It was quite the fast trip through God’s Plan for the Ages this morning. It is so important to remember, when studying the Word of God, that we not confuse God’s everlasting covenant with Israel and His plan for the Church, the Bride of Christ. We saw how the disciples never did get a clear understanding of the Church and the Dispensation of Grace until after the resurrection of Christ, and then only after they witnessed his ascension. Even up till that moment they were still looking for the physical kingdom of heaven to be restored.
Luke 18:31-34: Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
Acts 1:6-11: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
The chart you received clearly lays out the Dispensations of Scripture, and the disciples were focused on getting the physical kingdom of Messiah established. Jesus had to get their attention focused on taking the gospel to the world, and let God take care of the physical kingdom they were all longing for. The Kingdom of God, the Dispensation of Grace / the Church Age, became the vehicle to take the gospel to the world.
Ephesians 3:1-7: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
Please use the materials you received to help navigate you through God’s Word in your studies. Enjoy this exciting journey! Remember “Thing different are not alike. They are not the same.” God had to prove to man, through each successive dispensation, that, regardless of the task given to man, to have a relationship and fellowship with God, man failed. This occurred until the God-man Jesus Christ paid our sin debt. That event of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ changed the world forever. It finally gave man hope in something / someone other than himself.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.