Establishing His Kingdom

2 Pet 3:8 “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one

thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand

years as one day”

Some say He postponed his

kingdom and set up the church instead.

Proponents of this doctrine believe that Jesus will set up his

kingdom on earth when he returns the second time.

This teaching makes the church

a stop-gap measure.

This concept makes the church a kind of

after-thought conceived by Christ.

This concept makes the church provide something to fill the

gap between His return to the earth.

It is also commonly believed that the

prophets said nothing about the

church.

In this sermon, our aim will be to show that the New Testament church was

planned by God, prophesied and fulfilled on the first Pentecost following the

resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Was the church predicted by the

prophets?

To arrive at the correct answer, we need to understand,

The kingdom, The house of the Lord often refer to

The church of the New Testament in the Old Testament

Jesus predicted that he would build

his church

Matt 16:18-19 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this

rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall

not prevail against it…

Matt 16:18-19 ….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…

Matt 16:18-19 …and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be

loosed in heaven”

He called his church "the kingdom" (Matt. 16:18-19). Therefore, the church and the

kingdom are the same.

Those in the church are also in

the kingdom.

1 Tim 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how

thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and

ground of the truth”

“the house of God”“the church of the living God”

“the kingdom of heaven”

refer to one and the same thing.

2 Samuel 7This chapter reveals that David

the king, had purposed to build a house for God. God

rejected David's proposal but promised to build a house for David and the people in his

seed.

2 Sam 7:12-17 “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou

shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy

bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build…

2 Sam 7:12-17 …an house for my name, and I will stablish

the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and

he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten

him with the rod of men…

2 Sam 7:12-17 …and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart

away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away

before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be…

2 Sam 7:12-17 …established for ever before thee: thy

throne shall be established for ever. According to all

these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan

speak unto David”

Acts 13:22-23 “And when he had removed him, he raised

up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have

found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine…

Acts 13:22-23 …own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God

according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour,

Jesus”

Heb 1:5 “For unto which of the angels said he at any time,

Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And

again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me

a Son?”

David's earthly house and kingdom long ago

came to an end. Only the kingdom of Christ is everlasting.

The day of Pentecost God would raise up Christ to sit on his throne as He had

promised unto David.

Acts 2:30 “Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that

God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh,

he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne”

Isaiah 2:1-3 “The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw

concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established…

Isaiah 2:1-3 …in the top of the mountains, and shall be

exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go

up to the mountain of…

Isaiah 2:1-3 …the LORD, to the house of the God of

Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in

his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem”

Three fundamental facts, namely: 1. The prophecy

would be fulfilled in The Last Days. 2. All Nations would

flow unto it. 3. It would have its Beginning In Jerusalem.

Daniel predicted that the God of heaven

would set up a kingdom which would never be destroyed.

Dan 2:44 “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and

consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever”

John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of

Judea

Matt 3:1-2 “In those days came John the Baptist,

preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying,

Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus Christ also preached the

same message

Matt 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say,

Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”

The seventy disciples

preached it also (Luke 10:1-9).

Each of these Scripture references point to the

kingdom to be established in the future.

Again, let us recall that Jesus said that he would build his church (according to Matt. 16:18), and he called his

church "the kingdom" in verse 19. Since the kingdom was

predicted, therefore, the church also, was predicted.

Jesus gave another prophecy when he said, "Verily, I say

unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power" (Mark 9:1). Here we can see that some of the people standing there with Jesus would not die until they had seen the kingdom come with power. Now we ask the question, what is the power

predicted to come?After his resurrection, Jesus

said to his disciples: "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise

from the dead the third day: And that repentance and

remission of sins should be preached in his name among

all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47). In this prediction, the prophecy of

all nations and beginning in Jerusalem, spoken of by

Isaiah, is about to be fulfilled. Now we must check to see if it occurred during the last days.

Shortly, before Jesus ascended back to heaven, the disciples asked him if he would restore again the kingdom to Israel. (Acts 1:6). Jesus 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 ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you" (Acts 1:7-8). The

Lord made it known that power would come with the Holy

Ghost. When we establish the time of the coming of the Holy Ghost, we will know when the power came and also, when

the kingdom, which is the church, had its beginning.

