Post by WatchmanRay on Jun 19, 2011 8:53:01 GMT -5
THE CHURCH THAT JESUS PROMISED TO BUILD
BY Bill Hudson
FOREWORD
The Church, the true building of the Lord, is a great mystery that has been even more greatly misunderstood. I feel that it is our responsibility, as believers, to take the time to unravel this mystery and remove the added portions that are not factual and keep those that the Lord intended to be building blocks in His Church. Having spent nearly 30 years tracing the history and evolution of the religious church system that is in place today and serving in the ministry for the same, I believe as the Holy Spirit leads us forward in this task we are equipped and ready to put our fingers to the task.
This journey is not necessarily going to be a pleasant one for everyone. As we begin finding out what is of Christ and what isn’t, we will be faced with a decision to make. We will have to make a determination as to whether we are going to believe the evidence that is presented in Scripture or reject it. Either decision comes with consequences. I want to encourage you to take heart and be confident that Jesus Christ has died for our sin; was buried into the tomb; arose after three days and nights in the belly of the earth; has been glorified by God; and currently reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. These things we all believe and know to be true. Praise God! Now let’s seek and find the rest of the truth, the whole truth and nothing, but the truth, so help us God.
In Matthew 16:15-20 and 18:15-20 we have the first distinct mentions of' 'The Church'' in the New Testament. Both of these are mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the builder of the Church.
It is important to know and understand what God is saying to our generation, and what God's purpose in the earth in these days. We need to be able to hear the voice of God and by His Spirit identify and understand His biblical concepts in order to build according to God's purpose.
Important questions to which every minister should have clear answers are:
Why am I here?
What is the Lord’s vision and purpose for me?
What is The Lord’s vision and purpose for us?
What are our specific goals?
What do we believe is the central thing in God's mind?
What is to be the foundation for this building of God?
What is the hub of God's will and purpose?
The answer to these crucial questions help us to determine our direction as ministers, to help us better understand what we are preaching and teaching, as His faith stirs inside of us to accomplish His purpose and intent through us while building up our spiritual endurance.
Let’s take a brief look here at The Ministry of Jeremiah and see how it pertains to the life of the believer in Christ today. Turn with me to Jeremiah 1:9, 10
The Scriptures reveal that Jeremiah's ministry communicates to us in a couple of different ways or in two stages.
* First — Jeremiah was directed by the Spirit of God "to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down".
* Second — Jeremiah then was directed by the Spirit of God “to build and to plant''.
These include various applications to the individual (spirit, soul and body), to the family unit; to the corporate body local; and to the corporate body universal. The prophetic usage here indicates two familiar thoughts involving that of being architectural and the other of being agricultural when identifying the spiritual outworking of the overall ministries.
So we say that there are various concepts at all levels of the Church that have to be "rooted out, pulled down, destroyed and thrown down" before God can "build and plant" the truth concerning His Church.
There is a precursor to the above ' 'Jeremiah-ministry" that the Scripture reveals clearly that calls for an operation of God in us that causes everything to be shaken that can be shaken. Within the individual of course, the shaking would affect us to free up the spirit (the true empowerment behind what is giving life to our being); the soul (mind, will and emotions; engulfing our mind sets, thoughts, imaginations, traditions, what we have accepted as being correct in our relationship with God): and body, which includes the overall subjection of the external body of man and shaking off the external connections to it that have drawn it aside into captivity or voluntary subjection.
On the larger picture of the universal Church we see there are nations, governments, philosophies, denominations, cultures, people, traditions of men, doctrines, concepts and values that have been, will be, and are in the process of being shaken as never before.
* The earth is to be shaken — Isaiah 2:19-21.
* The nation of Israel is to be shaken — Ezekiel 38:19, 20
* The heavens are to be shaken — Haggai 2:6, 7.
* The nations are to be shaken — Haggai 2:6, 7.
* Everything that can be shaken is to be shaken — Hebrews 12:26-29.
Today’s society of religious and carnal living have shown that we are in a visitation of the Spirit of God where many time accepted traditions and concepts have to be tested and shaken, causing some religious white calf’s of false doctrine and tradition to be rooted out, torn down, plucked up and destroyed. This is a very necessary visitation that biblically comes prior to the time period where the refreshing comes forth from the presence of the Lord to build and plant the truth. The only unshakable thing is to be the things that are of the KINGDOM of God.
The Church today has very little that actually resembles the building that the Lord Jesus Christ said He would make to be HIS CHURCH. There are a lot of things going on inside and outside of the erected buildings by man, but very little of it is to be a part of the Church and even less is God. Some of these things could be a part of it in a practical way in the expressions of the Church’s ministry but these are not necessarily THE Church. Some of these are noted here and all need to be considered in the light of the Divine intention.
* Educational Institutions, Schools and Colleges.
* Hospitals, Medical Clinics, etc…
* Orphanages.
* Bible Colleges, Theological Seminaries.
* Sunday School Programs, Children's Works.
* Missionary Compounds, Communes, Evangelistic Centers.
* Revival Centers, Charismatic Home Groups and Meetings, Clubs, etc.
* Other Para-Church Groups.
These things may be good in themselves and the work they do, but they are not necessarily THE CHURCH of which Christ is the Head and the Builder! It is possible to have these things yet not have the Church that Jesus Christ said that He would build!
There are also other concepts of the Church that are faulty and have to be rooted out before we can build and plant the Church which Christ had in mind. Some of these are listed here, and all of us at some point in our lives or another has had to experience some degree of this "rooting out" phase of ministry before we could ever hope to understand the "building and planting" ministry.
Some of these concepts and ideas that have to be rooted out as they have led much of Christianity astray for generations are:
* The Church is a parenthetical plan and purpose of God.
* The Church is a mystery and not to be seen or found in the Old Testament.
* The Church is to end in Laodicean failure, with only "the little flock" saved.
* The Church is to be replaced by Jewish ministry in the Last Days before Christ comes.
* The Church is to be renewed as to its own wine skin denominational structures.
* The Church is to be replaced by some ''new thing" that the Lord will do.
* The Church will be superseded by the restoration of the Old Mosaic Covenant economy.
In light of these challenges one must ask ourselves the question,
WHAT IS MY CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH that Christ said He would build?
These are things that have to be answered for us by the Spirit in the light of revealed Scripture so we can arrive at the truth apart from any denominational or kindred influence trying to guide us in their path of understanding that very well could be false. We have the comforting assurance of the Scripture that clearly states in John 8:32 that “we shall know the truth and the truth will make us free”. To know the Christ of God is to know that you are free.
It is our prayer and heart’s desire before God that everyone who thoroughly covers this material will be blessed by God and come into a greater understanding, appreciation and manifestation of the eternal purpose of God, which He placed in Christ and in the Church, which is His Body, before the world was ever formed.
CHAPTER 1 PROMISE AND PROPHECY
Scriptures: Matthew 16:15-20; 18:15-20.
When it comes to the revelation of the Church in the New Testament we discover that there is a threefold progression as to its origin and establishment; first in the Gospels, then in the Acts and then in the Epistles.
