Jesus: The Builder of His Everlasting Church

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus' Sovereign Reign and Active Role

Jesus is not a passive figure in the heavenly realm; He actively reigns as King of kings and Lord of lords, orchestrating the affairs of the world and advocating for us before the Father. This understanding should encourage believers to trust in His sovereign control over both the world and the church. Jesus' promise to build His church is a living reality, unfolding through His divine authority and purpose. As we navigate the complexities of life, we can find comfort in knowing that Jesus is actively involved, guiding and directing all things according to His will. [01:32]

Psalm 103:19-22 (ESV): "The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need to trust more in Jesus' active reign and sovereign control? How can you remind yourself of His authority in that area today?

Day 2: The Church's Identity as a Community of Confessors

The church is not defined by its physical structure or institutional framework but by its confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. This confession is central to the church's identity and mission, calling believers to publicly declare their faith and allegiance to Christ. As a community of confessors, the church is built on the bedrock of divine revelation, not human wisdom or strength. Each member is a living stone in the spiritual temple that Jesus is constructing, united by the shared confession of faith. [14:23]

1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV): "As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."

Reflection: How can you actively participate in your church community as a confessor of Christ this week? What steps can you take to publicly declare your faith in your daily interactions?

Day 3: Grace as the Foundation of the Church

The church is a community blessed by grace alone, where faith and confession are not products of human effort but gifts from God. This understanding reminds believers of their dependence on divine grace for salvation and spiritual growth. The church's foundation is not built on human wisdom or strength but on the grace that God freely bestows upon His people. As members of this community, believers are called to live in gratitude and humility, recognizing that their faith is a result of God's gracious revelation. [17:29]

Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV): "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Reflection: In what ways can you express gratitude for God's grace in your life today? How does recognizing grace as the foundation of your faith change your perspective on spiritual growth?

Day 4: The Church's Resilience Against Opposition

Despite the challenges and imperfections present in the church and the world, Jesus' promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against His church assures believers of ultimate victory. This promise calls the church to remain steadfast and hopeful in its mission, trusting in the power of the cross rather than human might or wisdom. The church's resilience is rooted in the assurance that Jesus is actively building His church, and no opposition can thwart His divine plan. [29:22]

Isaiah 54:17 (ESV): "No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord."

Reflection: What challenges or oppositions are you currently facing in your faith journey? How can you draw strength from Jesus' promise of the church's resilience to remain steadfast in your mission?

Day 5: Faithfulness to the Word of God

The church's strength lies in its adherence to the Word of God, as believers are called to faithfully proclaim and live by the Scriptures. As stewards of the keys of the kingdom, the church must resist the allure of new teachings that deviate from the gospel, remaining committed to the truth of God's Word. This faithfulness is essential for the church's mission and its role in God's redemptive plan, as it opens the treasures of God's Word to His people and gathers them into His spiritual temple. [36:44]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: How can you deepen your commitment to studying and living by the Word of God this week? What specific steps can you take to ensure that your life aligns with the truth of the Scriptures?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound promise of Jesus: "I will build my church." This promise is not just a historical statement but a living reality that continues to unfold today. Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, remains actively involved in the world, ruling as King of kings and Lord of lords. He is not only our advocate but also the builder of His church, a task He undertakes with divine authority and purpose.

The church is not a mere building or an institution; it is a community of confessors who recognize and proclaim Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. This confession is the bedrock upon which the church is built. It is a community blessed by grace, not by human wisdom or strength, but by divine revelation. Each member is a new creation, a living stone in the spiritual temple that Jesus is constructing.

Despite the challenges and imperfections we see in the church and the world, we are reminded that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Jesus' promise assures us that His church will succeed, not by human might or wisdom, but through the power of the cross. The church's mission is to remain faithful to the Word of God, resisting the temptation to seek new and novel teachings that deviate from the truth of the gospel.

