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Basic Discipleship
Written by Dr. Lester Hutson

This material is copyrighted c2002 and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the Berean Baptist Church.

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PHASE 3      CHURCH ORIENTATION AND EDIFICATION

SESSION 5

THE ORDINANCES OF YOUR CHURCH

This stage of the discipleship process is building understanding of and respect for the church into your disciple.  Starting toward the end of Phase 2, we began to talk about the church and its merit in the life of a believer.  Now we are looking at what a true church is, along with the ministry and worship that is its business.

It is so important that every disciple get hold of the church.  Apart from both an understanding of and serious involvement in the life of a sound church, the disciple will surely fail.  No doubt this accounts for the revolving door process and high turn-over rate that characterizes so many churches.  New converts (or transfer members) never become planted, anchored, a true part of the life of the church.  No roots go down there.  The result is weakness, stagnation, backsliding and a falling by the wayside in so many.  This discipleship course deliberately goes heavy on the church.  As one's Discipleship Minister, use whatever power and persuasion you have to ensure that the truths here are not missed and an appreciation and love for the Lord's church develops.  Don't let your disciple become infected with a free-lancer mentality and think that he can be successful in the work of the Lord apart from a church.  Session 6 will particularly emphasize that truth.

This session probes certain routine practices of the church.  It is designed to establish divine authority for these practices or ordinances and then to probe each ordinance in particular.  The work here should be fun as it's all arranged in a discover the truths for yourself format.  Remember that you have the answers; your disciple doesn't.  Always check in to see if he's having any trouble.

Stay close enough to your disciple to tell where he is.  You should be observing substantial growth and strengthening in him by this point.  Don't ever forget that old Satan has an eye on him, too.  The discipleship process will not go unchallenged.  As an older brother or sister, you may very well be a part of the defense of God for this babe in Christ.  Be alert.  Satan is subtle.  Don't let this babe get into spiritual trouble without help.  There is lots of controversy regarding the church.  Satan hates church truth.  This is a very likely time in the discipleship process for his attack.  The two areas most susceptible to attack are (1) your disciple dropping out of the discipleship process and (2) Satan's infecting him with false concepts regarding the church.

As I prepare this session, I am bathing it in prayer.  May it be a tool in the hand of God to create love and respect in many disciples for the Lord's church and its ordinances! 

Don't forget to give your disciple his next assignment.

Have you gotten into an elevator and noticed one of those little signs that said "No smoking" or "No guns" by "city ordinance?"  An ordinance is a kind of law or tradition that has the support or backing of one authority or another.

THE TWO SOURCES  OF AUTHORITY BEHIND ORDINANCES

Here is a list of Bible passages, all dealing with ordinances.  List each scripture under the correct heading.

Titus 1:14.  Luke 1:5-6.  Mark 7:6-9.  Colossians 2:8.  Colossians 2:22.    2 Thessalonians 2:15. 2  Thessalonians 3:6-7.  Galatians 1:14. 1 Corinthians 11:1-2.  Matthew 15:3-9.  Romans 13:1-6.  Psalm 19:7-11.

"Ordinances of the Lord"                        "The commandments of men"

Luke 1:5-6                                                  Matthew 15:3-9

2 Thessalonians 3:6-7                                Mark 7:6-9

1 Corinthians 11:1-2                                   Galatians 1:14

2 Thessalonians 2:15                                 Colossians 2:8

Romans 13:1-6                                          Titus 1:14

Psalm 19:7-11                                            Colossians 2:22

The goal of every believer should be to first obey God.  There could come a time when God's ordinance is in direct conflict with man's ordinance.  Such was the case in Acts 5:17-33.  Read verses 28-29 to learn what to do in such cases.  Fill in these blanks: "We ought to obey God rather than men."

WHY DON'T CHURCHES KEEP OLD TESTAMENT ORDINANCES?

As you read the Old Testament part of your Bible, you will see many ordinances being kept by the Israeli people.  They had a tabernacle and later a temple.  In there they methodically slew sheep, goats and other sacrificial animals. They kept a Passover Feast, offered incense and observed the Sabbath every Saturday.

You won't see these things being done in your church.  Why not?  The answer is all wrapped up in Jesus Christ.  Those Old Testament ordinances were not designed to save anyone.  They showed all men that salvation is not possible by the keeping of laws or ordinances.  The Old Testament pointed men forward to Jesus Christ.  Salvation is possible only in Him.

Read these scriptures and fill in the blanks.  You will rejoice in the beauty of Jesus Christ and how He did away with the many Old Testament ordinance that could never save sinners.