The principle of the Kingdom Seed could be applied to the revelation of the Church also. It is ' 'first the blade" (The Church in the Gospels), "then the ear" (The Church in the Acts), and then "the full corn in the ear'' (The Church in the Epistles) (Mark 4:28).
In our first chapter we consider The Promise and The Prophecy of Jesus who said that He would build His Church, which building is seen both in the Acts and the Epistles.
In the Gospels we have The Church promised (The seed) by Jesus in Matthew 16-18
In the Acts we have the Church as a blade springing up; the Ear of corn – Peter in Acts 1-12
In the Acts & Epistles we have the Church as His Church The full corn in the ear – Paul – Acts 13-28 and I Corinthians 12:13
It is significant to note that in the Gospel three major words are used; these being
(1) The Kingdom,
(2) The Disciples, and
(3) The Church.
In the Acts it is also
(1) The Kingdom,
(2) The Disciples and
(3) The Church.
In the Epistles it is
(1) The Church, and
(2) The Kingdom, while the word "disciple" is not used once! The disciples of the Gospel who came into the kingdom now find their place and function in the Church!
There are only two specific references to the Church in the Gospels, and these are both found in Matthew, the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 16:15-20; 18:15-20). Neither, Mark, Luke nor John makes mention of The Church.
The unveiling of Christ's promise to build His Church is one of the most significant events in the Gospels. Any student of the bible would agree that the Gospel of Matthew is quite distinctly the Gospel of the Kingdom. It reveals Jesus Christ as the First Fruit Seed of Abraham and the one that would continue upon the throne of David; the true and righteous King of the Kingdom of God; the deliverer that came to His own people, Judah, and presented to them the Kingdom of God.
Jesus preached, taught and demonstrated the power of that kingdom but those that heard Him and saw His marvelous works had already hardened their hearts to the king and the kingdom He came to establish. Why, you might ask? One of the biggest factors in the rejection by Israel came in that “it was not the type of kingdom they had expected”. What do I mean by that? Well, this is a description of the type of Kingdom that they were looking for:
they were looking for a restored nationalistic kingdom to Israel,
they were looking for a carnal natural kingdom that would be seen by all
they were looking for a earthly kingdom manifesting in the earthly realm as its origin
they were looking for a political kingdom whereby they would have the power and sway over the peoples and nations
they were looking for a materialistic kingdom with gold, silver and precious stones with honor being given to Israel over the rest of the world.
They looked for the kind of kingdom that would overthrow the Roman’s yoke of bondage.
They looked for a Davidic type kingdom like unto David's, of military might power that would be used to subjugate all Gentile enemies leaving the Kingdom to Israel.
If you read today’s prophetic newspapers, books, handouts and listen to the prophecy teachers tell the story of the Kingdom, it is very similar to what happened to the Jews in Jesus’ day. It is a difficult thing when you begin to shake the foundations of a building as there comes a fear that the whole thing may go down in shambles. When approaching the truth concerning the Kingdom of God there is no truth that weighs heavier in the future of the believer than the understanding about Jesus’ intentions concerning the Kingdom of God.
What did Jesus have to say about things? In short, for now, Jesus, presented a completely different picture of His building and Kingdom as it was to be a spiritual and heavenly kingdom that could only be entered by the invitation of the Holy Spirit with repentance, faith and a new birth (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14, 15; John 3:3-6).
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Hudson note: This shows that unless a man is born again by the Spirit he can’t even visualize or see the manifestation of the Kingdom of God.)
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (Hudson note: Nicodemus shows the inability for the natural man to comprehend the things of the spirit of God as he is unable to understand what it is that Jesus is saying to him).
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (Hudson note: There is no entrance opened up at all to someone that is not born again of the Spirit, as a matter of fact Jesus says, HE CANNOT ENTER or one is forbidden to enter or unable to enter.)
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (Hudson note: Jesus indicates or infers that the Kingdom is Spirit and for the spirit being; and one that inhabits only the flesh is obviously unable to attain to the level of existence one would need in order to be a dweller in the Kingdom of God).
This leads us to another Scripture verse that I will provide for you as well:
1 Corinthians 2:9-14 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
What a great revelation given to us by the ministry gift of God by the Holy Spirit, to know that the one that is born after the flesh is a natural man and can’t even know the things of the Spirit of God. Nicodemus was unable to know what Jesus was talking about, because his eye, had not seen not his ear heard and it had never entered into his heart what God had prepared to do for us. The flesh, carnal, natural, materialistic and earthly view that many take today of the Kingdom of God is evidence that they have not the mind of the Spirit and therefore can’t understand the things of the Spirit as He communicates to us about the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
Like the Israelites in Jesus’ day they have allowed their traditional and false beliefs and ideologies about the Kingdom and Messiah, cause them to fall into a spiritual blindness, hardness of heart and spiritual deafness that prevented them from receiving the truth that Jesus was the Christ and that the Kingdom was not national, ethnic, denominational, nor earthly or materialistic, but Spiritual. When the leaders in the Sanhedrin heard what Jesus was saying and teaching the people knowing that it disagreed with their traditions, they plotted against Him and took counsel together to crucify the One True Messianic their King (Matthew 12:14).
The Omniscient One, The Lord our God manifesting through His Only Begotten Son Jesus, knew the actions and the rejections by Israel that would take place from before the foundations of the earth and often spoke about it through His Prophets warning the people of the treachery to come and signifying to all that these actions of Israel were not catching Him off guard. The Father through Jesus, reveals a truth that the Jews understood and heard knowing that He was talking about them, yet the majority of the leaders of the Church today still refuse to hear the teachings of our master, Jesus.
Let’s concentrate on the text from Matthew 21:33-46. This is a major step in understanding that if you can hear this by the Spirit then you are on your way to a greater understanding of all things concerning the believer and the Kingdom of God. Let’s take a careful look into this text: To establish exactly who Jesus was speaking to we can look back at their introduction as they come to tempt Jesus: Matthew 21:23 and when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
One thing for sure, if they come looking for a fight they sure found the right guy to give them one. Jesus immediately challenged them by asking them a question about John, which Jesus knew they would not answer because they feared the people. Then He brought them to a parable that He answered for them concerning two sons and their choice making, which smacked them in the face because He told them that the harlots and strangers were going into the Kingdom of God before them. Then He threw another parable at them knowing that they would reach the boiling point on as He revealed a mystery to them concerning the Kingdom of God and who it is that was gaining possession of it.
Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: (Hudson note: Jesus is disguising the Kingdom of God here in parabolic form as God owns the earth, He introduced the seed of the Kingdom of God into the earth, set a protective barrier around it; dug a cistern out to contain the wine; set a guard tower for the keepers to protect the vineyard; put it into the hands of the Jews; and trusted them to take care of it for Him.)
Matthew 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. (Hudson note: The season came when the Lord of the harvest expected to receive a bountiful outpouring of righteousness, peace and joy [Romans 14:17 with Galatians 5:22-23 Fruit of the Kingdom and/or Spirit] from His VineDressors the nation of Israel so He sent His prophets and servants to receive His bounty.)
