The Church of our Lord Jesus Christ
Matt. 16: 13-18, 21
13- When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14- And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15- He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16- And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God
17- And Jesus answered and said unto him. 'Blessed are thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18- And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
21- From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
During the public ministry of Christ, before he went to the cross, His disciples traveled with him, and now they came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he ask them a very important question," Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?. Their answer, some say John the Baptist, some Elias or Elijah, some Jeremias or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Their answers were close, for John the Baptist was preaching, Jesus was preaching, Elijah and Jeremiah and the other prophets were foretelling coming events, Jesus was foretelling coming events, but to His disciples he said, "whom say ye that I am? Here Peter gave the right answer, identifying Him as the Son of the living God, speaking of Him as the second person of the Triune God, linking Him with deity. Jesus said flesh and blood did not revealed this unto thee, rather he received this truth directly from heaven, and as the subject matter in the conversation was Jesus Christ, Christ said upon this rock I will build my church or upon me whom you have confessed I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, or nothing will be able to put an end to it. It will be a church triumphant, victorious, and permanent.
Now what is this church He is going to build; By way of definition it means a called out assembly. The Israelites in their pilgrimage from Egypt to Canaan was referred to as the church in the wilderness Acts 7:37-38. Now Jesus said I will build my church or I will have a called out assembly, not national Israel, but with all who will believe in me as their savior and Lord. But before this be in effect He must first go to Jerusalem, suffer and die, so at that time it was yet future, and man was still under the dispensation of the law which time span was from Exodus 19 to Matt 27:51. Therefore we see:
Matt 16:18, The Promise of the Church
Matthew Chapter 21, Jesus went to Jerusalem
Matthew Chapter 27, Jesus suffered many things
Matt 27:33-35, Jesus was killed
Matt 28:1-6. Jesus was raised from the dead. Then Jesus said to His disciples they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father, referring to the Holy Spirit who would come on the Day of Pentecost (50 days from the death of Christ) to bring the promised church into existence. This was fulfilled when 3000 souls were saved, plus 120 in that upper room resulting to the beginning of the church age with 3120 believers. Acts 2:41.
Now we see:
1- The Presence of the Church; 3120 believers,
13- When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
14- And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15- He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16- And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God
17- And Jesus answered and said unto him. 'Blessed are thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18- And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
21- From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."
During the public ministry of Christ, before he went to the cross, His disciples traveled with him, and now they came to the coast of Caesarea Philippi, he ask them a very important question," Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?. Their answer, some say John the Baptist, some Elias or Elijah, some Jeremias or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Their answers were close, for John the Baptist was preaching, Jesus was preaching, Elijah and Jeremiah and the other prophets were foretelling coming events, Jesus was foretelling coming events, but to His disciples he said, "whom say ye that I am? Here Peter gave the right answer, identifying Him as the Son of the living God, speaking of Him as the second person of the Triune God, linking Him with deity. Jesus said flesh and blood did not revealed this unto thee, rather he received this truth directly from heaven, and as the subject matter in the conversation was Jesus Christ, Christ said upon this rock I will build my church or upon me whom you have confessed I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, or nothing will be able to put an end to it. It will be a church triumphant, victorious, and permanent.
Now what is this church He is going to build; By way of definition it means a called out assembly. The Israelites in their pilgrimage from Egypt to Canaan was referred to as the church in the wilderness Acts 7:37-38. Now Jesus said I will build my church or I will have a called out assembly, not national Israel, but with all who will believe in me as their savior and Lord. But before this be in effect He must first go to Jerusalem, suffer and die, so at that time it was yet future, and man was still under the dispensation of the law which time span was from Exodus 19 to Matt 27:51. Therefore we see:
Matt 16:18, The Promise of the Church
Matthew Chapter 21, Jesus went to Jerusalem
Matthew Chapter 27, Jesus suffered many things
Matt 27:33-35, Jesus was killed
Matt 28:1-6. Jesus was raised from the dead. Then Jesus said to His disciples they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father, referring to the Holy Spirit who would come on the Day of Pentecost (50 days from the death of Christ) to bring the promised church into existence. This was fulfilled when 3000 souls were saved, plus 120 in that upper room resulting to the beginning of the church age with 3120 believers. Acts 2:41.
Now we see:
1- The Presence of the Church; 3120 believers,
- Acts. Chapter 2, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved
- Acts 2:47, and He continues to add daily until He comes for His church. I am glad I have been added as I placed my trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ for my salvation. How about you?
- Worship Him
- Witnessing for Him of His saving grace. Personal and Corporate. Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7, Rev 1:9-10, Matt 28:19
- Matt 26.26,Ref.
- John 12:3-8
- John 4:20-23
- I Thessalonians 1:8-10
- II Timothy 4:1-2
- Matt. 16,18
- John 10:27-28
- I Peter 1.5
- Jude verse 1 - Preserved in Jesus Christ, (There is the eternal security of all who have received Christ as Savior and are in His church).
- I Thessalonians 4:13-16
- John 14:1-3
- Acts 1:10-11