Chapter 2: Christocentrism - What Jesus Taught About Gathering Together

Overview

This chapter examines what Jesus Himself taught and demonstrated about gathering together, filtering all questions about meeting structure through the lens of Christ’s life, teachings, and example. As the center of our faith, Jesus’s words and actions provide the ultimate standard for how we should structure our gatherings.

Key Principle: If our meeting structure doesn’t align with what Jesus taught and demonstrated, we need to reconsider it, regardless of what Scripture might allow or what tradition might suggest.

PART 1: THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS JESUS TAUGHT ABOUT GATHERING

1. Love One Another - The New Commandment

John 13:34-35:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:12-13:

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Key Observations:

“New commandment” - Not optional, but commanded
“As I have loved you” - The standard is Christ’s own love
“By this all people will know” - Love is the identifying mark
“Greater love” - Self-sacrificial love is the highest expression
Repeated emphasis - Jesus said this multiple times (John 13, 15)

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Love must be the primary goal - Any structure that doesn’t promote love is wrong
Love is the identifying mark - More important than correct structure
Self-sacrificial love - Structure should enable mutual service, not self-promotion
Love is commanded - Not optional, but required

Questions to Ask:

Does our meeting structure promote love among the brethren?
Does it enable us to love one another as Jesus loved us?
Does it help us lay down our lives for one another?
Is love more important than being “right” about structure?

2. Unity - Jesus’s Prayer for Oneness

John 17:20-23:

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Key Observations:

Jesus prayed for unity - Not just commanded, but prayed
“Perfectly one” - Complete unity, not partial
“As you, Father, are in me” - Unity like the Trinity
Purpose: “so that the world may believe” - Unity has evangelistic purpose
“So that the world may know” - Unity reveals God’s love

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Unity is essential - Structure must preserve unity, not divide
Unity is like the Trinity - Deep, relational, not just organizational
Unity serves mission - Helps world believe and know God’s love
Unity is prayed for - Jesus’s heart’s desire for His people

Questions to Ask:

Does our meeting structure promote unity or division?
Does it help us be “perfectly one”?
Does it enable the world to see God’s love through our unity?
Are we willing to sacrifice “being right” for unity?

3. Mutual Service - The Example of Foot Washing

John 13:12-17:

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’”

Key Observations:

Jesus set the example - He served, so we should serve
“You also ought to” - Not optional, but required
“Just as I have done” - Follow His example
“A servant is not greater” - Humility required
“Blessed are you if you do them” - Blessing comes from doing

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Mutual service is essential - Structure should enable serving one another
No one is greater - Structure should prevent hierarchy
Follow Jesus’s example - He served, so should we
Blessing comes from doing - Not just knowing, but practicing

Questions to Ask:

Does our meeting structure enable mutual service?
Does it prevent one person from being “greater” than others?
Does it follow Jesus’s example of humble service?
Are we actually doing it, not just talking about it?

4. Remembrance - “Do This in Remembrance of Me”

Luke 22:19-20:

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.’”

1 Corinthians 11:24-26:

“and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Key Observations:

“Do this” - Active participation required
“In remembrance of me” - Purpose is to remember Christ
“As often as you” - Regular practice
“Proclaim the Lord’s death” - Telling the story
“Until he comes” - Ongoing practice until return

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Remembrance is commanded - Must be done regularly
Active participation - “Do this” not “watch this”
Focus on Christ - Remembering His death
Proclaiming the story - Telling what He did

Questions to Ask:

Does our meeting structure enable active remembrance?
Is Christ’s death the focus?
Are we “doing this” or just watching?
Are we proclaiming the Lord’s death?

5. Mutual Edification - Teaching and Admonishing One Another

Matthew 18:20:

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Context: This is in the context of church discipline, but also applies to gathering together.

