The Forming of the Body of Christ.
When Christ ascended to the Right hand of the Father, He was made Head of the Body by His Father. This was a whole new purpose of God for His Son.
` (God the Father)...raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come .
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the ekklesia, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.` (Eph. 1: 20 - 23)
The Lord Jesus then began to build His ekklesia, His called out ones, made up of Jews and Gentiles. He gave of Himself the five different ministries that would build up His Body upon the truths of His character and His purposes.
`He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ,
Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.`(Eph. 4; 13)
This spiritual organism, the Body of Christ, was not known in previous times and the truths of this great purpose would only be revealed one at a time.
1. Foundational Truth - Jesus is Lord and Christ. (AD 30) (Acts 2 - 13)
The Father gave the Holy Spirit to His Son and Christ sent Him to indwell the believers. This happened on the Day of Pentecost. The heavenly purpose had begun.
`When the Day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one accord in one place. And there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.` (Acts 2: 1 - 4)
Now the first converts, (Jewish) did not understand about the Body of Christ but they had the foundation of Jesus as Lord and Christ.
`Therefore let all the house of Israel know that God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.` (Acts 2: 36)
When Christ ascended to the Right hand of the Father, He was made Head of the Body by His Father. This was a whole new purpose of God for His Son.
` (God the Father)...raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come .
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the ekklesia, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.` (Eph. 1: 20 - 23)
The Lord Jesus then began to build His ekklesia, His called out ones, made up of Jews and Gentiles. He gave of Himself the five different ministries that would build up His Body upon the truths of His character and His purposes.
`He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists and some shepherds and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ,
Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.`(Eph. 4; 13)
This spiritual organism, the Body of Christ, was not known in previous times and the truths of this great purpose would only be revealed one at a time.
1. Foundational Truth - Jesus is Lord and Christ. (AD 30) (Acts 2 - 13)
The Father gave the Holy Spirit to His Son and Christ sent Him to indwell the believers. This happened on the Day of Pentecost. The heavenly purpose had begun.
`When the Day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one accord in one place. And there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.` (Acts 2: 1 - 4)
Now the first converts, (Jewish) did not understand about the Body of Christ but they had the foundation of Jesus as Lord and Christ.
`Therefore let all the house of Israel know that God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.` (Acts 2: 36)
