Title: The Power of the Church
Theme: To show the power the Christ has given the Church.
Text: Matthew 16:13 - 19
Review
Over the last few week we have been looking at what happens when the church is the church. As we learned from Matthew 21 Jesus went into the temple and He cleansed it. Then right after this the scriptures says,
Matthew 21:12-14 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' " 14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.
This to me is a description of the church. When we clean the clutter of the church and see what God has us to do then we become a powerful church.
Listen to what Jesus said about the vitality of the church in Matthew 16:13-19
The Gates of Hell
Matthew 16:13-19 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" (14) So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." (15) He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (16) Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
We looked at this passage back in February. We established a few things as we looked at a lesson that Jesus was teaching his disciples. 1) People view Jesus in different ways. Some say he is just a great prophet, some say the greatest of prophets, others say a revivalists and finally a prophet.
Yet the most important question to answer is not what others think of Jesus but what do we think.
(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. (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.
In Defense of the Church - The Gates of Hell
I was studying this passage once again last week. I began to pray and ask the Lord what does this mean. I was trying to get my head wrapped around this idea of the "gates of hell". What is the big deal. I know that gates represent entrance and authority.
Yet I had a vision of something different. The Lord showed me that the enemy surrounds the church with gates all around. What he wants to do is keep us from moving forward for his kingdom.
This week as I was meditating and studying on this passage I had another thought about these gates. The first question I asked is why does hell have gates. If gates are used to 1) keep things in 2) keep things out then there must be something that hell is trying to keep in and keep out. I believe this is the church.
Hell doesn't mind keeping people blinded. Hell doesn't mind keeping people bound up. Hell doesn't want the church to wake up to its potential and power.
Jesus Promise to the Church
(19) And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
The dread of hell is that you'll wake up to the power that God has given you.
THE WORST NIGHTMARE TO THE DEVIL IS THAT YOU WILL DISCOVER WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST.
HELL’S WORST NIGHTMARE IS THAT YOU WILL WAKE UP AND BELIEVE THAT
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
Greater is he who is in me
No weapon formed against me shall prosper
I am more than a conqueror
I am not bound I am free
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
The Church Defined
G1577 - Original: ἐκκλησία - Transliteration: Ekklesia - Phonetic: ek-klay-see'-ah
- Definition: Strong's: From a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564; a calling out that is (concretely) a popular meeting especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly church. Unity in the Church
Before here we never find the word church. After this in the New Testament the word church is used 79 times.
This is who the church is. The church is a group of people who have been called out and called together for a purpose. We join together for one purpose and that is to follow Christ.
Joshua 23:10 & Deuteronomy 32:29-31. One can put a thousand to flight but two can put ten thousand to flight. What could happen if the whole church realized its purpose and starting moving forward in the anoiting and power of Christ.
Go into all the world
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
This is the great commission of the Church. This the command of Christ and it is not relying on our power or authority but the authority of Christ.
Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (16) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
At the name of Jesus - We have already seen what happens at the name of Jesus
Let me just stop and tell you right here that when you start speaking that Name things happen:
Demons Flee at the name of Jesus
Mark 9:38 – 39 tells us that this is what the disciples saw.
Mark 9:38 39 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.” But Jesus said “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
Then in Acts 16:18 we see it happen when Paul turned to the you girl , spoke the the demon and said,” I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble!
Healing s begin to happen at of Jesus
Ask the lame man who sat outside the temple
Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk."
Peter said to those who gathered after the crippled man was healed, Chap 3 v 16 “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
Signs and wonders were done through the name of Jesus
Acts 4:30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.
Now remember: "in the name of Jesus" isn't a formula.
Verse 30 is the end of a sentence that began in verse 29.
Acts 4:29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
What were they doing? Representing His interests by preaching the Word of God.
And with that in mind, they could continue to represent His interests by asking for signs and wonders.
They weren't just asking for miracles so they could go home feeling all fuzzy inside - "Ooh, I heard the angels singing in the worship today."
That's nice, and I'm not knocking that - but if supernatural manifestations don't somehow work to the advantage of the Kingdom of God, it doesn't really matter if we never have them again.
The purpose of signs and wonders is to advance the Kingdom.
Let's look at what else Jesus' name can do.
The Power of that Name
John 14:13-14 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it
Not By Might Nor By Power
We must learn to rely on that name and the power of the Holy Spirit to go to the enemies camp and set the captive free.
Zechariah 4:6 So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the Lord of hosts.
Relying on the Holy Spirit - The Shaking Church
They Were Full of The Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
A. The power of the Holy Spirit comes with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8 But you 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.
B. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to do the work of the Lord.
These signs shall follow the believers
Mark 16:15-18 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. (16) He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (17) And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Conclusion
Are you ready for the church to WAKE UP!? Are ready let the church be the force God has called it to be. It's time that we take it by force.
Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
Gifts - The Nine
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: (8) for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9) to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same [39] Spirit, (10) to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (11) But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The Equippers
Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (13) till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (14) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, (15) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- (16) from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Other Gifts - Romans 12:1
1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
