CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST
March 22, 2009
25424 Aldine-Westfield, Spring, TX. 77373
www.geocities.com/adon77373/cypresswoodbulletin.htm
PRAYERS AND REQUESTS:
God’s will for our congregation Various friends, relatives and co-workers
Our nation, leaders and military The spread of the good news
THE PATTERN
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1).
Churches of Christ have been known for finding the patterns in the New Testament. We have found patterns to salvation, the organization of the church, and the assembly. Over the years we have emphasized these ideas that it as become ingrained in us. Rarely does someone even attempt to challenge the patterns we have discovered. We find these patterns by examining the book of Acts (1) and the letters of the New Testament. We have found the texts that talk about the pattern. For instance, Romans 6:17 speaks of “the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance.” But what if we start our search in another area rather than the letters? What if we look at the pattern from the Gospels, or more accurately, from Jesus Christ?
“The Gospels provide the pattern, that is, the ministry and life of Jesus. Acts illustrates how the early church lived out that pattern. The epistles interpret and apply the meaning of the good news of the kingdom for believer living in community. The Hebrew Scriptures give us the lens to read the story of God in Jesus within the frame of God’s story among his people and see the death of Jesus’ life and teaching” (2).
Needless to say, Jesus is certainly our example in how we live our lives. We do well to see how He lived, spoke, and dealt with people in various situations. He does not do what is expected in His culture but rather challenges people to look deeper. He greeted and talked with a number of Gentiles throughout His ministry in spite of the anger and hatred that the Jewish culture had developed toward them. He touched lepers and the sick. He brought a much deeper understanding of forgiveness to the people of His day, and ours. Without a doubt, he is the pattern that we should follow.
When we understand the teachings of Jesus both in word and example, then we can read the rest of the New Testament with these ideas in mind. For instance, Jesus said to love our enemies. What do we see happening in Acts? Jewish believers go out into the Gentile world preaching the good news and then stand along side of Gentile believers opposing those who suggested that they had to live under the Law of Moses. In Romans 12:19-21, Paul explains Jesus’ teaching by giving one’s enemy a cup of cold water and returning good for evil. Ephesians 2:11-22 is Paul’s explanation of breaking down walls of hostility between Jews and Gentiles.
Forgiveness is another teaching that we see in the life of Jesus. He taught forgiveness with the woman taken in adultery (John 8) and at the cross when He said, “Father, forgive them…” In Ephesians 4:32 we learn of the emphasis on forgiveness, our need to give it, following what Jesus taught in Matthew 18:15-35. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Paul declared Him Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). We often struggle over issues of authority in our patternism and seem to forget that in reality we have no authority. I have difficulty seeing how Jesus has delegated authority to us to such an extend that we think we can rule people in any sense, and justify our attempts to become lords as defending the faith or some such excuse. Peter warns us about that (1 Peter 5:1-5).
There are many other teachings of Jesus that we can look at and then search through Acts to see how Christians lived them, and through the letters on how to apply them. Looking back at the Old Testament, we can begin to see how it anticipated the coming Messiah and His teachings. Again, just look at the Gentiles that influence the story in some way (3). Our pattern theology has tended to ignore the Old Testament, thinking it not very important for our understanding. What we have failed to see is that the Bible of the first century church was the Old Testament. They searched the scriptures (Acts 17:11), saw them as a means for maturity (2 Timothy 3:16-17), were a warning to us (Romans 15:4), and presented the gospel message (“according to the scriptures” - 1 Corinthians 15:4). All of those appeal to the Hebrew scriptures (4).
What does that say about our current understandings of pattern? Should we just jettison the whole idea? No. But I do think that we can reexamine it in light of Jesus Christ. For instance, when we look at the organization of the church with elders and deacons, we might keep in mind who has all authority; and it is not us. That might mean that rather than looking to control things, we select men who understand humility and service, who see people as more important than mere numbers or traditions.
When we look at our assemblies and our worship, we might see that we have much more freedom than some patternists think. The Lord’s Supper can be one area, where we might sing during the Supper, or we might take it all at one time emphasizing community. We could sing a variety of styles of songs. We might even have a solo or a choir.
In God’s plan of salvation, we definitely should emphasize the Man Jesus Christ. I have read far too much where we are in such a hurry to get to baptism that we barely mention Jesus. It is Jesus who said that if He was lifted up, He would draw people to Himself (three times in John).
All of this will have to be discussed. We will not agree on every point. Congregations have the freedom to practice what they have determine benefits them in Christ. Each of us will have to study these things for ourselves. “I would suggest that the pattern for the kingdom of God is anticipated in Israel, fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus, continued (applied and interpreted) by the early church, and brought to fullness (completion) in the new heaven and new earth” (5).
George B. Mearns
(1) The book of Acts is also known as The Acts of the Apostles, somewhat misleading since really only three apostles are highlighted in the book: Peter, John, and Paul. We known little or nothing of what the other apostles did. James is mentioned in Acts but only his martyrdom.
(2) John Mark Hicks, I am a Patternist: Yes, Really!, http://johnmarkhicks.wordpress.com 02/12/2009.
(3) Rahab, Ruth, the men Jonah sailed with, Naaman, and others which one Jewish scholar calls the Righteous Gentiles.
(4) In A.D. 55, Romans and 1 Corinthians were only Paul’s fourth and fifth letter, which means that he still had nine and eight letters to write. None of John’s, James, Peter’s, and Jude were written. There is debate as to whether any of the Gospels were completed and Acts was a work in progress. This can only mean that when the writers appeal to the scriptures, it was the Old they were appealing to. Paul in his defense in Acts 26 stated that he taught nothing but what Moses and the prophets taught.
(5) Hicks, ibid.