____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ February 27, 1994 ____________________________________________________ Some Things You Should Know You should know that in the New Testament the church is called... * The temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16). * The bride of Christ (Eph. 5:22-32). * The body of Christ (Col. 1:18,24; Eph. 1:22-23). * The kingdom of God's Son (Col. 1:13). * The house of God (1 Tim. 3:15). * The church (Eph. 3:10). * The church of God (1 Cor. 1:2). * The church of the firstborn (Heb. 12:23). * The church of the Lord (Acts 20:28). * The churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16). You should know that the church was... * Built by Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:13-18). * Purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28). * Built on Jesus Christ as the only foundation (1 Cor. 3:11). * Not built upon Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or any other man (1 Cor. 1:12-13; Eph. 2:20-22). * Fully established on the first Pentecost after Jesus arose from the dead (Luke 24:49; Mk. 9:1; Acts 1:2; 2nd chapter). * And is composed of the saved, who are added to it by the Lord who saves them (Acts 2:47). * And is ``the body of Christ'' (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; 1:24). You should know that members of the church are called... * Members of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27; 6:15; Rom. 12:4-5). * Disciples of Christ (Acts 6:1,7; 11:26). * Believers (Acts 5:14; 2 Cor. 6:15). * Saints (Acts 9:13; Rom. 1:17; Phil. 1:1). * Priests (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6). * Children of God (Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Jn. 3:1-2). * Christians (Acts 11:26; 26:29; 1 Pet. 4:16). You should know that the local church has... * Elders (also called bishops and pastors) who oversee and tend the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). * Deacons, who serve the church (1 Tim. 3:8-13; Phil. 1:1). * Evangelists (preachers), who teach and proclaim the word of God (Eph. 4:11; 1 Tim. 4:13-16; 2 Tim. 4:1-5). * Members, who love the Lord and each other (Phil. 2:1-5). * Autonomy, and is bound to other local churches only by the common faith shared (Jude 3; Gal. 5:1). You should know that the Lord Jesus Christ... * Established the church and called it His (Matt. 16:18). * Is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23). * Loved the church (Eph. 5:25). * Shed His blood for the church (Acts 20:28). * Adds saved people to the church (Acts 2:47). * Will save the church, the ``body of Christ'' (Acts 2:47; Eph. 5:23; 4:4; 1:22-23). You should know that man did not... * Purpose the church (Eph. 3:10-11). * Purchase the church (Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25). * Name Its members (Isa. 56:5; 62:2; Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16). * Add people to the church (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:18). * Give the church its doctrine (Gal. 1:8-11; 2 Jn. 9-11). You should know that to enter the church you must... * Believe in Jesus Christ (Heb. 11:6; Jn. 8:24; Acts 16:31). * Repent of your sins (Lk. 13:3; Acts 2:38) * Confess faith in Christ (Matt. 10:32; Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10). * Be baptized (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38; 10:48; 22:16). You should know that baptism requires... * Water (Acts 10:47). * Much water (Jn. 3:23). * Going down into the water (Acts 8:36-38; Matt. 3:5-6). * A burial in water (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12). * A planting (Rom. 6:5). * A raising out of the water (Acts 8:39; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). * A birth (Jn. 3:3-5; Rom. 6:3-6). * A washing (Acts 22:16; Heb. 10:22). You should know that by baptism... * You are saved from sins (Mk. 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). * You have remission of sins (Acts 2:38). * Sins are washed away by the blood of Christ (Acts 22:16; Heb. 9:22; 10:22; 1 Pet. 3:21). * You enter into the church (1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:41, 47). * You enter into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27; Rom. 6:3,4). * You put on Christ and become a child of God (Gal. 3:26-27). * You are born again, a new creature (Rom. 6:3,4; 2 Cor. 5:17). * You walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-6). * You obey Christ (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 10:48; 2 Thess. 1:7-9). You should know that the faithful church will... * Worship in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23-24). * Meet on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; Heb. 10:25). * Pray (Jam. 5:16; Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; 1 Thess. 5:17). * Sing, making melody with the heart (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). * Eat the Lord's supper on the first day of the week (Acts 2:42; 20:7; Matt. 26:26-30; 1 Cor. 11:20-32). * Edify one another (1 Cor. 14:15-27). * Give, liberally and cheerfully (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8:1-5; 9:6-8). You should know that in New Testament times there was... * One family of God (Eph. 3:15; 1 Tim. 3:15). * One kingdom of Christ (Matt. 16:18-19; Col. 1:13-14). * One body of Christ (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4). * One bride of Christ (Rom. 7:1-7; Eph. 5:22-32). * One church of Christ (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4-6). You should know that the same church today... * Is guided by the same word (1 Pet. 1:22-25; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). * Contends for the one faith (Jude 3; Eph. 4:5). * Pleads for unity of all believers (Jn. 17:2-21; Eph. 4:4-6). * Is not a denomination (1 Cor. 1:10-13; Eph. 4:1-6). * Is faithful to Christ (Lk. 6:46; Rev. 2:10; Mk. 8:38). * Wears the name of Christ (Rom. 16:16; Acts 11:26; 1 Pet. 4:16). You should know that you can be a member of this church... * By doing what people did 1900 years ago (Acts 2:36-47), as seen in this lesson. You should know that a child of God... * Needs to strive to be faithful throughout life (Rev. 2:10). * Because of sin, can lose salvation (1 Cor. 9:27; 1 Cor. 10:12; Heb. 3:12; 2 Pet. 2:20-22; James 5:19, 20). * Who has sinned can be restored, if he meets God's law of pardon (Acts 8:22; James 5:16; 1 John 1:9). If you are interested in being part of a church that is striving to follow the guidelines in this article (that have been taken right from God's word), come visit us at the Tri-state church of Christ. Our address and time of services are shown on the back of this bulletin. We look forward to seeing you soon. -- adapted from Sound Words ___________________________________________ "Though the fig tree should not blossom, And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail, And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold, And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation" (Habakkuk 3:17,18). ___________________________________________ Embarrassed When God asked Adam, ``Where art thou?'' it was embarrassing to him because he was in the wrong place and had done the wrong thing. When God asked Cain, ``Where is thy brother?'' It was embarrassing because of his sin. I remember reading a parable of the Lord--the marriage feast--where the king asked the man who did not have on a wedding garment, ``Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment?'' The man was embarrassed to the extent he was speechless (Matt. 22:12). We may have many excuses to offer now, but when before the great Judge we stand and He asks us about our lives of faithfulness and stewardship, there will be no excuse that we can offer. Jesus sees everyone; yea, he knows every thought and intent of the heart. Would it be embarrassing to you for others in the congregation to know just how little you study the Word of the Lord? Just how little we talk about the church and how little we are concerned about its progress? Or how little we give to the support of the church. There are so many little things we may leave undone that we ought to do and so many things we may do that are wrong that we ought not to do; things that would embarrass us before men and things that will certainly embarrass us in the presence of Christ at the judgment. We need to believe the truth that God is omnipresent! -- Selected ___________________________________________ "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished" (Nahum 1:3). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________