Grow in Grace 11

Grow in Grace

A CHRISTIAN TREASURES THE WORD AND SACRAMENTS

As we considered the Third Commandment regarding worship, we noted the importance of gathering to have God speak to us in his Word and having the opportunity to express our thanks and praise to God together. A Christian treasures other opportunities to study God’s Word. The following passages encourage this.

Psalm 119:103-105 “How sweet are your sayingsto mytaste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From your precepts I gain understanding. Therefore, I hate every false road. Your words are a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.”

Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and hold on to the things written in it, because the time is near.”

Romans 15:4 “Indeed, whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we would have hope.”

2 Timothy 3:14-17 “As for you, continue in the things you have learned and about which you have become convinced. You know from whom you learned them and that from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, well equipped for every good work.”

Acts 17:11 “Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians. They received the word very eagerly and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these things were so.”

What do you think are the benefits of reading the Bible on your own?

What do you think are the benefits of studying the Bible in a Bible Study setting?

For Additional Study Deuteronomy 11:18-23

Psalm 119:15-16, 47-48

Proverbs 2:1-6

Proverbs 4:6-7

Churches often have Bible study times for young children, teens, college-age, and adults. What benefits might be found in a structure like that?

THE SACRAMENTS

The word sacrament means “a sacred action.” There are three characteristics of a sacrament:

1. It has been established by Jesus for Christians to do.

2. It has earthly elements which are connected with God’s Word.

3. Itoffers, gives,and seals theforgiveness of sinsand with that,lifeand salvation.

There are two such sacred actions prescribed by Jesus for Christians: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Baptism

1. Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Fatherand oftheSon and of the Holy Spirit.”

2 & 3. 1 Peter 3:20b-21 “In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removalofdirtfromthebodybutthe guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Lord’s Supper

1. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which isfor you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the meal, he also took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

2 & 3. Matthew 26:26-28 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples. He said, ‘Take, eat, this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”

For Additional Study

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 2:38-39 “Peter answered them, ‘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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”

Luke 7:29-30 “When all the people (including the tax collectors) heard this, they declared that God was just, since they were baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and the legal experts rejected God’s purpose for themselves by not being baptized by him.”

God wants ____________________ to be baptized because _________________ are __________________.

What is Baptism?

The word baptize means “to apply water.” It is similar to our word “wash” in that it can be used in a variety of ways. We can wash things by sprinkling or pouring water over them, wiping water on them, or by immersing them in water. We find thattheBibleusestheword baptizo intheseways—forwashinghands,cookware, couches, etc. (Mark 7:3-4, Luke 11:38, Hebrews 9:10).

For this reason, we do not agree with Christians who insist on immersion as the only proper way to baptize. That is making a law that God did not make. It also ignores the way the word for baptize is used in the Bible.

Baptism is simply the application of water (often pouring) to a person and using words commanded by Jesus. It is the word of God which gives baptism its power. “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

The Blessings of Baptism

Acts 22:16 “Now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”

Acts 2:38 “Peter answered them, ‘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.”

1 Corinthians 6:11b “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

God gives the blessings of __________________ and _____________ in baptism.

For Additional Study

It is always water that is used in baptism: Matthew 3:11, John 3:5, Acts 8:36, Acts 22:16

Immersion?

The evidence we have suggests that Christians from earliest times understood that the simple application of water was necessary, and that immersion was not required. We find this evidence in various areas: Bible Nowhere in the New Testament is the word baptize used where it must be understood as meaning immersion.

Art

The earliest pictures of baptism always show other ways of baptizing, not immersion.

Literature

The Didache (late 1st century-early 2nd century) is a document that contains instruction in Christianity— including baptism— instructions regarding the organization of the church, and prayers. It includes this formula for a baptism: “pour out water thrice upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.”

Architecture

A baptismal font from around 200 AD held two gallons of water.

Romans 6:3-5 “Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him by this baptism into his death, so that just as he was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too would also walk in a new life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection.”

Galatians 3:27 “Indeed, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.”

God gives the blessing of a new ___________ here in this world through baptism.

For Additional Study

The powerful Word in Baptism Ephesians 5:25-26 1 Peter 1:23

Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

1 Peter 3:21 “And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the body but the guaranteeof a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Titus 3:4-7 “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, he saved us—not by righteous works that we did ourselves, but becauseof hismercy.Hesaved usthrough the washing ofrebirth andthe renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs in keeping with the hope of eternal life.”

