Livestream What is the Church? The Church is Jesus' Work

In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus asks His disciples the most important question any of us will ever face: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s confession—“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”—is not just a statement of belief, but the very foundation upon which Jesus builds His church. This confession is not something we arrive at by our own intellect or effort; it is a revelation from God Himself. Salvation, from beginning to end, is God’s work. We are invited to respond, to confess, and to submit to Jesus as both Savior and Lord, but even our ability to see Him rightly is a gift of grace.

The church, then, is not a human project or a monument to our preferences. It is Jesus’s work, built by Him, through people who have been awakened by the Spirit to confess Him as Lord. Too often, we are tempted to build the church in our own image—comfortable, familiar, and shaped by our desires. But the church Jesus is building is made up of confessional people, those who have been transformed by the revelation of who He is.

This church is also invincible—not because of our strength, but because of Christ’s promise. The gates of hell will not prevail against it. While we may look around and see churches shrinking, culture shifting, and faith becoming less popular, we must remember that the true church is not in danger. The greatest threats come not from outside, but from within: false teaching, tolerated sin, disunity, and a lack of love for God and one another. Yet, even these cannot destroy what Jesus is building.

Finally, Jesus entrusts His church with real authority—the keys to the kingdom. We are His representatives, called to proclaim the gospel, to bind and loose, to open the door for others to enter the kingdom. This is not a passive calling. It is a weighty responsibility, one that demands we take seriously our confession, our love for one another, and our mission in the world.

Now is not the time to pull back from the church, but to press in. We must examine ourselves: Are we truly in the faith? Are we growing, passionate, and committed to Christ and His people? Let us return to our first love, repent where we have grown cold, and embrace the privilege and responsibility of being the church Jesus is building.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Confession is the Foundation of Belonging The authentic church is made up of people who have confessed Jesus as Messiah and Son of God—not merely by intellectual assent, but by a Spirit-given revelation that leads to true submission. This confession is not a formality or a tradition, but a transformative encounter with the living Christ. Without this, church membership is just an empty ritual. [14:59]
• 2. Salvation is Initiated and Completed by God We cannot save ourselves or even recognize our need for a Savior apart from God’s gracious revelation. Our culture prizes self-made stories, but the gospel humbles us: it is God who opens our eyes, awakens faith, and holds us secure. This truth should lead us to humility, gratitude, and dependence on God’s ongoing work in our lives. [24:12]
• 3. The Church’s Invincibility is Rooted in Christ, Not Circumstances While churches may close and culture may shift, the true church—built by Jesus—cannot be overcome by the gates of hell. Our fears about the church’s future are misplaced if we forget that its security rests in Christ’s promise, not in our strategies or numbers. The real threats are internal: false teaching, tolerated sin, and lack of love, which must be confronted with courage and grace. [29:00]
• 4. Authority and Responsibility are Delegated to the Church Jesus entrusts His church with the keys to the kingdom, giving us the authority to proclaim the gospel and invite others into God’s family. This is not a privilege to be taken lightly, but a call to active engagement in the world. We are ambassadors, not spectators, and our faithfulness in this task has eternal significance. [42:00]
• 5. Self-Examination and Mutual Accountability are Essential Not everyone who gathers is truly in the faith, and not every believer is growing. We must move beyond superficial relationships and be willing to ask hard questions of ourselves and one another. Genuine love means caring enough to confront, encourage, and walk together toward maturity in Christ, refusing to let anyone hide in the shadows of church life. [52:03]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:23] - Introduction: The Church as Jesus’s Work
• [01:03] - Jesus’s Question: Who Do You Say I Am?
• [03:23] - The Importance of Personal Confession
• [06:12] - Jesus Builds His Church, Not Us
• [08:40] - God Uses People, But Remains the Builder
• [13:20] - What Kind of Church is Jesus Building?
• [14:43] - The Church is Made of Confessional People
• [21:51] - Confession Requires God’s Revelation
• [24:12] - Salvation: God’s Work from Start to Finish
• [29:00] - The Church is Invincible to Hell’s Power
• [33:56] - The Real Threats: False Teaching and Sin Within
• [41:44] - The Church’s Delegated Authority
• [46:59] - The Gospel: The Key to the Kingdom
• [50:12] - The Church’s Unmatched Importance
• [52:03] - Accountability and Spiritual Growth
• [54:12] - Invitation: Are You Saved?
• [58:17] - Renewing Passion and Returning to First Love
• [61:12] - Final Prayer and Commitment

Bible Reading

Matthew 16:13-20 (ESV) — 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

Observation Questions

1. What question does Jesus ask his disciples in this passage, and how does Peter respond?
2. According to Jesus, how did Peter come to his confession about who Jesus is? ([15:13])
3. What does Jesus say about the foundation of the church and its ability to withstand opposition? ([29:12])
4. What authority does Jesus give to Peter (and by extension, the church) in this passage? ([42:00])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why is Peter’s confession, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God,” described as the foundation for the church? What does this mean for how we understand church membership? ([14:59])
2. The sermon says that Peter’s understanding of Jesus was not from “flesh and blood” but from God’s revelation. What does this teach about how people come to faith? ([22:08])
3. Jesus promises that “the gates of hell will not prevail” against his church. What does this say about the church’s security and mission, especially in times when Christianity seems to be declining? ([29:12])
4. The “keys of the kingdom” are given to the church. What does it mean for the church to “bind and loose,” and how should this shape our view of the church’s role in the world? ([42:00])

Application Questions

1. Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” If someone asked you that question today, how would you answer? Is your answer based on personal conviction, tradition, or something else? ([01:03])
2. The sermon says that true confession of Jesus as Lord is a result of God’s revelation, not just our own effort. Have you ever experienced a moment when God opened your eyes to who Jesus really is? What was that like? ([24:12])
3. The church is described as “invincible” not because of us, but because of Christ’s promise. When you look at the state of the church today—locally or globally—do you feel hopeful or discouraged? Why? How does Jesus’ promise challenge your perspective? ([29:00])
4. The greatest threats to the church are said to come from within: false teaching, tolerated sin, disunity, and lack of love. Which of these do you think is most dangerous in your own church experience? How can you personally help address it? ([33:56])
5. Jesus gives the church real authority and responsibility to proclaim the gospel and invite others in. In what ways are you actively participating in this mission? Is there someone in your life you feel called to invite or share with? ([42:00])
6. The sermon calls for self-examination: “Are we truly in the faith? Are we growing, passionate, and committed to Christ and His people?” What evidence do you see in your own life of spiritual growth or stagnation? ([52:03])
7. The pastor urges us to “return to our first love” and repent where we have grown cold. Is there an area of your faith or church involvement where you have become complacent? What is one step you can take this week to rekindle your passion for Jesus and His church? ([01:00:32])