Matthew 21:35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. (Hudson notes: The Israelites took the prophets and servants that God had sent to them and mistreated them by beating them, stoning them and killing them).
Matthew 21:36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. (Hudson note: Over a period of 1400+ years, God, in His mercy and grace sent other prophets, kings and servants hoping to receive the fruit of His Kingdom, but they beat them, stoned them and killed them as well).
Matthew 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. (Hudson note: His last effort for the nation of Israel to yield forth the fruit of the Kingdom of God – and He did say LAST – was to send His Son - As God sending a direct representative of Himself to receive the fruit of the Kingdom of God. Saying that they surely would honor His Son and treat Him reverently).
Matthew 21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. (Hudson note: This is kind of scary to think that when the nation of Israel saw Jesus, the Son, that they conspired among themselves to kill Him, knowing that He was the Son of God – In John 3:1-2 Nicodemus, a RULER OF THE JEWS, came to Jesus and said to Him “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God for no one can do these miracles that you do except God be with Him.”. Nicodemus is a RULER OF THE JEWS and knows that Jesus is sent from God, but the nation of Israel conspired to kill Him, Why? So they could keep it for themselves. They didn’t want to give anything up and were willing to kill the Son to keep it and they did.)
Matthew 21:39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. (Hudson note: We know they came and took Him in the garden when Judas betrayed Him and they beat Him and took Him outside the city walls [the protected areas consecrated unto God] and crucified Him upon a cross on a high holiday, the Feast of Passover, thinking that they had killed the heir of the Vineyard – They didn’t know that HE WAS THE VINE – Praise God!)
Matthew 21:40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? (Hudson note: Jesus asks them a question as to what, in their minds, was needed to be done to these people? What will the Son’s Father do TO THOSE HUSBANDMEN? They not only stole all of the fruit of all of the harvests, but they killed the Father’s precious servants, His prophets and now His Son – QUESTION – WHAT WILL HE DO TO THEM?)
Matthew 21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. (Hudson note: Believe it or not, they had the correct answer, but they didn’t know at that time that they were the wicked ones they were referring to. They agreed that God would destroy those wicked men that killed His Son and His servants the Prophets and will give the Kingdom of God to others who will give Him the fruit of the Kingdom of God when the season of the harvest is come.)
Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? (Hudson note: Jesus quotes a prophetic word about Himself that they would reject Him, kill Him and He would rise again becoming the chief Cornerstone for the New Building the Church – He was also saying, by the way – the Lord is doing this to you all for what you have done to Him and I love it).
Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Hudson note: Jesus states boldly and precisely to the Jews what would happen because of their actions- THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHALL BE TAKEN FROM YOU – From whom? Israel – The Jews! WOW – AND – God the Father is giving it to someone else – They weren’t waiting for the Kingdom to come – They had it –SO JESUS TELLS THEM - YOU HAD IT, but NO MORE. I will give it to another NATION and guess what – THEY WILL BRING FORTH THE FRUIT OF IT! Peter identifies that New Nation in 1 Peter 2:4-10 and guess what? It’s you - the Church – Hallelujah – read it for yourself at the end of this parable. He even uses the same quote Jesus did when talking about Him and us!)
Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Hudson note: This STONE is talking about Christ the Corner Stone in the Kingdom of God - the STONE KINGDOM from Daniel 2:44-45; 7:13-28. Those that repent and believe are broken upon the Stone – Those that resist it will be ground under the weight of its presence and power.)
Matthew 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. (Hudson note: It finally dawns on the chief priests and Pharisees that Jesus was talking about them and their nation, Israel. They had been identified by the Son of God, but unfortunately not by the Church leaders of today! Even the rulers of the Jews that didn’t have the Spirit of God within them understood that Jesus was talking about them. They knew that they would not be rulers in this new nation God was choosing and therefore they were going to have to do something to try and stop it).
Matthew 21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. (Hudson note: They were so mad they wanted to take Him and kill Him right then, but they were afraid of what the people might do to them. So they waited until the time was right and God was waiting for them and they were destroyed and they lost the Kingdom just like He said they would.)
Hudson note: Extra provided Scripture from 1 Peter for convenience.
1 Peter 2:4 to whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Peter 2:5 ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Peter 2:6 wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Peter 2:7 unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Peter 2:8 and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
1Peter 2:10 which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
NOW, while we are letting all that sink in and digest, let’s get back to the reason that we have came this direction in the first place, which was to establish the background for Jesus’ comment about “building His Church”. So, it is that you have now been equipped with a more complete knowledge of this background and setting at Caesarea Philippi that inspired Jesus to speak so boldly and confidently of the building of His Church (Matthew 16:15-20).
The shadow and type seen in the Old Testament Church (Acts 7:38), represented in and through the religious leaders of the nation of Israel and in the people of Judah, had become a kind of "old wine skins". They had followed only the form, ritual and ceremony of the Law and Commandments under the Old Covenant instead of listening for the voice to obey so spiritually they were hard and dry and inflexible to the "new wine" of the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to bring. Much like many in the religious main line circles of today. The "new wine" came through the Spirit bringing revelation knowledge and understanding of New Covenant truths that could not be put by Christ or His apostolic gift ministries into the religiously bound and ceremonial ridden participants of the Old Covenant wineskin Church. The mission of the Spirit was to bring us into the New Covenant truth and the Old Covenant wineskins couldn’t hold the pressure of the new energized revelations being brought forth and were unable to receive the truth that could have indeed made them free. The one would burst the other (Luke 5:36-39).
With prior insight and knowledge of the condition of the Old Covenant people the Word was at work in Christ and brought forth the communication and revelation that Jesus was going to have to do something new, therefore He said, "Upon this Rock I will build My Church" (Matthew 16:18). It would no longer be the shadow Church that had been built by and upon Moses (Acts 15:21), but it would be the TRUE Church that was promised from before the foundations of the earth and would be built by and upon Christ, to whom the shadow Church under Moses only pointed towards. The entrance of Christ on the scene into the New Testament temple comprised of mankind, meant that the relevant building on the scene would no longer be the Old Covenant Church of the chosen nation of Israel, but the transformation had been made from darkness to light; from shadow and type to the New Covenant Church chosen out of every kindred, tongue, tribe and nation.
Jesus spoke openly and confidently about His ability to build His Church and that it would not only be something that would have a local expression in Jerusalem, but He made it clear that there would be a Church that would be universal (Matthew 16:18-20). Specifically, the Word of the Lord is recorded here in the Scripture by the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the first time, as He speaks of the Church. Jesus said that He was going to build His Church. "Upon this Rock I will build MY CHURCH" (Matthew 16:18). I believe that it is important for us to understand and point out that Jesus said, "Church", in the singular form and not "Churches" in the plural form. This was not an accident, but I believe it was intentional, by the Spirit, to emphasize that there was not to be a whole multitude of churches, but only one.
This is the first time that Jesus speaks about this mystery, the Church that has been kept hid from the eyes of everyone since the beginning of time and when He decides to unveil the divine intent of God about it, the one thing that sticks out in His description is that it will be ONE CHURCH! I would think it would do well for the leaders in Christianity to pay attention to this fact!
