Message 1

Matt. 16:18 teaches us Christ built a church, to build means to take prepared material and put it together. The church was not born, it was built out of material prepared by John the Baptist, Luke 1:17; Matt. 16:18 also teaches us there would be opposition and protection, "the gates of hell will not prevail", Christ would protect and perpetuate his church.

The story of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most dramatic story ever told. No writer could have dreamed a story as rich as the story of the Lord's church. We have a drama, a struggle, contest, great victories, great defeats, great sorrows, great joys, glorious background, and a glorious destiny. Our purpose in this study and these messages is to blend the Bible and history, both of which are directed by God.

That which is known as Christianity had its origin in New Testament times, under the ministry of John the Baptist, who came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

There were two religions present. Judaism and Paganism. Judaism was the religion of ancient Israel and had long lost its power. Paganism was a religion of many gods and idolatry. Judaism had become a religion of form and ceremony, i t had no power to touch a human heart or to turn a soul to God. It was in the midst of this background that Christ came into the world and began his church.

Think of the beginning of Christianity. If Jesus had a friend in this world he had to make him. Every friend of God is a transformed enemy. Eph. 2:1- 2. Total depravity is the only explanation for the death of Christ on the cross. The reason most people have a problem understanding their need of a saviour is they don't understand what happened in the Garden of Eden. Christ met a world of enemies, Ram. 5:8-10. Every man who has not been transformed is still God's enemy.

The cause of Christ is committed to the hands of transformed enemies, men who have been born again. Only born again men are fit for the task. We need a personal conviction of truth for ourselves, not just drift along on what someone else says or believes.

These messages are aimed at your heart; to plant in your heart and life a personal conviction of what is right, biblically and religiously. Jesus Christ organized his followers, whom he called disciples, into a visible organization called My church or His church, Matt. 5:1; Mark 3:13-14; Luke 6:13. This was a mountainside beginning, Luke 6:12; 1 Cor. 12:28. These passages teach us Christ set the apostles in the first church in person; there was no church prior to this event. The family of God and Kingdom of God were in the Old Testament but no church. Many confuse the terms elect and church, a simple study of bible words will note the difference.

Let us examine some church theories: universal or invisible church theory. This teaches the church was in the 0. T. and consists of all the saved. This is the protestant answer to the universal or worldwide concept of the Roman Catholic Church. We are born into a family; we are added to the church, under the direction of the Holy Spirit after we are born again. Remember, Jesus built a church it was not born. Without Scofield's notes and the puritan writers we would not find anything like this in our bibles. The Day of Pentecost theory: Some teach the church began on the day of Pentecost. This would be the Holy Spirit starting a church. Christ immersed the church in the Holy Spirit to manifest his presence and approval, the same thing happened with the dedication of the tabernacle and the temple in the 0. T. This was his visible declaration of his presence in the nation of Israel and a signification of his dwelling place. Christ immersed the church in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit didn't baptize anyone.

What does the bible teach the word church means? The word church means an assembly, you may look at the context in our English bibles (KJV) or study the word ecclesia. Either way you look at it you must have an assembly to have a church. The word church is a little, simple word that demands an assembly. When Christ said my church he meant his assembly in this world to conduct his business, and we see that business described in the great commission. We must not confuse the church and the kingdom; we may be born into a kingdom or a family but not into an institution or a body. John 3 speaks of being born again into the kingdom of God, but no scripture language speaks of being born into the body of Christ. The church of the N. T. is a local, visible, body of saved baptized believers. Christ established his church during his personal ministry and that is the only thing he ever established.

Other churches sprang up from that N. T. church and were established after the same pattern, Heb. 8:5. The church has certain marks to go by, all churches are not the same and any church that teaches the truth is vastly different from those who do not. A church that was founded by Jesus Christ is very different from those with human founders, 1 Tim. 3: 15. Did you ever wonder why others get so mad when Baptists make claims that are validated by scripture and history? Others tell their story and we expect it, but you let a Baptist be a true Baptist and it upsets everyone.

If you can trace the history of any other church to a man for its head must be rejected. Any religious organization that doesn't require a born again membership and immerse believers only can't be a true church. This narrows it down and is a scriptural test. Baptism doesn't save but declares the truth of salvation by grace. It is a matter of obedience and service, and has been the battleground of the ages because true baptism declares faith in Christ only for salvation. Rom. 6:1-6.

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