On Sunday my pastor today began a series entitled "Our House". The first message in the series was subtitled 'Gods Blueprint'. We took a look at scriptures that told us what God, Christ, Paul, and Peter had to say about the church. We saw how from the ark of the covenant, to the temple, to a body of followers of Christ, that from the beginning it has all been God's design.
So often we think of the two, God and the church, as two totally separate entities. But how intricately woven together are God and we His people, when we look at what Christ himself has to say about its relational design in Matthew 16:15-19
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Our pastor talked about the significance of the original Greek manuscripts and meaning here in this passage. In verse 18 the name Peter - which is the word "Petros" - means 'a piece of rock; a stone; a single stone; movable, shifting, or roll?ing'. And the rock (Jesus) in this same verse - the word "Petra" - means 'a projecting rock; solid formation; fixed; immovable; enduring'.
Here we can see the beautifully simple design of the church... we are (as my pastor said) chips of the old block! We are living rolling stones created from THE Foundational Rock! And that the rock we are created from is so strong that Hell itself will not win against us, and even when we are unsure, movable, shifting in our faith and our doubts, that because of Him, because of whom we are created by, if we are HIS we are victorious in His unchanging truth, and our eternity can not be changed! What a revelation that is in itself, right?
But what we didn't get into in the sermon is the next verse and it was on my mind as we stood and worshipped together in celebration of who He is. And that verse, Matthew 16:19 says "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Read that again. Do you see what we have as His church? Oh my stars, this changes how we can walk this earth, through the yuck, and in trials! This changes how we can pray, with authority, confidence, and in power that He has given us!
What I think I love most is what it says He will do when we act in faithful obedience to Him - He will confirm it in both Heaven and on earth!
And I don't know about you, but that makes me feel secure, loved, and supported in a way that only a Savior can :)
Marisa
