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Gospel of Matthew – The Authority of the Church

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It’s always worth repeating that the church is the Body of Christ. Our Lord, the crucified and resurrected Christ, imparted His life into His believers, producing His universal Body. Have you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ? If you have, then you have received His life and are a member of His Body, which is the church.

The Lord Jesus refered to the church in two instances in Matthew. In the first, in chapter 16, He spoke of the universal church (“I will build My Church”), and in the second, in chapter 18, He spoke of the local church (“tell it to the church”). The local churches are the many manifestations of the Body of Christ on the earth.

The Head of the Body of Christ is Jesus Christ Himself. We do not share in His Godhead. However, we do see in the gospel of Matthew how the authority of the Head is executed through the local church. Furthermore, by pointing out binding and loosing in both references to the church, we see that God’s intention for the church is that she would exercise dominion to deal with Satan and every negative thing.

In this Bible study we’ll take the following steps:

  1. Look at the verses and study them with the help of the footnotes in the Recovery Version of the Bible.
  2. Read a helpful excerpt from the ministry of Watchman Nee.
  3. Answer questions to encourage much fellowship.

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Footnote Concerning “gates”,…

Gates of Hades refers to Satan’s authority or power of darkness (Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18), which cannot prevail against the genuine church built by Christ upon this revelation concerning Him as the rock, with stones such as Peter, a transformed human being. This word of the Lord’s indicates also that Satan’s power of darkness will attack the church. Hence, there is spiritual warfare between Satan’s power, which is his kingdom, and the church, which is God’s kingdom.

Matthew 16:19 I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in the heavens.

Footnote Concerning “kingdom”,…

Kingdom of the heavens is used here interchangeably for church, which is used in the previous verse. This is a strong proof that the genuine church is the kingdom of the heavens in this age. This is confirmed by Rom. 14:17, in which the kingdom of God is mentioned in obvious reference to the proper church life.

Footnote Concerning “bind”,…

This Gospel is concerned with the kingdom of the heavens, which is a matter of authority. The church revealed in this book represents the kingdom with its reign. Hence, the authority to bind and to loose was given not only to Peter, the apostle for the church here, but also to the church itself (18:17-18).

Footnote Concerning “have”,…

Whatever the church people bind or loose on earth must be something that has already been bound or loosed in the heavens. We can bind or loose only what has already been bound or loosed in the heavens.

Matthew 18:17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you just like the Gentile and the tax collector.

Matthew 18:18 Truly I say to you, Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

Footnote Concerning “bind”,…

Here to bind means to condemn, and to loose means to forgive.

Mt 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Footnote Concerning “authority”,…

In His divinity, as the only begotten Son of God, the Lord had authority over all. However, in His humanity, as the Son of Man and the King of the heavenly kingdom, authority in heaven and on earth was given to Him after His resurrection.

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Footnote Concerning “therefore”,…

Because all authority was given to Him (v. 18), the heavenly King sent His disciples to disciple all the nations. They go with His authority.

Footnote Concerning “disciple”,…

This is to make the heathen the kingdom people for the establishing of His kingdom, which is the church, even today, on this earth.

Helpful Excerpt from the Ministry of Watchman Nee

The Local Church Being the Manifestation of the Body of Christ on Earth

Questions to Encourage Fellowship

  1. What is the authority of the Body?
  2. How do you see the local church executing the authority of the Body in Matthew chapter 18, verses 17 and 18?
  3. The excerpt states: “A person who sees the Body seeks fellowship and accepts the leading of the church.” Do you have an experience of this that you can share?
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Gospel of Matthew – Matthew 18:17 – Tell it to the Church

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We previously saw how the church is the Body of Christ and how the believers are all the many members of the one Body. In this Bible study we see the local church.

In addition to what is below, we highly encourage you to open your Bible and also read Matthew chapter 18 – the whole chapter. 

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 18:15-17 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go, reprove him between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you just like the Gentile and the tax collector.

The church revealed in 16:18 is the universal church, which is the unique Body of Christ, whereas the church revealed here is the local church, the expression of the unique Body of Christ in a certain locality. Chapter 16 concerns the building of the universal church, whereas this chapter concerns the practice of the local church. In both of its aspects the church represents the kingdom of the heavens, having authority to bind and to loose. (footnote for Matthew 18:17 in the Recovery Version of the Bible).

