3.02 - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH

I purpose tonight to begin a series of studies regarding, first, the Establishment of the Church of the Bible, to be followed by its subsequent history, its gradual apostasy, the rise of ecclesiasticism, the development of the great hierarchy, and finally the dawn of the great Reformation, culminating with the Restoration movement of more than a hundred years ago.

I believe that this audience will appreciate such a study, for a knowledge of these things is vital to our eternal destiny.

I have no apology to make for preaching tonight upon the establishment of the church for which Jesus Christ died. I call your attention, therefore, to the reading of a part of Matthew 16:1-28.

Most of the mighty works of the Son of God were done around the Sea of Galilee, but since he was human as well as Divine, the time came when He longed for seclusion, and a period of rest. Hence, He left the beautiful sea, and went with His disciples near to the little city of Caesarea Philippi. There He asked of them what public opinion was regarding his identity. They replied by telling Him that some said that He was John the Baptist, others that He was Elias, others Jeremias, and still others announced that He was, at least, one of the prophets. To make the matter direct and personal, Christ turned to the disciples and sought to elicit from them the answer that was forthcoming—"What do you think about it’ what do you have to say?" With that courage and boldness characteristic of the man, Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." By their very silence that statement was indorsed by all the others.

He turned and pronounced a blessing on Peter for having made that confession, and said that flesh and blood had not revealed it, but His Father who wee in heaven.

Then He said, "Thou also art Peter, and upon this rock— upon this great truth—I will build my church, and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." In this expression, wherein the word "church" is first used in all the Bible, there are some significant statements regarding it. Christ said, "Upon this rock l will build my church." Christ was to be the builder. Any church, therefore, on earth tonight founded by any other than the Lord Jesus Christ is not the church mentioned in this Bible. He said, "I will build my church." Any organization erected or built at any other time than the time contemplated here is unknown to the Book of God. Any organization built at some other place than the one emphasized in the Bible is a stranger to God’s Book.

Notice,—"Upon this rock I will build my church." God forbid that in my phraseology and reference I should fail to give Jesus Christ the honor and the glory as the proud possessor of that which was bought by His blood, and filled with His spirit. That is why it is that I speak of it as the Church of Christ. I mean the church belonging to Christ, the church owned by Christ, and justly so by every consideration that brings about a purchased possession. That is why the peerless apostle speaks of it as the church of the First Born, the pillar and the ground of the truth. And Christ said again: "Upon this rock I will build my church," He said—not churches, as of many, but church, as of one. That is the only institution about which the Bible has anything to say.

It ought to be a challenging question, paramount to every one tonight; Are you a member of that institution, are you a member of the church, or, are you a member of a church? Remember that such a thought as a church is unknown to the Book of God. But again He said: "Upon this rock I will build my church.” He did not say: "I purpose to build," or "I may build,” or even "I shall build it," as though to indicate a mere state of futurity, but using the strongest wording possible, that which carries with it not only futurity but all emphasis and a determination, He said, "I will build," thus giving to those of His audience the strongest possible statement and the greatest assurance that nothing shall thwart His purpose or turn aside that declaration or intention. "Though I may pass down through the gates into the realm of hades, the home of departed Spirit?, I will build my church. I may be confined in that realm, my body may be buried in a borrowed tomb, a stone may be rolled over the mouth of the sepulcher, but I will build my church. By the power of God I will burst the bars that may be round about and come forth triumphant o’er the powers of the hadean world. I will pass through other gates, “I will build my church." Then He said the very gates already mentioned shall not prevail against it—equivalent, I think, to saying that the gates shall not hinder.

I know there is a prevalent idea that Christ here promises that the gates of hades shall not prevail against the church. The Bible does not say that. I think this passage does not mean that. But the gates of hades shall not prevail against my intention, my purpose, my objective- in spite of all such, I will build my church. And I rejoice tonight to believe in a Christ who was able to make good a solemn promise to the apostles, and through them to all of us yet living.

But, further, He said, "Peter, I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." From this statement I learn this, that the kingdom of heaven in this passage is a synonym for the church of the Lord, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." If that expression meant not the same as the church about which He had just spoken, then Peter used the keys of the kingdom to unlock the door of all entirely different institution, and stands out guilty of burglarizing the church of God, the pillar and the support of the truth.

I am aware of the fact that in many passages of the Bible these expressions may have different significance, but in this connection, the law of language and of good sense demands their equivalent. So the word "church," likewise the "kingdom of God," the "kingdom of heaven," "the kingdom of His dear Son" and the "body of Christ" are used as synonymous expressions, but while synonymous each carries its peculiar characteristic feature.

