THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS BUILDING (Matthew 16:13-19)

THE CHURCH THAT JESUS IS BUILDING (Matthew 16:13-19) INTRODUCTION: A while back a London newspaper offered a prize for the best essay on the subject: "What is wrong with the church?" The prize was won by a minister from Wales. He gave this answer: "What is wrong with the church is our failure to realize and wonder at the beauty, the mystery, the glory, and the greatness of the church." One of Jesus most important lessons he taught the disciples is the lesson about the church! The Gospels record that Jesus mentioned the church only twice and both of them are in Matthew. The lesson in Matthew 16 is Jesus foundational lesson about the church. This lesson sets out the mystery, the glory, and the greatness of the church in God s plan of redemption. When I was converted in the army it was through what is called a parachurch ministry, i.e. not a local church but an independent ministry supported by church. It was a ministry of hospitability, Bible study, and discipleship. It consisted of a close knit small group of servicemen who were growing spiritually under the leadership of the director. Although I grew up going to church it was not the local church that God used to reach me. I sort of developed a low view of the importance of the church because of my experience. But since I ve grown older in the Lord and especially as I study scriptures I see that the church is of the greatest importance in the plan of God. The church is God's one redemptive institution placed on this earth. It was for the church for which Christ died. It is the church that is the Bride of Christ. It was to the church that Jesus gave the Great Commission. It is through the church that Jesus brings the message of salvation to the world. It is for the church that Jesus one day will return. So I want us to look and listen this morning at what Jesus says about the church. What kind of church is Jesus building? JESUS IS BUILDING A CHURCH MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHOM GOD HAS TOUCHED September 25, 2016 Corntassel CP Church Page 1

First, the Jesus is building a church that is made up of people whom God has revealed His Son to. Our passage in Matthew starts with Jesus asking an important question to the disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is? Notice where Jesus chose to ask this question. It was in Caesarea Philippi, which was located at the southwestern base of Mount Hermon. The area was scattered with temples of the ancient Syrian Baal worship. By Caesarea Philippi there arose a great hill. In it was a deep cavern said to be the birthplace of Pan, the Greek god of nature. In Caesarea Philippi, there was a tremendous temple of white marble built to the Roman godhead of Caesar. Thus Jesus stood at the center of Syrian, Greek, and Roman worship. There, of all places, he asked, "Who do you say that I am?" In the midst of all these false gods, Jesus wanted to make a declaration of who He was. He is not like one of the dead gods. In verse 15 he as the disciples directly, But what about you. Who do you say I am?" Peter gives the right answer, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." What an insight! Christ means "the anointed one" and refers to the work Jesus came to do to save His people from their sins. "Son of the living God" has reference to the deity of Jesus. Jesus is God incarnate. How did Peter arrive at this conclusion? Jesus said in verse 17, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. Peter's eyes had been opened by God and his heart had been changed. Jesus is the Son of the Living God, not just another important person in the culture of that day. He is the Messiah, the Savior, the living Christ. This is the type of person who makes up the church that Jesus sees. It is made up of people who God has opened their eyes and who are putting their trust in the living Christ. Faith in Jesus Christ is the results of God doing something in our hearts and revealing Jesus to us as the One sent by the Father, the Anointed One, who has come to be our King, Lord, and Savior. For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God not of works, lest any man should boast. The church is made of people whom God has revealed His Son to in a saving way. September 25, 2016 Corntassel CP Church Page 2

The implication for us is simple: Do you know Jesus as the One who came to save you. Do you know Jesus as the Son of the living God. Are you trusting in Him because God has opened your eyes. JESUS IS BUILDING A CHURCH WITH A FIRM FOUNDATION Next, Jesus is building a church with a firm foundation. Jesus said, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church " Jesus is saying that He is going to build His church on a rock. A rock makes a great foundation. He is talking about the foundation of the church. There is a play on words here. The name Peter in Greek is which literally means "a little stone" or a piece of rock. The word for rock which Jesus uses for the foundation of the church is, which mean a large boulder or corner stone. There has been much discussion whether Jesus was referring to Peter as an individual or to Peter's confession or to something else about Peter. Just what is Jesus referring to when He says He is going to build His church upon this rock? Without going into the debate, I will tell you my understanding. It is not to Peter as individual, i.e. as the first Pope as the Catholics would tell us. Paul s teaching and Peter s teaching would not lead us to this conclusion. In 1 Cor 3:10-11 Paul says, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. The hymn writer was correct when he wrote, "The church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord." Not Peter the Apostle. Peter himself calls Jesus the chief cornerstone of the church in I Peter 2:6,7: Paul gives another view of the foundation of the church in Ephesians. It is the Apostles and prophets. Eph 2:19-20 NIV Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, (20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. The rock that Jesus builds His church on is the teaching of Peter, not the chair of Peter. It is not just the teaching of Peter, but the teaching of all the apostles and prophets. The firm foundation of the church is the Word of September 25, 2016 Corntassel CP Church Page 3