The Local churches in the New Testament

Romans 16:1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church which is in Cenchrea,

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, the called saints, with all those who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place, who is theirs and ours:

2 Corinthians 8:1 Furthermore we make known to you, brothers, the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,

Galatians 1:2 And all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

Revelation 1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

Revelation 1:11 Saying, What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.

Acts 13:1 Now there were in Antioch, in the local church, prophets and teachers: Barnabas and Simeon, who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 14:23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church and had prayed with fastings, they committed them to the Lord into whom they had believed.

Titus 1:5 For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things which I have begun that remain and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you:

Being like Little Children

Matthew 18:1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who then is greatest in the kingdom of the heavens?

Mt 18:4 He therefore who will humble himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens.

Questions for Fellowship

1. Using the New Testament verses above, (or other verses), and the attached readings, can you explain how the Lord is practically fulfilling 1 Corinthians 12:25, “That there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same care for one another”?
2. Who in your local church can you go to if you have a problem you need help with?

Readings from Ministry Samples

The Church in the New Testament

The Proper Church Life for the Kingdom

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Gospel of Matthew – The Members of the Body of Christ

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Although we are still studying the Gospel of Matthew, seeing the church in Matthew 16:18 has launched us into the intrinsic view of the church, which is the Body of Christ. We saw that only those who have received the life of Christ form a part of the Body of Christ. In this Bible study we explore the fact that we believers are the members of the Body. We also ask a couple of questions to help us open up to the Lord and to one another – that we might see His Body and enter into its experience.

Questions for Fellowship

1. In the attached excerpt (linked in the second reading), Watchman Nee briefly refers to the universal aspect of the church as the Body of Christ. Who do you think is included in the universal Body of Christ?
2. What can we do to practice the Body life?

Readings

Members of His Body

Ephesians 1:22-23 And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.

Members one of another

1 Corinthians 12:12 For even as the body is one and has many members, yet all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is the Christ.

 

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Gospel of Matthew – Matthew 16:18 – I Will Build My Church

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In this Bible study we have 3 questions and two readings. We will dig deep into the significance of the church in this and the following few Bible studies. We believe this is the right time for the Lord to unveil us further concerning the church. Let us get into it in a prayerful way.

Questions for Fellowship

1. When you were a kid, what did you think was the meaning of
the word “church”?
2. How has your realization of the church changed over the
years?
3. If someone asks you for some steps they can follow to begin
to have a personal time with the Lord, how would you answer
them?

Readings

Seeing The Church

Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The Church as the Body of Christ

Ephesians 1:22-23 And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all.

Bethel

 

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Gospel of Matthew – Taking the Way of Righteousness – Baptism

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Matthew 5:20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

Philippians 3:7-10 But what things were gains to me, these I have counted as loss on account of Christ. 8 But moreover I also count all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ 9 And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is out of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is out of God and based on faith, 10 To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

To live a life that takes the way of righteousness is to live, work, and act according to God, but, what does this mean?

The first part of living in the way of righteousness is to obtain righteousness objectively. This happens through our repenting of our sins and believing in the gospel of Jesus Christ. He died for us and if we confess our sins and believe in Him, then we receive Him as our life and God counts us righteous. This righteousness is not based on any of our doings, but it is altogether based on Christ’s doings. We call this our objective righteousness.

The second part of living in the way of righteousness happens when Christ continues to live in us, through us, and out of us. Anything good that comes out of us without our living Christ is not righteousness. Only that which comes out of the Christ in us is true righteousness. This is what we call our subjective righteousness.

In the Old Testament, people followed an outward law, something they thought would govern their behavior. The scribes and Pharisees attempted to keep the old law through their natural life (without Christ). When we come to Matthew chapters 5 through 7 the uplifted law of the kingdom is revealed. However, the New Testament shows us a new way, a new way to live that is different from the Old Testament. The new and uplifted law of the kingdom requires a new life – the divine life. Having this new life and living by it is the way of righteousness. This way actually fulfills the entire law.

What about Baptism?
Baptism was introduced at the beginning of the New Testament indicating a great change from the old way to a new way. The way to live righteously before God is to terminate our old, natural life and receive a new life and live by it.

The righteousness we are speaking of here is not something that we must work out—it is altogether something that is from Christ and is even Christ Himself.

Through the baptism of death we are terminated in the flesh; through the germination of Jesus’ baptism we are regenerated to be joined to the God of resurrection. The highest righteousness in the whole universe is termination and germination. If we want to achieve this highest righteousness, we must be terminated and then germinated by God. (Crystallization Study of Matthew, Message 6, Andrew Yu).

