LESSON 2 Origin of the

Church

Who made the Church?

The CHURCH refers to the:

1) People called by God in the Old Testament

2) Disciples gathered by Jesus Christ in Jerusalem (New Testament)

Abraham’s Call and Migration

The Lord said to Abraham, “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you. I will make you of a great nation, and I will bless you. All the communities of the Earth shall find blessings in you.”

The Call of the First Disciples

As He was walking along the Sea of Galilee, He watched two brothers, Simon now called Peter and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea. They were fishermen.

Simon Peter

Andrew

He said to them, “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers.

He walked along farther and caught sight of two other brothers, James, Zebedee’s son, and his brother John. They too were in the boat, getting their nets in order with their father Zebedee.

James John

He called them, and immediately they abandoned the boat and farther to follow Him.

When the day of Pentecost came, the Holy Spirit found them gathered in one place. Suddenly, from up in the sky came a noise like a strong, driving wind.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Tongues of fire appeared and came to rest on each of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit.

They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamations the Spirit prompted them.

The Church was born from the Father’s plan and invitation for the people to live in community. The chosen texts from the Scriptures also highlight that the Church is Trinitarian in origin.

The Book of GenesisGod the Father

prepared the Church by calling Abraham from whom Israel, the people of God, was born. It was in Asia that God revealed and fulfilled His saving purpose from the beginning.

He guided the patriarchs (Genesis 12) and called Moses to lead His people to freedom. (Exodus 3:10)

The Four GospelsIn the fullness of

time, God sent His only-begotten son, Jesus Christ, who took flesh as an Asian. In the Gospel, we saw how Jesus Christ prepared the Church by first calling on His 12 apostles.

Acts of the ApostlesThe Holy Spirit

empowered the Apostles to boldly proclaim the Good News and established the Church willed by the Father and founded by Jesus Christ the Son of God.

He brought many more people responding to the Apostles’ proclamation and invitation to believe and accept the Risen Christ.