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THE FIRST TESTAMENT CHURCH
14. THIS COMMISSION TO ISRAEL ONLY Matthew 10:5-6: "Go not into the way of the Gentiles... But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This is often referred to as the limited commission. God was giving Israel the opportunity to receive Jesus as their King that He might set up His Kingdom and confirm the promises made to Abraham. Therefore, they not only preached, but showed forth the power of God. Think of it: healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, cast out devils, but they still rejected Him, and God took the King and Kingdom from them. These manifestations of power show that God was offering deliverance from the enemies of man, but they rejected him and their deliverance because He required repentance and baptism. 15. NOT FOR DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION For they did not even believe this. Their message was the Kingdom of God. Near the close of the limited commission, Peter asked the Lord what they would receive for forsaking all to follow Him. After He had comforted them (Luke 18:31-34) "Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." Again, Matthew 16:21-22: "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee." Here we see that the church did not know the Lord should be crucified, but rather was preaching to Israel, "the Kingdom is at hand." They were not the Kingdom, but were chosen to announce to Israel the Kingdom. Yet God knew and had foretold their rejection of their King. Yet He gave them an opportunity to receive the King and the Kingdom, and they would not repent and prepare for it. John 1:11: "He came unto his own, and his own received him not." Dear sinner friend, there is one path to God. It is through repentance. Dear child of God, there is one way to stay close to God and receive the promises; it is through repentance. 16. AN ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING ISRAEL Israel had ceased to be the official place of worship. They had been cut off from the Covenant and had lost the inheritance promises. They could not officiate on behalf of the people of God in the world and were out of fellowship with God. Mat 23:37-39: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." What a sad state, to be cut off as the house of God. Israel had corrupted the Word of God and polluted the worship until God could no longer permit them to preach and preserve Him to the world. As God has turned to the Gentiles and established His authority among them in the church, He offers this warning in Romans 11:18-22, "Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee." In Verse 22, "Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." Brethren, let us fear with reverence the God of Power lest we be boastful against the root and be cut off as His house in the world. Every individual of every nation, including the people of Israel can be saved though Jesus, but only as we fellowship the Lord in the house of God, which is the church, do we come into the covenant promises. 17. LORD'S SUPPER TO THE CHURCH ONLY At the Passover feast as they were eating, He gave to His disciples bread and the cup after blessing them. (See Matthew 26:-27) Mark 1:13-15: "And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us."
This was as they ate the passover feast: 18. CHURCH TOLD THEY WOULD BE SCATTERED Matthew 26:30-31: "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." No doubt this brought great grief to them as this meant the destruction of their master and leader. Peter was sure he would not be offended. Yet the Lord knew and prophesied that before the "cock crow, thou shall deny me thrice." Peter did not understand that this was the divine plan and ordained order of God, that Jesus must die. Just as we too often try to lean on our own understanding. Let us believe God. |