The Establishment of the Church of Christ #3

A. The establishment of the church was a Divine event — The Christian movement was not a religious
system that gradually evolved out of the cultural elements of the an antique religion. It had a
dramatic beginning point. Prior to the spring of A.D. 30, the church of Jesus Christ did not exist It
exploded into existence on a single day of earth’s history. It was so Divinely inspired and empowered
it spread like wild fire all over the world and still to this very day brings to a lost world the only hope of
salvation and resurrection from the grave” Acts 4:12, stated 2000 years ago, “There is no
salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must
be saved." And from that day to this, that is still true. 2000 years ago Jesus said, in Jno. 14:6, "I
am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.“ New
Testament Christianity, which is the Messianic kingdom of Jesus Christ, is the only avenue open for
man to have fellowship with God.
The Mosaic system and Judaism had one single purpose for it’s existence. It was designed to prepare the world for the coming of Christianity, Gal. 3:23?29, “Therefore the law (The Law of Moses) was our tutor (A tutor teaches and prepares people to learn about something— What did the Law of Moses teach Israel? How to recognize the Messiah who would be the fulfillment of all the promises made to Israel) to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” It took the place of Judaism. It fulfilled, completed the Law of Moses. Matt. 5:17?19. Just before Jesus ascended back into heaven He spoke these words to His apostles, LK. 24:44-49.
1. Jesus foretold the end of Judaism and prepared his apostles for that change in these words, Lk. 21:1?7. “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two Mites. So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had. Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, (Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple). These things which you see ?? the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."
(1) Jesus has just stated that the end of Judaism is about to occur. What was the center piece of the Jewish religion? What made it possible for a Jew to approach the throne of God? His sacrifice, prayers and the priesthood at the temple. Without the temple the Jew could not exercise his right as a son of Abraham. He lost his birthright and his God. God was in the Holy of Holies, the Holy of Holies was in the temple. The temple was the only place the Jew could go to find atonement for his sin. Without God the temple was just another pile of ornate stone erected by man.
(1) They began to ask questions. They understood the seriousness of what Jesus had just said. Vs. 7, “Teacher, when will these things happen? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?" The most important question of the hour is, “How will we know when Judaism is about to come to an end?”
(1) The answer to that specific question is found in Vs. 20?23, "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.”

(2) Jesus has just said that Judaism is coming to an end. Why? It has served it’s purpose. It’s purpose was to fulfill the promise made to Adam and Eve in Gen. 3:15, and then to Abraham in Gen. 22:17-18, when God foretold the victory of Jesus on the cross. The purpose of Judaism was to bring forth the seed of woman who would defeat Satan and the power of death. That seed of woman was Jesus, the Son of God, miraculously born of the virgin Mary.
(2) Vs. 20-23, reveals several truths we need to know. Jerusalem will be surrounded by armies. Jews constantly rebelled against Rome. In A.D. 70, the Roman Emperor Vespasian sent his army under the command of his son Titus to completely abolish the constant insurrection and rebellion of the Jews.
(1) The Roman army surrounded and besieged the city, ordered that the temple not be touched. But the temple and the entire city was burned down. Only three towers were left standing as a tribute to the complete subjugation and victory by the Roman Army. All the Jews were deported to other far-away lands and forbidden to come back to Jerusalem. They then tore down the temple and not one stone was left on top of another and plowed up all the ground around it.
(2) Not only was the temple gone, but the fire that raged through out the temple complex destroyed all the genealogical records that were stored there. Those records were important. Without those linage records a Jew does not know from which of the 12 tribes he has descended. If you do not know who is from the tribe of Aaron you can never appoint a High Priest. If you do not know who is descended from the tribe of Levi you can never have a priesthood to serve in the temple if you want to rebuild it.
(3) If you do not know who is descended from the tribe of Judah you can never have a hope of a Messiah. Scripture states that He would be of the linage of David. In short, there is not a Jew in the world who can prove that he is a Jew. Judaism has been eliminated from the earth as a way to approach God. The old covenant made with Israel has been removed, eliminated and nailed to the cross, Col. 2:13?14, “Christ forgave us all our sins, (notice how) having canceled the written code, (Law of Moses) with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross.” The Law of Moses and Judaism died on the cross.
(2) Jeremiah had prophesied 600 years earlier that the Law of Moses would be replaced by a new Messianic Covenant, Jer. 31:31-34. And when that New Covenant was ushered in the Jews were the first people who heard the Gospel, obeyed the Gospel and the first people to enter the Church of Jesus Christ. And thousands of them did.
(1) On that first Pentecost feast after Christ’s death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the apostle Peter stood before them in Acts 2:26, and said, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Vs. 37, tells us, “When they understood what had happened they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
(2) Peter told them what to do, Vs. 38, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Vs. 41, says, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” That’s the day God established the Church of Christ.
(1) You can be added to their number today in exactly the same way they did 2000 years ago. By hearing that Word, believing that Word, obyeing that Word by repenting of your sins and being Baptized for the remission of your sins.
(2) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 01/26/03 am