Let me say this: with reference to its laws and its government, the church is properly called a kingdom. It is not a republican form of government, nor yet is it a democracy. It is a monarchy with all the powers vested in one sovereign head, Christ Jesus, the king, who has within Himself the power of legislation, of the judiciary and likewise the executive. In such a realm He has but to speak and loyal citizens hear, entranced. He has but to command, and faithful followers move in harmony with His authority. As regards its organization and the relationship of the different members to a great federal head, it is properly called a body—Christ the head, Christians the members, and the Holy Spirit the vitalizing, life-giving power. When you think about it as it pertains to the world, and in order to emphasize its relation to other governments, it is properly called the church, a word that means the separated, the called-out, and the isolated in their relationships. That such all organization is in existence tonight I think will not be denied or questioned by any of you who chance to hear, or possibly those who will read of what is now being said. That there was a time and a place of its erection I think also admits of no argument. So far as I know, have right or reason to believe, this will not be denied or questioned by any of you. All scholars who have written upon the subject agree that the church of the New Testament was founded, established and inaugurated on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

Summing up the evidence, and gathering the very cream of the scholarship of the world, Smith’s Bible Dictionary very accurately says that Pentecost marks the birthday of that institution.

There are many lines of study, many ways of approach to a matter of this kind. I purpose tonight to go back into the historic past some 600 years B.C., and trace matters as they are closely revealed regarding this institution. When Nabopolassar, the great monarch of Babylon, died, his son, Nebuchadnezzar, inherited the throne. Unwilling to share the rulership of the world with his rival down in Egypt, there was a great contest, and one of the greatest battles recorded in Biblical history was fought at old Carchemish in the year 608 B.C., with the result that the Eastern monarch was supreme, and his universal rule was acknowledged by all the people of all civilized lands.

He rushed from this section back across the Arabian desert and assumed the throne left vacant by his father. He had carried, however, with him, from the land of Palestine, the treasures of the House of God, and the vast number of those who had been worshiping at the throne of Jehovah. In that number were the three children, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, together with Ezekiel, Daniel and others. Not many months went by until old King Nebuchadnezzar had a wonderful dream that troubled him. He remembered the next morning that he had had a dream, but was unable to recall exactly what it was. So he ordered all the soothsayers, the astrologers and the magicians to come into his presence, and to make known to him that which he had dreamed, and likewise the interpretation.

They said, "There lives not a man in all the earth able to reveal what the dream was. You tell us what it was and we will make due explanation and give proper interpretation." But he said, "The thing has gone from me and unless you can reproduce it, I will issue a decree that all shall be slain, but the man who will reproduce it shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honor." When the decree went forth that all of those wise characters should be slain, the news reached those in captivity, and Daniel remonstrated, saying, "Let not the king be hasty, let me be brought into his presence and I will reveal to him the interpretation." So Daniel was taken into the presence of the king, and announced to him that there was and is a God in heaven who can reveal secrets, and make known what shall be in the latter day. When the setting was completed, Daniel said: "Thou, O king, sawest, and, behold, a great image. This image which was mighty, and whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the aspect thereof was terrible. As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of brass, its legs of iron, its feet part of iron, and part of clay. Thou sawest that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon its feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them in pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth."

Now that is the dream. Watch the interpretation: "Thou, O king, art king of kings, unto whom the God of heaven hath given the kingdom; the power, and the strength, and the glory; and wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee to rule over them all: thou art the head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee; and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron, forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things; and as iron that crusheth all these, shall it break in pieces and crush. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but there shall not be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron cloth not mingle with clay. And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Thus the dream and interpretation is before us. As a student I have but to turn to profane history and read definitely just the application of the things here prefigured, or outlined. I know that the Babylonian empire, according to history, was then in existence, with Nebuchadnezzar as the monarch of the same. It continued on some years after Daniel’s prophecy and interpretation, until finally in the year 536 B.C. Babylon fell, never to rise again.

You remember the record of that wonderful night, when Belshazzar was having a great feast, praising the gods of gold and of silver and of brass, when there came forth the fingers of a man’s hand writing on the plaster of the wall, announcing the death-knell of that government, and sounding the doom of Babylon forevermore.

