What Is the Church? (part II) 

Picture a fire of burning coals. If you remove one, which goes cold first, the individual piece or the group? The single coal will always burn out before the group. However, if the once coal is placed back in the fire, it has the ability to reignite with the group. You NEED the church. Also, the church NEEDS you. In Romans 12:3-8, the church is described as a body. As a body has many parts that serve different functions, so too, is the church filled with different kinds of people who have different gifts. How can we learn to function together? We can follow the model of Jesus and be motivated by love.  

Church is a movement on a message with a mission, modeled by Jesus and motivated by love.  

4. The Church has a MODEL in Jesus.

Eternity doesn’t start the moment you die, but the moment you receive Jesus. Heaven is waiting for your future, but you also have the opportunity to experience God’s promises here and now. Jesus promised his disciples that they would do “greater things” than He through receiving the Holy Spirit. 

John 10:10 

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 

John 14:6a (emphasis added) 

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. 

John 14:12 

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 

How is it possible for us to live like Jesus? We should walk like Jesus walked, and live like Jesus lived. We should emulate the pattern of living that Jesus modeled for us. 

1 John 2:6 

6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 

1 John 1:7 

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  

Ephesians 5:1-2 

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God 

Philippians 2:5 

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 

4. The Church has aMotivein love. 

In what’s called the Great Commandment, Jesus tells His followers to love Him with all their being, and to love others the way Jesus loved us. 

Mark 12:30-31 

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

John 13:34-35 

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this first week of studying what it means to be a disciple of Jesus together. We discussed how discipleship is about direction, not a destination. Discipleship is about relationship, not rules. And discipleship starts with a new identity. Next, we shared what it means to receive the Gospel, or the “good news” of Jesus. Third, we shared the fundamentals of being a disciple: following Jesus, fishing for people, and having fellowship with believers. Finally, we shared a practical definition of the church, learning that the church is a movement with message on a mission, modeled by Jesus, and motivated by love.  

• What have you learned this week? 
• What are the definitions of Gospel, Disciple, and Church? 
• Share and explain those definitions with someone this week. 

Next week, we’re going to build off these foundations and share your discipleship pathway, explaining how you can look to Jesus, live like Jesus, love like Jesus, and lead like Jesus. God bless!