The church’s foundation
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Faith Fitness
Bro. Sam Kaufman
What an amazing – and costly – purchase price!
Jesus’ very lifeblood was shed at Calvary not only to redeem our souls – if we will accept God’s grace by faith – but to also purchase His church, the bride of Christ.
The purchase price is revealed in Acts 20-28, which states, “…to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”
His church, also known as the household of God, contains as sturdy of a structure as could possibly be. Jesus’ blood provides the victory for it.
His church is built on a solid foundation!
Ephesians chapter 2 reveals that Jesus’ church was available to Jews and Gentiles alike. It also describes its indestructible foundation.
Verses 19-20 state, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.”
In essence, Paul wrote through the Holy Ghost that the household of God, or the church, is built upon the foundation of God’s Word.
That foundation includes what the Old Testament prophets prophesied of the church, the New Testament doctrine Jesus committed to the apostles (teaching them to “observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”), and Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God.
One facet of the New Testament church is Jesus Christ’s establishment of it. He said He would build His church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Old Testament prophets prophesied of the New Testament church being established. The New Testament then reveals the fulfillment of those prophecies.
Common factors reveal that Jesus would initially establish His church with a small number, and that the act would occur on the top of the mountains.
Consider this prophecy found in Psalms 72:16: “There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.”
This verse reveals that Jesus would establish His church with a small number (12 apostles) on a mountain, and that the city (church) would then experience substantial growth (flourish like grass of the earth).
The church had 120 members on the Day of Pentecost and quickly grew into the thousands when Peter preached and 3,000 and 5,000 were saved and added to the church.
Isaiah 60 states that “…a little one shall become a thousand….”
Additional Old Testament prophecy of Christ’s establishment of His church occurs in Isaiah and Micah. These two verses reveal the location where Christ established it and that many people and nations (not just the Jews) would come to it.
Isaiah 2:2 reads, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nationals shall flow unto it.”
Again, the establishment of the government of Jesus’ church (mountain of the LORD’s house) was prophesied to occur in the top of the mountains.
Micah’s prophecy is very similar. It states the following: “But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.”
The fulfillment of Jesus establishing His church can be found in the Gospels of Mark and Luke in the New Testament. The actual act occurred in 28 AD on Mount Hattin (Horns of Hattin in the Lower Galilee, Israel). The prophets stated that it would be established in the top of the mountains.
Mark 3:13-14 reads, “And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.”
Luke Chapter 6 reveals that Jesus prayed all night before establishing His church with 12 apostles (handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains).
“And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples; and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”