History tells us that Cyrus and Darius, of Persia and of Media, combined, and established a government upon the ruins of Babylon. This Medo-Persian empire, represented by the breast and arms, continued until about the year 330, at which time it also faded away, as Daniel says. Then there came the young man, Alexander the Great, who bore rule over the earth. That is the belly of brass, as signified in the interpretation of the dream. But Alexander lived for only about seven years, and died a shameful, drunken death, after which his government was for a time divided into four parts, and these soon blended into two, the South and the North, known in history as the Logidae and the Salucidae. These things continued on down the line until finally a rebellion on the part of the Jews broke out, and, for a hundred years, warfare raged throughout the sacred land of Palestine. This is the period when old Mattathias and his five sons rose to prominence and fought most valiantly for the independence utterly denied unto them at last.

Coming down to about 63 B.C., we find that the Roman government made its rise over that part of the country, and under the dominion of old Pompey began to exercise rule over that land forever sacred. In about the year 34 B.C., while the Caesars were occupying their sevenhilled city and swaying universal dominion over the sons and daughters of men, old Herod the Great was king over the land of Palestine, and, during his life, the New Testament began its story. Matthew 1:1-25 records the birth of Christ. Matthew 2:1-23 records that decree that went forth from this Herod the king, that all children under two years old in the city of Bethlehem were to be slaughtered. The third chapter opens up by saying, "In those days came John the Baptist." Friends, in what days? Surely, in the days of which we have just been reading, in the days of the Herods, in the days of the Caesars, John the Baptist broke the silence of the wilderness and, with a clarion voice, called upon his fellow-citizens to repent, "for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." This expression implies that it was approaching and had come nigh.

After John was put in prison Jesus Christ began to preach and to say likewise unto the people, "Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Soon after this the Twelve were sent out under that restricted commission, and made similar declarations. Following them the Seventy went forth two by two, and they also announced that the kingdom of God was come nigh unto them. These declarations, with no uncertainty, announced the approach of that kingdom, or of that church promised by the Christ when he said in Caesarea Philippi, "Upon this rock I will build my church." But that is not all. In that memorable Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught the disciples how to pray, and he said, “After this manner pray you, Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come." My friends, if already that thing had been in existence, and if the disciples were already members, such a prayer would have been misleading and delusive in its very announcement. It shows upon its face that at that time the kingdom had not come, and Christ taught them to pray for its coming, for its glad realization. When the question came up in Matthew 18:1, regarding who should be great in the kingdom of heaven, Christ taught a wonderful lesson, and He said to the apostles, "Except you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Were they at that time members of it? Had it already come, and into it had they been translated? If so, then this language has no meaning or significance whatsoever. "Except you be converted and become as a little child, you shall not enter into it when by and by it is established upon the earth." No other interpretation, no other significance can soberly and sensibly characterize the passage. And again in Mark 9:1, there are these familiar statements, "Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here who shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Friends, its approach is so nigh that while some of them may die, it is absolutely certain that all will not, but "out of this company right now, to whom I am talking, there be some who will not taste of death until that to which all the prophets and others had been looking shall come." And as all evidence of its coming, these are the characteristics. it shall come "with power," and thereby "shall you be not deceived."

Now will you get the simplicity of that statement: "The kingdom of God will come with power."

If I can learn from the Bible tonight just when that power came, I will know assuredly ~when the kingdom came, for it was to come with power. In Luke 24:49, Christ said: "Tarry you in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." At that time they were not clothed with power. They had received heaven’s charge, Christ’s commission, but they were to wait in the city of Jerusalem until endued with power from on high.

But, you ask, "When did the power come, and how may I thus know?" In Acts 1:6, there are these words: "When they therefore were come together, they asked of Him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? He said unto them, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power, but you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

What have we learned? First, that the kingdom of God is to come with power. Second, that the power is to come with the Spirit. There is just one more step, When did the Holy Spirit come? If that may be determined, there is God’s word that the power shall accompany the Spirit. My friends, I have but to begin the reading of Acts, second chapter: "When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of the rushing of a mighty wind. There appeared unto them cloven or forked tongues, like as of fire and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." The Bible says that the Spirit came on Pentecost. The Bible says that the power came with the Spirit, and the Bible says that the kingdom came with the power. Therefore, it follows inevitably that the kingdom or the church of Christ was ushered into existence in its established, setup state, on that memorable occasion.

Following that, the first gospel sermon ever preached in the name of a crucified and risen Lord was announced by the peerless apostle Peter. On that day, for the first time, he injected the keys that had been given, unlocked the door of the church bought by the blood of Christ, and announced the terms of admission into the realms of that institution thus promised, and now consummated upon this earth.

