Part 1.
Whence came that church? It must be a wonderful church if He is Head of it, and it is His body. What was its origin? The only place we learn about these things is in the Word of God. Suppose we read a well-known verse in the 16th of Matthew:
“Upon this rock I will build My church.”
Here is something that must be very precious to Christ, because it is “My church”, and He says, “I will build it.” If it is His, and He is the builder, surely He has all right, authority and title as to all that concerns that church— “My church.”
In Matthew 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) there is a little verse that links on with this, “For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.”
This church is so precious to Christ; it is His; He is Head of it, that He, Himself, as it were, takes personal charge of it: “there am I in the midst.” If the church only realized that that blessed One is there, claiming that position, the Head of the church, the one in their midst, how that ought to inspire us with reverence and awe—all that concerns the welfare and destiny of Christ’s church in this world. That church means much to God, whether it means anything to you or not. It means much to Christ, though perhaps there might be those here, to whom it means nothing.
All that accrues to God in the nature of glory at this present time, is wrapped up with the interests and welfare and destiny of that church. I wonder if you ever stopped to think how much the church means to God. We cannot think rightly in divine things at all if the church has no part in our thinking.
“Head of the church which is His body.” He is the builder; He brought it into existence; it belongs to Him.
Perhaps it would be well to see historically when this church began. Evidently it did not exist in Matthew 16, for He did not say, “I am building” but “I will build.” It was still a future thing. If we look at the first of the Acts it will bring us closer to its genesis.
“And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me” (1:4).
There is a promise He makes—a very important promise—a physical promise. How much hinges on that promise. Look at the next chapter, and we will see that promise fulfilled,
“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 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 speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (2:1-4).
There, beloved brethren, as is well-known to most of us here, is the beginning of that thing that Christ announced in the 16th of Matthew— “My church.”
There were perhaps one hundred and twenty in that upper room; most of them had believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for some time; they knew Him and loved Him, but they were not members of the body of Christ. There was not that union with Him in the power of the Holy Spirit that is so familiar to us now; just a hundred and twenty believers. Suddenly there came down from heaven that promise of the Father, that Spirit of God, instantaneously uniting them into one body. That was a union never to be dissolved—a unity formed for eternity. That act which took place there in the 2nd of Acts, abides forever.
From the 2nd of the Acts on, we have in existence the church of God, but up to this time we find the material is Jewish. God has in mind to baptize both Jews and Gentiles into one body. God is not going to be satisfied that His church be composed only of Jews. They were the ones who had the oracles of God and the promises of the Old Testament, but now the vine is going to run over the wall. God is going to blast that middle wall, and bring both into the best place that His own divine wisdom and divine counsels could bring into being. He is going to bring Jews and Gentiles into one body, uniting them to a glorified Christ, giving them a heavenly destiny and a heavenly calling. Up to this time the material is Jewish. Turn to the 8th of the Acts, and you will find the thing broadening out.
“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them” (ver. 5).
“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (ver. 12).
“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (vers. 14-17).
(To Be Continued)