𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣
• Do you like sharing your things (food, clothes, supplies) with other people? Why or why not?
• What was the biggest challenge you ever faced in a team game? What happened?
• Recall a time when you experienced victory or defeat with a group of people. Tell us what happened.


𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗
𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥, “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘥.” 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮, “𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘳-𝘑𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘩! 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘵.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟭𝟲:𝟭𝟲–𝟭𝟴

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵—𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭—𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝗘𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟰–𝟲

(Read also 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐖 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟑–𝟏𝟓.)

This passage records the first time the word “church” was mentioned. It’s from the Greek word ekklesia, which means “the called out ones.” The church refers to an assembly or gathering of people who have been called out for a specific purpose. Sometimes, this meaning gets lost in our context because we use the word “church” to refer to the place where believers gather to worship. But, Scripture clearly tells us that Jesus wasn’t referring to a physical structure. He referred to the church as a group of people. As believers, we are part of both the universal Church, which is composed of all true believers, and a local church or body of believers. Today, we will look at two characteristics of the Church Jesus is building.

𝟭. 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱.
𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥, “𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗱.” . . .“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘵.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟭𝟲:𝟭𝟲, 𝟭𝟴

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵—𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭—𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝗘𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟰–𝟲

Jesus asked His disciples who other people say the Son of Man is (Matthew 16:13) and what they thought (Matthew 16:15). God is calling out people on a personal level to come to the revelation of Jesus. In response, Peter rightfully declared that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is on this rock of revelation that the Church (God’s people) is built upon. He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who has come proclaiming that the kingdom of God has come (Mark 1:15). He is the Lord and Savior who restores people to a right relationship with Him. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15), ruling and reigning over the world. Our allegiance is to Him alone. Because of who Jesus is, the Church submits to His Lordship, serves in unity as one body, and will overcome. Because we have a shared Lord, how do you think people in our church should relate with God and with one another?

𝟮. 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵.
“𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘁. 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯.” 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗪 𝟭𝟲:𝟭𝟴–𝟭𝟵

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵—𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭—𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘮, 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝗘𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝟰:𝟰–𝟲

This is the truth that the Church proclaims to the world—that Jesus died on the cross to save mankind from sin and death, and after three days, He victoriously rose from the dead and is now reigning and ruling in heaven and on earth. Those who have faith in Christ are born of God and overcome the world (1 John 5:4–5). Death no longer has the final word over the Church since those who believe in Christ will be resurrected (Romans 8:11) and will have eternal life (John 3:16). As Christians, we have faith in what Jesus has done on the cross to save sinners from sin and death. We also have faith in His promise that He will build His Church and lead His people to victory. He is at the center of everything we do as the Church. Ephesians 4:3–6 tell us that we are to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because we have one Lord and one faith. According to Galatians 3:26–28, what happens when we put our faith in Jesus?


𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡
• Have you put your faith in Christ alone for your salvation and received Him as your Lord and Savior? Would you like to do this today?
• As believers, Jesus should be in the center of everything we do as individuals and as part of a community. How can you apply this truth in your life this week?
• Who are the people you are serving God with? What can you do to foster unity as you follow and serve Christ together?


𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥
• Thank God for building His Church on earth. Pray that He will always be at the center of your church community and that you will all serve Him wholeheartedly as one body.
• Ask God to reveal to you the people in your church community who may be feeling isolated. Pray for opportunities to reach out to them and connect them with other believers.
• Pray for the Church to be united in Christ and to fulfill His mission in every nation.