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BIBLE PUBLICATIONS MEETINGS
w24 April pp. 8-13 Strengthen Your Appreciation for Jehovah’s Organization
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Strengthen Your Appreciation for
STUDY ARTICLE 15 8
Jehovah’s Organization
The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s
SONG 124 Ever Loyal
Kingdom (Study)—2024
Subheadings Similar Material Strengthen Your Appreciation for
OUR ORGANIZATION FOLLOWS JESUS’ EXAMPLE Jehovah’s Organization
“Remember those who are taking the lead among you, who have spoken the word of
CONTINUE SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR OUR
ORGANIZATION God to you.”—HEB. 13:7.
DO NOT LET OTHERS WEAKEN YOUR APPRECIATION FOCUS
How to strengthen and maintain your appreciation for Jehovah’s
organization.
1. How were Jehovah’s people organized in the first century?
WHENEVER Jehovah gives his people an assignment, he expects them to carry
it out in an organized way. (1 Cor. 14:33) For example, it is God’s will for the
good news to be preached in all the inhabited earth. (Matt. 24:14) Jehovah has
put Jesus in charge of that work. Jesus has seen to it that it is carried out in an
organized fashion. In the first century, as congregations were established in
various places, elders were appointed to give direction and take the lead. (Acts
14:23) In Jerusalem a central body of elders, consisting of the apostles and
older men, made certain decisions that all the congregations were expected to
comply with. (Acts 15:2; 16:4) As a result of their obedience to the instructions
they received, “the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and
to increase in number.”—Acts 16:5.
2. Since 1919, how has Jehovah provided guidance and spiritual food?
2Jehovah continues to organize his people even today. Since 1919, Jesus has
used a small group of anointed men to organize the preaching work and
supply spiritual food to his followers. * (Luke 12:42) Jehovah is obviously
blessing the work of that group.—Isa. 60:22; 65:13, 14.
3-4. (a) Illustrate how we benefit by being organized. (b) What will we consider in this article?
3 If we were not organized, we would not be able to accomplish the work 9
Jesus has assigned us to do. (Matt. 28:19, 20) Suppose, for example, that there
were no territory assignments; everyone could preach wherever he wanted.
Some territories might be worked over and over by a number of different
publishers, while other territories might be neglected entirely. Can you think
of other ways we benefit by being organized?
4
What Jesus did on earth set the pattern for how he keeps us organized
today. In this article, we will consider the example Jesus set and how our
organization follows that example. We will also discuss how we can show that
we appreciate Jehovah’s organization.
OUR ORGANIZATION FOLLOWS JESUS’ EXAMPLE
5. What is one way that we follow Jesus’ example? (John 8:28)
5 Jesus learned from his heavenly Father what to do and what to say.
Following the example of Jesus, Jehovah’s organization bases its moral
teachings and its direction on God’s Word. (Read John 8:28; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17)
We regularly receive reminders to read and apply God’s Word. How do we
benefit from following this counsel?
6. What is one important way in which we benefit from studying the Bible?
6
We benefit greatly when we study the Bible with the help of our Christian
publications. For instance, we are able to compare Bible teachings with the
direction we receive from the organization. When we see that the guidance we
receive is based on the Scriptures, our confidence in Jehovah’s organization
grows.—Rom. 12:2.
7. What message did Jesus preach, and how does Jehovah’s organization follow his example?
7
Jesus preached “the good news of the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 4:43, 44) Also,
Jesus commanded his disciples to preach about the Kingdom. (Luke 9:1, 2;
10:8, 9) Today all who are associated with Jehovah’s organization preach the
Kingdom message no matter where they live or how much responsibility they
have.
8. What honor have we been given?
8
We count it a privilege to share the truth about God’s Kingdom with others!
That privilege is not open to just anyone. For instance, when Jesus was on
earth, he did not allow the wicked spirits to witness about him. (Luke 4:41)
Today, before a person shares in the ministry with Jehovah’s people, he must
qualify for the privilege. We show how much we appreciate the honor to
preach by giving a witness wherever and whenever we can. Like Jesus, our
goal is to plant and water seeds of Kingdom truth in the hearts of people.—
Matt. 13:3, 23; 1 Cor. 3:6.
9. How does the organization make known God’s name?
9
Jesus made God’s name known. In prayer to his heavenly Father, Jesus said: “I
have made your name known.” (John 17:26) In line with Jesus’ example,
Jehovah’s organization does everything possible to help others come to know
God’s name. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures has played a 10
significant role in this by restoring God’s name to its rightful place. This Bible
translation is now available in whole or in part in over 270 languages. In
Appendixes A4 and A5 of this translation, you will find details regarding the
restoration of God’s name in the Bible. Appendix C, which is found in the Study
Bible, provides extensive proof that God’s name should appear in the Christian
Greek Scriptures 237 times.
10. What do you learn from the expressions of a woman who lives in Myanmar?
10 Like Jesus, we want to help as many people as possible come to know God’s
name. On learning that God has a name, a 67-year-old woman in Myanmar
was moved to tears and said: “This is the first time in my life that I have heard
that God’s name is Jehovah. . . . You have taught me the most important thing
I could ever learn.” As this experience shows, learning God’s name can have a
powerful effect on honesthearted people.
CONTINUE SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR OUR
ORGANIZATION
11. How can elders show appreciation for Jehovah’s organization? (See also picture.)
11
What is one way in which elders can show that they appreciate God’s
organization? When receiving direction, elders need to read it carefully and
then apply it to the best of their ability. For instance, they receive guidance not
only on how to present meeting parts and how to offer prayers for the
congregation but also on how to care for Christ’s sheep. Elders who follow
organizational direction help those under their care to feel secure and loved.
