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The focus of this quarter is a survey of the New
Testament, through the lens of the Christian community—
the new community that Jesus birthed
found, built, and nourishes, and is the Head of.

UNIT 1 • THE BIRTH OF A NEW
COMMUNITY
In these four lessons, we will explore the beginnings
of the Christian community. The lessons
examine the core values and teaching of this new
community and their commission for ministry as
given to them by Jesus, Himself.

Lesson 1: September 7, 2008
A New Community
Mark 1:1–8; Matthew 3:1–3
John the Baptist was called by God to not only
announce that the Messiah (God’s one and only
Son) would come but prepare the listeners for the
baptism with the Holy Spirit that Jesus would bring.
Therefore, John’s baptism of repentance set the stage
for the coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Lesson 2: September 14, 2008
The Birth of a New Community
Matthew 1:18–25; 2:13–15
Matthew, one of Jesus’ disciples, revealed who
Jesus is in relation to the Hebrew Scripture. The
central theme to his complete gospel is of
Emmanuel (God with us). Matthew also explained
that Joseph (Jesus’ step-father) had a link in the
Davidic line. Therefore, Jesus is the God-man, sent
to save humanity from their sins, and His coming
fulfills Old Testament prophesy.

Lesson 3: September 21, 2008
Core Values of the New Community
Matthew 5:1–16
In the Beatitudes that Jesus presented at the
Sermon on the Mount, Matthew spelled out the
core values of Jesus Christ and His new community.
He told of how the kingdom of God is built on
God’s righteousness. Consequently, members
of God’s community should follow God’s lead by walking
in and teaching these values.

Lesson 4: September 28, 2008
Creating a Community of Servants
Matthew 20:17–28
James and John’s mother asked Jesus to give her
sons important positions in His kingdom. This
request showed a lack of understanding of Jesus’
purpose and mission.
Jesus taught that greatness, in His kingdom, is
the result of serving others.

UNIT 2 • THE DEVELOPMENT AND WORK
OF THE NEW COMMUNITY
In these four lessons, the work and ministry of
the new community is explored. The lessons focus
on the empowerment and expansion of the Christian
community as well as some key witnesses and their
commission for ministry.

Lesson 5: October 5, 2008
Empowered to Be a Community
Acts 2:1–17
Pentecost was originally an Old Testament festival
that occurred 50 days after Passover. The coming
of the Holy Spirit, at Pentecost, was the fulfillment
of a promise Jesus had made to His disciples. When
He came, God empowered His community to do
many powerful and persuasive acts that amazed
people so much that they wanted to become a part
of God’s new community—the church. The Holy
Spirit, then, came and indwelled the people of the
new community so that they could do what God
wanted them to do—so that they could go and
make disciples by spreading the Good News.

Lesson 6: October 12, 2008
Expansion of the Community
Acts 6:1–5, 8–15
There was a long tradition of caring for the poor
within the synagogue, and Christians continued this
practice. In the early church, the Hellenists, Greek-
speaking Jews, felt that their widows were being
neglected in the daily distribution of goods. The
apostles appointed deacons and delegated responsibilities.
By appointing deacons, the apostles instituted
a model of shared leadership in the community
of faith.

Lesson 7: October 19, 2008
Transformed to Witness to the Community
Acts 9:1–11, 16–19
This passage describes the powerful and immediate
experience of the presence of Christ for Saul
(Paul). This study not only includes his Damascus
Road conversion, where he saw a vision of Jesus
Christ, but the gifts of hospitality (at the house of
Judas) and healing (at the hands of Ananias). The
story of Saul’s conversion, from a persecutor to a
preacher, provides the faith community with a positive
example of transformation in Christ.

Lesson 8: October 26, 2008
Commissioned by the Community
Acts 13:1–12
With the commissioning of Barnabas and Saul
(Paul), the Christian community spread primarily
among Gentiles. In fact, the church at Antioch served
as a major center for the early Christian church.
After fasting and praying, leaders laid hands on
these two missionaries and sent them on their way
to do the work that God had called them to do.

UNIT 3 • THE NEW COMMUNITY FACES
GROWTH PAINS
These five lessons focus on the early struggles of
the Christian community. It explores four aspects of
the community members—how they were equipped
for ministry, how they handled conflict, their witness
in the world, and the persecution they faced.

Lesson 9: November 2, 2008
Fitting into the Community
Ephesians 4:1–16
Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus challenges
us to use our diverse identities and gifts to build up
the Christian community. God gives every member
of His church gifts that are to be used to edify or
bless the body, to enhance the unity of the church
and the work of Christ. In this lesson, Paul affirms
the diversity of gifts and gives guidelines as to how
and when the gifts are to be used.

Lesson 10: November 9, 2008
Conflict in the Community
Galatians 2:11–21
Through writing and example, Paul admonished
believers that our acceptance before God comes not
by following the rules but through living faithfully to
Christ.

Because of division in the early church between
Jewish and Gentile Christians, Paul taught that
there are unifying factors that should be in the forefront
of every believer’s mind. These factors include
the fact that Christ lives in every believer, through
His Holy Spirit, and the link between Christ’s death
and resurrection and every believer’s own death and
resurrection from sin.

Lesson 11: November 16, 2008
Communion with God in the Midst of Struggle
Philippians 3:17–4:9
Paul exhorted the Philippians to follow examples
of those who worked together for the common
good and rejoiced together. He noted that the
Christian community will have struggles and that
God’s church needs the peace of God to guard each
and every heart and mind, in Christ Jesus.

Lesson 12: November 23, 2008
Witness of the Community
2 Timothy 2:1–3; 4:1–5
Paul admonished Timothy to prepare others,
just as Paul had prepared him for discipleship, ministry,
and service. He knew that the new community
will be a witness for or against Christ, depending on
their conduct.

Lesson 13: November 30, 2008
Persecution within the Community
2 Corinthians 11:17, 21–30; 12:9–10
Paul boasted about his suffering. His boasts were
prompted by challenges from others in the
Corinthian church who thought they had it rough.
Paul said their complaints were no match for the
suffering he had known. Paul was a mature believer
and taught the Corinthians that there were going to
be many challenges to the new community that
would come from within. He said that, through his
own weaknesses, he found strength in the grace of
God and they could, too.