God also gives the promise of ___________________________ through baptism.

Infant or Child Baptism

God’s desire isthat allpeoplebe baptized. Theage ofthe person doesnotmatter. We find some specific examples of adults learning about baptism, then responding to the invitation to be baptized. This was the case at Pentecost (Acts 2:38-41),with an Ethiopian man (Acts8:26-39), and with a prison guard inthe city of Philippi (Acts 16:29-34).For this reason, our normal practice isto instructthose who can understand what God says about baptism and then baptize them.

However, Godgivesno instruction aboutexcluding anyone frombaptismbecause of their age (or anything else!). The evidence we have suggests that this was understood from the earliest days of Christianity.

Origen, an early Christian theologian (c.184-253 AD), wrote: “The church received from the apostles the tradition to give even little children to baptism.” There was no long discussion that followed because it was commonly accepted, so there was no need to defend or explain.

The pastor normally baptizes because the congregation has called him to do that as they seek to do everything in an orderly way (1 Corinthians 11:40 and 1 Corinthians 4:1).

Any Christian may baptize, however, and should do so in the case of an emergency. It should be done as Jesus commands, using water and the Word of God. The simple method of baptism is to apply water to the person and say, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” A prayer of thanks to God may be spoken and/or the Lord’s Prayer.

At the Council of Carthage (250 A.D.), the question was asked whether baptism ought to wait until the eighth day. They were considering how baptism replaced circumcision, which God had instructed be done on the eighth day. The Council agreed that baptism should not be delayed. There was no question ofwhether infants should bebaptized, only whether they should wait until the eighth day. Infants were brought into the family of God through circumcision and no one doubted it. That same confidence was placed in baptism as the instrument through which God does that now.

Colossians 2:11-12 “You were also circumcised in him, with a circumcision not done by human hands, in the putting off of the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with Christ in baptism. And in baptism you were also raised with him throughthefaithworkedbytheGod whoraisedChristfromthedead.”

Infant baptism was never widely questioned until the 1500's.

Psalm 51:5 “Certainly, I was guilty when I was born. I was sinful when my mother conceived me.”

Baptism is for children because they are ___________________________.

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Baptism is for children because they are part of _____________________.

2 Timothy 3:14-15 “As for you, continue in the things you have learned and about which you have become convinced. You know from whom you learned them and that from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew16:2,6a “Jesuscalleda little child,hadhimstand inthemiddleof them… ‘But, if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin…’”

Matthew 21:16b “‘Yes,’ Jesus told them, ‘Have you never read, from the lips of little children and nursing babies you have prepared praise?’”

Baptism is for children because they can___________________________.

Acts 2:38-39 “Peter answered them, ‘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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call.’”

Baptism is for children because faith is a __________ that is ______________ and not something a person works for.

For Additional Study

The Bible tells us about whole families that were baptized (Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, 1 Corinthians 1:16) Parents often choose godparents (sponsors, witnesses) for their children. They can serve as witnesses to the baptism in the name of the Triune God. They can assist in Christian training. They can pray for their godchild.

The Necessity of Baptism

Acts 16:30-31 “Then he brought them outside and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.’”

Based on that exchange between the prison guard and the apostle Paul and his partner in ministry, Silas, how would you answer someone if they asked if baptism is necessary for salvation?

For Additional Study

Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

What is it that damns a person?

The Blessings of Baptism for our Daily Lives

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit we all were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free people, and we were all caused to drink one Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 6:11 “And some of you were those types of people. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”

1 Peter 3:21 “And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal ofdirt from thebodybut the guaranteeof a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Titus 3:5-7 “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and the renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs in keeping with the hope of eternal life.”

Galatians 3:26-27 “In fact, you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Indeed, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.”

How do the passages above help us when we think about our baptisms—whether we can remember the actual baptism or not?

THE LORD’S SUPPER

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper ashe was celebratingthe Passover Meal (which included wine and unleavened bread) with his disciples on Thursday, the day before he died on the cross. We have come to call that day Maundy Thursday because when Jesus spoke with his disciples that night, he gave them the command to love one another, along with the command to celebrate what we now call the Lord’s Supper. Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper is recorded in three gospels: Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20. The Apostle Paul also recalls it in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Each time the Lord’s Supper is celebrated, the pastor explainswhen Jesus instituted this sacrament and uses the words Jesus spoke to his disciples:

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying: ‘Take and eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: ‘Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”

Matthew 26:26-28 “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples. He said, ‘Take, eat, this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”

The wordsof Jesus,alongwith theearthlyelementsand thepromised forgiveness of sins, make this a sacrament as a person receives it.

