God is a God of patterns
The Tabernacle is a type and picture of a New Testament church:
Acts 7:37-38 Church in the wilderness * Ekklesia= called out assembly
Hebrews 8:2-6 Tabernacle is our example
Numbers 2
* Told where to live
* Why?
* Teach order, obedience, and servitude
* They are not their own
God’s purpose for man:
1 Timothy 2:3-4 Saved and come to the knowledge of the truth
* God has no plan for man to just be saved
* Saved, then come to the knowledge of the truth
* Why?
1 Timothy 3:15 Know how we ought to behave ourselves
* Why?
Leviticus 26:2-3 Reverence my sanctuary
* Why?
* Walk in my statutes and keep my commandments -Why?
* Why? God wants man to be in fellowship with God
1 John 1:3-7 That your joy may be full
* Fellowship with us- the Trinity
* A man cannot be in fellowship with God if he has sin in his life
* No matter what the sin is
1 John 3:4 Sin is the transgression of the law
* Transgression is to pass beyond, or over limits
* Why? God wants man to be a part of the Bride of Christ
Revelation 21:23-27 Who, of the saved, goes into the city?
* Only those whose names are found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life
Revelation 22:1-5 New City Jerusalem
Revelation 22:11-17 I come quickly and my reward is with me
* When Christ comes he brings his reward with him
* Verse. 14: They might have the right
* Not all have the right. Why?
* Verse 15: Dogs, sorcerers, etc…
* Saved, who for some reason had not the right. Why?
* Somewhere in their life they chose not to have fellowship with the Lord
* Verse 16, 17: The angels (preachers, messengers) came to teach them how to overcome- to have the right to enter into the city
* Whosoever will- why not all? Choice
Whose church is it anyway?
Matthew 16:18, 19 I will build
* Christ built his church
* Christ gave his church the keys to the kingdom- keys are authority
Acts 20:28 His church was purchased with his own blood
* Jesus shed his blood for man’s soul as well as for a place for man to be in fellowship with God
* Remember God’s plan for man?
Ephesians 2:19-22 Built upon the foundation
Ephesians 4:1-5 One Lord, one Faith, one baptism
* That Faith is a system of doctrines and teaching- one- Why?
Ephesians 4:11-32 Till we all come in the unity of the Faith
* Why?
* Perfecting of the saints= equals equipping the body of Christ
* Why? That we be no longer children tossed about by every wind of doctrine
* Why? Vs. 16 whole body fitly joined together
* Why all the instruction?
Colossians 1:17, 18 – Head of the Body
* Christ is the head of the body
* Not the membership
1 Corinthians 3:9-17 – Take heed how he buildeth thereupon
* Christ laid the foundation
1 Cor. 10:31, 32 – Whatsoever ye do
* Give none offence… nor to the church of God
2 Cor. 6:3 – Ministry be not blamed
* Why? Matthew 28:18-20 – All power is given unto me
* Christ has all power- the church does not
* The doctrines that are to be taught and practiced are Christ’s
* The church is to teach- salvation, baptism, then teach the all things (which equals doctrines)
* Christ is not with a church in everything she does or decides
* Vs. 20 alway- not always
Who does the adding?
Acts 2:47 – Lord adds
1 Cor. 12:18 – Set the members everyone in the body
* So if Christ told Israel where to live, where to move…
* If the tabernacle is a type and picture of a New Testament church…
* If Christ started his church, gave her the doctrines to follow and teach…
* If he shed his own blood for her
* If he warned man about taking away from those teachings and practices…
* If Christ chooses his bride based on his teaching and practices and how they were followed…
Whose church is it?
Acts 20:28-30 – Why warn about wolves?
Jude – Why warn?
* The church is who is warned
2 Peter 2:1-22 – Why warn about false teachers?
* Who were warned?
* If it is Christ’s church, Christ’s (God’s) teaching, if Christ is the head…
* Why would the membership not be God’s?
Colossians 1:17-18 – He might have the preeminence
* All things consist by and for Christ
* He is the head of the body
* In all things he might have the preeminence
Colossians 1:19-23 – Reconcile all things unto himself
* His church, his doctrine, his bride…
* But, your membership?
* That does not follow after the pattern of the scripture
Why is church discipline taught in the scriptures?
* Does God care what happens to man?
* Does God care about doctrines taught and practiced?
* Does God care about his church?
* Does God care about where a man goes to church?
Romans 16:1, 2 – Servant of Christ at Cenchrea
* Why did Phebe need a letter to Rome?
* If it was her membership, why did she receive a letter?
* Why would God add a member to a body if that membership belonged to the person and they could do with it what they wanted to do?