Luke 24:13-35 (Road to Emmaus):

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself… And they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’”

Key Observations:

“Where two or three” - Small gatherings are valid
“In my name” - Christ-centered
“There am I among them” - Christ is present
Jesus opened Scriptures - Teaching and interpretation
“Did not our hearts burn” - Mutual edification happened

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Small gatherings are valid - Not just large assemblies
Christ must be present - “In my name”
Teaching is important - Opening Scriptures
Mutual edification - Hearts burning together

Questions to Ask:

Is Christ present in our gatherings?
Are we gathering “in his name”?
Does our structure enable teaching and mutual edification?
Are hearts being stirred by Scripture together?

PART 2: THE LAST SUPPER AS JESUS’S MODEL

1. The Last Supper Was a Passover Meal

Matthew 26:17-19:

“Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?’… So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.”

Mark 14:12-16:

“And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, ‘Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?’… And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”

Luke 22:7-13:

“Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.’… And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.”

Key Observations:

Explicitly stated - All three Synoptic Gospels say it was Passover
Disciples prepared - They were involved in preparation
Jesus directed - He was the host and primary teacher
Passover context - Would have included traditional Passover elements

Important Note: While the Last Supper was a Passover meal (which traditionally includes participatory elements like the Four Questions and Haggadah reading), the Gospel accounts themselves show Jesus doing most of the teaching and speaking. The disciples ask some questions (like “Is it I?” and “Who is it?”), but the accounts primarily show Jesus teaching, not a fully participatory “each one has” pattern.

What the Gospels Actually Show:

Jesus teaching and explaining
Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper
Disciples asking a few questions
Jesus giving final instructions
They sang a hymn together (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26)

Significance: The Last Supper was a Passover meal, but the Gospel accounts emphasize Jesus’s teaching and leadership, not a fully participatory worship pattern. This suggests that while participatory elements may have been present (as part of Passover tradition), the focus was on Jesus’s teaching and the institution of the Supper.

2. What the Last Supper Structure Actually Teaches Us

A. Focus on Remembrance, Not Structure

What Jesus Did:

Instituted the Lord’s Supper
Gave new meaning to bread and wine
Commanded: “Do this in remembrance of me”
Focused on His death and the new covenant

What the Gospels Show:

Jesus as the primary teacher and leader
Disciples listening and asking some questions
Jesus giving instructions
They sang a hymn together at the end

What We Don’t See:

A fully participatory “each one has” pattern
Multiple people teaching or sharing
Round-robin participation
The kind of participatory worship described in 1 Corinthians 14:26

Implication: The Last Supper teaches us about remembrance and focus on Christ, not necessarily about participatory worship structure. The primary lesson is “Do this in remembrance of me” - active remembrance of Christ’s death.

B. Remembrance is Active, Not Passive

Jesus’s Command: “Do this in remembrance of me”

Key Elements:

“Do this” - Active participation required, not just watching
“In remembrance of me” - Purpose is to remember Christ’s death
“Proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 Cor 11:26) - Telling the story
“Until he comes” - Ongoing practice

What This Means:

Remembrance requires active participation (“Do this”)
It’s communal - done together
It proclaims - tells the story of Christ’s death
It’s regular - “as often as you”

Implication: While the Last Supper itself shows Jesus teaching (not fully participatory), the command “Do this in remembrance” requires active participation in the practice, not passive observation. The remembrance itself is participatory, even if the original Last Supper was primarily Jesus teaching.

C. Teaching is Central, But Questions Are Welcome

What the Gospels Show:

Jesus teaching during the meal
“This is my body” - new interpretation
“This cup is the new covenant” - teaching
Disciples asking questions (“Is it I?”, “Who is it?”, “Where are you going?”)
Jesus answering and explaining

What This Teaches:

Teaching is important - Jesus taught during the Last Supper
Questions are welcome - Disciples asked questions
Jesus answered - Teaching was interactive, not just monologue
Focus on Christ - All teaching centered on Him

Implication: The Last Supper shows that teaching is central to gathering, and questions are welcome. While Jesus was the primary teacher, the disciples were engaged and asking questions. This suggests a pattern of teaching with interaction, not just passive listening, but also not necessarily the “each one has” participatory pattern.