According to Jesus (in Matthew 26), there are four things that are present in this sacrament:

Lutherans call this scriptural teaching

Other Teachings about the Lord’s Supper

Scripture teaches The Real Presence Transubstantiation Representation Spiritual Reception

Forgiveness of sins

Strengthening of faith Adoration (worship) of the host

Memorial meal No forgiveness

Memorial meal No forgiveness

For Additional Study

Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Eucharist (Greek word for “giving thanks”), the Lord’s Table, are all names for the meal Jesus instituted.

Hebrews 7:27; 9:28

Circle the four things present in the Lord’s Supper as the Apostle Paul explains it in the following verses.

1 Corinthians 10:16 “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ?”

1 Corinthians 11:23-29 23 “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night when 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 the meal, he also took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinningagainsttheLord’sbodyandblood. 28 Instead, letapersonexaminehimself andafterdoingso,lethimeatofthebreadanddrinkfromthecup. 29 Forifanyone eats and drinks in an unworthy way because he does not recognize the Lord’s body, he eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

The word “communion” in 1 Corinthians 10:16 means “joint partaking, participation with, together with.” The Lord’s Supper is also called Communion because of oneness or togetherness that is found in three ways:

Communion between the _______ & _______and the _______& _______

Luke 22:19-20 “He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, he took the cup after the supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new testamentin my blood, which is being poured out for you.’”

Communion between me and ______________________________________

1 Corinthians 10:16-17 “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion ofthebodyof Christ? Because thereisone bread,we,who aremany, are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.”

Communion between me and ______________________________________

It is important to truly be “one body” as we participate in the Lord’s Supper. This means that those who commune will be united in their understanding of God’s Word, not only in regard to the Lord’s Supper, but in all that Scripture teaches.

For Additional Study

“Testament” as in last will and testament. Another word for this is “covenant” or “solemn agreement. This new covenant is that God forgives sins because Jesus died for us. It is signed in Jesus’ blood. Review: Things to consider about Christian churches and denominations, p. 36-37.

Caution with the Lord’s Supper

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 “Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Lord’s body and blood. Instead, let a person examine himself and after doing so, let him eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For if anyone eats and drinks in an unworthy way because he does not recognizethe Lord’s body, he eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

The Apostle Paul warns us not to receive the Lord’s Supper “in an unworthy manner.” He then explains how we should approach it.

What does he say we are to do?

What do you think that means?

If a person fails to examine and recognize these things, what is the result?

Pastors are called to care for people spiritually and are accountable to God for their service toward them. Considering the cautions Scripture gives regarding the Lord’s Supper, why would churches have the practice of Member Communion?

For Additional Study

When might even a church member be denied the Lord’s Supper?

Because of God’s direction that a person must be able to examine themselves in order to receive the Lord’s Supper, the sacrament is withheld from others:

1 Corinthians 11:24-25 “And when he hadgiven thanks, hebroke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the meal, he also took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”

It would not be offered to someone who ________________________________.

This would include:

To repent of our sins means that we:

1. Acknowledge our sin

2. Ask God to forgive us

3. Trust that he does forgive us

4. Intend to not sin in that way again

Other names for Member Communion are Close Communion (for those “close” in faith) and Closed Communion (“closed” to those not having the same beliefs).

Preparing for the Lord’s Supper

When there is sin, repentance is needed. God calls his people to care for each other spiritually by calling each other to repentance when sin is known. Jesus himself gave specific steps to follow:

Matthew 18:15-20

Step 1: 15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his sin just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother.

Step 2: 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

Step 3: 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.

Step 4: And, if he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as an unbeliever or a tax collector.

Jesus’ Promise: 18 Amen I tell you: Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Amen I tell youagain:Iftwo ofyouon earth agreetoaskforanything,it willbedone forthem by my Father who is in heaven. 20 In fact where two or three have gathered together in my name, there I am among them.”

What Christians are to do for each other in their personal lives, pastors are called to do in the name of the congregation. There are several ways this happens.