We encourage you to go to the Lord, praying about these things, even as you read the verses and consider the points in the attached slides below.

Taking the Way of Righteousness – Baptism – PDF
Taking the Way of Righteousness – Baptism – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Matthew – The Seed of the Kingdom

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We have mentioned that the gospel according to Matthew presents the gospel of the kingdom. In this Bible study we want to see that the kingdom is established and developed through the seed of the kingdom.

First we will see the parable of the sower. Then we want to emphasize that Christ the King is literally within His believers – as opposed to only being in them figuratively. This is very important, especially since we conclude this Bible study seeing the expansion of Christ as the king. That’s right, “The expansion of Christ”. How can this be? What does this mean?

If you have a soft heart toward the Lord, we believe you will be enlightened through this Bible study and even enter into the experience of the kingdom.

The Seed of the Kingdom – PDF
The Seed of the Kingdom – PowerPoint Slides

The Seed of the Kingdom – Extra Excerpt (about the Expansion of Christ the King…)

Further Reading from an excellent Ministry Sample:
The Seed Being the Word of God, The Sons of the Kingdom, and Christ Himself

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Gospel of Matthew – You Therefore Shall be Perfect as Your Heavenly Father is Perfect

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For Matthew Chapter 5, the outline in the Recovery Version of the Bible opens up to us “The Decree of the Kingdom’s Constitution concerning…

1) The nature of the kingdom people,
2) The influence of the kingdom people,  and
3) The law of the kingdom people.   

We encourage you to read this whole chapter. The humanity presented by our Lord Jesus in this chapter is the highest humanity. Many of us would wonder if what is found here is even attainable.  The last verse tells us how our Lord feels about this. It is an unwavering statement. 

You therefore shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:48

The context for this verse is love, and love is God’s nature.  In this Bible study, we want to linger on this unwavering and now resounding statement and enter into its being worked out in us. Ready? Let’s go. 

You Therefore Shall be Perfect as Your Heavenly Father is Perfect – PDF
You Therefore Shall be Perfect as Your Heavenly Father is Perfect – PowerPoint Slides

You Therefore Shall be Perfect as Your Heavenly Father is Perfect – Extra Excerpt

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Gospel of Matthew – The Divine Trinity in Chapter 28

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God became a man. This was Jesus Christ – the God-Man. He came as the King to establish His kingdom on earth. He then died on the cross to save us from sin and death. This wonderful one resurrected and became a life giving Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 15:45). Upon such a victorious and triumphant resurrection He came to His disciples and announced:

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, – Matthew 28:18b-19

This charge to the disciples was central, monumental, and full of revelation. First, we have to point out that the Divine Trinity is revealed in a marvelous way. Second, we have to see how this charge, with such a revelation of the Divine Trinity, makes the sinners’ entrance into the kingdom real and practical.

In order for sinners to repent, believe into Jesus, and enter into His kingdom, the disciples (of whom we are an extension and continuation) were to go and disciple the nations and baptize them. 

What does all this mean? Jump into the attached full Bible Study! 

The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 28 – PDF
The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 28 – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Matthew – The Divine Trinity in Chapter 12

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It is a real sweet thing to study the Divine Trinity in Matthew. We see God’s acts, we see His ways. In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus is being mocked, rejected and blasphemed. In the midst of such persecution He takes the opportunity to reveal how the Divine Trinity moves in His oneness.

Dive into God’s word and be awed by this wonderful Triune God. What’s more, be led by Him into the divine and mystical realm where He shares His very oneness with His believers.

In addition to the attached slides, we recommend this excerpt from the ministry of Witness Lee, titled: COORDINATION IN THE MEETINGS

Download the full Bible study here:

The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 12 – PDF
The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 12 – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Matthew – The Divine Trinity in Chapter 6

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Before getting into the attached slides, enjoy these tasty verses revealing the Divine Trinity in chapter 6 of Matthew and His wonderful 3-fold wish.

Matthew 6:9-13 You then pray in this way: Our Father who is in the heavens, Your name be sanctified; 10 Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Psalms 8:1 O Jehovah our Lord, / How excellent is Your name / In all the earth, / You who have set Your glory over the heavens!

Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.