D. Reverence is Essential

The Last Supper Shows:

Reverent - Sacred meal, treated with respect
Focused on Christ - All attention on Jesus
Teaching-centered - Jesus teaching, disciples listening and asking
Remembrance-focused - “Do this in remembrance of me”

What This Teaches:

Reverence is essential - The meal was treated with solemnity
Focus on Christ - All attention on Jesus, not on structure
Teaching is important - Jesus taught during the meal
Questions are okay - Disciples asked questions, showing interaction is possible

Implication: The Last Supper teaches us that reverence is essential and focus on Christ is primary. While interaction and questions are welcome, the primary pattern shown is teaching with engagement, not necessarily fully participatory “each one has” worship.

3. “Do This in Remembrance of Me” - What Jesus Meant

Luke 22:19:

“Do this in remembrance of me.”

1 Corinthians 11:24-26:

“Do this in remembrance of me… For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Key Questions:

What is “this”?
- The bread and wine specifically
- The act of breaking bread and sharing the cup
- The remembrance of His death
- The proclamation of His death
What does “remembrance” mean?
- Active remembrance (not just passive memory)
- “Proclaim the Lord’s death” - telling the story
- Regular practice (“as often as you”)
- Until He comes
How often?
- “As often as you” (1 Cor 11:26) - regular practice
- Not specified frequency, but regular
- Early church did it weekly (Acts 20:7)

Jesus’s Intent:

“Do this” - Active participation in the act
“In remembrance of me” - Remembering His death
“Proclaim the Lord’s death” - Telling the story
Regular practice - “As often as you”
Until He comes - Ongoing until return

Implication: Jesus intended active, regular remembrance of His death through the breaking of bread and sharing the cup. The focus is on remembering and proclaiming His death, not necessarily on a specific participatory worship structure.

PART 3: WHAT THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SHOWS ABOUT GATHERING

1. Most Examples Show One Person Speaking for a Long Time

Acts 20:7-11:

“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, ‘Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.’ And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.”

Key Observations:

“Paul talked with them” - One person speaking
“Prolonged his speech until midnight” - Extended teaching
“Talked still longer” - Continued speaking
“Conversed with them a long while” - Extended discussion
Eutychus fell asleep - Even fell asleep from the length!

Implication: The biblical example shows one person (Paul) speaking for a very long time during a breaking bread meeting. This suggests that extended teaching by one person is a valid biblical pattern, not necessarily the “each one has” participatory pattern.

2. Agabus: An Example of Participatory Prophecy

Acts 11:27-28:

“Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius).”

Acts 21:10-11:

“While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit, “This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’”

Key Observations:

“Agabus stood up” - Participatory element
“Foretold by the Spirit” - Prophetic contribution
“Came down from Judea” - Traveling prophet
“Took Paul’s belt” - Prophetic act with words
“Thus says the Holy Spirit” - Prophetic message

Implication: Agabus is an example of participatory prophecy - someone other than the main teacher standing up and contributing a prophetic message. This shows that participatory contributions (especially prophecy) are biblical, even if most examples show one person teaching for a long time.

3. The Pattern: Teaching with Some Participation

What the Bible Shows:

Mostly one person teaching - Paul in Acts 20:7, Jesus in Last Supper
Extended teaching - “Prolonged his speech until midnight”
Some participatory elements - Agabus standing up to prophesy
Questions welcome - Disciples asking questions in Last Supper
Interaction possible - But primary pattern is teaching

What This Means:

Teaching is primary - One person teaching is a valid pattern
Extended teaching is okay - Can go for a long time
Participation is possible - Prophecy, questions, interaction
Not necessarily “each one has” - The “each one has” pattern in 1 Corinthians 14:26 may be for a different type of meeting

Implication: The biblical pattern shows teaching as primary, with some participatory elements (prophecy, questions, interaction), but not necessarily the fully participatory “each one has” pattern for every meeting.

PART 4: EARLY CHURCH FATHERS ON JESUS’S TEACHINGS ABOUT GATHERING

Introduction

After examining what the Bible says, we should also consider what the early church fathers (those closest to the apostles) said about Jesus’s teachings on gathering together. Their interpretations and applications of Jesus’s words provide valuable insight into how the earliest Christians understood His teachings.

