The Origin of the Church, Lesson 1, Eps. 9

I. Heavenly Origin Revelation 13:6 says. "The Lamb was slain from the creation of the world." John 1:1 say "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." And John 1:4 says, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." Ephesians 1:4-5 says that "God chase us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." This is not suggesting that God predestined some to heaven and some to hell; rather, it suggests that God predestined to have a people unto himself. Between verses 3-14, Paul employees fourteen plural pronouns (e.g. we, us, they, our), indicating that he is not speaking of individual election, but a corporate people. What is predestined is that God is going to have a people who will be blameless in his sight, and he has predetermined the doctrine of adoption - that they would be his sons, and daughters. Revelation 12:1-2 says, "A great and wonderous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth." The woman has been interpreted in at least three ways: 1). that she is Israel 2) that she is the church 3) that she is Mary who then morphs into an image of the church. I lean towards the third. That she gives birth to a son who will rule the world with an iron scepter is obviously speaking of Jesus. Some suggests the woman is Israel giving birth to Christianity, while other that she is Mary giving birth to Jesus. That she is clothed with the sun suggest that she is clothed in glory. The moon is under her feet because she had dominion over the forces of darkness. A crown of twelve stars suggest that she is victorious. Both Judaism and the church are characterized by the number twelve (twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles). It might be appropriate interpret the woman in view of redemptions history, inclusive of Old Testament and New Testament saints. That the woman is clothes with celestial garments indicates her origin and ordination are in heaven. The churches origin and ordination are in heaven. II. Jewish Heritage Genesis 11:31-12:1-4a - God called Abraham out of Ur, a pagan culture, with a plan to bless the nations through him. Genesis 49:10 - "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch, he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes." - The promise of the Messiah. Rom. 4:16 - "The promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and my be guaranteed to all Abraham's offspring...he is the father of us all." Galatians 3:16; Romans 11:17-18 Hebrews 10:7 2 Corinthians 13:4 speaks of Divine vulnerability. The accusation of Divine alienation is repudiated in the cross. Jesus' death grants access to redemption that whosoever believes on him will be saved. Revelation 7:1-9 - 12 x 12 x 1000 equals 144,000 and is a symbol of redemptions history - 12 patriarchs and 12 apostles. This is seen in Revelation 21:17 as the walls of the New Jerusalem measure 144 cubits (12 x 12) and in 21:12-14 as the gates have written on them the names of the twelve patriarchs and the foundations have written on them the names of the twelve apostles. In addition, Revelation 4:4 speaks of 24 elders. The term 'elder' is an ecclesiastical term. Once again, we see 12 patriarchs and 12 apostles represented. Thus, Revelation seems to have in mind redemptions history as coming through the loins of Abraham and as having their origin in heaven. III. Origin Rooted in the Person of Jesus Christ Matthew 16:18. Greek word for 'church' means 'called out ones.' We, like our father, Abraham, have been 'called out' (1) Relationally, (2) Spiritually, (3) Morally, and (4) Vocationally/Missionally. This invites and implies transformation. The cross of Christ offends the culture of this world because it condemns the culture of this world, binding it to the indisputable laws of heaven. Because our culture finds the message of the crucified Christ offensive, some have modified it's message to accommodate our culture. This cheapening of the gospel is a disgrace in the face of our crucified and resurrected Lord who suffered at the hands of a people that hated him. We have a heavenly origin and ordination. We are sojourners- just passing through. We are called to model the culture of our origin - heaven that others might see the glory of Christ in us.