Further Study: Ellen G. White, “The Divine Shepherd”, pages 476-484, in The Desire of Ages; “The Church on Earth”, pages 240-243, in Counsels for the Church. “In the context of the Temple in Jerusalem as well as the ubiquitous Greco-Roman structures, New Testament authors employ the temple metaphor to enable believers to visualize the sanctity of the church, God’s role … Continue reading –>
Read John 10:1-11. What aspects of this metaphor of the church as a sheepfold speak of unity? See also Psalm 23:1-6. In the modern world of large cities, it has become very rare to see animal husbandry of any kind. Most people now know little of the relationship between sheep and shepherds. However, when Jesus told this … Continue reading –>
Perhaps the best-known image of the church and one that speaks the strongest about the unity of its varied parts is the body of Christ. “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. … Now you … Continue reading –>
…Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. Ephesians 5:23 NLT When you pray and tell Jesus about the trials of your day, do you ever stop and ask Jesus how His day was? Remember, while you may have seen one person being abused, Jesus saw every … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: Metaphors of the New Testament church illustrate the nature of dependence upon God and the relationships that God’s people are called to have with each other. November 10, 2018 1. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 2:19-22. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is. … Continue reading –>
One body, many members. In His holiness, does Christ have many qualities? How do you know that? Will we ever fully understand the complicated but loving Christ? Try explaining how the Holy Spirit is like the wind. Hard to do unless you look first at John 3:8 where you’ll find an elegant word picture of the … Continue reading –>
There are two hymns that are the theme of this week’s study time: Hymn 606, “Once to Every Man and Nation” and Hymn 588, “Lord of All Nations”. These hymns will then bring a conclusion in Hymn 348, “The Church Has One Foundation”. The people of God know “God Is Love”, Hymn 349 and that God gives … Continue reading –>
Another building imagery Paul uses is that of the temple of God or of the Holy Spirit. It is the image of a costly and valuable building. Along with 1 Corinthians 6:19, where the image refers to one’s personal body as the temple of the Holy Spirit, Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 uses the image to refer to … Continue reading –>
Another image of the people of God in the New Testament is the house or household of God. It is a metaphor of stones and buildings that highlight the intricate and interdependent nature of human relationships in the church. Peter refers to Christians as “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5). This metaphor also contains a quality of … Continue reading –>
Read 1 Peter 2:9; Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:20; and Deuteronomy 7:6. What do these verses say about the special status of the people of God? The church is about people, but not any kind of people. The church is the people of God, the people who belong to God, who claim God as their Father and Savior, and who … Continue reading –>
