers spiritual leadership to bring other younger believers to spiritual maturity. The mature believer is one who does not concern himself with having his own way, basing his hopes on circumstances or other people, but rather is able to wait on God to bring about His understanding and to make His will clearly known. The mature person will make things right rather than justify himself, while the immature blames others and cannot remain loyal to his family, job, and church, but is constantly looking in dissatisfaction for some self-centered goal. And HOW do the older brothers and sisters help their younger siblings in the Lord? A function of the local church as a family is fellowship. It is the building of encouragement, edification and unity in the common bond of Christianity. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul told Timothy "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others." And in vs 24 of that same chapter he reminds us that the believer must "be gentle", not "quarreling", but "able to teach". We as believers are to seek to build up each other in Christ by meeting with, studying the Bible with, and praying with one another, considering "how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds" (Heb. 10:25). We must not forsake assembling together. We are to be in the church service not just for what God does for you, but as well, what God uses you to do in and through others; the older believers sharing what God has done in and through them with the younger ones. Chapters 1,2,& 3 of 1 John set the standard for Christian fellowship. This NT image of family declares the true ekklesia as a network of intimate, loving relationships. We have been made into family by the power of a Resurrection Saviour. Although there may be differences among members of a family, in practice and in convictions and even in doctrine, our fundamental identity comes from the fact that each of us who has trusted in Jesus for salvation has become a child of our Father's Family. And as children of that family, we are to love one another and all other believers as brothers and sisters (1 Th 4:9; 1 Pet 1:22; 1ÊJohn 3:11-15; 4:7-21). The above have so far described the churches relationship with our Saviour (upward) and our relationships with each other (inward). But we must also consider the nature of our relationship with the poor wretched unsaved world (outward). The mandate of the Church is to carry out the great commission (Matt. 28:18-20). It is not simply a back-slapping hand-shaking fellowship of social cronies, it is rooted in Acts 5:42. The first century church literally filled their city with Gospel teaching (Acts 5:28). The first obligation is evangelism - winning others to Christ. We were saved through our identification with His death, burial and resurrection when by faith we put our trust in Him (Ro 6:4-6; Gal 2:20). We were baptized as an outward identification with His death, burial and resurrection and as a public confession of our belief in Him. It was an action drama of outward confirmation of our inward condition. BUT, it is NOT just to US that we make this declaration of faith, it is to a sin-sick, lost and desperate world that watches us, wondering what it is that we have found. The churches outward role in service is to be that light of the world and salt of the earth that is impacting the lives of lost people with the grace of God from ALL of our lives. In 1 Cor. 1:26, Paul reminded that church body "But you [all] are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you show forth the praises of Him who called you out of a darkness into His marvelous light." To WHOM are we to show forth our Saviour? TO THE WORLD! When a believer loves God's children and His church more than he loves his own personal rights, then God supernaturally pours His power through the life of that believer INTO that world. The Great commission commands us to take the Gospel to every person, to win them to Christ, to disciple and instruct them to obediently follow in baptism and teach them to rightly divide God's Word and in turn lead others to Christ. God's method of blessing and growing a believer is through a New Testament, Bible-believing church that is totally committed to the Word of God and the people of God. That is why every believer should be a part of a Bible-believing church. Membership is an action we take to obey God's plan for our life. It enables us to send Missionaries, educate our children in God's Word, and reach our neighbors, friends, and relatives for Christ.