I. The Four Main Figures in the Bible

D. The Local Churches

We see Christ in the four Gospels, and from the four Gospels to Acts, we see the Church. But is this all? No, for as we go on to the Epistles, we see that the Church becomes the churches (Rom. 16:4, 16; 1 Cor. 7:17; 11:16; 14:33, 34; 16:1, 19; 2 Cor. 8:1, 18, 19, 23, 24; 11:8, 28; 12:13; Gal. 1:2, 22; 1 Thes. 2:14; 2 Thes. 1:4). Even in Acts we can see this taking place. There is one at Jerusalem (8:1), another at Antioch (13:1), and another one at Ephesus (20:17). There are [local] churches in many different cities [ (9:31; 14:23; 15:41).

Then as we come through all the Epistles to the last book of Revelation, we see that this book is mainly about the churches. So the fourth main figure of the Bible is the churches. There is not only the Church, but also the [local] churches. (20-21)

A.	God
B.	Christ
C.	The Church
D.	The Local Churches