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 earths 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 its
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 its purpose. Its 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 Christs 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.
Thats 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
|