THE CHURCH THAT JESUS BUILT
MATT 16:13-18
Jesus said, “I will build my church”(Greek. Ecclesia). The word in the New Testament is used to designate any assembly, whether it be political (Acts 19:39), Christian (Ephesians 1:22-23), or national (Acts 7:38). It means a “called-out assembly” or “congregation.” God called Israel out of Egypt; they congregated in the wilderness; they were “the church in the wilderness.” Today, God calls the redeemed out of the world to congregate in worship. This church is in the world, but not of the world. Furthermore, we are not to be like the world!
Unlike the church in the wilderness, the church that Jesus is building will never cease. He said, “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” His church is not synonymous with Religion. It is in religion the same way which it is in the world, but not of it. Religion is made up of those who profess to be Christians, but they know not Christ as personal Savior (Matt 7:21-23 "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” II Tim 3:5 “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Titus 1:16 “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”). Only blood-washed, born-again, Spirit-baptized believers constitute the church that Jesus is building. It is called a:
A. Mystery: Eph 3:3 4 “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” Eph 5:32“This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” I Cor 1:18 It is mysterious to the lost.
B. Membership: Eph 4:25 “...for we are members one of another.” Rom 12:4 5 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” I Cor 6:15 “Know ye not that your members are the members of Christ?” I am glad to be a church member... a member of the church, therefore, I have a right to be a member of a church, and I am given the great privilege to be a member of this church!
C. Ministry: It is the place where the ministry of Paul, Peter, and every other apostle was housed. They were ministers of the local church. Six times in Acts he refers to the church’s work as a ministry. Eph 4:11-12 “And he gave some, prophets; and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
D. Message Center: a place to hear “thus saith the Word of God.” It Is A Filling Station for dry souls!
E. Mill: Where the corn of God’s Word is ground and processed into bread for the children of God and all sinners who will hear it.
It is a:
1. Body: I Cor. 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ...” Eph 4:16 “From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”
2. Building: Eph 2:19 22 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” We are the building of God and as such we are built on a rock, not shifting sand!
3. Bride: Revelation 21:9 “...Come hither, and I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” He is our beloved, our kinsman redeemer. He is the bridegroom, and we are the bride.
4. Battalion: Eph 6:10-11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
Let’s look at the Church and:
I. Its Foundation: Rock of Faith in Christ, v. 18
II. Its Head: Col. 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”
III. Its Organization: Titus 1:5 “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.” The church has an order. God gives the church a man for a Pastor. He’s the leader. There are persons of the Spirit that he sets in positions of leadership in the church. Each of them work together to lead the congregation in a manner that is pleasing to God. When a person gets saved, they need to come to the pastor with a desire to join the church and be baptized. In so doing they exhibit outwardly a desire to serve God in the Biblical order of the church.
IV. Its Discipline: Matt 18:15 17 “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.” There are people who you can’t help, they won’t help the church, and you must sever fellowship with them.
V. Its Worship & Work: Matt 5:16, We are to glorify God. John 12:32. We are to be witnesses of his work in us Mark 16:15. And we are to teach them all things that the Word of God has said (Matthew 28:20).
VI. Its Power: Acts 1:8. Our Gospel must be one of power- I Cor 2:4 “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:”
VII. Its Future: I Thess 4:16-17, We are not heirs of this world. We have a better country. II Cor 5:1 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
