Heart of Membership
Mission
What happens when the body of Christ is devoted to the Apostles’ teaching, to the Fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer? Mission.
Daily Prayer: May my walk with you lead others to see Jesus, believe, be baptized and join us as members of the body of Christ. Amen.
Monday, December 1
Read Luke 24:13-53. In this one story we see all four of the things the early church was devoted to: the Apostles’ teaching, the Fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Can you find them all? When did the disciples recognize Jesus? What happened to their hearts in the process?
Tuesday, December 2
Read Acts 13:4-12, Acts 18:24-28. What amazed the proconsul so much he believed? What was Apollos lacking before he was truly effective in his apostolic mission? Why is it so important for us to keep the “Apostles’ teaching” strictly about Jesus? What happens when we add or take away from that teaching?
Wednesday, December 3
Read Ephesians 4. As we’ve seen, our fellowship is through our baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Can you find all three in verses 2-3? What is the role of baptism here? What does our fellowship look like? Who does what? Why is it so important to mature together in the faith?
Thursday, December 4
Read Acts 17:16-34. Paul walked right into a city filled with the worship of other gods and risked his neck to show them the one true God, whose body was broken and resurrected for them. Eventually Paul was “broken” for such things. What is the result of Paul’s risky move?
Friday, December 5
Read Matthew 9:35-10:42. Jesus wants to us pray. What does Jesus tell us to pray for? What does Jesus promptly do next? What is the connection between our prayers and the mission of the church? Can the mission exist without prayer? If not, how should we pray?
Saturday, December 6
Read Matthew 28:16-20. Jesus sends us out in mission with a specific commission. Does he send out to just tell people about Jesus, just to fellowship, to worship or to pray? Why is it so important to have all of them for our discipleship? How does that turn into mission?
Bethel Lutheran Church, St. Paul, MN – bethelstpaul.com