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came and filled the apostles. They spoke with new tongues or languages as the Spirit gave them utterance

(Acts 2:1-4). They were charged with being drunk or

filled with new wine (Acts 2:13). Peter denied the charge

and stated that what the people were seeing and

hearing was that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will

pour out my Spirit upon all flesh..." (Acts 2:16-17). Here we may learn that the events of Pentecost transpired during

the last days. The three fundamental facts of Isaiah's

prophecy were fulfilled on Pentecost. They took place in the last days; all nations were assembled there; and these events had their beginning in

Jerusalem.You will remember that Jesus said that the kingdom would come with power. The power

came with the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, we conclude that

the kingdom, the church, came on Pentecost as was

prophesied. On Pentecost, the people heard and obeyed the gospel. The Lord added to the church those who were being

saved (Acts 2:47). No one was added to the church before Pentecost. Therefore, the

church had its beginning on the day of Pentecost.The church was also

according to the plan or purpose of God. This purpose was a mystery or secret. Paul said that he was less than the

least of all saints but God called him to preach to the

Gentiles, and to explain to all people the meaning of the

secret. God kept this secret to himself from the beginning of

the world. What was his reason for this? To show to all the rulers how perfectly wise

he is when all his family--Jews and Gentiles alike-- are seen united together in the church, in just the way he had planned through Jesus Christ our Lord

(Ephesians 3:7-11).The actual historical formation

of the church occurred in Jerusalem on the day of

Pentecost. On that day the Spirit was poured out upon the disciples to form the body of

Christ, the church. Peter referred to that as the

beginning (Acts 11:15-16). The beginning can only refer to

Pentecost, thus identifying it as the time of the "baptism

with the Holy Ghost." Pentecost marks not only the beginning of the church as the spiritual reality of the body of

Christ, but also the visible church.

Luke 10:1-9 “After these things the Lord appointed

other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his

face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he…

Luke 10:1-9 …unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the

labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the

harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his

harvest. Go your ways…

Luke 10:1-9 …behold, I send you forth as lambs among

wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and

salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye

enter, first say, Peace be to…

Luke 10:1-9 …this house. And if the son of peace be there,

your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you

again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give…

Luke 10:1-9 …for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not

from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and

they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are…

Luke 10:1-9 …therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of

God is come nigh unto you”

(The Seventy preached the kingdom was to be

established in the future.)

Jesus said that he would build his church. He

called his church "the kingdom" therefore the

CHURCH / KINGDOM was predicted.

Mark 9:1 (KJS) And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till

they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

Luke 24:46-47 “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it

behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead

the third day…

Luke 24:46-47 …And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached

in his name among all nations, beginning at

Jerusalem”

Acts 1:6-7 “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And 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”

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth”

Acts 2:1-4 “And 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 a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the…

Acts 2:1-4 …house where they were sitting. And there

appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to…

Acts 2:1-4 …speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave

them utterance”

Acts 2:16-17 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall

come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your

sons and your daughters…

Acts 2:16-17 …shall prophesy, and your young men shall see

visions, and your old men shall dream dreams”

Acts 2:47 “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”

Eph 3:7-11 “Whereof I was made a minister, according to

the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual

working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least

of all saints, is this grace…

Eph 3:7-11 …given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable

riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the

fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning…

Eph 3:7-11 …of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be

known by the church the…

Eph 3:7-11 …manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he

purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord”

The actual formation of the church occurred in Jerusalem on the day

of Pentecost by the will of God.

Acts 11:15-16 “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on

them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John

indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy

Ghost”

Acts 2:38-39 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ

for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift

of the Holy Ghost…

Acts 2:38-39 …For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call”

1 John 4:15 “Whosoever shall

confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God

dwelleth in him, and he in God”

Gal 3:26-27 “For ye are all the children of God by

faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have

been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”

1 Pet 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth

also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the

flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward

God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Acts 10:48 “And he commanded them to be

baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him

to tarry certain days”

Hear Believe Repent Confess Baptized

Added to the Church / Kingdom

Obey JesusChrist