History Of Christianity
14 Pages 3546 Words
e the people.
Jesus said, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my Church" (Matthew 16:18). The Greek word for Peter is Petros, which means a fragment of a rock. Here in this verse, 'this rock' referred to Jesus Christ the speaker as in John 2:19 and John 6:57-58. Jesus Christ is the foundation of Church (1 Cori 3:10) and He is the foundation (1 Cori, 3:11). Jesus Christ is the chief corner stone and apostles and prophets are the foundation (Eph. 2:20), and each believer is a part (stone) in the construction of that building (Church). Christ did His work until He ascended. After that, He continued doing His work through believers, by the baptism of Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2,8; Luke 24:49; Mark 16:15-20). In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, I will build my Church. Acts 2:47 says, Lord added the saved ones to the Church daily. So the Church establishment has taken place in between these two incidents.
Before His resurrection, Jesus commanded his disciples to tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until they receive the power of Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4). According that, they tarried in the upper room. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came upon these disciples (they were about a hundred and twenty people - Acts 1:15) and they started speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4). When this noised out, a big crowd came together. Apostle Peter stood up with the other eleven apostles and started speaking to the crowd from the scripture. On the very same day about 3,000 (three thousand) people were accepted his message and got baptized (Acts 2:41). This was the humble beginning of the Christian Church.
The disciples were devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles (Acts 2:42,43). And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved...