THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH IN THE N.T. # 1

By John Cripps

Intro:

    1. This evening I want to start a series on the church.
      1. It is of vital importance that we who are children of God know just how the church came into existence.
      2. Also of vital importance is the understanding that the terms "kingdom" and "church" are the same when made in reference to the body of Christ.
    2. Thus in order for us to arrive at the truth on this matter we must of necessity start at the very beginning.
      1. With so many "so called churches" in the world today...Author of Chaos of the Cults, lists over 1500 churches in the USA alone, it is vitally important to understand whether the N.T. church exists today.
      2. The beginning point is of vital importance as it establishes whether the "Church of Christ" as we know it today is indeed the "church" spoken of in the N.T.
      3. Other reasons of knowing when the church began can be seen in the importance of:
        1. A matter of identity --- To distinguish it from the O.T. agencies and also from religious institutions of modern human origin.
        2. To also identify its laws --- and to see when the law governing the church came into effect.
    3. A good starting point would be to see that the church was indeed part of the eternal purpose of God .... Eph.3:9-11.
      1. We will consider some O.T. passages which refer to the church of the N.T. --- thus establishing the fact that the church is indeed revealed in prophecy.
      2. That the church was indeed foreshadowed by the O.T....Heb. 8:1-3 ; 10:1.
        1. This will also establish that the church was not in existence in the O.T. days.
        2. As well as to show us the fact that the O.T. worthies desired to see its era....I Peter 1:10-12.
    4. There is so much confusion about the time of the establishment of the church/kingdom on earth.
      1. Methodists believe the church was established in the days of Adam, Abraham, or in the days of Moses.
      2. The Baptists claim it was established in the days of John the Baptists. Southern baptist's disagree with that and have it established on the day of pentecost.
      3. Ultra-dispensationalist say it was established in the days of Paul.
      4. The 70 AD. people of Max King believe it was established at the final destruction of Jerusalem.
      5. The pre-millennialists say it has yet to be established when Christ returns the second time.
      6. With all this confusion over when the church/kingdom was established we can see the importance of studying such a subject, knowing that if we know when it was established then we will be able to identify the same today.
    5. Let us now look at the scriptures to prove that the church and the kingdom are in fact the same institution.


Body:

  1. THE CHURCH AND THE KINGDOM ARE INDEED THE SAME. *** Chart # 1 ***
    1. The Words are used interchangeably....Matt. 16:18 ; Heb. 12:22-28.
    2. The church and the kingdom have the same beginning date.
      1. Mk 9:1 ....kingdom to come with power.
      2. Acts 1:8...power to come with the H.S.
      3. Acts 2:1-4.. power came on the day of pentecost.AD.33.
      4. But people were added to the church for the first time on the day of Pentecost AD.33.....Acts 2:47.
      5. Thus the kingdom and the church came into effect on the same day.
    3. The church and the Kingdom have the same beginning place.
      1. The church began in Jerusalem....(see above)
      2. The kingdom began in Jerusalem....(see above).
    4. The church and the kingdom were bought with the same blood.
      1. The kingdom was bought with the blood of Christ...Rev. 5:9-10.
      2. The church was bought with the blood of Christ... Acts 20:28.
      3. Thus the church and the kingdom are the same institution.
    5. They have the same ruler:
      1. Christ is the king of the kingdom....Col. 1:13.
      2. But Christ is head over the church...Col. 1:18.
    6. They have the same terms of entrance:
      1. One enters the kingdom by a birth of water and of the Spirit...John 3:1-5.
      2. But one enters the church by a birth of water and of the Spirit...I Cor. 12:13.
    7. They have the same membership:
      1. The Colossians were in Christ...Col. 1:2, which is equal to being in the church...Rom. 6:4 ; Gal. 3:27 ; I Cor. 12:13.
      2. But the Colossians had been translated into the kingdom...Col. 1:13.
      3. Thus they were in both the church and the kingdom, which are equal and the same institution.
    8. They both have the same memorial:
      1. The Lord's table was to be in the kingdom ...Matt. 26:29.
      2. But the Lord's Table was in the church at Corinth... I Cor. 11:20-27.
    9. Having established the point that the church and the kingdom are indeed the same without a shadow of a doubt we can move on to show that the church/kingdom was indeed foretold in prophecy.


