Lost And Found

Matthew 16:18 KJV (WS)

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.

Lost And Found

Introduction:

This is a period when Jesus had not established His church yet.

This is actually the first instance of the word church in the New Testament.

The word church, as used by Jesus means “assembly” or the “called out.”

The church that Jesus is referring to as His Church is the assembly of people who have been called out of the world by the gospel of Christ.

The actual meaning of the phrase “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.

Many believe Jesus is referring to spiritual warfare.

Jesus is saying something that is clear for the continuation of the community of believers and the success of the message that they have proclaimed.

Matthew 16:16–18 KJV (WS)

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 Barjona: 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.

Here the “gates of hell” or “gates of Hades” ultimately means the power of Hades.

In the New Testament, hell or Hades is the realm of the dead.

In this particular verse, hell is characterized as a mighty city with its gates representing the power of death.

Here, Jesus is referring to His impending death and the fact that death has no power to hold God’s people captive.

While He was going to be crucified and buried, He would rise from the dead and build His church.

In this passage, Jesus is reminding us of the fact that the powers of death could not hold Him in.

Jesus is declaring that the church can thrive despite these powers. Jesus commanded:

Matthew 16:19 KJV (WS)

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Have Lost Our Keys

Our Authority (Police).

Our Jurisdiction (the official power to make legal decisions and judgments).

Have We Lost Our Cutting Edge

2 Kings 6:5 KJV (WS)

But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

Have we lost our power. (Holy Ghost).

Elisha cast a stick in the water and the axe head swim.

Revelation 1:18 KJV (WS)

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

As followers of Christ, perhaps our greatest “good work” for which God equips us is to obey the command of Christ to “make disciples of all nations”

Music

Illustration - Pastor a missionary went to a small island.