THE ETERNAL PURPOSE” (of the church)
Sermon by Rodney Nulph 03-08-2020
Susquehanna Valley church of Christ
“It has been said by the ill informed “Give me Jesus, not the church”.
#1) † CHRIST’S CHURCH PURPOSED †
[Ephesians 3:10-11] 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 11 ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE WHICH HE PURPOSED IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD:
[Genesis 3:15] 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
#2) † CHRIST’S CHURCH PROPHESIED †
A} Christ and the church are inseparable!
[Ephesians 5:30-32] 30 For WE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, OF HIS FLESH, AND OF HIS BONES. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 THIS IS A GREAT MYSTERY: BUT I SPEAK CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.
[Ephesians 1:22-23] 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him TO BE THE HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH, 23 WHICH IS HIS BODY, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
[Matthew 16:18-19] 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
[Ephesians 5:22-3] 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 FOR THE HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE, EVEN AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH: AND HE IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE BODY. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT; 26 THAT HE MIGHT SANCTIFY AND CLEANSE IT WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD, 27 THAT HE MIGHT PRESENT IT TO HIMSELF A GLORIOUS CHURCH, NOT HAVING SPOT, OR WRINKLE, OR ANY SUCH THING; BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE HOLY AND WITHOUT BLEMISH. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 FOR NO MAN EVER YET HATED HIS OWN FLESH; BUT NOURISHETH AND CHERISHETH IT, EVEN AS THE LORD THE CHURCH: 30 FOR WE ARE MEMBERS OF HIS BODY, OF HIS FLESH, AND OF HIS BONES. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
B} When: Last Days / Where: Jerusalem / What: All Nations /
What: Exalted
[Isaiah 2:1-4] 1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 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 NATIONS SHALL FLOW UNTO IT. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; AND HE WILL TEACH US OF HIS WAYS, AND WE WILL WALK IN HIS PATHS: FOR OUT OF ZION SHALL GO FORTH THE LAW, AND THE WORD OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
C} In the days of these kings / God in Heaven / All Nations
/ Never destroyed
[Daniel 2:44] 44 And IN THE DAYS OF THESE KINGS SHALL THE GOD OF HEAVEN SET UP A KINGDOM, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but IT SHALL BREAK IN PIECES AND CONSUME ALL THESE KINGDOMS, AND IT SHALL STAND FOR EVER.
#3) † CHRIST’S CHURCH PREPARED †
A} The Time of John the Baptizer
[Luke 1:17] 17 And he [JOHN] shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; TO MAKE READY A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE LORD.
[Matthew 3:1-3] 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, REPENT YE: FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. 3 FOR THIS IS HE THAT WAS SPOKEN OF BY THE PROPHET ESAIAS, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.
B} The Time of Christ
[Matthew 4:17] 17 FROM THAT TIME JESUS BEGAN TO PREACH, AND TO SAY, REPENT: FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.
[Matthew 6:10] 10 THY KINGDOM COME. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
[Luke 16:16] 16 The law and the prophets were until John: SINCE THAT TIME THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PREACHED, AND EVERY MAN PRESSETH INTO IT.
[Matthew 10:7] 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND.
C} The Time of the Apostles
[Matthew 28:18-20] 18 And Jesus came and SPAKE UNTO THEM, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU: AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. AMEN.
#4) † CHRIST’S CHURCH IS PERFECTED †
[Mark 9:1] 1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, THAT THERE BE SOME OF THEM THAT STAND HERE, WHICH SHALL NOT TASTE OF DEATH, TILL THEY HAVE SEEN THE KINGDOM OF GOD COME WITH POWER.
[Acts 1:8] 8 BUT YE SHALL RECEIVE POWER, AFTER THAT THE HOLY GHOST IS COME UPON YOU: AND YE SHALL BE WITNESSES UNTO ME BOTH IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDAEA, AND IN SAMARIA, AND UNTO THE UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH.
[Acts 2:1-4, 47] 1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, AND BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, AS THE SPIRIT GAVE THEM UTTERANCE. ... 47 PRAISING GOD, AND HAVING FAVOUR WITH ALL THE PEOPLE. AND THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY SUCH AS SHOULD BE SAVED.
[Romans 16:16] 16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST SALUTE YOU.
[Philemon 1:2] 2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and TO THE CHURCH IN THY HOUSE:
#5) † CHRIST’S CHURCH WILL BE IN PARADISE †
[1 Corinthians 15:23-26] 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, WHEN HE SHALL HAVE DELIVERED UP THE KINGDOM TO GOD, EVEN THE FATHER; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
[1 Thessalonians 4:16-17] 16 FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD: AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST: 17 THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD.
[Revelation 7:13-17] 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, THESE ARE THEY WHICH CAME OUT OF GREAT TRIBULATION, AND HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES, AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. 15 THEREFORE ARE THEY BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD, AND SERVE HIM DAY AND NIGHT IN HIS TEMPLE: AND HE THAT SITTETH ON THE THRONE SHALL DWELL AMONG THEM. 16 THEY SHALL HUNGER NO MORE, NEITHER THIRST ANY MORE; NEITHER SHALL THE SUN LIGHT ON THEM, NOR ANY HEAT. 17 FOR THE LAMB WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE THRONE SHALL FEED THEM, AND SHALL LEAD THEM UNTO LIVING FOUNTAINS OF WATERS: AND GOD SHALL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM THEIR EYES.