[The reality of these verses] is being fulfilled in this age, and it will be ultimately fulfilled in the coming kingdom age, when the name of God will be excellent in all the earth (Psa. 8:1), the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of Christ (Rev. 11:15), and the will of God will be accomplished. Our heart is beating and blood is pumping through our veins to fulfill this threefold desire of the Triune God—that His name would be excellent in all the earth, the kingdom of the world would become the kingdom of Christ, and the will of God would be accomplished fully in this universe. We have to pray for this to happen, and we need to ask the Lord as the Spirit of reality to guide us into this reality in our daily life for the church life. (Crystallization Study of Matthew, Vol. 1, Message 4, Ed Marks)

In this Bible study we have 3 main parts, followed by an extra excerpt.

  1. The 3-Fold Wish of the Triune God
  2. The Alpha and the Omega
  3. Application in our Daily Life

Download the full Bible study here:

The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 6 – PDF
The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 6 – PowerPoint Slides
 The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 6 – PDF – Extra Excerpt

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Gospel of Matthew – The Divine Trinity in Chapter 3

In this Bible study we want to see three things.

  1. The Divine Trinity at the King’s Anointing.
  2. The Spirit Upon Him (the Lord Jesus) for His Commission.
  3. We need to be the same as Jesus.

Make this your Bible study. Linger in the Word of God where He leads you. Fellowship with one another your experiences and the light that you see in God’s word.  More than anything, contact the living God. Pray. Call on His Name. The Divine Trinity is on the move again this week and is for our enjoyment.

Download the full Bible study here:

The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 3 – PDF
The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 3 – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Matthew – The Divine Trinity in Chapter 1

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Our God is the Divine Trinity, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Whatever God does in His Divine move, He does in His Divine Trinity. This is a revelation – What God does, He does in His Divine Trinity. In the coming Bible studies we will visit passages from the Gospel of Matthew revealing the Divine Trinity in the divine move. In this Bible Study we look at chapter 1 of Matthew and the Divine Conception.

Please download the full Bible study in your preferred format.

The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 1 – PDF
The Divine Trinity in Matthew Chapter 1 – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Matthew – Taking the Lord as Rest, Eating Him as Crumbs, and Doing the Father’s Will

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God’s goal is to gain us so that we express Him, all the time, to the fullest extent. Is this possible? How do we get from where we are now to this lofty goal of God? Is it about doing successful good works? What way does Christ show us?

In this Bible study we look at taking Christ as our rest; we look at taking him as bread, and even crumbs; and we look at doing the will of God.

Christ is one who rested in doing the will of God. His delight did not come from outward successes but from seeing God’s will done on earth. He invites us to be like Him.

As with all our Bible studies, the “meat” comes from diving into God’s word together and discussing it. We invite you to join us or gather with some others to study (and eat) God’s word together.

Please download the full Bible study in your preferred format.

Taking the Lord as rest – PDF
Taking the Lord as rest – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Matthew – Christ is the Son of Man

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In the Gospel of Matthew, the King Savior, Jesus Christ, comes to establish His kingdom on earth. In this Bible Study we see that He uses the term “Son of Man” when referring to Himself. Why does He do this?

We invite you to dig deep into God’s word with us again. Revelation awaits you in this Bible study, that is, the unveiling of things not previously seen.

Please download the full Bible study in your preferred format.

Christ is the Son of Man – PDF

Christ is the Son of Man – PowerPoint Slides

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Gospel of Mathew – A Tour of Our All-Inclusive Christ

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At Christians on Campus, we believe that knowing the Lord Jesus Christ is the best thing we could ever do. Knowing Him is not just having met Him once, believing in Him and realizing that He is now in us. Knowing Him is getting-to-know-him, more and more, little by little, and deeper and deeper. This is why the the Bible is so rich as it describes our Savior.

The Gospel of Matthew introduces us to the King, but what kind of king is He? We all know this one is the Christ, but what does the Christ mean? And, what does it mean that He is the Son of the living God?

Here are some scripture verses that motivate us to get to know Christ more and more.

Hosea 6:1-3 Come and let us return to Jehovah; / For He has torn us, but He will heal us, / And He has stricken us, but He will bind us up. 2 He will enliven us after two days; / On the third day He will raise us up, / And we will live in His presence. 3 Therefore let us know, let us pursue knowing Jehovah: / His going forth is as sure as the dawn, / And He will come to us as the rain, / As the late rain which waters the earth.

John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

Please download the full Bible study in your preferred format.

A Tour of Our All-Inclusive Christ – PDF

A Tour of Our All-Inclusive Christ – PowerPoint Slides