Thy Kingdom Come - The Truth About the Rapture - The Introduction

Thy Kingdom Come

The Truth About the Rapture

Based Upon the Study Guide of the Same Title by: David R Pharr

Lesson #1 – Introduction – Archdale church of Christ

ANSWER GRID

Thesis: “These studies will show why we are not praying “Thy Kingdom come.”  Instead, we are praying that people will come to the Kingdom.”    From the Introduction, pg. 10

1.    Matthew 4.23 – What did Jesus preach? – The gospel of the Kingdom

2.    Matthew 13.31 – What word does Jesus use for “metaphor?” - Like

3.    Matthew 16.18 – 19; 18.18 – What did Jesus anticipate regarding “the key?” – That it would be specifically implemented to lose and bind.

4.     John 3.1 – 7 – How would one enter Christ’s Kingdom? – Not by being born, but by being “born AGAIN.”

5.    Matthew 18.3 – 4 – Being “born again” is akin to what? – Entering the kingdom of God.

6.    John 18.36 – What did Christ tell Pilate that is central to this study? – “My Kingdom is NOT of this world, or else my disciples would fight.”,

7.    Matthew 4.17 – Christ taught that His Kingdom was what? – At hand

8.    Matthew 3.1 – 2 – Who else had this same message? - John

9.    Matthew 10.7 – Jesus taught His disciples to preach what? – That the Kingdom was at hand.

10.                       Mark 9.1 – Just how soon did Christ anticipate the Kingdom coming? - Imminent

11.                       Matthew 6.10 – What was one thing that Christ’s disciples were to pray for? – The coming of the Kingdom

12.                       Acts 2.30 – 36 – When did the Kingdom come? – The Day of Pentecost, 50 days after the crucifixion.

13.                       Daniel 7.13 – 14 – Who had prophesied this? - Daniel

14.                       John 6.15 – Who did the Jews want to rule over them in an earthly Kingdom and who would have none of it? – Jesus, Jesus

15.                       Luke 17.20 – 21 – Just where is the Kingdom of God located?

“What then is the Kingdom of God?  It is Heavenly rule in the Hearts of men.”

16.                       What passage is often twisted to support a coming earthly kingdom that would last 1,000 years? – Revelation 20

17.                       Titus 2.13 – For what do we look? – “The appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

18.                       Hebrews 9.28 – For what are we assured of? – His 2^nd coming “to save those who are eagerly awaiting Him.”

Material Adapted by:

      Russell H McCullough

More Blessed than the Apostles? - In One Way...YES!

Audio and Outline of a Sermon Rendered 3 June 2018, Morning Service, Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 by Russell H McCullough:

https://soundcloud.com/archdale-church-of-christ/sounds-from-sunday-morning-5

Text: Luke 1.26 - 33; John 20.24 – 31
Thesis: We are more blessed than the apostles because we have only HEARD the testimony, never seeing it.
Introduction – Why does no one doubt the veracity of the existence of any other historical figure OTHER than Christ Jesus? 
• Who ever heard; “I would believe in the existence of Julius Caesar if only I could have seen him.”
• Who ever heard; “I would believe in the existence of Abraham Lincoln if only if I could have seen him.”
• Who ever heard: “I would believe in the existence of the law of gravity if only I can see it.”
• Today, people have more faith in the words of Charles Darwin than they do in the words of Jesus Christ!
• NO ONE here today has ever seen any of these mentioned.
1. We know of these and believe in their existence because of the testimony of the spoken word of 3rd parties.
a. People simply believe some 3rd parties and dismiss others.

I – Luke’s Testimony – Do you believe in angels?

a. Hearing is believing
b. Admiral Cochrane
• “Besides 9/11, the only other attack by an outside force on Washington, D.C. was in 1814 when Adm. George Cockburn of the British Royal Navy, literally walked into the White House, at Pres. James Madison’s dinner, drank his wine, and then sat fire to the place.”  DID YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEARD OR NOT?

II – Luke’s Testimony – Do you believe in the virgin pregnancy?

a. Hearing is believing
b. Edwin Booth
• “Months before his assassination, Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert fell from a train platform in Jersey City.  The hand that pulled him to safety belonged to Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth (Lincoln’s killer).”  DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEARD OR NOT?

III – Luke’s Testimony – Do you believe in the eternal reign?

a. Hearing is believing
b. The Polish impostor
• “After a Polish impostor who claimed the throne of Russia was found out, he was executed, burned and had his ashes shot out of a cannon back toward Poland.”  DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU JUST HEARD OR NOT?

CONCLUSION:  People believe what they want to believe without evidence and reject what they want to reject regardless of evidence!

