JESUS SAID, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!”
NOT MY CHURCH! • Sermon • Submitted
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NOT MY CHURCH! JESUS SAID, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!”
WILMINGTON FIRST PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH
NOT MY CHURCH! JESUS SAID, “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH!”
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Paul F. Evans
Introduction (Text: NIV)
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
“This is not your church… well, it is your church… but it’s not YOUR church!”
Between 3,500 and 4,000 churches close in America each year
-There are approximately 384,000 congregations in America (2012)
-Churches lose an estimated 2,765,000 people each year to nominalism and secularism
-The number of denominational churches declined from 1998-2012 from 120,000 to 113,000
-Half of all American churches add not one new member to their rolls
-1,500 American pastors leave the ministry permanently every year because of burn out, moral failure or contentiousness in their congregations
-Only 15% of churches in America are growing, and only 2.2% of those by conversion
-In a five year period in America 10,000 churches will close
The good news is that right now, unlike a few years ago, the number of new church-plants is roughly keeping pace with the churches in decline (approximately 500 more)
-Most of the churches started and planted in America are independent, non-denominational churches
What does that tell us about the state of the church in America
-There is cause for optimism
-The church is beginning to grow again
-There has never been a time in recent history where people or more interested in their spirituality, and need to hear the gospel of truth about Jesus Christ
-There is cause for great concern
-The decline in churches, church membership and salvations is occurring in denominational churches
-Why?
Does American need more church?
-American needs more churches to spread the gospel, and whole communities and cities in America are underrepresented or have no church witness to the gospel of the kingdom of God
-The need for a witness to the gospel is far more important today than it has ever been, because of the increasing secularization of our culture
Why are denominational churches dying and independent, new churches increasing…
-There is a simple answer to this, MISSION
-Established denominal churches are much more likely to have forgotten their mission
-Established churches are more likely to be concerned with survival… of their congregation, of their culture, of their fellowship, of their organization, of their power base in some cases!
-Established churches are often preoccupied with preserving something, usually their tradition, than on reaching the lost
-New church plants are more likely to have a clear MISSION, simplify their program, maintain a sharper focus on winning the lost, be less concerned with preserving tradition
Development (Text: NIV)
1. Who Do You Think I Am?
A. Jesus asked his disciples and important question, “Who do YOU think I am?”
-It was important because their response would determine their attitude and perception of why he was here and what he was doing
-Jesus came to save the lost and give his life as a ransom for many ()
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
-When Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ and Son of the Living God, Jesus commended him because it got it!
-He understood Jesus and his mission
B. If we want to serve God and if we ant to do church, this is where we must start, with a clear understanding and commitment to who Jesus is and why he came to die on the cross
-Everything else must take a backseat to this, when it comes to how we do church!
2. I Will Build My Church!
A. Jesus promised to build MY church… that is his church, not YOUR church!
-That is he is not interested in supporting our agendas and plans, but in establishing the mission and purpose of God among his people
B. When Peter recognized the true nature of the gospel and who Jesus was he said that he would give the keys of the kingdom to the church!
-The church would have to power, through the gospel to bring life and even condemnation into the world through its mission!
-The church does not have absolute power to save and condemn, but power through the gospel to bring life and salvation to lost people
-To open the kingdom of God to those who are lost!
C. But this power is not granted to the church without condition
-The church must be recognize who Jesus is and what his mission is, and be joined to him in that mission
-The church that is inwardly focused is powerless to bring the kingdom of God to lost and dying world, and although they may think they are custodians of the kingdom, they do not possess its keys
-The keys to the kingdom are found in the gospel of Jesus Christ that unlocks the prison of sin so that people might go free!
Conclusion (Text: NIV)
It may seem depressing to think about churches declining, especially denominational churches… because we are one… but our fate is not inevitable…
It is time to become mission and to recognize that Jesus the Christ has died to save the lost… Remember this… LOVE GOD, LOVE OTHERS, SERVE….