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Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”
Matthew 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah,
for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Jesus is involved in three very important building projects.
1) He is involved in building a home for our future, a place called heaven.
John 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have
told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
2) He is also interested in building a home for your family.
Psalm 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:
3) He is involved in building a place for our faith, the church.
Matthew 16:18 “… I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.
Matthew 18:15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by
the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’
Matthew 18:17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses
even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
The audience Jesus is addressing, the Apostles, they don’t know what a church is.
They’ve never seen a church because there’s never been one.
They’ve never seen a church building.
They’ve never heard of any kind of organization with a denominational label.
They’ve never met a pastor or an elder or a deacon.
They have no idea what a church.
Acts 2:47 “… And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Ephesians 5:25 … Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
I. THE SUPERNATURAL FORMATION OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 … I will build my church …
II. THE SWEET FELLOWSHIP OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 “… I will build my church (Ekklesia).
1 Peter 2:5 You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house,…
III. THE SATANIC FOE OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 “… and the gates of hell … against it. ”
The devil comes against the church from the outside through persecution
and from the inside by infiltration.
Satan came against “the church at Ephesus,” with counterfeit apostles and
false doctrine
Revelation 2:2 “… they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
Revelation 2:6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which I also hate.
Satan came against “the church at Smyrna,” with infiltration and persecution
Revelation 2:9 … are a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:10 … the devil is about to throw some of you into prison,
Satan came against “the church at Pergamos,” with martyrdom and false doctrine
Revelation 2:13 … Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you,
where Satan dwells.
Revelation 2:15 ” … you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
which thing I hate.
Satan came against “the church in Thyatira” with a false prophetess, sexual
immorality and doctrines of demons
Revelation 2:20 ” … you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,
to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality …
Revelation 2:24 ” … this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan,
Satan came against “the church at Sardis,” with death and destruction in the church
Revelation 3:2 “… the things which remain, that are ready to die,”
Satan came against “the church at Philadelphia,” with Satanic activity and lies
Revelation 3:9 … those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and
are not, but lie
Satan came against “the church at Philadelphia,” with Satanic activity and lies
Revelation 3:9 … those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and
are not, but lie
Satan came against ” the chuch at Laodicea ” with apathy and deception
Revelation 3:16 … thou art lukewarm,
Revelation 3:17 “… you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need
of nothing’– and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind,
and naked”
Ephesus, Perguma and Laodicea no longer exist because Jesus ” removed
their lampstand.”
Revelation 2:5 “… I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from
its place—unless you repent.
10,000 churches in America have disappeared in a five-year period.
50% of new church starts never make it to a second year
In our own association of churches since I have been a pastor
Connor Avenue Baptist church had existed since 1903 went out of business.
Zion Baptist church had existed since 1904 went out of business.
Asbury Baptist church had existed since 1905 went out of business.
Empire Baptist church had existed since 1907 went out of business.
Racine Baptist church had existed since 1916 went out of business.
Brooklyn Heights church had existed since 1945 went out of business.
Friendship Baptist church had existed since 1946 went out of business.
College View church had existed since 1976 went out of business.
Eastvue Baptist church had existed since 1980 went out of business.
IV. THE SURE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 … and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Gates are a means of entrance by which you pass from one realm to another.
What’s a gate for? To keep somebody in.
All of us as lost people were kept within the gates of hell, the Bible says we were
condemned already when Christ came and rescued us and delivered us from hell
That’s the idea presented here.
We sing a hymn that includes those lines:
He cannot fail, He must prevail.
Have faith in God, have faith in God.
The church is not temporary. The church is eternal.
The church right now is found in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 3:15 From whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
V. THE SOLID FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18 “… on this rock, I will build my church.
Matthew 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of
the living God.”
Matthew 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah,
for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
The church is not built on people alone; nor is it built on a confession alone.
The church is built on people confessing together that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God. That is the foundation of the church.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