 “The Gospel Call” – Acts 2.38 -

NOTE: Illustrations courtesy of “WTF Fun Facts”

Ephesians 5 - The Great Mystery Chiasm

Ephesians 5 speaks about marriage, but it is not about marriage.  Ephesians 5 speaks about Christian living, but it is not about Christian living.  Ephesians 5 speaks about singing in Christian worship, but it is not about singing in Christian worship.  If it is not about these things, just what IS it about?

Ephesians 5 is about God's great mystery, the church of Christ.  It is illustrated here by Paul primarily by marriage and "clean" living which includes "singing to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs."

Ephesians 5 tells us primarily about Christ's relationship to the church which is a "great mystery."  Since Paul in several places reveals the mysterious church of Christ (the mystery is that the gospel is for all, not just the Jews) and makes sure by inspiration that the church of Christ remain a mystery no longer!

The Jews organized their writings (including Inspired Scripture) is a way unlike extant Westerners (shocking!).  Instead of lining up arguments in a line with a conclusion at the end, Hebraic literature would often have a thesis in the middle with arguments on the front end descending to the thesis and corresponding arguments ascending backwards to the thesis.  These "chiasms" rendered emphasis without repetition.  There also was an "internal tension" between the various top and bottom assertions.  For example, the "no uncleanness to be named among you" of Ephesian 5.3 - 5 is contrasted by Ephesians 5.31's "For this reason..."  It goes without saying that a faithful monogamous relationship will allow no uncleanness.  This "chiastic" outline gets its name from the Greek alphabet letter "X" (chi) as it looks like a cut in half letter "X."

Here is Ephesians 5 outlined chiastically.  As Paul did not leave us his outlines, this has been organized by me and me alone.  The Word is without error but my outline might not be!  Feel free to construct your own chiasm's to further your study of God's Word!

2        Walk as did Christ in love, sacrifice and offering

          3 – 5  No uncleanness to be named among you      

                   6        Be wary of deception

                             16      Redeem the time

                                      20 – 21        Submit to all with thanksgiving

                                           22 – 23 Christ is the head of the church – LEADER

                                                                     Christ is the Savior of the Body - SERVANT

                                      24a    The church is submissive to Christ    

                             24b    Wives are subject to husbands in everything

                   25 – 26   Husbands, love your wives AS Christ loved the church

          31      “For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and…

32      This is a great mystery BUT see Romans 16.25 – 26 & Colossians 1.26 - 29

This outline was presented to the Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 on 11 April 2018 by Russell H McCullough

Ephesians 3 Lesson, Answer Grid and Podcast

At the Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 we are currently studying the Book of Ephesians.  Each week we provide a lesson sheet, answer grid, and a recorded synopsis of the lesson.  We are now turning these recorded synopsis's into a podcast.  These podcasts are found on Sound Cloud.  It goes without saying that everyone is always invited.  Worship times are 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Lord's Day.  Bible Study times are at 9 a.m. on Lord's Day morning and at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evenings.

LISTEN! now to "Ephesians 3, Episode 7" on SOUNDCLOUD linked below:

https://soundcloud.com/archdale-church-of-christ/gospel-call-podcast-episode-7-ephesians-3-russ-mccullouh-host

Ephesians

Paul’s Greatest Church Planting Success

 7 February 2018

Archdale church of Christ – Russ McCullough

Lesson # 7 – Ephesians 3.1 - 21

1.     As an introduction to this passage, just what does the word “Dispensation” mean?

2.     For WHAT reason?

3.     Paul is a what and for whom? 

4.     God’s grace is characterized as a S________________ (or in the KJV, D___________________.)  What does this mean?

5.     Per Strong’s, D_________________ means; “…A_______________ of a H______________ or an E___________; specifically a religious E_______________...S___________________.”

a.      The word occurs only _____ other times in the NT

b.     All uses are by P_________ and him alone.

1)    I Corinthians 9.17_________________________________

2)    Ephesians 1.10 ___________________________________

3)    Colossians 1.25 ___________________________________

6.     What was made known to Paul by revelation?

7.     What, exactly, will prove Paul’s insight into this Mystery of C__________?

8.     Paul’s generation was the very first have this R_________________.

9.     To who was it revealed and by whom?

10. Vs. 6 says the mystery is what?

11. Through what vehicle did this mystery come?

12. Name the 3 characteristics of the now Christian Gentile:

a.      F___________ H___________

b.     M_________________

c.      P__________________

13. Who was made a minister of this gospel?

14. Paul came to be such a minister according to what gift?

15. How was this gift administered to Paul?

16. Discuss how Ephesians 2.7, Colossians 2.11 – 12, and Acts 22.16 are all inseparably connected.

17. If God is “no respecter of persons,” how is Paul the “least of all the saints?”

18. BTW, the question is not “how can a saint be alive,” it is instead, “when does one become a saint?”

19. Through which vehicle is the “manifold wisdom of God to be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places?