As we take note of God’s divine intent to only have ONE CHURCH we can then look at the many references throughout the New Testament and see that the word “Church” is used in its singular form in most cases. This is a continuing communication throughout the Scripture to indicate that although there are many locations of believers assembling together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ across this vast globe of the Earth, there is still only ONE CHURCH UNIVERSALLY!
Notice these particular Scripture verses that support this truth:
God has given Christ to be Head over all things to the Church (Ephesians 1:22).
Christ is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23).
Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it that it might be a glorious Church like unto Himself (Ephesians 5:24-32).
The Church is the Body of Christ (Colossians 1:18). It is the Church of God (Acts 20:28).
It is also the Church of Christ (Ephesians 5:32).
I believe we can agree that there is only one Church and the Christ of God Himself is the one that has taken the responsibility to be the builder and the Head of this Church. As true believers it is vital for us to keep our mind in tune to this truth that regardless of who or where we are, we belong to the ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH whose builder and maker is God.
Matthew 18:15-20 speaks of a more local expression of the church than the overall universal (Keep in mind that the local expression of the universal can never be divided as to set itself a part from the universal for if it ceases to be one with the universal it becomes a church unto itself and NOT CHRIST);
Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Here we find a new application or manifestation of the church that needs to be noted in as much that it also is mentioned by the Lord Jesus. It is easy to see that Jesus that is building one Church is going to have manifestations of that in various localities across the lands and this Matthew 18 verse shows us that it is an assembly and manifestation that can be called together for decisions in local matters. The verses listed here are used to deal with the discipline of local members who refuse to reconcile with their brother or sister in Christ. We read that the path of reconciliation climaxes with the matter being brought before the local Church for resolution. The final stage of this action of reconciliation is that if he refuses to listen to the wisdom and heart of the local believers that love him, then he is to be put from the local congregation as an act of discipline. Obviously, this was not an act that was to be carried out by the entire Church upon the face of the earth, but instead it was an action carried out on a local level, being a fellowship of believers that could gather to help reconcile these believers, but also a group of believers from which one could be separated.
The Church that is manifesting in any given location is to be an exact representation of the One Church that is built by Jesus and stretches across the whole earth. There is no such thing as a Baptist Church, Pentecostal Church, Methodist Church, Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, and Presbyterian Church, Gentile church, a nationalistic church, a regional church or a Jewish Church in the Scriptures. There is ONLY ONE CHURCH! It makes no difference if we are speaking of a local church or a universal church we are still speaking of ONLY ONE CHURCH!
We take notice that it is upon these two basic concepts described and revealed in Matthew that all insight and revelation of the Church in the New Testament as brought forth by Jesus finds its foundation and building.
In Matthew 16:15-20 we see Jesus describe the One TRUE CHURCH as being universal!
In Matthew 18:15-20 we see Jesus describe a LOCAL manifestation of the ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH! \
We then can understand that Jesus was not saying it is okay for everyone to have their own Church and believe what they want to with their own headship. He was saying I AM building MY CHURCH; it is ONE CHURCH, BUT I will have LOCAL manifestations of this ONE CHURCH so I can express MY HEADSHIP in ALL LOCALITIES across the earth, filling the whole earth with MY GLORY! In light of this revelation by Jesus we can easily see that we are to have a plural usage of the word "Churches" in a number of places throughout the Acts and the Epistles.
The Churches in Judea, Galilee and Samaria (Acts 9:31 .RV.)
The Churches in Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:41).
The Churches of Asia (I Corinthians 16:19).
The Churches of Macedonia (II Corinthians 8:1).
The Churches of Galatia (Galatians 1:2; I Corinthians 16:1).
The Churches of Judea (Galatians 1:22).
The Churches of God in Judea (I Thessalonians 2:14).
We see this same usage in the Revelation of Jesus Christ as He speaks to the Churches in Asia. Even though He made a special effort to speak to each local Church in a given locality, yet collectively they manifested the Universal Church as the local Churches (Revelation 1-2-3 chapters). What the Spirit says to the Churches must be heard by all, though He may address but one in a given locality. They are locally responsible to Him. He is universally responsible to all.
The Churches were established (Acts 16:5).
Paul was the apostle of the Churches of the Gentiles (Romans 16:4),
which were the Churches of Christ (Romans 16:16).
They were also the Churches of the saints (I Corinthians 14:33).
Read also I Corinthians 16:19; II Corinthians 8:1; Revelation 1:4, 11.
The risen Lord spoke by the Spirit to the Churches in Asia, yet each was a local Church (Revelation 2:11, 17, 23, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 22:16).
There was a local manifestation of the ONE TRUE universal Church in each place, yet they remained supernaturally connected by the Spirit of God that was in them and the life of Jesus Christ given for them. There was no need for any kind of an organizational unity in the flesh or carnal realm, because all that were ONE WITH HIM, knew that they were ONE BODY IN CHRIST regardless of their location. There would be no way that any kind of a city church could have dominance over the other city churches as Christ is alive and He is the Head of the Church no matter what the locality is. There was no headship given to Jerusalem, Constantinople, Rome or any other city church to function as the leading authorized Church to govern or have control over any Church in any other locality. There is no doubt that Jesus Christ leads local church bodies to fellowship and relate with other church bodies across the globe sharing ministry gifts, instructions, etc…, but never were they to give control of the local church body over to another city church body from any central headquarters, or central government. Jesus Christ was, is and always will be the Head. He is in us all and we are all of Him and in Him to the glory of the Father. Jesus told the Father that He was giving us His glory. Do you know why? So that we could be ONE AS HE IS ONE!
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
God is interested in ONENESS! Jesus in us – The Father in Jesus – WHY? So that in that oneness we could mature and be perfected. Matthew records Jesus that speaks of this mysterious Church universal as being ONE CHURCH and HIS CHURCH. Yet within this one Church there would be numerous local Churches, each of which would be a local manifestation of the ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH and thus part of the whole. The local Churches collectively would comprise the universal Church.
•The Church local would be in plurality, in many places (I Thessalonians 2:14).
•The Church universal would be in unity in many places (I Corinthians 10:32).
The Church local would be the gathering of believers in the one given locality. The Church universal would be the collective gathering of all believers in every local church and area around the world. The Church has only one acceptable separation or division that is permitted in the Scripture and that is the necessary and expected geographic division and separation caused naturally due to the various locations of the believers, but they are still to remain joined as one in Spirit and life.
I stand confident today that the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ that He would build His Church is not a pipe dream, but a reality that has manifested and is still being fulfilled in us. We have an additional guarantee from God that He watches over His Word to perform it or to bring it to pass (Jeremiah 1:11-12) and we are assured that His Word will not return unto Him void but will accomplish that which He sent it unto (Isaiah 55:10, 11). Be completely convinced and settled that not all that is seen and revealed by the system of churchianity today is of God. Christ is the head and He has ONE CHURCH! These multi-denominational organizations out here claiming to be of God are actually working to build a wall of division in something that Jesus decreed was to manifest as ONE!
