The Establishment Of The Church

by Chris Simmons

Over the past six months, the articles have focused on providing a historical perspective on God’s scheme to save man. Information in God’s word that we need to know and information we need to be able to share with others who would want to know of God’s truth. We have focused on the promises and prophecies that look forward to a time when God’s plan to redeem man would be revealed and brought to fruition. They included God’s promise that Satan would one day be dealt a fatal blow (Genesis 3:15). We also studied the promise God made to Abraham that through his seed, “all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). God also promised David that one of his descendants would sit on his throne and reign forever (II Samuel 7:12-16). Isaiah prophesied of the “mountain of the house of the Lord” that would be established in which all nations would stream to it, beginning in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4). Daniel prophesied of a kingdom to come that would be established in the days of the Roman Empire that “will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). Daniel also prophesied of one described as the “Son of Man” who would forever reign in this indestructible kingdom (Daniel 7:13-14). Jeremiah prophesied of a new covenant (unlike the covenant He made under the Old Law) that would be established in which forgiveness of sin would be made possible (Jeremiah 31:31-34). When would all these things come to pass?

When the “fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son…in order that He might redeem those who were under the law” (Galatians 4:4-5). The past few weeks, we have addressed Jesus’ humility and His obedience “to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8) and His victory over sin and death through His resurrection from the dead. Following His resurrection, Jesus met with His chosen apostles and gave them some serious and sobering responsibilities to fulfill. He charged them with the responsibility to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20; cf. Mark 16:15-16). They were promised that they would not be alone but that they would be given “signs” that would accompany them (Mark 16:17-18, 20) to validate the message they carried. They would be given a “Helper” (NASV, NKJV) or “Comforter” (ASV, KJV) to teach them “all the truth” that God wanted man to know and to remind them of all Jesus had taught them (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13). They were commanded to “stay in the city” of Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit had clothed them with “power from on high” before they could begin proclaiming the message of “repentance and forgiveness of sins” (Luke 24:47-49).

During Jesus’ ministry, He foretold that these events associated with the establishment of the kingdom would happen in the lifetime of those alive at that time and that they would be identified by their coming “with power.” “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power” (Mark 9:1). Later, after His resurrection, and before He ascended to His Father, Jesus told His apostles (now the eleven) that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit “not many days from now” (Acts 1:5). He then told them that they would “receive (the) power” He referred to in Mark 9:1 when the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:7-8). Thus, when Jesus had finally ascended, the establishment of the church, the “kingdom which will never be destroyed,” was just days away.

That day came just ten days later on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:3 states Jesus appeared for forty days after His resurrection – the day of Pentecost, by definition came fifty days after His resurrection) as recorded in Acts chapter 2. There we read of a noise from heaven like a “violent, rushing wind,” the appearance of “tongues as of fire” resting on each of the apostles while being “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:2-4). This was the “power” that the kingdom of God was to come with (Mark 9:1) and that the apostles were promised to receive. Those Jews who were gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost from all over the world began to hear the apostles speaking fluently in their own native tongues. We can imagine the amazement, marvel and perplexity created by hearing unlearned men speaking so clearly in their own languages. Some mocked but others wanted to know what these events meant.

The apostle Peter took his stand with the other apostles and explained that what was taking place was in direct fulfillment of what the Joel prophesied would take place (Acts 2:14-21). Peter was about to proclaim that which would save man from his sins, but first, by way of inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter needed to convict them of their sin in crucifying Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Peter boldly asserts that these Jews had crucified the Son of God, in spite of irrefutable evidence of His divinity, which was part of God’s eternal plan to save man (verses 22-23). Peter establishes that God raised Him whom they had crucified and cites the prophecy of David that Jesus would not remain in the grave or in the hadean realm (verses 24-29). They could know that David wasn’t referring to himself because his tomb (with his decayed body) was with them to that day (verses 30-31). The Holy Spirit ties this prophecy to David’s knowledge that God had promised him that one of his descendants would reign forever on his throne. Finally, David’s prophecy that Jesus would ascend to God’s right hand where He would reign, led to his conclusion, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ – this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).

Jesus prayed on the cross “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). If they were to be forgiven, they would need to know what they did and be convicted of such. Peter accomplished that in his first gospel sermon and the result was that his message “pierced” their hearts and they urgently asked of Peter and the rest of the apostles, “what shall we do” about our sin (verse 37). For the very first time, the remedy for sin was offered by Peter when he said, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself” (verses 38-39). The promise to Abraham could now be fulfilled as three thousand souls on that day of Pentecost received the blessing of the forgiveness of their sins through their faith and obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those obedient souls were the first then to be added to the church (verses 41 & 47) that Jesus had said He would build, that He died for, and that will never be destroyed.

The day of Pentecost following Jesus resurrection from the dead and His ascension to God the Father, a day that changed the world – and the eternal destiny of man – forever! May we ever strive to devote ourselves to the church Jesus died to establish that day as long as God may grant us the breath of life.