MATTHEW 16.13-20 | There is a narrative that has become popular that describes the church as a human industrial response to the concept of God. It gives credit to the Catholic Church or Constantine or the Middle Ages to making something that replaces God’s original plan. We can see here that the church was very much created by and established by Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus makes a few things clear here as He sets His disciples out to build the church. First, their appointment comes from God (and their qualification is being confident in who God is). Second, they have an authority on earth that it reflected in heaven (God has tasked specific people with spiritual oversight). Third, that no matter how bleak things look, the church will prevail; the church will accomplish the mission of God. This should give us great confidence in who we are and what we are doing as the people of God in this world.
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. 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.” Matthew 16.18-19
1. What part of the text or sermon had the greatest impact on you? Where were you most encouraged, intrigued, challenged?
2. What does Peter say that gets a blessing from Jesus?
3. What is Jesus talking about when He says binding and loosing? Why would God give this task to human beings?
4. Read Ephesians 1:15-23. What description of the church do we see here? What is its connection to Jesus? How does the church the fullness of Jesus?
5. What are things that annoy you about the church? Where does the church need the most help? What role do you play in that?