Lessons on The Church - Day 2

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by Ralph Price, June 2000

THE CHURCH IN PREPARATION.

1. Old Testament preparation.
   1. The four world kingdoms.
      1. Babylon contributed synagogue worship. This made it easy for Christ and His Apostles to find believing Jews to spread the gospel.
      2. The Medo-Persian Empire contributed a strong respect for authority and law.
      3. The Grecian Empire contributed a near universal language.
      4. The Roman Empire contributed:
         1. Near universal peace.
         2. Extensive system of roads.
         3. Freedom of religion.
   2. The Old Law.
      1. Galatians 3:21-26.
         1. The Law is said to be the schoolmaster which brought us to Christ.
         2. The Schoolmaster was one who brought the student to the teacher.
      2. Hebrews 10:1-4.
         1. The law was a shadow of the good things to come.
         2. It served to remind the people every year that they need a savior.
         3. This savior was Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:15).
   3. The Tabernacle. See sermon outline.
      
2. New Testament preparation.
   1. John the baptist.
      1. The Old Testament closes with a prophecy of one who would come in the spirit of Elijah (Malachi 4:4-6).
      2. Isaiah 40:3-5, John 1:23.
      3. His job was to prepare the way for Christ. To turn the hearts of the people toward God once again.
      4. He preached, "Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mt.3:1-2).
      5. He preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mk. 1:4).
   2. Christ.
      1. After Jesus came out of the wilderness, he began to preach, "Repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mt. 4:17).
      2. The Jews thought that this was a physical kingdom but it was not.
      3. Three passages where Jesus pinpoints the coming of the kingdom.
         1. Mark 9:1.
         2. Luke 24:49.
         3. Acts 1:8.
   3. The Twelve.
      1. Jesus sent His twelve disciples out to preach (Mt. 10).
      2. He told them to preach, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mt. 10:7).
   4. The Seventy.
      1. Jesus sent out 70 disciples in Luke 10.
      2. He told them to preach, "The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you." (Luke 10:9).
         

1. The church was established on the first Pentecost after Jesus resurrection (Acts 2).
   
2. Let’s see if it fulfills the prophecies which we have studied thus far.
   1. It was established by one of the seed of David. Christ came through the bloodline if David (Mt. 1). This fulfills 2 Samuel 7:12.
   2. It was established in Jerusalem. This fulfills Joel 2, Isaiah 2, and Luke 24:49.
   3. The Spirit was poured out. This fulfills Joel 2.
   4. It was established during the days of the Roman kings. This fulfills Daniel 2.
      
3. The church is the kingdom of God.
   1. Before Pentecost, the kingdom is always spoken of in the future tense.
   2. After Pentecost, it is always spoken of in the past tense.
      1. Colossians 1:13.
      2. Revelation 1:9.
      3. Acts 11:14. The day of Pentecost is spoken of as the beginning.