The local church, part 1/5

Scripture shows clearly that there is a worldwide church body, but equally also local churches. And when we look at how Jesus’ first followers organized themselves as a local church unit, we see that they kept count of those who were part of that particular community. Below, listed, are records preserved in Scripture:

1. Jesus called twelve disciples into close fellowship with himself. All who followed Jesus’ life closely knew them by name. This was a carefully defined company of Jesus’ followers.

2. Luke’s Gospel tells how “the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them forth…” Again it was known who belonged to this wider company of disciples.

3. When the disciples waited for the miracle of Pentecost in Jerusalem, they are said to have been “about a hundred and twenty” gathered together. So apparently the membership of the church was known, but they were not entirely sure whether all were present. Those who were absent must have been sorry if they were somewhere else when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the other disciples on the day of Pentecost!

4. Those who came to faith on the day of Pentecost went to be baptized and were joined to the local church in Jerusalem. And it was known that on that day “about three thousand souls” were added to the church. That “about” is an interesting expression, for it is also used in a place where the sum was not particularly hard. Namely when the apostle Paul once met certain disciples in Ephesus, it is said that “they were in all about twelve men.”

5. In Acts chapter four it is said how “many of them that heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” So here too the number of believers was kept count of.

6. When in a certain situation “there arose a murmuring of the Grecian Jews against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration,” seven men were chosen to see to it that thereafter everything would go without fault. So it was not an undefined group of those responsible, but it was known by name who would thereafter be responsible for that task.

7. Whether the “book of life” mentioned in Revelation is figurative or a physical book, the revelation of it is in harmony with the earlier passages, showing that joining the church and belonging to it is of great significance. Among the first believers there was surely no disciple of Jesus who was not joined through immersion baptism to a local church. They were known by name, and for good reason, as we shall see later in this teaching series.

Scripture:

Mark 3 Luke 10 Acts 1, 2, 4, 6 Rev 20