Matthew 16:17–20 (ESV) —
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.
NOTE: I believe this is the first mention of the church. It is a new entity. Paul calls it a mystery, one of seven things he labels as a mystery in his letters. The rock in relationship to the church must be Jesus, because the church is built upon Jesus as the foundation. It is also built upon our faith in Jesus, and Peter had just made a statement of faith, something that was revealed to him not from the flesh, but from God the Father. Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus was the Son of the living God. Jesus affirms these truths. A new entity is coming, the church, and it will continue to build the kingdom. We are nearing the end of the church age. Soon, the church will raptured up into heaven to be prepared for the wedding of the bride to Jesus. The church will return with Jesus at the second coming to establish his kingdom on earth. And the church will reign for one thousand years with Jesus. And then, after another moment of rebellion, a new heaven and a new earth will be created.
PONDER:
- Am I working with God or against God? Does my witness draw people to the savior or turn them away from their savior?
PRAYER: Father, help me to share my faith respectfully and gently. Help me to be a great example of Jesus to those who live and work around me.
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