Category: The Early Church

The Kingdom

Is the kingdom of God a physical or a spiritual kingdom? The disciple, even after spending so much time with the King still didn’t quite understand this concept. So before his Ascension, Jesus gave them instruction about power. But was it one last lesson on obedience or something more? Today we look at what kind of government God had intended for his chosen people.

The one who took the place of Judas Iscariot

Who was the one who took the place of Judas Iscariot?

Matthias was one of the 12 apostles. Let’s consider 12 things we know about him

  1. Matthias fulfilled prophecy
  2. Matthias was intimately acquainted with the Lord Jesus.
  3. Matthias was chosen to be an apostle by the Lord.
  4. Matthias received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
  5. Matthias performed signs and wonders.
  6. Matthias with great power was giving testimony to the resurrection of Jesus.
  7. Matthias helped distribute money to needy saints.
  8. Matthias was arrested, threatened and beaten.
  9. Matthias helped resolve a problem with needy widows.
  10. Matthias was able to give Christians the Holy Spirit.
  11. Matthias assisted in resolving the controversy over circumcision.
  12. Matthias was part of the foundation of the church by teaching the doctrine of Christ.

Which church is the true church today?

Why are there so many churches today with different beliefs and practices?
– Where did they all come from?
– Does God approve of such division and confusion? i.e., Does it really matter?

The church which Jesus built:

Matt. 16:16-18 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’. And Jesus said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
1. Jesus would build His church (in the future).
2. It would be built upon the content of Peter’s confession: “Christ, the Son of the living God”.
3. It would always exist once it was built (so where is it today??).

When did Jesus built His church?
Well, we know it was in existence by the time of Acts 5 …
– Acts 5:11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.
We also know that people were first added to it in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) in A.D. 30:
– Acts 2:41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

  • Note 1Co. 12:13a For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, …
  • Col. 1:18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

The Blessings Chapter

Which new testament chapter of the Bible would you describe as “the Blessings Chapter”??

Ephesians chapter 1 is what I would describe as “the blessings chapter”!
• After the introduction to the letter to the Ephesians (1:1,2),
• Paul lists many of the blessings which (the Ephesian) Christians have in Christ (1:3-14),
• and then prays that they may be enlightened about all these blessings (1:15-23).

What is so great about Christianity? Let us examine ‘the blessings chapter’
    1. Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him
    2. verse 5,6 In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
    3. Eph. 1:7-8 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight
    4. Verse 9-10 In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him
    5. Eph. 1:11-12 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance [also we were made a heritage, ASV], having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
    6. v 13-14 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Which Church?

Which church should I join?

Where do all churches come from? Why is there so much division? Do all roads lead to heaven?

4 Questions answered on which church?

  1. Which Church is the Church which Jesus built?
  2. What about churches that men have built?
  3. Does it really matter?
  4. Where today is the church that Jesus built?

Seven Important Lessons from the Conversion of Saul of Tarsus

  1. Admit when we are wrong
  2. See even more evidence for faith
  3. Being a “good” person cannot save anyone
  4. Conscience can be wrong
  5. Calling on the name of the Lord is not today’s “sinner’s prayer”
  6. Even our worst sins can be forgiven
  7. Conversion is just the beginning

The Corinthians and Idolatry: 1 Corinthians 8-10

The Corinthian church had many varied problems which Paul was addressing in the letter 1 Corinthians.

He goes through them one by one:

  1. Denominationalism: “I of Paul, Apollos, Cephas” etc in Chapters 1-4;
  2. Sexual immorality in Chapter 5;
  3. Lawsuits between brethren in Chapter 6;
  4. Teaching on social status in Chapter 7: such as those betrothed, those married, slaves, virgins etc.

In Chapters 8 though 10, Paul addresses yet another issue: that of idolatry among the Corinthians. But it is the usual problem one might normally expect regarding idolatry. The Corinthians were not engaging in idolatry because they believe in idols. Rather, they thought they were too smart for idolatry.

It touches on attendance at pagan events, treatment of weaker brethren, and what counts as Idolatry.