1. Love One Another - The Primary Teaching

Clement of Rome (c. 96 AD) - First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 49:

“Let him who has love in Christ keep the commandments of Christ. Who can describe the bond of the love of God? What man is able to tell the excellence of its beauty, as it ought to be told? The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love bears all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love. Love admits of no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony. By love have all the elect of God been made perfect; without love nothing is well-pleasing to God.”

Key Observations:

“Love unites us to God” - Unity through love
“Love admits of no schisms” - Love prevents division
“Love does all things in harmony” - Love creates unity
“Without love nothing is well-pleasing to God” - Love is essential

Implication: Early church understood that love is the foundation and prevents division. This applies directly to meeting structure - love must be the priority, not being “right” about structure.

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD) - Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 14:

“None of these things is hid from you, if ye perfectly have faith and love in Jesus Christ, which are the beginning and end of life: for the beginning is faith, and the end is love. And these two being inseparably connected together, do perfect the man of God; while all other things which are requisite to a holy life follow after them. No man truly making a profession of faith sinneth; nor does he that possesses love hate any one. The tree is made manifest by its fruit; so those that profess themselves to be Christians shall be recognised by their conduct. For there is not now a demand for mere profession, but that a man be found continuing in the power of faith to the end.”

Key Observations:

“The beginning is faith, and the end is love” - Love is the goal
“These two being inseparably connected” - Faith and love together
“No man… that possesses love hate any one” - Love prevents hatred
“Recognised by their conduct” - Love shown in practice

Implication: Early church emphasized that love is the end goal and must be shown in practice, not just profession. Meeting structure must demonstrate love in practice.

2. Unity - Jesus’s Prayer

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 110 AD) - Epistle to the Magnesians, Chapter 6:

“As therefore the Lord did nothing without the Father, being united to Him, either by Himself or by the Apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and presbyters. And attempt not to think anything right for yourselves apart from others: but let there be one prayer in common, one supplication, one mind, one hope, in love and in joy undefiled. There is one Jesus Christ, than whom nothing is more excellent. Wherefore ye are all to run together as unto one temple of God, as unto one altar, as unto one Jesus Christ, who came forth from one Father, and is with and has gone to one.”

Key Observations:

“One prayer in common” - Unity in prayer
“One mind, one hope” - Unity of purpose
“Run together as unto one temple” - Unity in gathering
“One Jesus Christ” - Unity in Christ

Implication: Early church emphasized unity in gathering - “one prayer,” “one mind,” gathering together as one. This applies to meeting structure - structure must promote unity, not division.

Clement of Rome (c. 96 AD) - First Epistle to the Corinthians, Chapter 46:

“Why are there strifes, and tumults, and divisions, and schisms, and wars among you? Have we not one God, and one Christ, and one Spirit of grace poured out upon us? And have we not one calling in Christ? Why do we divide and tear asunder the members of Christ, and raise up strife against our own body, and have reached such a height of madness as to forget that we are members one of another?”

Key Observations:

“One God, and one Christ, and one Spirit” - Unity in the Trinity
“One calling in Christ” - Unity of purpose
“Why do we divide” - Division is wrong
“Members one of another” - Unity in the body

Implication: Early church saw division as wrong and unity as essential. Meeting structure must not cause division.

3. Mutual Service and Humility

Didache (c. 50-120 AD) - Chapter 4:

“My child, him that speaks to thee the word of God remember night and day; and thou shalt honour him as the Lord; for in the place whence lordly rule is uttered, there is the Lord. And thou shalt seek out day by day the faces of the saints, in order that thou mayest rest upon their words. Thou shalt not long for division, but shalt bring those who contend to peace. Thou shalt judge righteously, thou shalt not respect persons in reproving for transgressions. Thou shalt not be undecided whether it shall be or not. Be not a stretcher forth of the hands to receive and a drawer of them back to give. If thou hast aught, through thy hands thou shalt give a ransom for thy sins. Thou shalt not doubt to give, nor murmur when thou givest. Thou shalt know who is the good paymaster of the reward. Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in want, but shalt share all things with thy brother, and shalt not say that they are thine own; for if ye are partakers in that which is immortal, how much more in things which are mortal?”

