THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH THE BODY OF CHRIST Matthew 16:18; Eph.1:22,23

 PREDICTED BY THE PROPHETS  Who were these men? ▪They were seers, men of God, and carried by the Holy Spirit (I Peter 1:20,21)  What did they see and tell? ▪Isaiah – All nations would flow into this kingdom (Is.2:1-4) ▪Daniel – Established by God and eternal kingdom (Dan.2:44) ▪Joel – Beginning & growth by the power of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:29f) THE BODY IS THE CHURCH

 PROMISED BY JESUS  The kingdom of God ▪To the multitude ▪“Many will not taste death…kingdom of God coming with power” (Mk.9:1)  The New Testament church ▪To the apostles ▪I will build My church…Hades will not prevail against it” (Matt.16:18)  The Power of the Holy Spirit ▪To the apostles ▪He would come, guide and deliver all truth (Jn.14:26; 16:13; Lk.24:49) THE BODY IS THE CHURCH

 PRESENTED AT PENTECOST AND BEYOND  In the book of Acts ▪Power of Holy Spirit ▪Apostles were fill and guided by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-21) ▪Powerful message ▪Christ crucified as both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36) ▪Powerful response ▪About three thousand souls were baptized into Christ (Acts 2:41) ▪Powerful commitment ▪Continued in the apostles doctrine…from house to house…Lord added to the church (Acts 2:42-27)  In the epistle ▪The church is identified – As the body of Jesus Christ (Eph.1:22f) ▪The church is singular – It is the one body of Christ (Rom.12:5) THE BODY IS THE CHURCH

THE BODY HAS ONE HEAD  JESUS DECLARED HIS AUTHORITY  During His ministry ▪Leading to the cross ▪Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn.14:6)  After His resurrection ▪In an appearance to the apostles ▪Jesus instructed, “All authority is given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt.28:18)

 JESUS DEMONSTRATED DIVINE AUTHORITY  By who He was ▪He was God on the earth ▪Jesus was Deity in the flesh (Jn.1:1; 1:14)  By what He taught ▪He taught them as One having authority ▪Jesus’ teaching were not at all like the Scribes (Matt.7:28,29)  By His abilities to work the works of God ▪Jesus preformed many miracles ▪By the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt.12:22-32; Jn.21:25) THE BODY HAS ONE HEAD

 JESUS DESERVES ALL AUTHORITY  His authority was recognized ▪By Nicodemus ▪He said, “No man can do these things unless God is with Him (Jn.3:2)  His authority was earned ▪Jesus owns the church ▪He “purchased the church with His blood” (Acts 20:28; I Cor.6:19,20)  His authority was appointed ▪Divine appointment ▪God has made Jesus head over all things to the church, which is His body…” (Eph.1:22,23) THE BODY HAS ONE HEAD

THE BODY MUST WORK  WE HAVE BEEN CREATE TO WORK  We have been created by God ▪Every good thing is from God (James 1:17) ▪The origin of man - GOD (Gen.1:1ff; Jn.1:1-4; Heb.1:1-4)  We have been created after God ▪After the very image of God ▪With a living and eternal soul (Gen.1:22,27; 2:7)  We have been created for God ▪We do not exist for the purpose of self ▪But for God’s good pleasure and His works (Eph.2:10)

 WE ARE CHARGED WITH THE GOSPEL  The gospel is powerful ▪“It is the power of God unto salvation” (Rom.1:16) ▪It is “able to make one wise unto salvation” (II Tim.3:15)  The gospel is truth ▪“Sanctify them by thy truth, thy Word is truth (Jn.17:17)  The gospel is in our hands ▪We are the “pillar and ground of the truth” (I Tim.3:14f) ▪We are the “earthen vessels” (II Cor.4:7) THE BODY MUST WORK

 WE ARE COMMANDED TO GO  Universally there is work to do ▪The Great Commission ▪China, Russia, Africa, New Zealand… (Matt.28:19,20)  Locally there are souls to reach ▪The local commission ▪Media, Carlisle, Pottstown, Johnstown, Indiana, Williamsport… (II Tim.2:2)  GOD SEEN AND KNOWS OUR WORKS  God sees all thing ▪Nothing is hidden from our God (Heb.4:13)  God will call our works into judgment ▪Words and deeds (II Cor.5:10) THE BODY MUST WORK

THE BODY WILL BE DELIVERED  THERE IS A JUDGMENT DAY COMING  The earth will not stand forever ▪Second Law of Thermodynamics ▪The earth is “winding down” (Heb.1:10-12) ▪When Jesus returns ▪This earth will be destroyed (I Jn.2:15-17; II Pet.3:10-13)  The Judgment will take place ▪No one will be left out ▪Every person will stand before God (Rom.14:11,12) ▪Nothing will be concealed ▪Every thing will come out (Rom.2:16; II Cor.5:10)

 THERE IS A JUDGMENT DAY COMING  The rewards will be given out ▪For the lost ▪Those of the world, religious people and erring brethren (II Thess.1:7-9; Matt.7:21,23; Matt.25:31-46)  They will be condemned to an ETERNAL HELL (Matt.25:46) ▪For the saved ▪The kingdom will be delivered up – back unto the Father (I Cor.15:24)  They will be granted entrance into HEAVEN for an ETERNAL SALVATION (Rev.21:1-4) THE BODY WILL BE DELIVERED