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?

² Jehovah 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. a (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 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 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.

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?

 ¹⁴ Recognize the source of attacks. Satan the Devil is behind false stories. 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 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.

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.