BY Bill Hudson
FOREWORD
The Church, the true building of the Lord, is a great mystery that has been even more greatly misunderstood. I feel that it is our responsibility, as believers, to take the time to unravel this mystery and remove the added portions that are not factual and keep those that the Lord intended to be building blocks in His Church. Having spent nearly 30 years tracing the history and evolution of the religious church system that is in place today and serving in the ministry for the same, I believe as the Holy Spirit leads us forward in this task we are equipped and ready to put our fingers to the task.
This journey is not necessarily going to be a pleasant one for everyone. As we begin finding out what is of Christ and what isn’t, we will be faced with a decision to make. We will have to make a determination as to whether we are going to believe the evidence that is presented in Scripture or reject it. Either decision comes with consequences. I want to encourage you to take heart and be confident that Jesus Christ has died for our sin; was buried into the tomb; arose after three days and nights in the belly of the earth; has been glorified by God; and currently reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. These things we all believe and know to be true. Praise God! Now let’s seek and find the rest of the truth, the whole truth and nothing, but the truth, so help us God.
In Matthew 16:15-20 and 18:15-20 we have the first distinct mentions of' 'The Church'' in the New Testament. Both of these are mentioned by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the builder of the Church.
It is important to know and understand what God is saying to our generation, and what God's purpose in the earth in these days. We need to be able to hear the voice of God and by His Spirit identify and understand His biblical concepts in order to build according to God's purpose.
Important questions to which every minister should have clear answers are:
Why am I here?
What is the Lord’s vision and purpose for me?
What is The Lord’s vision and purpose for us?
What are our specific goals?
What do we believe is the central thing in God's mind?
What is to be the foundation for this building of God?
What is the hub of God's will and purpose?
The answer to these crucial questions help us to determine our direction as ministers, to help us better understand what we are preaching and teaching, as His faith stirs inside of us to accomplish His purpose and intent through us while building up our spiritual endurance.
Let’s take a brief look here at The Ministry of Jeremiah and see how it pertains to the life of the believer in Christ today. Turn with me to Jeremiah 1:9, 10
The Scriptures reveal that Jeremiah's ministry communicates to us in a couple of different ways or in two stages.
* First — Jeremiah was directed by the Spirit of God "to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down".
* Second — Jeremiah then was directed by the Spirit of God “to build and to plant''.
These include various applications to the individual (spirit, soul and body), to the family unit; to the corporate body local; and to the corporate body universal. The prophetic usage here indicates two familiar thoughts involving that of being architectural and the other of being agricultural when identifying the spiritual outworking of the overall ministries.
So we say that there are various concepts at all levels of the Church that have to be "rooted out, pulled down, destroyed and thrown down" before God can "build and plant" the truth concerning His Church.
There is a precursor to the above ' 'Jeremiah-ministry" that the Scripture reveals clearly that calls for an operation of God in us that causes everything to be shaken that can be shaken. Within the individual of course, the shaking would affect us to free up the spirit (the true empowerment behind what is giving life to our being); the soul (mind, will and emotions; engulfing our mind sets, thoughts, imaginations, traditions, what we have accepted as being correct in our relationship with God): and body, which includes the overall subjection of the external body of man and shaking off the external connections to it that have drawn it aside into captivity or voluntary subjection.
On the larger picture of the universal Church we see there are nations, governments, philosophies, denominations, cultures, people, traditions of men, doctrines, concepts and values that have been, will be, and are in the process of being shaken as never before.
* The earth is to be shaken — Isaiah 2:19-21.
* The nation of Israel is to be shaken — Ezekiel 38:19, 20
* The heavens are to be shaken — Haggai 2:6, 7.
* The nations are to be shaken — Haggai 2:6, 7.
* Everything that can be shaken is to be shaken — Hebrews 12:26-29.
Today’s society of religious and carnal living have shown that we are in a visitation of the Spirit of God where many time accepted traditions and concepts have to be tested and shaken, causing some religious white calf’s of false doctrine and tradition to be rooted out, torn down, plucked up and destroyed. This is a very necessary visitation that biblically comes prior to the time period where the refreshing comes forth from the presence of the Lord to build and plant the truth. The only unshakable thing is to be the things that are of the KINGDOM of God.
The Church today has very little that actually resembles the building that the Lord Jesus Christ said He would make to be HIS CHURCH. There are a lot of things going on inside and outside of the erected buildings by man, but very little of it is to be a part of the Church and even less is God. Some of these things could be a part of it in a practical way in the expressions of the Church’s ministry but these are not necessarily THE Church. Some of these are noted here and all need to be considered in the light of the Divine intention.
* Educational Institutions, Schools and Colleges.
* Hospitals, Medical Clinics, etc…
* Orphanages.
* Bible Colleges, Theological Seminaries.
* Sunday School Programs, Children's Works.
* Missionary Compounds, Communes, Evangelistic Centers.
* Revival Centers, Charismatic Home Groups and Meetings, Clubs, etc.
* Other Para-Church Groups.
These things may be good in themselves and the work they do, but they are not necessarily THE CHURCH of which Christ is the Head and the Builder! It is possible to have these things yet not have the Church that Jesus Christ said that He would build!
There are also other concepts of the Church that are faulty and have to be rooted out before we can build and plant the Church which Christ had in mind. Some of these are listed here, and all of us at some point in our lives or another has had to experience some degree of this "rooting out" phase of ministry before we could ever hope to understand the "building and planting" ministry.
Some of these concepts and ideas that have to be rooted out as they have led much of Christianity astray for generations are:
* The Church is a parenthetical plan and purpose of God.
* The Church is a mystery and not to be seen or found in the Old Testament.
* The Church is to end in Laodicean failure, with only "the little flock" saved.
* The Church is to be replaced by Jewish ministry in the Last Days before Christ comes.
* The Church is to be renewed as to its own wine skin denominational structures.
* The Church is to be replaced by some ''new thing" that the Lord will do.
* The Church will be superseded by the restoration of the Old Mosaic Covenant economy.
In light of these challenges one must ask ourselves the question,
WHAT IS MY CONCEPT OF THE CHURCH that Christ said He would build?
These are things that have to be answered for us by the Spirit in the light of revealed Scripture so we can arrive at the truth apart from any denominational or kindred influence trying to guide us in their path of understanding that very well could be false. We have the comforting assurance of the Scripture that clearly states in John 8:32 that “we shall know the truth and the truth will make us free”. To know the Christ of God is to know that you are free.
It is our prayer and heart’s desire before God that everyone who thoroughly covers this material will be blessed by God and come into a greater understanding, appreciation and manifestation of the eternal purpose of God, which He placed in Christ and in the Church, which is His Body, before the world was ever formed.
CHAPTER 1 PROMISE AND PROPHECY
Scriptures: Matthew 16:15-20; 18:15-20.
When it comes to the revelation of the Church in the New Testament we discover that there is a threefold progression as to its origin and establishment; first in the Gospels, then in the Acts and then in the Epistles.
The principle of the Kingdom Seed could be applied to the revelation of the Church also. It is ' 'first the blade" (The Church in the Gospels), "then the ear" (The Church in the Acts), and then "the full corn in the ear'' (The Church in the Epistles) (Mark 4:28).
