• By Gale Nelson
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2021
Lesson Scripture(s): Ephesians 3:9-11
Tags: #church #kingdom #prophecy

For it is written, “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:"

LESSON AT A GLANCE

The church of Christ has ALWAYS existed in…
Purpose, Promise, Prophecy, Preparation, and Perfection

The kingdom has always existed.…
• It existed in Purpose, in the mind of God;
• It existed next in Promise, as delivered unto the patriarchs,
• It existed in Prophecy as foretold by the prophets,
• It existed in Preparation, and
• When the New Testament went into effect, it existed in Perfection

Paul writing to the church of Christ at Ephesus… Ephesians 3:9-11
• The mystery that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs with the Jews in one body (church) (see Ephesians 3:3-6)
• The divine revelation, which was hidden before, is now made known.
• The manifold (multi-sided) wisdom of God is unfolded in the working of the church.
• God’s eternal purpose, from the beginning of the world, is now manifested (revealed in these last days).
The church was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world (see Ephesians 1:4)

Why the church?
It is God’s will and divine intention from eternity…to redeem man! (see 1 Tim. 2:1-6)

Central to the great purposes of God from eternity has been:
• Sending of His Son as an atonement for sin,
• The creation of the church of Christ—the blood-bought body of Jesus and living organism of the redeemed. A PLACE FOR THE SAVED ON EARTH!

Promise & Prophecy

• Before Christ came to Earth, Isaiah announced the eventual establishment of the “Lord’s house” in the “last days” in Jerusalem (see Isaiah 2:1-4).

• Micah shares the same facts (see Micah 4:1-3).

• Daniel declared to a pagan king that during the days of the Roman kings, the God of heaven would set up a kingdom that would never be destroyed (see Daniel 2:44).

• Daniel also stated that the “Son of man” would pass through the clouds, come to the God, and be given an indestructible kingdom (see Daniel 7:13-14).

• The church, which existed initially in purpose in the mind of God, now existed in promise and prophecy in the utterances of His spokesmen, the prophets.

• Daniel was informed: “The saints of the most high shall take the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever” (see Daniel 7:18).

• Thank God for the church of Christ, the Lord’s house, the kingdom of God.


CALL TO ACTION
• God's Plan of Salvation... https://miamigardenscoc.net/salvation.php
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RECOMMENDED LINKS
* Website: https://www.miamigardenscoc.net
* The church of Christ, Part 1: https://youtu.be/Xx10RXNfImQ
* The church of Christ, Part 2: https://youtu.be/APWk6duQWmY
* The church of Christ, Part 3: https://youtu.be/M-MxpaUVDw8
* The church of Christ, Part 4: https://youtu.be/W084sA72BTQ
* The church of Christ, Part 5: https://youtu.be/dkbe0eW1kT8
* The church of Christ, Part 6: https://youtu.be/ZR76K5dxdbs
* The church of Christ, Part 7: https://youtu.be/-KYscuOaCWI