  2. THE CHURCH/KINGDOM FORETOLD IN PROPHECY.
    1. There are five essential criteria that has to be met before one establishes the truthfulness of a prophecy.
      1. The event must be beyond the power of man to foresee.
      2. It must be demonstrated that the prediction was made before the event.
      3. The prediction must be applicable to the event.
      4. The language of the prediction must be unambiguous and unmistakable.
      5. The prediction must have a clear and demonstrable fulfillment. (The divine Demonstration, H.W. Everest, Nashville, TN. Gospel Advocate Co. 1972 p. 260.)
      6. The reason for stating this because we will clearly see that the prophecies we will study here tonight do fill all those criteria of true prophecy.
    2. Isa. 2:2-4 ; Micah 4:1-3. The kingdom was to be established:
      1. In the last days.
      2. In Jerusalem.
      3. All nations will flow unto it.
      4. It will be a peaceable kingdom.
        1. The fulfillment can be seen by Peter quoting Joel 2:28 and marking Pentecost AD.33 as the beginning of the "last days."
        2. The Lord's house is the church....I Tim. 3:14-15 which was established in Jerusalem...Acts 2:47.
        3. All nations would flow unto it, as the kingdom and the church has a world wide commission... Matt. 28:18-19 ; Mk 16:15-16 ...cf Acts 2:39 ; 10:34-35 ; Gal.3:26-29 ; Col. 3:10-11 ; John 10:16.
        4. "out of Zion shall go forth the law...."
          1. Disciples where not to depart from Jerusalem... Lk. 24:46-53.
          2. The disciples indeed returned to Jerusalem .... Acts 1:12.
          3. They waited for the promise to come.
          4. The promise came...Acts 2:1-4.
          5. A multitude assembled...Acts 2:6.
          6. Peter preached the first Gospel sermon under the great commission.
          7. He convicted the Jews of having crucified their long promised Messiah....Acts 2:36.
          8. They were pricked in their hearts and asked what they needed to do....vrs 37.
          9. Peter announced the law of pardon for the first time in Jerusalem, and probably from Mt. Zion....(most scholars believe that they were in the temple area when the H.S. came..cf Lk. 24:53.)
        5. See Chart # 2...."Law from Jerusalem"
        6. Display chart # 3 ...."Universal peace"
    3. Further display of fulfilled prophecy.
      1. In the year 606 BC. Daniel prophecies concerning the coming Kingdom....Dan. 2:31-45.
      2. The image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream represented four world empires.
        1. The head of Gold represented Babylonian Empire --- 626 Bc to 536 BC.
        2. The breasts and arms of silver represented the Medo- Persian Empire --- 536-331 BC under rulers such as Cyrus, and Darius.
        3. The belly and thighs of Brass represented the Macedonian Empire --- 331-321 BC. with such rulers as Alexander the Great.
        4. The legs of iron and the feet of iron and clay represented the Empire of the Romans --- 63 BC - 476 AD.
          1. It is in the days of these kings that the kingdom of God shall set up a kingdom.
          2. Display chart # 4
    4. Dan.7:13-14 ....Display chart # 5.
      1. With Christ's ascension there is the fulfillment of this prophecy.
    5. There are numerous other O.T. Prophecies that we can look at tonight however time does not allow us to go into explicit detail of each.
    6. Pentecost Marks the beginning....Acts 11:15.
      1. Display chart # 6.
        1. Everything before Pentecost looked forward or unto, everything after pentecost speaks of the kingdom/church as being in existence.


Concl:

    1. There is no uncertain fact that the Church/kingdom was established on the day of Pentecost AD.33, in Jerusalem as was predicted and foretold by the prophets 1000 of years before.
    2. Thus having seen that the church was established, next week we will look at "WHAT IS THE CHURCH?"
    3. If any one is subject to the Lord's Invitation why not come while we stand and sing.