In our first chapter we consider The Promise and The Prophecy of Jesus who said that He would build His Church, which building is seen both in the Acts and the Epistles.
In the Gospels we have The Church promised (The seed) by Jesus in Matthew 16-18
In the Acts we have the Church as a blade springing up; the Ear of corn – Peter in Acts 1-12
In the Acts & Epistles we have the Church as His Church The full corn in the ear – Paul – Acts 13-28 and I Corinthians 12:13
It is significant to note that in the Gospel three major words are used; these being
(1) The Kingdom,
(2) The Disciples, and
(3) The Church.
In the Acts it is also
(1) The Kingdom,
(2) The Disciples and
(3) The Church.
In the Epistles it is
(1) The Church, and
(2) The Kingdom, while the word "disciple" is not used once! The disciples of the Gospel who came into the kingdom now find their place and function in the Church!
There are only two specific references to the Church in the Gospels, and these are both found in Matthew, the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 16:15-20; 18:15-20). Neither, Mark, Luke nor John makes mention of The Church.
The unveiling of Christ's promise to build His Church is one of the most significant events in the Gospels. Any student of the bible would agree that the Gospel of Matthew is quite distinctly the Gospel of the Kingdom. It reveals Jesus Christ as the First Fruit Seed of Abraham and the one that would continue upon the throne of David; the true and righteous King of the Kingdom of God; the deliverer that came to His own people, Judah, and presented to them the Kingdom of God.
Jesus preached, taught and demonstrated the power of that kingdom but those that heard Him and saw His marvelous works had already hardened their hearts to the king and the kingdom He came to establish. Why, you might ask? One of the biggest factors in the rejection by Israel came in that “it was not the type of kingdom they had expected”. What do I mean by that? Well, this is a description of the type of Kingdom that they were looking for:
they were looking for a restored nationalistic kingdom to Israel,
they were looking for a carnal natural kingdom that would be seen by all
they were looking for a earthly kingdom manifesting in the earthly realm as its origin
they were looking for a political kingdom whereby they would have the power and sway over the peoples and nations
they were looking for a materialistic kingdom with gold, silver and precious stones with honor being given to Israel over the rest of the world.
They looked for the kind of kingdom that would overthrow the Roman’s yoke of bondage.
They looked for a Davidic type kingdom like unto David's, of military might power that would be used to subjugate all Gentile enemies leaving the Kingdom to Israel.
If you read today’s prophetic newspapers, books, handouts and listen to the prophecy teachers tell the story of the Kingdom, it is very similar to what happened to the Jews in Jesus’ day. It is a difficult thing when you begin to shake the foundations of a building as there comes a fear that the whole thing may go down in shambles. When approaching the truth concerning the Kingdom of God there is no truth that weighs heavier in the future of the believer than the understanding about Jesus’ intentions concerning the Kingdom of God.
What did Jesus have to say about things? In short, for now, Jesus, presented a completely different picture of His building and Kingdom as it was to be a spiritual and heavenly kingdom that could only be entered by the invitation of the Holy Spirit with repentance, faith and a new birth (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14, 15; John 3:3-6).
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (Hudson note: This shows that unless a man is born again by the Spirit he can’t even visualize or see the manifestation of the Kingdom of God.)
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (Hudson note: Nicodemus shows the inability for the natural man to comprehend the things of the spirit of God as he is unable to understand what it is that Jesus is saying to him).
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (Hudson note: There is no entrance opened up at all to someone that is not born again of the Spirit, as a matter of fact Jesus says, HE CANNOT ENTER or one is forbidden to enter or unable to enter.)
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (Hudson note: Jesus indicates or infers that the Kingdom is Spirit and for the spirit being; and one that inhabits only the flesh is obviously unable to attain to the level of existence one would need in order to be a dweller in the Kingdom of God).
This leads us to another Scripture verse that I will provide for you as well:
1 Corinthians 2:9-14 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
What a great revelation given to us by the ministry gift of God by the Holy Spirit, to know that the one that is born after the flesh is a natural man and can’t even know the things of the Spirit of God. Nicodemus was unable to know what Jesus was talking about, because his eye, had not seen not his ear heard and it had never entered into his heart what God had prepared to do for us. The flesh, carnal, natural, materialistic and earthly view that many take today of the Kingdom of God is evidence that they have not the mind of the Spirit and therefore can’t understand the things of the Spirit as He communicates to us about the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God
Like the Israelites in Jesus’ day they have allowed their traditional and false beliefs and ideologies about the Kingdom and Messiah, cause them to fall into a spiritual blindness, hardness of heart and spiritual deafness that prevented them from receiving the truth that Jesus was the Christ and that the Kingdom was not national, ethnic, denominational, nor earthly or materialistic, but Spiritual. When the leaders in the Sanhedrin heard what Jesus was saying and teaching the people knowing that it disagreed with their traditions, they plotted against Him and took counsel together to crucify the One True Messianic their King (Matthew 12:14).
The Omniscient One, The Lord our God manifesting through His Only Begotten Son Jesus, knew the actions and the rejections by Israel that would take place from before the foundations of the earth and often spoke about it through His Prophets warning the people of the treachery to come and signifying to all that these actions of Israel were not catching Him off guard. The Father through Jesus, reveals a truth that the Jews understood and heard knowing that He was talking about them, yet the majority of the leaders of the Church today still refuse to hear the teachings of our master, Jesus.
Let’s concentrate on the text from Matthew 21:33-46. This is a major step in understanding that if you can hear this by the Spirit then you are on your way to a greater understanding of all things concerning the believer and the Kingdom of God. Let’s take a careful look into this text: To establish exactly who Jesus was speaking to we can look back at their introduction as they come to tempt Jesus: Matthew 21:23 and when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
One thing for sure, if they come looking for a fight they sure found the right guy to give them one. Jesus immediately challenged them by asking them a question about John, which Jesus knew they would not answer because they feared the people. Then He brought them to a parable that He answered for them concerning two sons and their choice making, which smacked them in the face because He told them that the harlots and strangers were going into the Kingdom of God before them. Then He threw another parable at them knowing that they would reach the boiling point on as He revealed a mystery to them concerning the Kingdom of God and who it is that was gaining possession of it.
Matthew 21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: (Hudson note: Jesus is disguising the Kingdom of God here in parabolic form as God owns the earth, He introduced the seed of the Kingdom of God into the earth, set a protective barrier around it; dug a cistern out to contain the wine; set a guard tower for the keepers to protect the vineyard; put it into the hands of the Jews; and trusted them to take care of it for Him.)
Matthew 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. (Hudson note: The season came when the Lord of the harvest expected to receive a bountiful outpouring of righteousness, peace and joy [Romans 14:17 with Galatians 5:22-23 Fruit of the Kingdom and/or Spirit] from His VineDressors the nation of Israel so He sent His prophets and servants to receive His bounty.)
Matthew 21:35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. (Hudson notes: The Israelites took the prophets and servants that God had sent to them and mistreated them by beating them, stoning them and killing them).