Key Observations:

“Share all things with thy brother” - Mutual sharing
“Not say that they are thine own” - No selfishness
“Partakers” - Mutual participation
“Bring those who contend to peace” - Peacemaking

Implication: Early church emphasized mutual sharing and service, not selfishness. Meeting structure should enable mutual service.

4. Remembrance of the Lord’s Death

Justin Martyr (c. 150 AD) - First Apology, Chapter 66:

“And this food is called among us Εὐχαριστία [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.”

Key Observations:

“Called among us Εὐχαριστία” - Thanksgiving/remembrance
“Not as common bread” - Special, reverent
“Flesh and blood of that Jesus” - Remembrance of Christ’s death
“As Christ has enjoined” - Following Jesus’s command

Implication: Early church practiced reverent remembrance of Christ’s death, following Jesus’s command “Do this in remembrance of me.”

Didache (c. 50-120 AD) - Chapter 14:

“On the Lord’s own day gather together and break bread and give thanks, having first confessed your sins so that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one who has a quarrel with his fellow come together with you until they be reconciled, so that your sacrifice may not be defiled.”

Key Observations:

“Gather together and break bread” - Regular gathering
“Give thanks” - Thanksgiving/remembrance
“Confessed your sins” - Preparation
“Be reconciled” - Unity required

Implication: Early church practiced regular remembrance with preparation and reconciliation - unity and purity required for remembrance.

5. Summary: Early Church Fathers’ Understanding

What They Emphasized:

Love is primary - “Without love nothing is well-pleasing to God”
Unity is essential - “One prayer, one mind, one hope”
Division is wrong - “Why do we divide?”
Mutual service - “Share all things with thy brother”
Reverent remembrance - Following Jesus’s command

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Structure must promote love above all
Structure must preserve unity, not cause division
Structure must enable mutual service
Structure must allow reverent remembrance
Structure is secondary to love and unity

PART 5: JESUS’S TEACHING ON COMMUNITY AND MUTUAL SERVICE

1. The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:36-40:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Mark 12:29-31:

“The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Key Observations:

Two commandments - Love God, love neighbor
“On these depend all the Law” - Everything else flows from these
“No other commandment greater” - Nothing is more important
Love is the foundation - Everything else is secondary

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Love is the foundation - Structure must promote love
Everything else is secondary - Correct structure is less important than love
Love God and neighbor - Both must be present
All depends on this - Without love, nothing else matters

2. The Golden Rule

Matthew 7:12:

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

Luke 6:31:

“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.”

Key Observations:

Reciprocal love - Treat others as you want to be treated
Active, not passive - “Do” not just “think”
“This is the Law and the Prophets” - Summarizes all teaching
Practical application - How to love in practice

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Treat others as you want to be treated - In meeting structure
Active love - Not just theory, but practice
Reciprocal - Mutual care and consideration
Practical - How structure affects others

Questions to Ask:

Would I want this structure if I were in their position?
Does this structure treat others as I want to be treated?
Does it enable mutual care and consideration?

3. Servant Leadership

Matthew 20:25-28:

“But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”

Mark 10:42-45:

“And Jesus called them to him and said to them, ‘You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’”

Luke 22:24-27:

“A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.’”

Key Observations:

“It shall not be so among you” - Different from world’s pattern
“Whoever would be great must be your servant” - Greatness = service
“Whoever would be first must be slave of all” - Leadership = slavery
“I am among you as the one who serves” - Jesus’s example
“Not to be served but to serve” - Christ’s mission

Implications for Meeting Structure:

No lording it over - Structure must prevent hierarchy
Service is greatness - Structure should enable service
Follow Jesus’s example - He served, so should we
Mutual service - All serve, not just leaders

Questions to Ask:

Does our structure prevent “lording it over”?
Does it enable mutual service?
Does it follow Jesus’s example of servant leadership?
Are we serving or being served?

