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"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."
(Matthew 16:18)
The universal Big C Church and the little c church are God's big idea. Like marriage, He created it and even compares the two in Ephesians 5. It should not surprise us to see that throughout the history of mankind, the devil has attacked and continues to attack these two sacred creations of God.
This week, we probe further into the meaning and purpose of church. My primary focus will not be on the Church of Jesus Christ scattered throughout the globe. Being a part of the Kingdom of God means we are a part of the Church of God. We are His people, set apart by Him for His glory and purposes. I will focus more on the local church.
The Greek word translated church is ekklesia, and it literally means the called-out ones. It is the words Jesus used in our biblical text for today's devotion. Notice that Jesus said it was His church, not our church. He is the Husband, and we the Church are His Bride. Oftentimes we refer to the church as "my church" or "our church." It could be called that in the sense that it is the people of God with whom you gather and are in covenant, but to be theologically accurate, the church belongs to Jesus. We did not die for it, but Jesus did, so it is His.
There is a great deal of controversy over Jesus' statement to Peter in verse 18. Roman Catholics teach that Peter was the person upon whom Jesus built His church literally. That is why they believe Peter is the first pope of the Catholic Church. But Protestants disagree and point to what Peter said to Jesus when asked, "Who do men say that I am?"
"Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' 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 16:16-17).
The rock upon which Jesus promised to build His Church was not the person Peter but the rock of revelation as stated by Peter in verse 18: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
The fact that the church belongs to Jesus gives me much comfort and confidence in ministry. As much as I love the church I serve as pastor, ultimately, they are God's people and His responsibility. He only asks His servants to be faithful in serving Him and ministering to them. I love how Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 3:5-6: "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."
I am looking forward to sharing more with you this week about God's big idea, His Church!
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