Ron Halbrook

In the Old Testament God promised and prophesied the coming of a new kingdom for the salvation of sinners.  The new kingdom would not be like the old Israel, an earthly and political kingdom.  The new kingdom would not be temporary like the old Israel but would be permanent on earth until the end of time.  God’s new kingdom would be His new nation made up of people from all countries.  It would be a new temple with a new high priest and a new worship.

It is true that Jesus began his public ministry after his baptism by John in A.D. 30, but his public ministry of preaching and healing was not the beginning of his church.  This was only a preparation.  When he began to preach, his message taught men to repent and prepare their hearts to receive his kingdom which would soon appear.  "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17).

He began selecting his 12 Apostles very soon as recorded in Matthew 4:18-22, but there is no church of Christ at that time.  He would spend three years training them.  In Matthew 10 he sent them preaching this message only to Jews, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (verse 7), meaning it does not exist at that time but everyone should be preparing their hearts for its beginning.

He taught many lessons which helped men to prepare their hearts for the coming kingdom such as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.  He taught that men must change their attitudes, for instance, in this way, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:3).  He taught that men must prepare their hearts to believe in him and to submit in baptism to enter God's kingdom (Jn. 3:5), but he did not teach that the kingdom was present at that time.

When he promised he would establish his future church or kingdom in Matthew 16:18, he explained to the Apostles that it would come at a future time while they were still alive:  "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Matt. 16:28).  The meaning of "coming in his kingdom" is to establish his rule in his kingdom, i.e., to establish his kingdom.

He taught many other lessons such as Matthew 18:15-17 and Matthew 26:26-29 regarding how his followers would serve God in the future kingdom of God, but not it did not yet exist at that time.  Notice how he said the kingdom is future in Matthew 26:29, "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."  He was teaching them how to observe the Lord's Supper in his future kingdom, but this occurred on Thursday night and not on the Lord's Day as would be necessary in his new kingdom (Acts 20:7).  All his teaching while he was on earth was for preparation, but he did not yet establish his church or kingdom.

After he arose from the dead, he gave the Apostles the Great Commission by which he would establish his kingdom.  It was only at this time he could say, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. 28:18).  This means he had now overcome death and thus conquered Satan's power, and the good news of salvation would be preached to all the world. He did not say that in the previous days.

After giving the Great Commission, he told them to wait in Jerusalem until the appointed time to begin preaching under the Great Commission:  "And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Lk. 24:49).  This verse reminds us of Mark 9:1, "And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."  The kingdom would be established by his divine power only at the time when all the preparation was completed.

Before Jesus returned to heaven he clarified that the Apostles must first receive divine power in Holy Spirit baptism (see Acts 1:4-5):

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem,

but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

They waited in Jerusalem after he ascended, until they received Holy Spirit baptism in Acts 2:1-4.  Peter preached that this fulfilled the prophecy of Joel 2:28-32 about the outpouring of the Spirit’s power with the result that men would now receive salvation through Christ:  "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).  Peter then preached for the first time in the history of the world that Christ was now ruling on his throne in his kingdom.  Christ had now fulfilled the prophecy of David that Christ would arise from the dead and then would ascend to sit on his heavenly throne (see Acts 2:30-36):

30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Notice that David prophesied God "would raise up Christ to sit on his throne," and the Apostles saw the resurrected Christ who returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit baptism upon the Apostles.  This proves that Christ on the Day of Pentecost was seated at God's right hand on the heavenly throne ruling in his new kingdom or church:  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."

That is the first day men were actually invited to enter the new kingdom of God:  “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).  This is the first time souls were added together as citizens in the new kingdom of God or church of Christ:  “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls….And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:41, 47).

The church of Christ began on the first Pentecost after Jesus ascended to heaven.  Only then could people be baptized into the death of Christ and raised up forgiven to walk a new life, “like as Christ was raised up from the dead” (Rom. 6:3-4).  Only then could souls be added to the body of Christ with Christ as the head.  When God raised Christ from the dead “and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,” that is the exact time God “put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church” (Eph. 1:20-23). This was not possible before the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

All of the following things were necessary for the existence and function of the church of Christ:  1. Christ seated on his throne in glory at the right hand of God, thus ruling as Lord of lords, King of kings, and head of his church (Acts 2:30; Eph. 1:20-23).  2. The special power of God, which was promised to the Apostles (Mk. 9:1; Lk. 24:49).  3. Holy Spirit baptism which would endure the Apostles with power and signify the day of salvation (Acts 1:4-5; 2:16-21).  4. Baptism into the death of Christ, and rising from the water to walk a new life after the likeness of his resurrection (Rom. 6:3-4).  5. The Lord’s Supper to commemorate the death of Christ (Matt. 26:26-29).  None of these things were possible before the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  All of these things were enacted on that great day.