Worship

Confession of sins and absolution (the forgiveness of sins) is part of public worship. The pastor confesses his sins along with the congregation and announces forgiveness to repentantChristians,trustingJesus’words,“Wheneveryou forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven” (John 20:23a).

The preaching of God’s Word includes pointing out sin, calling to repentance, and giving the assurance of forgiveness in Jesus.

Counseling Personal conversations with an individual may include explaining the need to repent of sin and giving the assurance of forgiveness.

Lord’s Supper Confession and absolution are part of the service leading up to the Lord’s Supper. The pastor may, out of love for a person’s soul, exclude a person from the sacrament because of unrepentant sin.

For Additional Study

The work of spiritually caring for us is called the Ministry of the Keys. It gets its name from the words of Jesus to his disciples in Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” *Binding is the “tying” of sins to an unrepentant person; loosing is freeing a repentant person from the bonds of their sin with the assurance of forgiveness.

John 20:21-23

2 Corinthians 5:1820

2 Samuel 12:1-13 The Prophet Nathan confronts King David with his sin

Christians have a personal responsibility before God to approach the Lord’s Table properly. They are to prepare for the sacrament. A belief in Christ’s sacrifice for their sin is necessary. They are to recognize that Jesus’ body and blood are present with the bread and the wine. Repentance for sins is needed as we look for forgiveness in Jesus’ blood shed for them.

To repent of our sins means that we:

1. Acknowledge our ___________________.

2. Ask God to ______________________ us.

3. _______________ that he does forgive us.

4. Intend to ___________ in that way again.

Matthew 5:23-24 “So if you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift.”

Those words of Jesus refer to Jewish worship, but they speak of being in a proper spiritual condition in order to worship God. If our sin has disrupted relationships with others, we are to repent of those sins to them. We do not come before God with a proper heart if allow our sins against others to remain.

Blessings of the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Revelation 1:4-5 “Graceto youandpeace…from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his own blood.”

In the Lord’s Supper we receive ________________________________________.

Romans 6:22-23 “But now, since you were set free from sin and have become slaves to God, you have your fruit resulting in sanctification—and the final result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the undeserved gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

When there is forgiveness of sins, there is also a new life of _________________ now and _____________ life with God later.

In the Lord’s Supper God gives us a special gift, received with all our senses. It is a deeply personal communion with our Savior as well as a communion with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We thank God for this precious gift!

For Additional Study

Because of the blessings given by God in the Lord’s Supper, we will want to receive it often:

When our faith is weak (Isaiah 42:3)

When we struggle with sin (Romans 7:19)

When we need help (Hebrews 4:15-16)

When we need strength (Colossians 2:6-7)

To proclaim Christ with our life (1 Corinthians 11:26)

MEMBERSHIP IN A CHURCH

Membership in a church ought to be based on agreement that what is taught and preachedthereiswhatGod saysinScripture.Astudyofthe Bibleand thechurch’s teaching is necessary.

Membership in a church is important for the Christian’s spiritual well-being. A church is a family of believers. Like a typical family, they are there to support and encourage. They are even there to confront us when we are wrong. In a church this means spiritual support and loving redirection so that our faith in God is healthy and strong. In other words, we are there for each other.

Membership in a church means that you have a pastor(s) who is committed to serving youwithGod’sWord andthesacraments.Theyaremen whocarefor your soul.

Membership in a church means that you have a place that offers you opportunities to use your gifts and abilities to serve the Lord and others. We all have different gifts, and all are useful in God’s church. Serving others and sharing the gospel with others is the mission of the church.

In becoming a member of a church, a person is saying that:

 They understand what the church believes and are in agreement with it.

 They desire to be part of a family of Christians.

 They desire to have a pastor(s) for their spiritual care.

 They want to support the mission of the church with their time, their abilities and with their offerings.

What is Confirmation?

A person who would like to become a member of Grace is received into membership through Confirmation. Confirmation is a brief rite or ceremony which takes place in a worship service. It gives the new member (confirmand), theopportunitytoconfesstheirChristianfaithandexpresstheirdesiretobecome a member of the church. If a person has not been baptized, baptism would precede Confirmation.

For Additional Study

2 Timothy 3:14-17

Romans 16:17

Titus 1:9

Acts 2:42

Galatians 6:1-2

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Romans 15:1-7

Hebrews 10:25

Jeremiah 3:15

Hebrews 13:17

Ephesians 4:11-15

1 Corinthians 12

Romans 12:3-8