The Church: The Origin of the Church
INTRODUCTION: The next three lessons deal with the origin of the Church from the viewpoints of ( 1)time, and (2) authority. That is, when did the Church begin and by whose authority was it built? Whose authority controls it? All need to leam well the answers to these important questions. Particular stress should be given to the distinction to be made between Old and New Testament authority and the purposes Old Testament scriptures serve today in the Church of God.
I. The Importance of Knowing When the
Church Began:
1. Matter of identity -- to distinguish it from Old
Testament agencies and also from religious
institutions of modern human origin.
2. To identify its laws -- and to see when the law
governing the Church of God went into
effect.
II. Church Foreshadowed in Old
Testament (Heb. 9:11, 23; 10:1):
1. The Church then was not in existence in Old
Testament days.
2. Old Testament writers desired to see its era
(I Pet. 1:10-12).
III. Beginning of Church or Kingdom,
Subjects of Prophecy:
1. Isaiah 2:2-3; Micah 4:1-2. To be established.
a. In last days.
b. In Jerusalem.
c. New Testament Age is “last days" (Heb. 1:1-2;
Acts 2: 16-17).
2. Nebuchadnezzar's Dream (Dan. 2:31-35); the
interpretation of his dream (Dan. 2:36-45).
3. Four Kingdoms:
a. Babylonian -- Nebuchadnezzar, King, 600 B.C.
Kingdom fell in 536 B.C. Represented by head
of gold.
b. Medo-Persian -- Established by Cyrus, King of
Persia, and Darius, King of Media, fell in 330
B.C. Represented by the breasts and arms of
silver.
c. Macedonia(Greek) -- Established by Alexander
the Great Divided among his generals in 323
B.C. Represented by belly and thighs of brass.
d. Roman -- Established as world power by the
Emperor Octavius Caesar in 30 B.C. Rome ruled
most of the civilized world for over 600 years.
Roman Kingdom represented by legs of iron,
and feet of iron and clay.
"In the days of these kings" -- Therefore refers to the time of universal empires and "smote the image upon its feet" signifies that the event which Daniel foresaw, the establishment of the Kingdom of God, would take place after the beginning of the Roman Empire in A. D. 30 and during its existence.
e. The New Testament begins its story while the
Caesars still ruled the world. "In those days
came John the Baptist" (Matt. 3:1-2). What
days (Luke 3:1-2)? "In the Fifteenth year of the
reign of Tiberius Caesar" -- "Preaching in the
wilderness of Judea, saying, repent ye; for the
Kingdom of heaven is at hand
IV. Church Was Not Established By John:
1. Preached "at hand" or approaching (Matt. 3: 1-2).
2. John was not in the Kingdom (Matt. 11:11).
V. Church Not Established During the
Personal Ministry of Jesus - Yet In
The Future:
1. Mark 1:15 -- "At hand" - Jesus.
2. Matt. 10:7 -- "At hand - Twelve.
3. Luke 10:9 -- "Come nigh unto you.“
4. Matt. 6:9-10 -- Disciples taught to pray for it.
5. Matt. 16:18 -- Christ promised to build.
6. Matt. 18: 1-3 -- Disciples not yet in it.
7. Mark 9:1 -- Christ promises that it will come
during that generation.
8. Luke 22:18; 19:11 -- Disciples yet expecting it
(Mk. 15:43).
9. Acts 1:6 -- Had not come at time of ascension.
VI. The Beginning:
1. Jerusalem / Pentecost:
a. Kingdom to begin and law to go forth from
Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-3; Luke 24:47).
b. Law went forth on Pentecost from Jerusalem
(Acts 2:37-38).
c. Pentecost the beginning (Acts 2:14; 11:15).
2. Power/ Holy Spirit:
a. The Kingdom was to come with power
(Mk. 91 1).
b. The Power was to come with Holy Spirit
(Acts 1:8).
c. The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
d. Therefore the Kingdom came on Pentecost.
3. Apostles / Preach:
a. The law was to go forth from Jerusalem
(Isaiah 2:2-3).
b. The Apostles commissioned to preach
(Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16); but
instructed to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy
Spirit to come and guide them before
beginning (Luke 24:49).
c. Spirit came on Pentecost and preaching of the
Gospel, the law of the Kingdom began on the
Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:31-34, 36-38).
VII. Pentecost Marks the Beginning
(Acts 11:15):
1. The beginning of the Christian Age -- The New
Covenant (Heb. 8:8; 9: 15-17).
2. The beginning of the Church.
3. The beginning of gospel preaching.
4. Beginning of the preaching of the remission of
sins (Luke 24:47).
VIII. After Pentecost the Church or
Kingdom Always Spoken of as in
Existence:
(Acts 2:47; 5:11; 8:1; 11:22; 13:1; 14:27;
Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9).
Questions for Discussion:
l. Why should one know when the Church began?
2. How do you know the Church did not exist during the
Old Testament Period?
3. Outline the prophecy of Isaiah 2:2-3; Micah 4:1-2.
4. Show how these predictions were fulfilled in Acts the
second chapter.
5. Give the leading facts of Daniel 2:31-35, 36-45.
6. Give the four kingdoms of Daniel‘s prophecy, and
show how this was fulfilled.
7. How do you know the Kingdom was not set up during
the days of John the Baptist and during the personal
ministry of Jesus?
8. Discuss the markers of the actual beginning of the
Kingdom.
9. What notable day marks the beginning?
10. After this date, how Was the "church" or "kingdom"
spoken of‘?