As stewards of the keys of the kingdom, we are called to faithfully proclaim the Scriptures, opening the treasures of God's Word to His people. This responsibility underscores the importance of the church in God's redemptive plan. It is through the church that Jesus continues to gather His people, one by one, fulfilling His promise to build His church.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus' Active Role Today: Jesus is not passive in His heavenly reign; He actively rules as King of kings and Lord of lords, directing all things and advocating for us before the Father. This understanding should encourage us to trust in His sovereign control over the world and the church. [01:32]
2. The Church as a Community of Confessors: The church is defined by its confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. This confession is central to our identity and mission, calling us to publicly declare our faith and allegiance to Christ. [14:23]
3. Grace Alone as the Foundation: The church is a community blessed by grace alone. Our faith and confession are not products of human effort but gifts from God, reminding us of our dependence on His grace for salvation and spiritual growth. [17:29]
4. The Church's Resilience Against Opposition: Despite the world's chaos and the church's imperfections, Jesus' promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against His church assures us of ultimate victory. This promise calls us to remain steadfast and hopeful in our mission. [29:22]
5. Faithfulness to the Word of God: The church's strength lies in its adherence to the Word of God. As stewards of the keys of the kingdom, we must faithfully proclaim and live by the Scriptures, resisting the allure of new teachings that deviate from the gospel. [36:44]
** [36:44]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Introduction to the Promise
[01:05] - Jesus' Current Role
[02:31] - Jesus Building His Church
[03:28] - Misconceptions About the Church
[05:08] - Context in Matthew's Gospel
[06:24] - Peter's Confession
[08:53] - Connection to the Church
[10:19] - The Role of Peter
[12:07] - What is the Church?
[14:23] - A Community of Confessors
[17:29] - Grace Alone
[20:10] - New Creation in Christ
[27:23] - Misinterpretations of Peter's Role
[29:22] - The Church's Resilience
[36:44] - Faithfulness to the Word
[42:31] - The Way of the Cross
[49:30] - The Message of the Cross
[50:19] - Closing Prayer

Sermon Clips

"I don't have to build Jesus' church. I have to be a responsible instrument in His hand, but I don't build His church. You don't build His church. And all the powers of hell can't stop Him from building His church. That's our subject for today. Jesus’ promise, 'I will build my church.'" [00:29:36]

"Jesus, when He thinks of Himself as the Christ, thinks immediately of what the Christ will do. Build a church. Now, some might be tempted to say, 'Well, the church is not all that important to Jesus because the word ‘church’ appears only three times in all the gospel accounts.'" [00:10:43]

"The church is never a building. It's not a building that Jesus is building. So what is the church that Jesus is building? What is the church that Jesus loves? What is the church that ought to be important to us as it is important to him? And this passage really illumines that for us beautifully and brilliantly." [00:13:23]

"It is a community of those who stand with Peter and recognize Jesus for who He is. Who recognize Jesus and believe in him, and confess him before the world. Because Jesus says to every one of us, as participants in His church, 'Who do you say I am?' And we should all be able to say with knowledge, with understanding, and with passion, 'You are the Christ.'" [00:14:32]

"Simon Bar-Jonah, you're a confessor only because God has blessed you with His grace. Only because God has revealed this to you. God has made this clear to you. Here's a great teaching of grace alone. The church rests on grace, alone. None of us who are here today believing, believe because of our wisdom, our strength, our insight, our goodness, our cleverness." [00:17:36]

"The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Do you ever get discouraged? I get discouraged. When I watch the news. When I read the newspapers. The world is a mess. You heard it here first. Write that down. The world is a mess. And even the people who, I think, are very well-meaning, and trying to make things better, often seem only to be making things worse." [00:29:16]

"And we need at those moments, because we all have them – we need at those moments to say, 'There's a promise I can never forget. There's a promise I can never let go of. There's a promise I must never look away from. And that’s Jesus' promise that He will build His church. And he'll succeed.'" [00:31:19]

"The Devil may build the strongest fortifications imaginable to resist the advance of the church of Jesus Christ. But those gates will be overcome by the Savior in building His church. So that not one of the elect will be lost. Do you believe that? The world can't stop the church." [00:31:37]

"And the church today is full of tricksters who have something new, something better, something more powerful, something more effective, something that will work. But the church of Jesus Christ has the cross. The message of the cross. The truth of the cross. The salvation that flows from the cross, alone." [00:49:24]

"And it's there in the church. In the fellowship of God's people. In the fellowship around God's Word. That God is doing His work. That Jesus is building up His people. Where Jesus is destroying the gates of hell. So, go home, and look around, and say, 'This is a mess. But God will do His work here.'" [00:49:46]

"It's hard for us to believe that Jesus is wiser than we are. But we're so thankful for your promise that He is wiser, and that He will build His church, and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. And that when He returns in glory, not one of His own will be lost." [00:50:21]

"And we pray that we would rejoice in the great work that He is doing. And that from our hearts we would always say, 'Jesus, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Hear us for Jesus' sake.' Amen." [00:51:33]

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