At the beginning of Revelation, we find letters to 7 churches. These letters are strongly worded, filled with both praise and warnings. Praise is given for good works, and warning is given for failure.
In the modern day, countless denominations claim to be the "first". The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, the Mormon Church. But regardless of who thinks their Church was first, all churches should be terrified of the day Jesus says to them "nevertheless, I have this against you."
At the end of the day, age does not matter to Jesus. "I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place" is not an empty threat. To be part of the Church is a privilege, not a right. It is a perk of salvation. Not only do we get plucked from our worldly state of sin and given eternal life, but we also get left in the world for a time, so that we may pass on this glorious message of peace from God. We get to gather together in fellowship with each other, increase in our knowledge of God prior to meeting Him, and grow spiritually, as well as reaching out to people who are currently lost.
But Jesus does not need us. We are expendable. Everything we do, Jesus can either pass on to another Church, or He can even do it Himself. Thus, if any specific denomination could prove its claims to be connected to the original Church (which, it should be noted, none can), even if the pastor could claim to be a direct descendant of Mary and Joseph, meaning he had family ties to Jesus, that would be 100% irrelevant.
If a church is to maintain its status, it must keep and observe the word of God. Failing this, God is not afraid to come against the churches, even destroying some of them completely. But those who endure will remain, even through persecution, until their work is done.