4. Mutual Forgiveness and Reconciliation

Matthew 18:15-20:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Matthew 6:14-15:

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Key Observations:

“Go and tell him” - Direct, personal approach
“Gained your brother” - Goal is reconciliation
“Where two or three are gathered” - Small gatherings valid
“There am I among them” - Christ present
Forgiveness required - Essential for community

Implications for Meeting Structure:

Reconciliation is priority - Structure must enable it
Small gatherings valid - “Two or three”
Christ is present - “In my name”
Forgiveness essential - Structure should promote it

Questions to Ask:

Does our structure enable reconciliation?
Does it help us “gain our brother”?
Is forgiveness practiced?
Is Christ present in our gatherings?

PART 4: ANSWERING THE KEY QUESTIONS FROM JESUS’S PERSPECTIVE

Question 1: What is the Most Important Aspect of Gathering Together?

Jesus’s Answer: LOVE

Evidence:

“Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34-35)
“By this all people will know” (John 13:35)
“This is my commandment” (John 15:12)
“The greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Implication: The most important thing is not correct structure, correct doctrine, or correct practice, but love for one another.

Application:

Any structure that doesn’t promote love is wrong
Love is more important than being “right”
Love is the identifying mark of disciples
Structure serves love, not the other way around

Question 2: How Should We Structure Meetings?

Jesus’s Answer: TO PROMOTE LOVE AND UNITY

Evidence:

“Love one another” (John 13:34-35)
“That they may all be one” (John 17:20-23)
“Where two or three are gathered in my name” (Matthew 18:20)
Last Supper was participatory (Passover structure)

Implication: Structure should:

Promote love - Enable mutual love and service
Foster unity - “Perfectly one” as Jesus prayed
Be participatory - All involved, not just leader
Be Christ-centered - “In my name”

Application:

Structure is secondary to love and unity
Participatory structure aligns with Last Supper
Small gatherings are valid (“two or three”)
Christ must be present (“in my name”)

Question 3: Should Lord’s Supper and Participatory Worship Be Integrated or Separated?

Jesus’s Answer: REMEMBRANCE IS PRIMARY, TEACHING IS IMPORTANT

Evidence:

Last Supper: Jesus taught during the meal
“Do this in remembrance of me” - primary command
Acts 20:7: Teaching happened during breaking bread meeting
But Last Supper shows Jesus teaching, not fully participatory

Implication: The Last Supper and biblical examples suggest:

Remembrance is primary - “Do this in remembrance of me”
Teaching is important - Jesus taught during Last Supper, Paul taught during breaking bread
Teaching can be extended - Paul talked until midnight
Some participation possible - Questions, prophecy (like Agabus)
Not necessarily fully participatory - Primary pattern is teaching, not “each one has”

Application:

Remembrance (Lord’s Supper) should be primary focus
Teaching is important and can be extended
Some participatory elements (prophecy, questions) are biblical
Integration or separation both possible - depends on what serves love and unity best

Question 4: How Do We Balance Reverence and Participation?

Jesus’s Answer: REVERENCE IS ESSENTIAL, SOME PARTICIPATION IS POSSIBLE

Evidence:

Last Supper: Reverent, with Jesus teaching and some questions
Acts 20:7: Reverent breaking bread, with extended teaching
Agabus: Participatory prophecy is biblical
But primary pattern is teaching, not fully participatory

Implication: Reverence is essential, and some participation is possible:

Must be reverent - “Do this in remembrance” is sacred
Teaching is primary pattern - One person teaching is biblical
Some participation is okay - Questions, prophecy (like Agabus)
But not necessarily fully participatory - “Each one has” may be for different type of meeting

Application:

Reverence must be maintained - Remembrance is sacred
Teaching is valid and can be extended
Some participatory elements (prophecy, questions) are biblical
Balance depends on what serves love, unity, and reverence best

Question 5: What About Doctrinal Teaching in Meetings?

