The Church

Matthew 16:18 And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus said that He will build His church on the rock. The rock that Jesus referred to is God’s revealed truth about His Son Jesus Christ, Whom God has send into the world, so that whoever believe in Him will have eternal life. This life is however to know God and His Son Jesus Christ.

If the church assemble in the knowledge of God’s revealed truth about His Son Jesus Christ, the members will know that eternal life is to know God and His Son. However, when the Bible talk about to know, it is not referring to the knowledge of, but to know, to understand the authority and the character of God and of His Son Jesus Christ. This is the rock that Jesus referred to, to know Him (as the rock) and the power of His Word. In 1 John 1:1-3, the apostle John explained that the very reason for telling people, the lost, about Jesus is so that the very people who receive the message can partake in the fellowship with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

The church is not a building it is an active community of believers who trust in God and His Son’s ability to do the impossible without looking at themselves and their own inability. The focus is the manifestation of God’s Kingdom authority on earth as in heaven. Jesus said that He gave us keys to enable us to manifest God’s Kingdom, Matt 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven.”

When we consider the disciples Jesus called to follow Him, all of them where called to step out of their comfort and follow Jesus, as an act of obedient trust. The Greek word for church, ekklesia, refer to called out ones. The question then would be, called out of what? Maybe it refers to being called out of disbelieve into trusting God, based on who God is. Just as Jesus said to Peter follow Me and I will teach you to be a fishers of men, Peter who was a fisher by trade became a follower of Jesus after he witnessed the power of obedience when he said to Jesus on account of Your Word I will throw out the nets. Luke 5:4-6  “When he had finished speaking, he said to Shim’on, “Put out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”  Shim’on answered, “We’ve worked hard all night long, Rabbi, and haven’t caught a thing! But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets.

Peter must have realized that as a fisher, he never saw what he saw, none of his experience as a fisher had prepared him for witnessing the power of the One who said, throw the net out on the other side.

In the story of Elijah and Elisha, Elisha asked for a double portion, Elijah said that if you see me go you received the double portion. Elisha saw Elijah go and Elijah’s mantel fell on him, the Bible did not say anything apart from that. Elisha did not experience a supernatural event, he had to trust that he received what was promised.

When Peter stood before the people after he received the promise from the Father, he had nothing apart from the promise that he is filled with power, to qualify him to speak to the people, no degree or a “denomination”, only the Power from on High. The mentioned power was the drive of the early church, Jesus working from within. Jesus said I will build My church, meaning that He working through us will continue to build His church. The baptism of fire, is a fire burning within to see people returning to the truth of God’s Word, Jesus Christ.

I believe that the mentioned is what is required of the church, we should once more place our trust in the promise of the Father and the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the heart of people to Him. We must once more ignite the desire to reach the lost for the Kingdom of God. The true church is not about a building or a denomination it is about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the love of the Father.

If we can understand that, we will be more like John the baptist, to introduce the people to Jesus focusing less on introducing ourselves to the people.

On last thing, Jesus said “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Matthew 23:23