Distinctives of the Christian and Missionary Alliance of the Philippines
CHURCH ORDINANCES
Israel
CHURCH ORDINANCES
Ordinances of the church are ceremonies or practices that are ordained (ordered, decreed) by God in the bible.
The Alliance
Lesson 8
MISSIONS
Although the Great Commission give by
Jesus Christ to His followers is found in the New Testament, missions
originated in the Old Testament where the need for and history of salvation
began in the morning of our world.
I.
The Old Testament
In the Garden of
Eden Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God.
Along with His judgment of sin, God made the promise of redemption that
would be fulfilled when Jesus Christ would be victorious over Satan and sin –
Hebrews 2:14,15. And, because of
Christ’s victory, His followers would also be victorious – Romans 16:20;
Revelation 12:17.
With this background of God’s
plan of salvation for mankind, God took another step. He called Abraham. This begins the history of the nation of Israel
A.
What does Genesis
12:1-3, say about Abram (Abraham)?
B.
What does Romans
4:13 give as the reason for God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants?
C.
Genesis 12:3 is
interpreted in Galatians 3:6-9, 16,29.
1.
What was the Good News announced to Abraham?
2.
Why was Abraham accepted as righteous? (vs.6)
3.
Who are the real descendants of Abraham? (vs.7)
4.
Whom does this include? Why are they included? (vs. 8a)
5.
Through what physical descendant of Abraham would
salvation come? (vs. 16)
6.
Who, then, will receive God’s promises? (vs.29)
II.
New Testament
In the New
Testament God states that the Church of Jesus Christ (His followers) are His
priests and holy nation, His own people – and they are to proclaim the acts of God – 1Peter 2:9.
The Church of Jesus Christ is not to
simply act as a magnet to bring people to Christ, it is to actively go and tell. It is the
responsibility of the followers of Jesus Christ to tell the message of
salvation to all nations.
A. The word apostle
means messenger or one who is sent. This was used to
describe:
1.
Jesus, as the One sent by God – Hebrews 3:1.
2.
The prophets sent by God to preach to Israel
3.
The twelve disciples of Jesus – Mark 3:14-19;
6:7-12; 30.
4.
Those sent by churches – Acts 13:1-3.
B. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, just before He
was taken up to heaven, He talked with His disciples and gave them what we call
the Great Commission.
1.
Luke 24:47-49
a.
1) What is the message that must be preached?
2) How (in whose
name) is it to be preached?
3) To whom is it
to be preached?
4) Where are the
disciples to begin.
b.
1) Compare this message with that of John the
Baptist – Mark 1:4, and Jesus’ message at the beginning of His ministry – Mark
1:15.
2) What is
repentance?
3) Why must there be a
repentance before there can be forgiveness?
c.
1) What command instructions and promise does Jesus
give His disciples?
2) Why would they
need power from above?
3) To whom does
Jesus give these instruction, command and promises today?
4) Why do we also
need power from God?
2.
Matthew 28:16-20
a.
1) Who has been given all authority in heaven and on
earth?
2) On the basis
of this authority, what four things does Jesus command His disciples to do?
b.
What promise is given to those who obey Jesus’
command?
3.
Acts 1:1-9
a.
1) To whom did Jesus give instructions before He was
taken up to heaven? (vs.2)
2) Who gave Jesus
power?
b.
What proved Jesus’ followers that He was really
alive? (vs.3)
c.
1) What command and promise does Jesus give His
disciples? (vv.4,5)
2) Compare verses
4 and 5 with Mark 1:8 and Luke 24:49.
3) When would
Jesus’ followers be filled with power? (vs.8)
1)
What would be the result?
2)
Compare verse 8 with Matthew 28:19 and Luke 24:47.
4. Matthew 24:14
a.
What will be preached? Where?
b.
For what reason will it be preached?
c.
What will happen when this is done?
III. The responsibility of God’s Church Today in Missions
A. Although all of us have a responsibility to reach
our own “Jerusalem” and “Samaria” with the Gospel, god still chooses and calls
certain people to take the Gospel to other nations and people, just as He
called Paul during the days of the early church.
Acts 9:15; 13:2;
Romans 1:1;
Galatians 1:1, 15,16; 2Timothy 1:11
Even though it is not possible
for every one to go as missionaries to other countries, every Christian must be
willing to go if God calls him.
B. The apostle Paul considered it very important that
the Christians pray for him.
2Corinthians 1:11; Ephesians 6:19,20
Colossians 4:3,4
Today it is
equally important for every Christian to pray missionaries, as well as that
people in other countries will hear and believe the Gospel.
C. Members in the early churches also helped Paul
financially. Read Philippians
4:14-20.
It is still the
responsibility of every Christian to give financially to the work of missions, to
make it possible for missionaries to go.
In these three
way –by going, praying and giving – our church can fulfill its
responsibility to take the message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins to
all nations, beginning, but not stopping with our own country. The power of God which is provided by the
Holy Spirit will enable the church to accomplish this, but each individual must
do his part.
When all
Christians join together in obeying Christ’s command, our world can be reached
with the Good News of salvation.
The Christian and
Missionary Alliance began as a missionary organization, a nd today that is
still our purpose. That is why the Alliance
Because members
of Alliance churches here in the Philippines also share this responsibility, the
CAMACOP has its own missionary program, with some missionaries already serving
in countries outside the Philippines
