The Church Established

THE CHURCH ESTABLISHED

Matthew 16:17-19

INTRO: We may have some question in our mind as to who established the

Church, and who is the foundation for it.

Was the church established by Christ? Is Peter the foundation? Are born-again believers the body of the Church?

These, and many more, are the questions that people are asking today. Lets see if we can use the Bible to answer these questions.

I. WHO ESTABLISHED THE CHURCH?

A. God had a Church from the beginning (Gen. 7:15).

1. It was to be built upon the Rock of the promised seed.

2. Christ had the task of establishing the Church.

B. The world is God’s and they that dwell therein.

1. But the Church is a chosen remnant, to God thru Christ.

2. The Church is like a house in the process of being built

but not completed.

3. A house built on a rotten foundation will not stand.

II. WHO IS THE FOUNDATION?

A. The Church is built upon a Rock.

1. A rock is high.

a. Christ’s Church does not stand upon the same level with the

world.

b. We are to be separated from the world.

2. A rock is large, and extends far.

a. So is a Church’s foundation: The more large, the more firm.

b. People who would build the Church on a narrow foundation,

are not friends at all.

B. Christ is the foundation.

1. Peter in Greek(Petros) means STONE.

a. Peter is strong, fixed, stayed, and a solid disciple.

b. Rock(Petra) is given as the foundation.

2. Peter laid the first stone of the building, but he can’t be

called the foundation because of that fact.

a. Christ gave occasion for People to misunderstand Him when

he said: "destroy this temple".

b. They misunderstand Him now.

3. Peter didn’t misunderstand Him (1. Pet. 2:6-7).

a. Christ is rejected by the world.

b. He became the cornerstone the most important part of the

building.

c. Means both the foundation and the crowning stone.