This study was first taught on May 6, 2018

Topic: The Birth of the Church (1): A Fulfillment of Prophecy

(use the audio to study)

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Background
The last time we discussed the subject matter of "The Book of the Acts of the Apostles", we noted that when all the 120 disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ (which included at this time, His biological mother and siblings), they all prayed! "All" included the apostles and the least of the disciples; including both the renown and the unknown!

We thus noted, going by Acts 1:14, which states in part, "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication ..." that, when we gather today, as Christians:
(1) Our primary focus should be prayer!
(2) Not only should we pray when we are gathered together, but we ought to pray continually, even after we have dispersed.
(3) We should pray with one accord—one purpose in mind—the purpose of God!
(4) Our praying must be with entreaty or pleadings to the God who hears prayers (Hebrews 5:7 speaks of the Lord Jesus in the days of His earthly ministry offering prayers with supplication unto God with strong (vehement) crying and tears, and He was heard by God, because of His godly reverence, not just His strong crying and tears!).

We concluded by noting that when the early Church prayed, there were quakings and upheavals in natural events, deliverance, miracles, and all manner of spiritual seismic events. In like manner, when we pray, we must expect to see the results of our prayer (James 5:13-18).

Scripture Text(s)
Acts 2:1-47
As we commence the 2nd Chapter of The Book of the Acts of the Apostles, we see the Birth of the Church. We must, however, not forget that before arriving at the birth of the Church, there was the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ; there were the post-resurrection instructions He gave to His disciples over a 40-day period, chief of which was that they remain in Jerusalem (a very risky proposition being that they were marked men and being hunted by the Jewish leadership); and there was the praying and bible studies together as a group.
As with the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Head of the Church), the birth of the Church was a fulfillment of prophecy. In our discussions today, therefore, we shall look at the event and its relation to prophecy. May the Holy Spirit grant us utterance and perception to understand what is being uttered in Jesus' name, Amen.
Matthew 16:13 -18; John 20:30-31; 3:16; Revelation 20:11-15; John 10:16; Isaiah 56:3-8; Exodus 23:14-16; Leviticus 23:4-20; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 19:14-18; 11:47-53; 1 Corinthians 15:19-23; John 20:1, 11-17; Acts 2:1; 19:32, 39, 41; Acts 2:16-33.

Conclusion
Since the birth of the Church is the fulfillment of Scripture; like her Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, her life and ministry must also be fulfillment of Scripture—who we are and what we do, must be by prophecy! Hence, the birth of the Church signified the resumption of the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is, to bring in the lost, and build them up—make them to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ in their deeds and lifestyle (Romans 8:29)!

LET US PRAY!

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