20. How is the eternal purpose of God to be realized?

21. Through our faith, we have what 3 things per vs. 12?

22. What does Paul ask of the Ephesians?

23. Vs. 14 – For WHAT reason?

24. Vs. 14 – 21 is a what?

Answer Grid

Paul’s Greatest Church Planting Success

 7 February 2018

Archdale church of Christ – Russ McCullough

Lesson #7 – Ephesians 3.1 - 21

1.     As an introduction to this passage, just what does the word “Dispensation” mean?  Most stated something having to do with a specific time frame

2.     For WHAT reason?  That the Gentile is no longer a stranger or alien but an equal partner with the Jew in the on-going construction of the House of God built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets anchored to the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ.

3.     Paul is a what and for whom?  A prisoner for Jesus Christ on behalf of the Gentiles.

4.     God’s grace is characterized as a S________________ (or in the KJV, D___________________.)  What does this mean?  Stewardship / Dispensation

5.     Per Strong’s, D_________________ means; “…A_______________ of a H______________ or an E___________; specifically a religious E_______________...S___________________.”  Dispensation means – Administration of a household or an estate specifically a religious economy…Stewardship

a.     The word occurs only _____ other times in the NT.  Three

b.     All uses are by P_________ and him alone.  Paul

1)    I Corinthians 9.17_________________________________

2)    Ephesians 1.10 ___________________________________

3)    Colossians 1.25 ___________________________________

6.     What was made known to Paul by revelation?  The Mystery

7.     What, exactly, will prove Paul’s insight into this Mystery of C__________?  The Mystery of Grace through Christ was made to him by revelation; i.e. Paul knows he’s writing inspired Scripture.

8.     Paul’s generation was the very first have this R_________________.  Revelation

9.     To who was it revealed and by whom?  To Paul by the Holy Spirit

10. Vs. 6 says the mystery is what?  That the Gentiles are equal partners with the Jews in the church of Christ

11. Through what vehicle did this mystery come?  The Gospel

12. Name the 3 characteristics of the now Christian Gentile:

a.      F___________ H___________

b.     M_________________

c.      P__________________ 

Fellow heirs, Members of the same body, partakers of the same promise

13. Who was made a minister of this gospel?  Paul

14. Paul came to be such a minister according to what gift?  The Gift of God’s Grace

15. How was this gift administered to Paul? By the working of his power

16. Discuss how Ephesians 2.7, Colossians 2.11 – 12, and Acts 22.16 are all inseparably connected.

Paul received the gift of God’s Grace by God’s power, The powerful working of God is granted in baptism, Paul had his sins remitted in baptism where the powerful working of God forgave him and bestowed upon him the gift of the Holy Spirit

17. If God is “no respecter of persons,” how is Paul the “least of all the saints?”  Only in Paul’s own human estimation for God is no respecter of persons.  All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and there are no good people in their own right

18. BTW, the question is not “how can a saint be alive,” it is instead, “when does one become a saint?”  One becomes a saint upon repentance and baptism, he is not designated such after he is long dead by other men who just happen to still be alive

19. Through which vehicle is the “manifold wisdom of God to be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places?”  The church which is made up of both Jew and Gentile saints.

20. How is the eternal purpose of God to be realized?  His eternal purpose realized in Christ Jesus our Lord

21. Through our faith, we have what 3 things per vs. 12?  Boldness, access, and confidence

22. What does Paul ask of the Ephesians?  Not to lose heart over what he is suffering

23. Vs. 14 – For WHAT reason? His suffering is for their glory

24. Vs. 14 – 21 is a what?  A prayer for the church of Christ at Ephesus

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians - An Introduction

           LISTEN! to the Introduction on: SOUNDCLOUD!

https://soundcloud.com/archdale-church-of-christ/ephesians-intro-20-december-2017-voice-171220

       Ephesians

Paul’s Greatest Church Planting Success

 20 December 2017

Archdale church of Christ – Russ McCullough

Lesson #2 – Introduction

1.     Both the author and the recipient are clearly S______________ in 1.1.

2.     This Letter to the Ephesians was actually the _______ letter of Paul as we know from 3.1 – 4.  The referenced letter is lost to history by the W_____ of the H__________ S______________.

3.     The city of Ephesus was likely the _______ largest city in the Roman Empire and had an estimated population of _______________ or more based upon the _______________ seat capacity theater.

4.     Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of A___________.

