The Church's Condition at Christ's Return (part 3)

Intro

Series - The Church’s Condition At Christ’s Return

Part - 3

Text - Acts 3.19-21

Acts 3:19–21 NKJV

19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Review

Acts 3 is a prophetic timeline of events in the church’s history that will lead to the comingh of the Lord.

Times of refreshing - the revivalism that occured in the 18th and 19th centuries

Times of restoration - the movements that occured in the 20th century and continues in the 21sr century

Restoration moves of God

restoration of the spiritual gifts - began in 1906 Azusa Street revival movement

restoration of apostolic doctrine/truth - began in the ministry of the 7th Star-Messenger, from 1933-1965

restoration of apostolic leadership/ministry - began after the ministry of the WMB

The Main Point

The Church for whom Christ is coming back is that which has been restored

it could not be just any church that holds the Bible but remains under different systems of denominations

although they have a great heritage -

Baptist heritage

Wesleyan heritage

Protestant heritage

they are tied to a finished work of God. but blind to the present works of God!

The “marks” of a restored church are -

restored apostolic spiritual gifts

restored apostolic doctrines

restored apostolic leadership and ministry

Apostolic leadership and ministry

Biblical church leadership is through the 5 ascension gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.

A little background

the church began at Pentecost with the apostles

evangelists began to appear - Acts 8

Philip was only acknowledged as evangelist in Acts 21.8

the apostles were also the first evangelists and teachers

prophets appeared in Acts 11.27

prophets and teachers appeared in Acts 13.1

pastors began to be recognized from among the elders in Acts 20.28

Paul was already in prison in Rome when he wrote Ephesians - where he laid out the 5 ascension gifts

What’s the point?

the church did not have all 5 ascension gifts when the early days of ministry

the gifts came as the ministry grew

it was Paul who fully understood the importance of the 5 ascension gifts to the church

Ephesians 4:10–16 NKJV

10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The purpose of the Ascension Gifts

The 5 scension has 2 fundamental works in the body -

To equip the saints for the work of ministry

the purpose of equipping is to make the saints able to participate in the work of ministry

perfecting (KJV) is different from perfection

To edify the body of Christ

to build up the body of Christ, meaning -

the church is edified when -

she has come to (attain) the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God

the believers are mature - they are no longer tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine

the church is edified by the working together of every of part of the body of Christ, beginning with the 5 ascension gifts

What’s the Point?

although the gifts were already present in the church in those days, they have yet to fully accomplish their God-apppointed task

the saints were equipped for work of ministry

the church then was not fully edified -

when the apostles were gone many churches were led away from the true faith - apostasy, falling away

The need for the restoration of the ascension gifts

These ministries have always been in the church, but not in their proper places, nor properly recognized.

The Church must be equipped and edified in God’s appointed way.

through the proper functioning of these gifts

WMB QUOTE #1

19 God never intended the Church to be run by men. God runs His Church, and He runs it through gifts of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit is in the Church to correct the spirit. He’s got five ministerial offices in His Church. First of them is apostles, or, missionaries. Missionary is the highest calling there is, apostle. The word missionary means “one sent”; apostle means “one sent.” Why they ever chose to be called a missionary, I don’t know. But they are apostles. All right. Apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors. Now, that’s the elected offices of God to His Church.    60-1206 - The Smyrnaean Church Age

The Church must move away from one-man ministry

during the days of WMB, the churches were primarily focused on the ministry of the star-messenger

even today, most Message churches are caught up with the ministry of one man

they are afraid to explore the Bible without referring to the words of WMB

they believe that the sermons of WMB are all we need to listen to

these fears and misunderstanding limit the work of the other gifts

there are those who believe there is no other prophet other than WMB

WMB QUOTE #2

38 Now, these may seem teaching, I’m not…I’m a long ways from being a teacher. But teaching is cutting, that’s a special gift in the Body of Christ. First there’s apostles, and then prophets, then teachers, and evangelists, pastors; five ministerial gifts in the Body. And teaching is one of the gifts of the Spirit. Now, I just have to plug along what I see that’s right and try to bring it to the people, and study and bring the Scriptures together. Now, but it’s only in Christ, the Body of Christ is to be recognized.    60-1211M - The Ten Virgins, And The Hundred And Forty-Four Thousand Jews

WMB QUOTE #3

87 Now, I’m not a preacher. They’re preachers. They’ve got a higher office than I have. Mine’s a prophetic office, and it’s to prophesy. Now, they’re not—they wasn’t built for that. They wasn’t ordained for that. But what does the Bible say? “God has set in the church, apostles (that’s missionaries), prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists.” Is that right? Them gifts ordained of God and anointed…

Now, I have no education; that’s the reason I say I’m not a preacher. These men could take this Word, and they wouldn’t have to use one of these gifts. They could just lay that Word out there so they’d tie Satan in such a knot he couldn’t get out of it. See? But I can’t do that; that’s not my calling. They are called for that.

Now, but they’re—they’re men of God. Every man that’s called of God is commissioned to lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. How many believes that? Then how you going to fail from getting well passing through a arc like this?    61-0218 - Balm In Gilead

The Church is not fully restored until the 5 ascension gifts are in the right places

because when these in the right places, the church is set in order with them and is prepared for the coming of the Lord.

Now, I believe that there’s a church coming into that perfection, that ministry of perfection, where the offices, where apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists for the perfecting of the church, them pastors, and teachers, and so forth, will be so with the Word until the whole thing will work right up to the coming of the Lord. I believe that, and I believe we’re nearing that time now. I believe it’s so.    62-0608 - Perseverance

WMB QUOTE #5

Now, those gifts are for the perfecting of the church, to keep the church in order—pastors, and teachers, and evangelists, and prophets, and so forth. Now, it’s gifts.    62-0718 - Jesus Christ The Same Yesterday, Today, And Forever

WMB QUOTE #6

194. Would the Bride of Christ have a ministry before the Rapture?

233 Sure. That’s what’s going on right now, see, the Bride of Christ. Certainly. It is the Message of the hour, see, the Bride of Christ. Sure. She is consist of apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] That’s the Bride of Christ. Sure. She’s got a ministry, great ministry, the ministry of the hour. It’ll be so humble.    63-0324M - Questions And Answers On The Seals

WMB QUOTE #7

205 Preaching is a gift, inspired—inspired preaching. See? And the gift, some are apostles, some prophets, some teachers, some pastors, some evangelists. That’s the gifts that’s in the Church. See? But it’s possible we could have more than one, like Paul, or any of those. Now, as long as there is apostles, there has got to be a prophet. As long as there is a prophet, there has got to be an evangelist. Why is it ministers say, “There is a pastor and evangelist, but there is no prophet”? See, that’s picking what you want to, making It say something It doesn’t. But God is His Own interpreter of His Word. He says whether It’s right or not.    64-0214 - The Voice Of The Sign

Recognizing the 5 Ascension Gifts

Are these gifts with us today?

Yes they are, and have always been

How can we properly recognize these gifts?

first, those who have the gifts must boldly come out and do as they are called of God!

second, the people of God must not be afraid of their work, especially the apostles and prophets

third, those who have lesser gifts must respect and submit to the higher gifts

the apostles and prophets lay the foundation of the church

the evangelists, pastors and teachers feed the local congregation with the Word that is taught them by the apostles and prophets

Ephesians 2:19–20 NKJV

19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,

The foundation stones of the Church were given to the apostles and prophets

Ephesians 3:4–5 NKJV

4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:

God revealed His mysteries to the apostles and prophets

1 Corinthians 14:36–37 NKJV

36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

the saints and the ministers other than apostles and prophets are only recepients (receivers) of teachings and commandments that the Lord gives to the apostles and prophets

1 Timothy 1:3–4 NKJV

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

preachers and teachers are charged not to teach any other doctrine that what was delivered to them through the apostles and prophets

Romans 16:17 NKJV

17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

Paul warned the church against those who are contrary to what they have learned from them

2 Timothy 3:14 NKJV

14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,

Paul reminds Timothy how he learned the gospel - through the apostle Paul

Conclusion

The times of restoration is here!

the apostolic experience in the power and gifts of the Spirit has been restored

the apostolic doctrine and biblical teachings are being restored to the church

the apostolic leadership and ministry is being restored today

Don’t miss out on the works of God in your day!

The restored church is what will be caught up in the rapture!

Song

Days Of Elijah