Hence that chapter closes by saying that the "Lord added unto the church daily such as were being saved."

Friends, I have briefly traced this institution in prophecy until it becomes all established fact.

I want now to go to the other end of the line. Let us turn to the closing chapters of the New Testament, and also read some statements regarding this same thin’. I want you to notice which way the index finger points, and the phraseology of the Bible in referring to this institution.

Standing on the Isle of Patmos, in the year 96 A.D., John says, "I was in the kingdom and patience of the Lord." The kingdom or church was, therefore, in existence in the days of John.

Paul wrote to Timothy in the year 64 (1 Timothy 3:15) and indulged the hope that he might possibly be released from prison, and make him a visit, but in case he could not, he wrote: "That thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the Living God, the pillar and the support of the truth." At that time this institution was in existence.

It is now a matter of history. It is no longer what "I will do." It is no longer what "I shall do," but it is now a consummated fact, and a historic certainty. In this same year, the Colossians were told that they had been translated into the kingdom of His dear Son. And again, Paul wrote the first Corinthian letter in the year 69, and he addressed it after this fashion: "Paul called to be all apostle of God, by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the Church of God, which is at Corinth." Friends, that institution was then in existence. It had had its realization and identity clearly marked upon the face of the earth. But drop back still further, into the year 34, Acts 8:3, and the Bible has this to say: "Paul made havoc of the Church of God." He persecuted it, and wasted it. These expressions would be wholly meaningless if such all institution were not then in existence.

After the execution of Ananias and Sapphira, "great fear came upon the church." This brings us back to the year 33 where prophecy ended. From these considerations, I announce that the church was established in the city of Jerusalem, on the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection from the dead. This sentiment is voiced by the scholarship of the world.

I state to you that on that day Peter preached the first sermon. I bid you hear the announcement by him made. After clearing away the misunderstanding, and explaining the miracle of the day, he said: "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face; for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope: because thou wilt not leave my soul unto hades, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou madest known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance. Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with all oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins he would set one upon his throne; he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we are all witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. For David ascended not into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make shine enemies the footstool of thy feet. Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified."

Friends, this is the announcement, for the first time, of the resurrection of Christ. Peter brought home to those who had stood at the cross fifty-three days before the fact that they were guilty of the execution of the Son of God. Now to them he said, "Let all the house of Israel know assuredly—believe confidently and without doubt—that God Almighty, who raised him from the dead for the purpose of sitting upon David’s throne, has now made him Lord of Lords and King of Kings." No wonder that the historian says, "When they heard this they were cut to their hearts." Conviction was brought; they ~were reminded of the tragedy in which they had a part, and they were conscious of the fact that their hands were dripping with the blood of the immaculate Son of God. Hence, with a faith, engendered by the things thus spoken, they cried out and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Do for what? Certainly, "to rid ourselves of the crime and of the sin that has been brought so directly and emphatically home to us. What may be done, that we may be free from the guilt that is ours?"

Then Peter, as they thus knocked at the door for entrance, inserted the keys that had to him been given, and unlocked the door into this bloodbought, heaven-born, and Spirit filled institution. To those who had already heard, who had already believed, and to whom conviction had been brought, Peter answered, as guided and directed by the Holy Spirit, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation, for the promise is not only to you and to your children, but all them that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."

You ask what was the result?

"They that received his word were baptized. And the same day they were added, builded together, about three thousand souls."

Then the record closes by saying that the Lord added day by day unto the church promised by Him in the days gone by. My friends, from that hour till this no new fact of the gospel has been added. Since that time and until now no new commandment has been given. From that occasion until this moment, no new promise has at any time been announced. It is the same story tonight as it was twenty centuries ago. In this audience there may be those who believe in the Christ with all their hearts, who are ready to march out in the face of any sort of infidelity, and with a courage befitting a follower of our Lord, boldly announce faith in the Crucified One. Let me ask, why not do that tonight? If you are conscious of having done a wrong, or even by negligence failed to do the right, heaven calls upon you to repent of every sin, and resolve, by the grace of God, to turn from such. Won’t you this night sanctify your lips by making public confession of Him who is the Son of God? Then I bid you duplicate the very experience of those three thousand by walking down into the waters of baptism and, in the name of the Sacred Three, be buried with Him, and arise to walk in newness of life. Thereafter, live faithful and true, and by and by he will transport you into the blissful peace for which humanity sighs.