Identifying the Church of the Lord Jesus said, “Upon this rock, I will build my church…” Mt. 16:18. The subject of he church is as old as the teaching of the Lord Jesus and His apostles. But as was true when God gave laws and rules to Israel, they were not satisfied. Israel wanted change, and they got it– to their own loss. The same things happened with the church which Jesus built. People were not satisfied with the simplicity of His plan, so they “improved” on it. Again, their “improvements” didn’t help. The result is over four hundred “churches” in this country alone, and all of them claiming to follow Christ!

How Can We Know? With so many churches, how can we identify the church that Jesus built? Or, does it exist at all? If one believes the Bible at all, he must recognize that “the see” of the kingdom, Lk. 8:11, is the Word of God. 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. And where that see is planted in good and honest hearts, the result is always going to be the same. The church He purchased, Acts 20: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. So, let’s go to the Word of God and find the identifying marks that will help us to identify the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

O.T. Principles concerning God David wrote: “Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.” Ps. 48:12,13 God told Moses, “Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.” Heb. 8:5 Point is, that God tells how He intends things to be, thus, the church will look as the Lord built it. Hunt the identifying marks of His church.

Authority in the Church Jesus said it plainly, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Mt. 28:18 Jesus is Lord, only He has the right to command and make plans for His church. He is the foundation of the church, as Paul wrote, “11 ¶ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:11 According to prophecy, that church was to begin in Jerusalem, “in the last days”, during the days of the Roman kings. Isa. 2:2,3; Dan. 2:44 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Authority in the Church Jesus said it plainly, “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Mt. 28:18 Just before His departure to go back to the Father in Heaven, He told the apostles they would be given power/authority, Lk. 24: And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 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. He had promised the Holy Spirit to them, Jn. 14:26, 16: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Authority in the Church Jesus said it plainly, “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” Mt. 28:18 Just before His departure to go back to the Father in Heaven, He told the apostles they would be given power/authority, Lk. 24: He had promised the Holy Spirit to them, Jn. 14:26, 16:13. It came together in Jerusalem, Acts. 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The scriptures are “the inspiration of God”, 2 Tim. 3:16, thus Paul writes; 1 Thess. 2:13, “ For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” That word given to the apostles by the Holy Spirit is “the Word of God”. The church of the Lord accepts the Word as God’s Word, and thus it is THE authority in all things religious.

Beginning of the Church As Jesus had told them, they were in Jerusalem, waiting for “the power” to come upon them. It came, Acts 2:1-4. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” They preached the death and resurrection of Jesus, and that He is the fulfillment of the O.T. prophecies. Acts 2:22-35*. Then Peter said, “ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” vs. 36 Those hearing replied, “ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 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.

Beginning of the Church As Jesus had told them, they were in Jerusalem, waiting for “the power” to come upon them. It came, Acts 2:1-4. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” They preached the death and resurrection of Jesus, and that He is the fulfillment of the O.T. prophecies. Acts 2:22-35*. The result: “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” vs. 41. Added to what? “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” vs. 47 The church which Jesus had promised to build had now become a reality, as people were saved and added to it by the Lord Himself.

Conclusion Any church that began in some other place, in some other time, or in some other way, CANNOT be the church which Jesus built. The church of the Lord began in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the death and resurrection of Jesus. If it didn’t begin in Jerusalem, “in the last days”, the last dispensation of time, Acts 2:16, on that particular day of Pentecost, it isn’t the right church! We will look at more identifying characteristics in our next lesson.