Elders help us to appreciate the direction provided by Jehovah’s organization (See
paragraph 11) b
12. (a) Why should we cooperate with those taking the lead? (Hebrews 13:7, 17) (b) Why should
we focus on the positive qualities of those taking the lead?
12 When we receive direction from the elders, we should follow it willingly. By
doing so, we will make it easier for those taking the lead to do their work. The
Bible encourages us to be obedient and submissive to those who take the
lead. (Read Hebrews 13:7, 17.) That can be a challenge at times. Why?
Because these men are imperfect. However, if we focus on their negative
qualities rather than on their positive traits, we will, in effect, be aiding our
enemies. In what way? We will be undermining trust in God’s organization,
which is what our opposers have set out to do. What specifically can we do to
identify and reject the negative propaganda of our enemies?
DO NOT LET OTHERS WEAKEN YOUR APPRECIATION
13. How have God’s enemies tried to discredit his organization?
13 God’s opposers try to put positive aspects of his organization in a negative
light. For instance, we have learned from the Scriptures that Jehovah expects
his worshippers to be clean physically, morally, and spiritually. He requires
that any who unrepentantly pursue a course of uncleanness be removed from
the congregation. (1 Cor. 5:11-13; 6:9, 10) We adhere to that Scriptural
command. But our opposers try to use that against us by accusing us of being
intolerant, judgmental, and unloving.
14. Who is the source of false stories about the organization?
14Recognize the source of attacks. Satan the Devil is behind false stories. 11
He is “the father of the lie.” (John 8:44; Gen. 3:1-5) So we should expect that
Satan will use his supporters to promote false stories about Jehovah’s
organization. This was evident in the first century.
15. What did religious leaders do to Jesus and his followers?
15 In the first century, Satan’s supporters told one lie after another about the
perfect, miracle-working Son of God. For example, the religious leaders told
people that Jesus’ power to expel demons was given to him by “the ruler of the
demons.” (Mark 3:22) When Jesus was on trial, the religious leaders accused
him of blasphemy and incited the crowds to call for his death. (Matt. 27:20)
Later, as Christ’s followers preached the good news, those who opposed them
“stirred up and wrongly influenced the people” to persecute those Christians.
(Acts 14:2, 19) Regarding Acts 14:2, The Watchtower of December 1, 1998,
explained: “Not content with rejecting the message themselves, Jewish
opposers embarked on a smear campaign, trying to prejudice the Gentile
population against Christians.”
16. What should we remember if we hear false stories?
16 Satan did not stop lying in the first century. Today, he is still “misleading the
entire inhabited earth.” (Rev. 12:9) If you hear negative stories regarding the
organization or the brothers who are taking the lead, remember how God’s 13
enemies treated Jesus and the first-century disciples. Today, Jehovah’s people
are being persecuted and maligned exactly as the Bible foretold. (Matt.
5:11, 12) False stories will not mislead us if we recognize their source and take
immediate action. What action should we take?
17. How can we avoid being harmed by false stories? (2 Timothy 1:13) (See also the box “How
to React to False Stories.”)
17 Reject false stories. The apostle Paul gave clear instructions on what to do
if we are exposed to false stories. He told Timothy to “command certain ones
not to . . . pay attention to false stories” and to “reject irreverent false stories.”
(1 Tim. 1:3, 4; 4:7) Although a toddler might innocently pick up an object from
the floor and put it in his mouth, a mature person who understands the
danger would never do that. We reject false stories because we recognize the
source of the information. We hold to the “wholesome words” of truth.—Read
2 Timothy 1:13.
12
How to React to False Stories
False stories can come from well-meaning friends who unwisely pass
along reports that are not verified. They can also come from
unsolicited emails. Or they can come from apostates whom we might
meet in the ministry but who may try to hide their true intentions.
1. Stories that come from well-meaning friends:
Ask your friend how he verified that the story came from a reliable
source. If he has not verified it, reject the message and do not pass it
on.—Prov. 14:15.
2. Unsolicited emails containing spectacular stories about
Jehovah’s people:
Sometimes these emails may appear to come from a friend’s email
address. Check with your friend to make sure that he sent it and that
he has verified the source. If he did not send it or has not verified it,
delete it.—Prov. 27:12.
3. Apostates who disguise their identity by pretending to be
interested in our message:
If their comments become increasingly derogatory about the
organization or if they try to give you information from apostate
sources, respectfully end the conversation.—2 John 10.
18. How can we show that we appreciate Jehovah’s organization?
18
We have considered just three of the many ways that God’s organization
imitates Jesus. As you study the Bible, take note of additional ways that the
organization follows Jesus’ example. Help others in your congregation to build
their appreciation for the organization. And continue to demonstrate your
appreciation by serving Jehovah loyally and sticking closely to the organization
that he is using to accomplish his will. (Ps. 37:28) May we continue to treasure
the privilege we have of being associated with Jehovah’s loving and loyal
people.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
In what ways do God’s people imitate Jesus?
How can we continue showing appreciation for Jehovah’s organization?
What should we do if we are exposed to false stories?
SONG 103 Shepherds—Gifts in Men
* See the box “Why 1919?” in the book Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored At Last! pp. 102-103.
b PICTURE DESCRIPTION: After the elders discuss arrangements for public witnessing, a
group overseer passes on the direction to the publishers to stand with their back next to the
wall.
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