Be A Gospel-Centered Church
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I want to go on the record as stating that I believe in the New Testament church. I believe in the local church. I believe it is God’s designed way to get the gospel to a lost world. I also believe that church is important. I believe it is purposeful. I believe that it is powerful. How powerful? Look with me in Matthew 16:13-18
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? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 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.
Looking at the words of Jesus in verse 18, I would say it is pretty powerful! Listen to me, church still works. Church is worth fighting for, because Jesus thought it was worth dying for. As a NT church you have a responsibility to be gospel-centered.
A gospel-centered church cannot be stopped.
Why should a church be gospel-centered?
Let me share with you three reasons a gospel-centered church cannot be stopped. First...
It is the Plan of God
It is the Plan of God
Jesus said, “I will build my church...”
Do you understand today that the cross was not Plan B? Did it ever occur to you that God intended Jesus to die all along? This is evident in the way He slowly, over time, introduced His disciples to the idea of His death and resurrection.
Context Background:
Jesus brings His disciples to Caesarea Phillipi and asks “Whom do men say that I am?”
This opens a discussion leading to Peter’s confession, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
To this Jesus admits, God, not Peter himself, had revealed this truth to Peter.
Now we get to our text, verse 18, notice a few things here...
The sure Foundation
“thou art Peter”
Meaning a small pebble or a loose stone
Let me just say that those who believe Peter is the “rock” upon which the church is built are wrong
No builder would attempt to build on an unstable surface
“Upon this rock”
The word here means “bed rock”
This is what skyscrapers are built on to ensure they are stable
What then is the “Bedrock” Jesus was talking about?
The statement which Peter made
That He, Jesus is “...the Christ, the Son of the living God”
I am glad today that the church that Jesus promised to build is not based on man!
I want you to know that this institution which has lasted over 2000 years is an unstoppable force, because we have an unstoppable source!
Read sometime for yourself 1 Corinthians 3:11
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Because we have a sure foundation, we can have a...
The sure future
In this statement we see a promise “I will build my church”
I am glad today that a lie never escaped the lips of Jesus
When He said here that He would build His church, that is what He meant
A church that is gospel-centered cannot be stopped, not because this preacher says so, but because Jesus Christ said so!
A Gospel-centered church will not stop, it will not fail because it is the plan of God, but can I give you another reason a gospel-centered church cannot be stopped? Because...
It is Personal to God
It is Personal to God
“I will build MY church...”
God will not allow His church to be stopped! Why? Because God sent His Son to die for His church.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
When was the last time you took time to consider the personal investment God has made in your salvation and His church?
Make no mistake, there is nothing more powerful than a gospel-centered church! The gospel-centered church cannot be stopped because it is the plan of God, because it is personal to God and because...
It is the Purpose of God
It is the Purpose of God
“…and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
On one hand, Jesus was referring to hell as the realm of the dead. He was claiming in this verse that His resurrection would serve as proof that anyone who places their faith in Him will not have to fear death. Instead of fearing death, for the child of God, there is promise of peace and comfort.
On the other hand, the phrase “the gates of hell” can, and often does in Scripture refer to the controlling or ruling members of a society meet . The “gates of hell” here may very well symbolize where Satan and his host meet to take counsel against the church.
May I say here that neither death nor Satan himself can separate the child of God from the love of God! May I say to you that the gospel-centered church cannot be stopped becasue God will not allow it!
God has a purpose for His church, and that is that His church will spread the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Are you doing your part?
I did not ask if you though you were doing enough, none of us is, I asked, are you doing your part?
Conclusion:
I believe in the ministry of the local church. I believe that it is the duty of the local church to be Christ-centered and Gospel-centered. I believe that if a church is gospel-centered then there is nothing that can stop it. I believe this because Jesus said so Himself!
I believe it is His plan, I believe it is personal to Him, and I believe He will not allow the church to be stopped.