Matthew 21:36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. (Hudson note: Over a period of 1400+ years, God, in His mercy and grace sent other prophets, kings and servants hoping to receive the fruit of His Kingdom, but they beat them, stoned them and killed them as well).
Matthew 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. (Hudson note: His last effort for the nation of Israel to yield forth the fruit of the Kingdom of God – and He did say LAST – was to send His Son - As God sending a direct representative of Himself to receive the fruit of the Kingdom of God. Saying that they surely would honor His Son and treat Him reverently).
Matthew 21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. (Hudson note: This is kind of scary to think that when the nation of Israel saw Jesus, the Son, that they conspired among themselves to kill Him, knowing that He was the Son of God – In John 3:1-2 Nicodemus, a RULER OF THE JEWS, came to Jesus and said to Him “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher sent from God for no one can do these miracles that you do except God be with Him.”. Nicodemus is a RULER OF THE JEWS and knows that Jesus is sent from God, but the nation of Israel conspired to kill Him, Why? So they could keep it for themselves. They didn’t want to give anything up and were willing to kill the Son to keep it and they did.)
Matthew 21:39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. (Hudson note: We know they came and took Him in the garden when Judas betrayed Him and they beat Him and took Him outside the city walls [the protected areas consecrated unto God] and crucified Him upon a cross on a high holiday, the Feast of Passover, thinking that they had killed the heir of the Vineyard – They didn’t know that HE WAS THE VINE – Praise God!)
Matthew 21:40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? (Hudson note: Jesus asks them a question as to what, in their minds, was needed to be done to these people? What will the Son’s Father do TO THOSE HUSBANDMEN? They not only stole all of the fruit of all of the harvests, but they killed the Father’s precious servants, His prophets and now His Son – QUESTION – WHAT WILL HE DO TO THEM?)
Matthew 21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. (Hudson note: Believe it or not, they had the correct answer, but they didn’t know at that time that they were the wicked ones they were referring to. They agreed that God would destroy those wicked men that killed His Son and His servants the Prophets and will give the Kingdom of God to others who will give Him the fruit of the Kingdom of God when the season of the harvest is come.)
Matthew 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? (Hudson note: Jesus quotes a prophetic word about Himself that they would reject Him, kill Him and He would rise again becoming the chief Cornerstone for the New Building the Church – He was also saying, by the way – the Lord is doing this to you all for what you have done to Him and I love it).
Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. (Hudson note: Jesus states boldly and precisely to the Jews what would happen because of their actions- THE KINGDOM OF GOD SHALL BE TAKEN FROM YOU – From whom? Israel – The Jews! WOW – AND – God the Father is giving it to someone else – They weren’t waiting for the Kingdom to come – They had it –SO JESUS TELLS THEM - YOU HAD IT, but NO MORE. I will give it to another NATION and guess what – THEY WILL BRING FORTH THE FRUIT OF IT! Peter identifies that New Nation in 1 Peter 2:4-10 and guess what? It’s you - the Church – Hallelujah – read it for yourself at the end of this parable. He even uses the same quote Jesus did when talking about Him and us!)
Matthew 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Hudson note: This STONE is talking about Christ the Corner Stone in the Kingdom of God - the STONE KINGDOM from Daniel 2:44-45; 7:13-28. Those that repent and believe are broken upon the Stone – Those that resist it will be ground under the weight of its presence and power.)
Matthew 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. (Hudson note: It finally dawns on the chief priests and Pharisees that Jesus was talking about them and their nation, Israel. They had been identified by the Son of God, but unfortunately not by the Church leaders of today! Even the rulers of the Jews that didn’t have the Spirit of God within them understood that Jesus was talking about them. They knew that they would not be rulers in this new nation God was choosing and therefore they were going to have to do something to try and stop it).
Matthew 21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. (Hudson note: They were so mad they wanted to take Him and kill Him right then, but they were afraid of what the people might do to them. So they waited until the time was right and God was waiting for them and they were destroyed and they lost the Kingdom just like He said they would.)
Hudson note: Extra provided Scripture from 1 Peter for convenience.
1 Peter 2:4 to whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1Peter 2:5 ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
1Peter 2:6 wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
1Peter 2:7 unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Peter 2:8 and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
1Peter 2:10 which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
NOW, while we are letting all that sink in and digest, let’s get back to the reason that we have came this direction in the first place, which was to establish the background for Jesus’ comment about “building His Church”. So, it is that you have now been equipped with a more complete knowledge of this background and setting at Caesarea Philippi that inspired Jesus to speak so boldly and confidently of the building of His Church (Matthew 16:15-20).
The shadow and type seen in the Old Testament Church (Acts 7:38), represented in and through the religious leaders of the nation of Israel and in the people of Judah, had become a kind of "old wine skins". They had followed only the form, ritual and ceremony of the Law and Commandments under the Old Covenant instead of listening for the voice to obey so spiritually they were hard and dry and inflexible to the "new wine" of the Kingdom of God that Jesus came to bring. Much like many in the religious main line circles of today. The "new wine" came through the Spirit bringing revelation knowledge and understanding of New Covenant truths that could not be put by Christ or His apostolic gift ministries into the religiously bound and ceremonial ridden participants of the Old Covenant wineskin Church. The mission of the Spirit was to bring us into the New Covenant truth and the Old Covenant wineskins couldn’t hold the pressure of the new energized revelations being brought forth and were unable to receive the truth that could have indeed made them free. The one would burst the other (Luke 5:36-39).
With prior insight and knowledge of the condition of the Old Covenant people the Word was at work in Christ and brought forth the communication and revelation that Jesus was going to have to do something new, therefore He said, "Upon this Rock I will build My Church" (Matthew 16:18). It would no longer be the shadow Church that had been built by and upon Moses (Acts 15:21), but it would be the TRUE Church that was promised from before the foundations of the earth and would be built by and upon Christ, to whom the shadow Church under Moses only pointed towards. The entrance of Christ on the scene into the New Testament temple comprised of mankind, meant that the relevant building on the scene would no longer be the Old Covenant Church of the chosen nation of Israel, but the transformation had been made from darkness to light; from shadow and type to the New Covenant Church chosen out of every kindred, tongue, tribe and nation.
Jesus spoke openly and confidently about His ability to build His Church and that it would not only be something that would have a local expression in Jerusalem, but He made it clear that there would be a Church that would be universal (Matthew 16:18-20). Specifically, the Word of the Lord is recorded here in the Scripture by the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the first time, as He speaks of the Church. Jesus said that He was going to build His Church. "Upon this Rock I will build MY CHURCH" (Matthew 16:18). I believe that it is important for us to understand and point out that Jesus said, "Church", in the singular form and not "Churches" in the plural form. This was not an accident, but I believe it was intentional, by the Spirit, to emphasize that there was not to be a whole multitude of churches, but only one.
This is the first time that Jesus speaks about this mystery, the Church that has been kept hid from the eyes of everyone since the beginning of time and when He decides to unveil the divine intent of God about it, the one thing that sticks out in His description is that it will be ONE CHURCH! I would think it would do well for the leaders in Christianity to pay attention to this fact!
