God poured out the Holy Spirit during Israel’s feast of Pentecost. This provided the church with the power necessary to fulfill the Great Commission (Acts 1:8). That commission contains two parts. First, Jesus commands his disciples to “teach (Gk. mathēteuō) all nations” (Matt 28:19, KJV). The word “teach” means “make…
Baptism
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Book Of MatthewProphecy
Meditations in Matthew 27 and 28—Israel Redefined
by Mike Rogersby Mike Rogers“Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone [of the Temple] shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.… Then they crucified Him.… He is risen from the dead” (Matt 24:2; 27:35; 28:7 NKJV). Peter W. L. Walker makes an important observation about these events. “The…
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Book Of MatthewProphecy
Meditations in Matthew Sixteen: Keys of the Kingdom
by Mike Rogersby Mike RogersWe have defined two terms Jesus used in Matt 16:17–19 in previous posts. Jesus used “my church” to mean the congregation that comprises those in covenant with God during the messianic age. Scripture speaks of local churches as “the church” by synecdoché, each one representing the whole. The “kingdom of heaven” refers…
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Book Of MatthewProphecy
Meditations in Matthew 3: John’s Kingdom Announcement
by Mike Rogersby Mike RogersPreaching the kingdom of heaven was central to the early church’s ministry. This was true from the start of the gospel. God chose John the Baptist to prepare the way for Christ. His first and primary message was about the kingdom. He said, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at…