Text Matthew 16: 19
Subject: The Power of the Church
Title: You got the power
Introduction: Our text for this afternoon speaks of the true power of the church. The church has a high calling and the calling of the church is so great that it is humanly impossible for us to fulfill on our own. Nevertheless with the Grace given by Christ Himself, we can be the Church HE has called us to be, a church that the very Gates of Hades shall not over come, and a church that goes about making disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe everything that HE has command. Our text tells us that we have the keys to do the work that we as a body of Christ has been called to do.
For in our text Jesus tells Peter ”I give to you the keys to the kingdom of heaven”; however we need to understand this afternoon Mount Zion, that this power is promised to all who believes that Jesus is the Son of the Living God. Moreover, this is promised to all who confesses Jesus as the Christ, For Peter did not reach this point in his life until he came to realize who Jesus really was.
Church some of us this afternoon are basing our faith on what someone else said or what someone else believes. Some people are members of the church just because their parents or grandparents where members. However church, if how you feel about Jesus is based on what others say, then you have a problem. For look at how Jesus started this conversation with His closest followers, for He asked the question “Who do men say, that I am” and we know what their response was, they said, “well some say you are John the Baptist; some Elijah and others say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophet. but then came the most important question for all, “But, whom say ye that I am?” in other words, church Jesus said, However, Nevertheless, On the other hand, Yet and Still, who do you say that I am. Moreover, Peter gave the most profound answer when he correctly stated, “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God” it was then that Peter was blessed and the origin of the church was revealed. You see the church was a mystery that is to say it was hidden, not revealed in the Old Testament. It was first prophesied however here in the words of our Lord when He spoke to Peter and said “on this rock I will build my church,” Even though Peter’s name meant ‘rock” Jesus was saying the church would be built on the faith statement Peter made which was “Jesus is the Christ” and on the Solid Rock, that Rock of Ages, would the church be built upon, and if built on that Rock then the Gates of Hell could not and would not prevail against it.
Church, once we get to the point in our life when we can honestly believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God; that He is the Messiah, the Savior, our Redeemer, One who died on the cross for our sins, then we will receive the keys to the kingdom which opens and closes doors, which binds and looses.
That is to say church, once we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus is the Son of God and that God raised Him from the dead, then we have come to the point where we too, have obtained the keys to the kingdom of heaven and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven and whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven.
And I do believe this afternoon Mount Zion that you confessed a long time ago that Jesus is the Son of God and that you truly believe he is the Christ the Anointed One, or else you could not have made it this 128 years. Therefore, I stopped by this afternoon on my way to heaven to tell some and remind others “You Got the Power”
Now to have the power means that you have the authority, to have power means that you have the control of; to say you have the power means that you have influence over, the ability to, or the strength to do.
Keep my mind clear this afternoon Holy Ghost, for I need your power.
Mount Zion as a body of believers, with Jesus Christ as your head, then you need to know that you hold the keys to the kingdom of heaven. You see church, keys are a symbol of authority, in Isaiah 22:22 we find where the Lord says He will give His faithful Servant the keys of the house of David and He shall open and no one shall shut and His servant shall likewise shut, and no one shall open, because he has the keys, church when you have the keys no one can shut you out; and if the door is closed you have the keys then you can open. My brothers and my sisters, Jesus is that faithful Servant who holds the key to the house of David; however on the establishment of the church He gives us the keys, for He said I give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven of heaven and whatever you bind I bind, whatever you loose I loose. In other words, He is telling us, you got the power, what ever you declare locked on earth is locked in heaven and whatever you declare is unlocked on earth is unlocked in heaven.
Now these keys do not give us the power or that is the right to judge or condemn others for the bible says: “Judge not, that you be not judged, do not condemn and you will not be condemn. Forgive and you will be forgiven. The bible teaches us that the blind can not lead the blind for they both will fall; Jesus said why do you look at the sawdust in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye, or how can you say to your brother let me remove that speck from your eye and look a plank is in your own eye? We must first remove the plank from our own eye, in other words, we must judge ourselves, we examine ourselves first, we must live right, then we can teach other, we can lead other if we are doing right ourselves. Many of us are busy looking at what someone else is not doing in the church, in the home or on the job when we need to be looking at what we ourselves are not doing and start doing our part then we can show someone else what they are not doing.
Church we spend too much time judging others. We spend too much time comparing what we are doing to what some one else is not doing. However, if we are crucified with Christ, we should live the life Christ lived. We should not compare our life with the people at your church or with the people in your family. However, we should be comparing our life with the life that Christ lived. Do not look for others to live exactly the same way that you do. Do not look for others to have the same walk with God that you do. Do not even look for others to believe every little thing that you believe. Simply look for Jesus in others and let others see Jesus in you. Live the life that you believe Jesus would have you to live and let others do the same. Only God is always right. We do not have the right to judge but rather we have the power to teach, to correct, and rebuke any wrongful acts of other Christians.
Our power is based solely on our relationship with Jesus, which is why we must keep a close relationship with Him because without Him we can do nothing. But as Paul reminded us “We can do all things through Christ who strengths us”
Church you got the power.
Church, we do have the power of prayer Jesus said whatever you ask in my name believing you shall receive it; church we have not because we ask not. On the other hand, some of us are asking and not believing. For we know how when Peter was in prison and the church prayed for him, they tell me that just when Herod was about to bring him out to be killed, and while Peter was sleeping bound by two chains and two soldiers, with guards at the door, they tell me that the church was praying, and they tell me God heard their prayers and dispatched an angel to the jail and set Peter free. However, when Peter got to the house where they were praying they just did not believe he was free. Church you got the power, when was the last time you prayed for someone who is in trouble. Pray, for prayer is power.
Also as a body of believers we have the power of unity for we know that where there is togetherness there is strength for Jesus said where two or more is gathered in His name there He will be. Church you got the power. And you got the power of the Holy Spirit for Jesus told the disciple you shall have power when the Holy Spirit upon you, for with the Holy Spirit you can have the power to preach the word of God, with Holy Spirit you can love the unlovable, with the Holy Spirit you can forgive the unforgivable. With the Holy Spirit you can “go into the world and make disciples.
To defeat the enemy, for Jesus said whatever we bound on earth will be bound in heaven, church we have the power to bound Satan in the name of Jesus. All you have to do is call on the name of Jesus, for Satan cannot stand the name of Jesus. Just one drop of blood from the cross and Satan will have to go.
We have power over the evil spirits that are trying to destroy this country, we have the power over the evil spirits that are destroying our jobs, our home, our communities and our churches for we have the keys to the kingdom of heaven and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven and whatever we bind on earth will be bind in heaven.
Church you got the power
Is there trouble anyway? Bind it up you got the power
Is there sickness anywhere bind it up you got the power
Is there anger bind it up?
Is there gossiping and backbiting bind it up
If there is, jealousy and envy anywhere bind it up
And loose that joy that you never could find; loose that love that will make you love everybody.
Church we have the power to have victory over every circumstance in our life, because we have the keys to the kingdom of heaven, all we have to do is bound up sin, and loose God grace, mercy and love and we can have peace in time of trouble, we can have joy when are talked about lied on and called every thing but a child of God. For you got the power. Through Jesus, who was born of a virgin, Jesus who was crucified dead and buried but rose early the third day with all power of heaven and earth in His hands.
You got the power.
