“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2), began the announcement of John the Baptist in the wilderness of Judea. At that time, there was never an announcement with more importance than this one. It fulfilled the promise of Isaiah who said, “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight” (verse 3).
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, then began His ministry after He was baptized. The heavens opened, the angel of God descended upon him, and a voice spoke out of the heavens acknowledging the divinity of the Son of God (Matt. 3:16). Jesus began to preach and from the disciples he chose the twelve apostles (Matt. 10:1-4) who became the means of bringing God’s word to the people for generations to come. He gave us the Word through them by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He gave them the commission to preach the gospel but limited them to Judea (Matt. 10:5) as they were under the law until he fulfilled it and broke down “the middle wall of partition” by his death.
On the evening before his death, he instituted the Lord’s Supper and demonstrated the beautiful example of humility before the apostles by washing their feet (John 13:5). He then gave himself to die for all people and rose again on the third day (Luke 24:46). After his resurrection, he appeared to the disciples, extending the commission to “all the world” and to “every creature” (Mark 16:15-16) but told them to tarry at Jerusalem until they were “endued with power from on high.” This promised power was given on the day of Pentecost, when they were enabled to speak under the influence of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2).
This is the church Christ established in its infancy. The church, as planned, has two sides: a Divine side where perfection is and always will be, and the human side through which problems would come (as Christ warned). The problems did come shortly after.
For the elders, Tony Williams