THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH

THE ORIGIN OF THE CHURCH

IMPORTANCE OF WHEN THE CHURCH BEGAN

• Matter of identity—to distinguish it from the Old Testament agencies and also from religious institutions of modern human origin.

• To identify its laws—and to see when the law governing the Church of God went into effect.

CHURCH FORESHADOWED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The church was NOT in existence in the Old Testament days.

• Old Testament worthies desired to see its era.– “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and

searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things which angels desire to look into.” {1 Peter 1:10-12}

FORESHADOWED IN OLD TESTAMENT

• “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.” {Hebrews 9:11}

• “Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” {Hebrews 9:23}

Beginning of the Church, Kingdom, Subject of Prophecy

• “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD'S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” {Isaiah 2:2,3}

Beginning of the Church, Kingdom, Subject of Prophecy

• “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD'S house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” {Micah 4:1,2}

Beginning of the Church, Kingdom, Subject of Prophecy

• New Testament age is “last days.”–“Has in these last days spoken to us

by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds.” {Hebrews 1:2}–“But this is what was spoken by the

prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God…”{Acts 2:16,17}

DANIEL GIVES GOD’S INTERPRETATION

• Four world kingdoms

• Babylon—head of Gold

• Medes/Persians—breast and arms of silver

• Greece—belly and thighs of bronze

• Roman—legs of iron and partly of clay

DANIEL GIVES GOD’S INTERPRETATION

• A stone cut, without hands, would crush all other kingdoms

• Stone grew into a large mountain

• This kingdom would come in the days of Romans kings (4th empire) and NEVER be destroyed!

KEY PASSAGE• “And in the days of these kings the God of

heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold-the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure.” (Dan.2:44,45)

DAYS OF THE CAESARS

• New Testament begins…– “In those days John the Baptist came

preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” {Matthew 3:1,2}

– “Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene…{Luke 3:1}

CHURCH NOT ESTABLISHED BY JOHN THE BAPTIZER

• Preached the “kingdom was at hand.”– “In those days John the Baptist came

preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”{Matthew 3:1,2}

• John was not in the kingdom– “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of

women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”{Matthew 11:11}

CHURCH NOT ESTABLISHED DURING PERSONAL MINISTRY OF JESUS

• At hand—Jesus–Mark 1:15

• At hand—disciples–Matthew 10:7

• Near them– Luke 10:9

• Taught to pray for it–Matthew 6:9,10

CHURCH NOT ESTABLISHED DURING PERSONAL MINISTRY OF JESUS

• Promise to build it–Matthew 16:18

• Disciples not yet in–Matthew 18:1-3

• Would come during that generation–Mark 9:1

• Not come at time of His ascension– Acts 1:6-8

THE BEGINNING

• Jerusalem and Pentecost• Prophecy—from Jerusalem– “Now when they heard this, they were cut

to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” {Acts 2:37,38}

THE BEGINNING

• Jerusalem and Pentecost• Prophecy—from Jerusalem– “And that repentance and remission of

sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” {Luke 24:47}

THE BEGINNING

• Jerusalem and Pentecost• Pentecost the starting point!– “But Peter, standing up with the eleven,

raised his voice and said to them, Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.” {Acts 2:14}

– “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning.”{Acts 11:15}

THE BEGINNING

• Power / Holy Spirit• Came with power—the Holy Spirit– “And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to

you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” {Mark 9:1}

– “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”{Acts 1:8}

THE BEGINNING

• Holy Spirit on Pentecost.– “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come,

they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” {Acts 2:1-4}

THE BEGINNING

• Apostles / Preach. Are in Jerusalem.• Given the Great Commission– “Go therefore and make disciples of all

the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” {Matthew 28:19,20}

PENTECOST MARKS THE BEGINNING!

• The beginning of the Christian Age• The New Covenant• The beginning of the Church/

Kingdom• The beginning of Gospel Preaching.• Beginning preaching of remission of

sins– Hebrews 8:8; 9:15-17– Luke 24:47-49

AFTER PENTECOST CHURCH/KINGDOM ALWAYS

SPOKEN OF AS IN EXISTENCE• Acts 2:47—”added to the church”• Acts 5:11—”great fear came on the

church.”• Acts 8:1—”persecution arose against

the church.”• Acts 11:22—”news of the church.”• Acts 13:1—”the church at Antioch…”• Acts 14:27—”gathered the church

together.”

AFTER PENTECOST CHURCH/KINGDOM ALWAYS

SPOKEN OF AS IN EXISTENCE• “He has delivered us from the power of

darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” {Colossians 1:13}

• “I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”{Revelation 1:9}