Romans 10:4          Christ is the "end" (termination, finalization) of the law for believers. 

Galatians 3:24. The law was our "schoolmaster" to bring us to "Christ." 

Colossians 2:13-15. Christ blotted out the "ordinances that was against us." 

Ephesians 2:14-16.    Salvation is in Jesus Christ, not in the keeping of  "ordinances." 

Hebrews 9:1-15.          In view of the work of Jesus Christ there is no need for Levitical ordinances. 

Galatians 4:9-10.          The Levitical ordinances are called "weak and beggarly elements."

          Believers in Jesus Christ know that the sacrifice of any animal, the keeping of Saturday or other Sabbath days, abstinence from certain foods or ritualistic activities of any kind can never take away sin and result in the salvation of anyone. They know that The Law disqualified all men and pointed them to Jesus Christ. 

          Read Romans 3:19. Circle the word(s) that best describes what The Law did to every man. 

          Justified       Condemned          Comforted          Forgave          Offered hope

          Read Galatians 2:16. Circle the word(s) that tells how many people the law has justified. 

          Multitudes                             144,000                                   Zero                       

                          All believers                                          An unknown number

CHURCH ORDINANCES

God has personally authorized and commanded churches to keep certain ordinances or practices.  Not one of them is designed to justify or save anyone. Their purpose is to remind church worshippers of the great work of Jesus Christ. Whereas Old Testament ordinances looked forward to the coming Christ and told all men that salvation and hope was exclusively in Him, church ordinances all point to the great redemptive work Christ has done for sinners and to His return.  They are reminders of Him.

There are three practices or ordinances routinely kept by true churches. Read these scriptures to see what they are.  After you read each scripture, fill in the blank with the name of the ordinance or practice.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26       The Lord's Supper 

Acts 2:41                              Baptism 

Acts 20:7                             Assembly on the Lord's Day

The Lord's Supper

Work this exercise to learn more about the ordinance of the Lord's supper. Match the verses to the correct answers. 

A. Matthew 26:26                                (F) Serious consequences for abuse 

B. Matthew 26:27-28                           (C) To be observed on the first day of the week 

C. Acts 20:7                                          (A) The bread symbolizes Christ's broken body 

D. 1 Corinthians 11:26                         (D)  To be regularly observed till Jesus returns 

E. 1 Corinthians 11:28                         (G)   Not to be eaten with anyone under church discipline 

F. 1 Corinthians 11:29-31                    (B)   The cup symbolizes Christ's shed blood.

G. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13                      (E)   Soul-searching and confession of sin a prerequisite 

Baptism

Work the following exercise to learn more about the ordinance of the Lord's supper. Match the verses to the correct answers.

Romans 6:4                                (B) Testifies of the believer having newness of life in Christ 

Romans 6:5                                (A) Testifies of the believer being dead to sin through Christ 

Matthew 28:19                           (D)  Must be by immersion to picture death, burial &  resurrection 

Acts 8:38-29                               (C)   Must be administered by church authority given by Christ.

The Lord's Day (Sunday)

          Work this exercise to learn more about the ordinance of the Lord's supper. Match the verses to the correct answers.

Acts 20:7                                (C) Practiced since the first Sunday after Christ's resurrection 

Matthew 28:1-6                      (B) Perpetually testifies of the resurrected, living Christ 

John 20:26                              (A)  Practiced on the first day of the week which is Sunday 

Hebrews 10:25                        (E)  Called "the Lord's day." 

Revelation 1:10                       (D) The logical day for church "assembling."

The Primary Emphasis of Each Ordinance

          Each church ordinance has many pictures and messages, although there is a major emphasis in each one. Connect the following scriptures with the correct primary message of each church ordinance.

1 Corinthians 11:26                   (C) Christ's burial 

Luke 24:1-6                                (A) Christ's death 

Romans 6:4                                 (B) Christ's resurrection

          The Unspoken Testimony of Keeping the Church Ordinances

          Complete this puzzle to see the unspoken testimony given by churches that keep the ordinances.

ORDINANCE                 PRIMARY MESSAGE          THE WORK OF CHRIST 

The Lord's Supper             Death                            "Christ died for our sins" 

Baptism                              Burial                             "Christ" was "buried" 

The Lord's Day                  Resurrection                 "Christ rose again the third day"

          Now read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. What is the message of Christ's death, burial and resurrection called? "The gospel."

          Read Romans 1:16. What is so special about "the gospel of Christ?" It is "the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth."

"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"