5.     Many early manuscripts do not contain the name of “Ephesus,” and is a likely an indication of the fact that the book, like others, was ENCYLICAL which literally means: __________________________________________.

6.     Our English word “encyclical” was first used in ca. ___________ and originates from both the Latin and Greek languages.  Latin: encyclicus.  Greek: enkyklios.  Both words mean the same: en (in) + cyclicus / kyklios (circle).  Our common English usage means: “a letter written to each member of a singular group by rotation one to another.”

7.     We know from history that it was common practice that once a letter was R__________ to the congregation, it would be C__________ before the A__________________ was sent to the next congregation.  This constant “passing around” wore the original A____________ out almost immediately.

8.     By the “encyclical method,” each congregation over time would have a L____________ of all the New Testament books.

9.     This “encyclical” model was adopted on the American Frontier by the practice of C______________ R____________ P_________________.

10. This was “standard operating procedure” in the 1^st century church of Christ as we see from Colossians 4.16 and also seen in Paul’s letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.  It is most clearly stated in the Book of R_____________ where the E____________ List is stated precisely.

11. From Acts 28 we know that Paul was imprisoned in Rome ca. 0060.  From here in prison Paul wrote what have come to be known as the P_________ E____________, one of which is Ephesians.  We know this from 6.18 – 20.

12. The first mention of the church of Christ in Ephesus was in Acts 18 while A__________ and P_____________.  There they converted A____________.  It is only after this in Acts 19 that P ______ comes to the great city.

13. Ephesus was a great S____________ on the C___________River.  (Centuries later Ephesus was abandoned when silt filled the harbor.)  She was of great economic prowess and competed with the great cities of R___________, A_____________ of P___________, A_____________ , A___________ of S__________, C__________________and C_______________for prominence in the ancient world.

14.  Ephesus as renowned as a great religious center and was home to the temple to the goddess A____________ or as the Romans called here, D____________.  This temple was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.  There was a booming tourist trade where S__________ artisans sold S_______________ of the goddess for the gullible to take back home.

15.  Paul met with such success in Ephesus that he stayed here about ______ years.  For the first ______ months he preached at the J____________ S_______________.  After being “asked to leave” he spoke daily for 2 years at the L______________ Hall of T___________________.

16. The letter to the Ephesians is a didactic book in New Testament genre.  A didactic book is one centered in D____________.  “Didactic” means “…designed or intended to T__________.”  The English form of this word was first used ca. 1658 and comes to us from the Greek word didakticos which means “A_____ to T____________.”

17. After Paul’s 3-year service, T______________ was sent by Paul for “perhaps a year and a half” to deal with F_________ D_____________ being taught primarily by H______________ and A________________

(I Timothy 1.3, 20) During Timothy’s tenure the congregation was burdened with “F____________ and endless G_______________.”              (I Timothy 1.4)

18. The Ephesians also wrestled with “forbidding of M______________ and A________________ from certain F____________.” (I Timothy 4.3)

19. The letter to the Ephesians has two distinct parts.  The first 3 chapters deal almost exclusively with D_____________ while the last 3 deals almost exclusively with C________________ L____________.

20. These issues came about as these former P______________ and worshippers of A_________________ came into the faith and practice of Christianity.

21. In the ongoing years the congregation O__________________ and became so doctrinally rigid that 36 years later Christ Himself said in Revelation 2 that they had “L__________ their F___________ L___________.”

22. Two key doctrines covered by Paul in this letter are: 1) The M_____________ of the church, and, 2) The B___________ of Jesus Christ.  The book also has much to say about God’s C________________.

Reference: MacArthur, John (The MacArthur Bible Handbook, Thomas Nelson & Co)., 2003, pg. 399 - 402

                                   ANSWER GRID:

1                                                              1.   Stated

2.     2^nd, Will of the Holy Spirit

3.     2^nd, 250,000 / 25,000

4.     Asia

5.     “In wheel”

6.     1656

7.     Read, Copied, Autograph, Autograph

8.     Library

9.     Circuit Rider Preachers

10. Revelation, Entire

11. Prison Epistles

12. Aquilla & Priscilla, Apollos, Paul

13. Seaport, Cayster, Rome, Antioch, Pisidia, Alexandria, Antioch, Syria, Carthage, Corinth

14. Artimes, Diana, Silver, Statuettes

15. Three, Six, Jewish Synagogue, Lecture, Tyrannus

16. Doctrine, Teaching, Apt, Teach

17. Timothy, False Doctrine, Hymenaeus, Alexander, Fables, Geneologies

18. Marriage, Abstinence, Foods

19. Doctrine, Christian Living

20. Pagan, Artimes

21. Overcompensated, Lost, First Love

22. Mystery, Blessings, Character