As we take note of God’s divine intent to only have ONE CHURCH we can then look at the many references throughout the New Testament and see that the word “Church” is used in its singular form in most cases. This is a continuing communication throughout the Scripture to indicate that although there are many locations of believers assembling together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ across this vast globe of the Earth, there is still only ONE CHURCH UNIVERSALLY!
Notice these particular Scripture verses that support this truth:
God has given Christ to be Head over all things to the Church (Ephesians 1:22).
Christ is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23).
Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it that it might be a glorious Church like unto Himself (Ephesians 5:24-32).
The Church is the Body of Christ (Colossians 1:18). It is the Church of God (Acts 20:28).
It is also the Church of Christ (Ephesians 5:32).
I believe we can agree that there is only one Church and the Christ of God Himself is the one that has taken the responsibility to be the builder and the Head of this Church. As true believers it is vital for us to keep our mind in tune to this truth that regardless of who or where we are, we belong to the ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH whose builder and maker is God.
Matthew 18:15-20 speaks of a more local expression of the church than the overall universal (Keep in mind that the local expression of the universal can never be divided as to set itself a part from the universal for if it ceases to be one with the universal it becomes a church unto itself and NOT CHRIST);
Mat 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
Mat 18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Mat 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Mat 18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Here we find a new application or manifestation of the church that needs to be noted in as much that it also is mentioned by the Lord Jesus. It is easy to see that Jesus that is building one Church is going to have manifestations of that in various localities across the lands and this Matthew 18 verse shows us that it is an assembly and manifestation that can be called together for decisions in local matters. The verses listed here are used to deal with the discipline of local members who refuse to reconcile with their brother or sister in Christ. We read that the path of reconciliation climaxes with the matter being brought before the local Church for resolution. The final stage of this action of reconciliation is that if he refuses to listen to the wisdom and heart of the local believers that love him, then he is to be put from the local congregation as an act of discipline. Obviously, this was not an act that was to be carried out by the entire Church upon the face of the earth, but instead it was an action carried out on a local level, being a fellowship of believers that could gather to help reconcile these believers, but also a group of believers from which one could be separated.
The Church that is manifesting in any given location is to be an exact representation of the One Church that is built by Jesus and stretches across the whole earth. There is no such thing as a Baptist Church, Pentecostal Church, Methodist Church, Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, and Presbyterian Church, Gentile church, a nationalistic church, a regional church or a Jewish Church in the Scriptures. There is ONLY ONE CHURCH! It makes no difference if we are speaking of a local church or a universal church we are still speaking of ONLY ONE CHURCH!
We take notice that it is upon these two basic concepts described and revealed in Matthew that all insight and revelation of the Church in the New Testament as brought forth by Jesus finds its foundation and building.
In Matthew 16:15-20 we see Jesus describe the One TRUE CHURCH as being universal!
In Matthew 18:15-20 we see Jesus describe a LOCAL manifestation of the ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH! \
We then can understand that Jesus was not saying it is okay for everyone to have their own Church and believe what they want to with their own headship. He was saying I AM building MY CHURCH; it is ONE CHURCH, BUT I will have LOCAL manifestations of this ONE CHURCH so I can express MY HEADSHIP in ALL LOCALITIES across the earth, filling the whole earth with MY GLORY! In light of this revelation by Jesus we can easily see that we are to have a plural usage of the word "Churches" in a number of places throughout the Acts and the Epistles.
The Churches in Judea, Galilee and Samaria (Acts 9:31 .RV.)
The Churches in Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:41).
The Churches of Asia (I Corinthians 16:19).
The Churches of Macedonia (II Corinthians 8:1).
The Churches of Galatia (Galatians 1:2; I Corinthians 16:1).
The Churches of Judea (Galatians 1:22).
The Churches of God in Judea (I Thessalonians 2:14).
We see this same usage in the Revelation of Jesus Christ as He speaks to the Churches in Asia. Even though He made a special effort to speak to each local Church in a given locality, yet collectively they manifested the Universal Church as the local Churches (Revelation 1-2-3 chapters). What the Spirit says to the Churches must be heard by all, though He may address but one in a given locality. They are locally responsible to Him. He is universally responsible to all.
The Churches were established (Acts 16:5).
Paul was the apostle of the Churches of the Gentiles (Romans 16:4),
which were the Churches of Christ (Romans 16:16).
They were also the Churches of the saints (I Corinthians 14:33).
Read also I Corinthians 16:19; II Corinthians 8:1; Revelation 1:4, 11.
The risen Lord spoke by the Spirit to the Churches in Asia, yet each was a local Church (Revelation 2:11, 17, 23, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 22:16).
There was a local manifestation of the ONE TRUE universal Church in each place, yet they remained supernaturally connected by the Spirit of God that was in them and the life of Jesus Christ given for them. There was no need for any kind of an organizational unity in the flesh or carnal realm, because all that were ONE WITH HIM, knew that they were ONE BODY IN CHRIST regardless of their location. There would be no way that any kind of a city church could have dominance over the other city churches as Christ is alive and He is the Head of the Church no matter what the locality is. There was no headship given to Jerusalem, Constantinople, Rome or any other city church to function as the leading authorized Church to govern or have control over any Church in any other locality. There is no doubt that Jesus Christ leads local church bodies to fellowship and relate with other church bodies across the globe sharing ministry gifts, instructions, etc…, but never were they to give control of the local church body over to another city church body from any central headquarters, or central government. Jesus Christ was, is and always will be the Head. He is in us all and we are all of Him and in Him to the glory of the Father. Jesus told the Father that He was giving us His glory. Do you know why? So that we could be ONE AS HE IS ONE!
John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
God is interested in ONENESS! Jesus in us – The Father in Jesus – WHY? So that in that oneness we could mature and be perfected. Matthew records Jesus that speaks of this mysterious Church universal as being ONE CHURCH and HIS CHURCH. Yet within this one Church there would be numerous local Churches, each of which would be a local manifestation of the ONE TRUE UNIVERSAL CHURCH and thus part of the whole. The local Churches collectively would comprise the universal Church.
•The Church local would be in plurality, in many places (I Thessalonians 2:14).
•The Church universal would be in unity in many places (I Corinthians 10:32).
The Church local would be the gathering of believers in the one given locality. The Church universal would be the collective gathering of all believers in every local church and area around the world. The Church has only one acceptable separation or division that is permitted in the Scripture and that is the necessary and expected geographic division and separation caused naturally due to the various locations of the believers, but they are still to remain joined as one in Spirit and life.
I stand confident today that the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ that He would build His Church is not a pipe dream, but a reality that has manifested and is still being fulfilled in us. We have an additional guarantee from God that He watches over His Word to perform it or to bring it to pass (Jeremiah 1:11-12) and we are assured that His Word will not return unto Him void but will accomplish that which He sent it unto (Isaiah 55:10, 11). Be completely convinced and settled that not all that is seen and revealed by the system of churchianity today is of God. Christ is the head and He has ONE CHURCH! These multi-denominational organizations out here claiming to be of God are actually working to build a wall of division in something that Jesus decreed was to manifest as ONE!