Jesus’s Answer: TEACHING IS IMPORTANT (But Must Serve Love and Unity)

Evidence:

Jesus taught during Last Supper
Paul taught for extended periods (Acts 20:7 - until midnight)
“Opening the Scriptures” (Luke 24:32)
“Teaching them to observe” (Matthew 28:20)
But love is the greatest commandment

Implication: Teaching is important, but:

Must serve love - Not divide or create hierarchy
Can be extended - Paul talked until midnight
Can be one person - Primary pattern is teaching, not necessarily participatory
Must build up - Mutual edification
Must be Christ-centered - “In my name”
Love is greater - More important than being “right”

Application:

Teaching is good and can be extended
One person teaching is a valid biblical pattern
Teaching should build up, not divide
Teaching should be Christ-centered
But love and unity are more important than correct teaching or structure

PART 5: JESUS’S PRIORITIES FOR GATHERING - A SUMMARY

Priority 1: Love One Another (John 13:34-35)

Most important - “New commandment”
Identifying mark - “By this all people will know”
Standard - “As I have loved you”
Application: Structure must promote love

Priority 2: Unity (John 17:20-23)

Jesus prayed for it - “That they may all be one”
Like the Trinity - “As you, Father, are in me”
Purpose - “So that the world may believe”
Application: Structure must preserve unity

Priority 3: Mutual Service (John 13:12-17)

Jesus’s example - “I have given you an example”
Required - “You also ought to”
Humility - “A servant is not greater”
Application: Structure must enable mutual service

Priority 4: Remembrance (Luke 22:19)

Commanded - “Do this in remembrance of me”
Active - “Do this” not “watch this”
Regular - “As often as you”
Application: Structure must enable active remembrance

Priority 5: Mutual Edification (Matthew 18:20)

Christ present - “There am I among them”
Teaching - “Opening the Scriptures”
Small gatherings valid - “Two or three”
Application: Structure must enable mutual edification

PART 6: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

For Meeting Structure Decisions

When deciding on structure, ask:

Does it promote love? (John 13:34-35)
Does it foster unity? (John 17:20-23)
Does it enable mutual service? (John 13:12-17)
Does it allow active remembrance? (Luke 22:19)
Does it enable mutual edification? (Matthew 18:20)

If the answer to any is “no,” reconsider the structure.

For Handling Disagreements

When disagreeing about structure:

Remember love is primary - More important than being “right”
Remember unity is essential - Jesus prayed for it
Remember mutual service - Serve one another
Remember forgiveness - Forgive as forgiven
Remember Christ is present - “In my name”

For Practical Implementation

Structure should:

Enable love - Mutual care and service
Preserve unity - Not divide
Allow participation - All involved
Focus on Christ - “In my name”
Enable remembrance - “Do this in remembrance”
Enable mutual edification - Teaching and building up

CONCLUSION: THE CHRISTOCENTRIC TEST

For any meeting structure, ask:

“Would Jesus recognize this as what He taught and demonstrated?”

“Does this align with:

Love one another? (John 13:34-35) - MOST IMPORTANT
Unity? (John 17:20-23) - ESSENTIAL
Mutual service? (John 13:12-17) - IMPORTANT
Remembrance? (Luke 22:19) - PRIMARY PURPOSE
Teaching? (Acts 20:7, Last Supper) - IMPORTANT

Key Observations from What Jesus Actually Did:

Love and unity are most important - More important than structure
Remembrance is primary - “Do this in remembrance of me”
Teaching is important - Can be extended (Paul until midnight)
Some participation is biblical - Prophecy (Agabus), questions
But primary pattern is teaching - Not necessarily fully participatory “each one has”

The ultimate test: Does this structure help us love one another as Jesus loved us and be one as Jesus prayed for us to be?

If yes, it’s good. If no, it needs to change.

Remember: Structure serves love and unity, not the other way around. The most important thing is not correct structure, but love for one another and unity in Christ.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - Jesus (John 13:34-35)

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” - Jesus (John 17:20-21)