For the past few weeks, there have been a few Scriptures running through my mind, and I have been greatly impressed with them during our Feast of Pentecost.  They truly describe the present day move of the church.  One of these Scriptures is found in Romans 10:18, "But I say, Have they not heard? yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world."  Now, what I mean by using this Scripture is that we are receiving calls from all parts of the world to come.  It is not because we have sent a messenger as yet, but the world is hearing of the activities of the church and calling for us to come to their countries.  We now have invitations to 22 new countries.  It has come about by our 'sounds,' which Paul sums up in this Scripture to be a report that they have received through the published word or some outside traveler.  Perhaps everybody does not believe our report, but as it was stated by Paul, not everyone believed theirs;  nevertheless, our sounds are truly traveling.

    The saving of a soul is one of the most important works in reaching men, but we must not forget that in these last days it is necessary to gather the golden grain into the garner.  I consider this ripe grain of the Kingdom as the Christians which shall be gathered from among them to make up this second loaf. It has always been required of God that there should be two (2) loaves for the wave offering.

    To describe further the meaning of what I am referring to, there has always been required of God two (2) kinds of the fruit of every dispensation.  In the early century, the first loaf was a hundred and forty-four thousand Jews which reached the measure of the statue of the fullness of Christ, using the "heavenly pattern."  The 'pattern' would be termed by a cook, as the "recipe."  The second loaf is to be another group on this end of one hundred and forty-four thousand Gentiles, making up the second loaf without spot, wrinkle or blemish.  This is done by the washing of the water by the Word, which again means the heavenly pattern which is the recipe to be used for these two (2) loaves.  If you are a Bible scholar, you know that God required all his bread to be made by the pattern, which included the 12, the 2, the 3, the 7, and the 70, and then be served according to the pattern.

    This does not mean that only a hundred and forty-four thousand of the early days and one hundred and forty-four thousand of the last days will be all the members of the church,  neither are all the members of the church all the Christians of the earth.  After the early church had reached its one hundred and forty-four thousand, making up the perfect loaf of Jews, there was still a great remnant that came in, both Jews and Gentiles.  Likewise, in these last days, when the church has reached its one hundred and forty-four thousand, a perfect loaf, it will gather part of the kingdom--there is yet to be a great revival to sweep the world.  This revival to attend, as guests, the marriage of the Lamb.  God has always had a house.  It is now called The Church of God.  It is for this reason the ministry of The Church of God reaches forth in its three-fold ministry.  First, to get the soul saved; second, to bring that saved person into The Church of God; and third, present the church perfect to Christ.

    The next Scripture I would like to use is Romans 10:14-15.  "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?  And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they  hear without a preacher?  And how shall they preach, except they be sent?  As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"  When speaking of preaching the full gospel, this is what we do in The Church of God, using the three-fold message.  I believe everyone that attended the Feast of Pentecost can read this article and now understand more perfectly the aim of the church throughout the world and have a better understanding of our published messages going before making these reports throughout the world.  The published message will then be followed by those who preach glad tidings, good news and peace.  There is very much of the world as yet that does not believe that the man, Jesus, was the Son of God, and there are millions as yet who believe He is the Son of God that have not believed in Him as their Savior.  For this reason, they must have the report and be convinced that the man born at Bethlehem, according to prophecy, was the Son of God.  Then with much preaching it pleased God for a man to believe in him and be saved. "How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not heard?"

    So let us move forward with great courage and hope to reach the lost and to bring in from among the Christians a hundred and forty-four thousand of the hundred fold grain to bring the church to its perfect state.  This means the measure of the statue of the fullness of Christ not having spot or blemish which will be made up according to the Pattern of the Word.  Who will be one of these runners on the mountain, sounding the trumpet and warning the cities and bringing to them these glad tidings of the full gospel, The Church of God gospel, that cannot be justly contradicted by the world?

​

* Article Written By:  The Late Grady R. Kent, St. John II, Chief Bishop of The Church of God, 1957-1964. This sermon was taken from The Vision Speaks, Volume 5 : Number 2 : July 1962.

All grammatical and typographical errors have been corrected except for direct quotations from the Author.  Thought content of said article has not been changed.