God as revealed to the Apostles and Prophets, particularly in the New Testament. What are the implication of this for us? You will be accepting the Scriptures as the final authority for the life and ministry of the church, not tradition, not current culture, but the teaching of Jesus through the apostles and prophets. JESUS IS BUIDLING A CHURCH WITH CO-WORKERS Next, Jesus is building a church with co-workers. Jesus said "on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Jesus Christ has taken responsibility for building His church. How is he doing this? Nineteen hundred years ago, Jesus walked the shores of Galilee, and in the towns and cities of Israel, calling forth fishermen like Peter, James, John, and Andrew. He saved a tax collector named Matthew. He found a zealot named Simon. He saw a man in a tree, Zacheus, and saved him. He discovered a woman at the well and gave her the water of life. Jesus was building His church, one stone at a time, by bringing salvation into their lives.. Jesus is still doing this today. He is the Chief Builder in building program. But He is not alone, those whom He saves he calls to be a coworker with him. Every member of Christ s church is essential for the growth of the church. Paul says that each part (one) is to do their part. Eph 4:16 NIV From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Jesus sees the church as made up of people who are co-workers with Him in building up the church. The implication is obvious: Do you see yourself as an essential part of Jesus building program? Are you active in carrying out that part? JESUS IS BUILDING A CHURCH THAT IS INVINCIBLE Finally, Jesus is building a church that is invincible. In other words, the church will not die, it will be here until Jesus returns. Jesus said "I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it or as the KJV puts it more strongly the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The dictionary defines invincible as incapable of being conquered, defeated, or subdued. September 25, 2016 Corntassel CP Church Page 4

There are two ways of looking at this statement about the gates of hell not prevailing against it. One is to hear Christ say that the forces of evil will not be able to ultimately destroy the church. Down through history there have been evil forces which have sought to destroy the church. There have been many persecutions and such. There have been false teaching which has almost smothered the Gospel of grace.. There have been dead traditions which is destructive to the church There are some today saying that the church is dying, especially in America. Certainly the church is losing its influence in American culture. But that it is dying is not necessarily so. Ed Stetzer in September 2016 issue of Christianity Today analyses the research showing a decline in church attendance and found some interesting facts. To quote him: Overall, the Church s influence on Americans is beginning to fade. A growing number of Americans have given up on God or at least on organized religion. They have become Nones, a term popularized by Pew Research. And their numbers are growing. These nones are those who have given up on God or organized religion. Up to about 23% of Americans today from 7% 10 years ago. Out of the ones who identify as Christians about 1/3 are what Stetzer calls cultural Christians or think of themselves as Christians just because they were born in America. 1/3 are congregational Christians or those who are a church member but aren t active. Another 1/3 are convictional Christians or evangelical Christian. These are those who testify to a born again experience and are somewhat to regularly active in a church. The nones are coming out of the cultural and congregational Christians, not the convictional Christians. These groups are declining. But the convictional Christians are staying steady if not growing a little. This tells me that the church that Jesus is building is not dying, but is continuing to be faithful and even growing within the born-again church. Another way of understanding the gates of hell shall not prevail agisnt it is that hell cannot keep it s prisoner in. Gates are not normally aggressive instruments. They are there to keep something or someone inside. Hell has taken people cative and the church will be successful in rescuing them. Jesus is saying that the gates of hell can not prevail against the church. The church is attacking the gates of Hades. As the church carries out its evangelistic ministry by sharing the gospel, we batter down the gates of hell September 25, 2016 Corntassel CP Church Page 5

and death. As the church preaches the gospel, we snatch the lost from a burning hell that they would receive if they continue to reject Christ as their Savior. The implications of this for us is that we are to take hope that our ministry of evangelism is not in vain. It implies that we are to see the church as not just holding the fort until Jesus comes, but we are to say onward Christian soldiers. We are involved in an invincible church, although it will be assaulted in many ways by the gates of hell. Jesus promises victory! CONCLUSION: As the London contest winner said, The greatest failure of the church is not seeing the wonder, beauty, mystery, and glory of the church> This is how Jesus sees the church. Do you see the church as Jesus sees it? If so what will it requires of you? You will be confessing that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God because God has opened your eyes and heart to Jesus. You will be expressing to others that you are saved by grace through faith. It will mean that you will accept God s Word as your final authority for life and practice in your life and for the life of the church. It will mean that you will see yourself as a co-worker with Christ in building His Church. And you will be doing something to show that you are a co-worker. You will find your place of service in the church. It will mean that your hope is in the power of God to sustain, grow, and make the church glorious until Jesus returns. Your commitment starts with a decision. Will you decide today to be an active, faithful, hopeful member of Christ s Church? If you will, you will be seeing the church as Christ sees the church. Amen? Amen! September 25, 2016 Corntassel CP Church Page 6