DAY 26 - The Church Is Overflowing
Read It
Matthew 16:13-20
Study It
The church is more than a building, more than a collection of ministries on a Sunday, and more than a service lineup.
We are here to be a light in the darkness and a place of hope for the hopeless. With a deep sense of purpose and an urgent mission in front of us, we’re a group of people joining forces to bring the Gospel to our cities.
Of course, those things take resources. But we don’t just consume resources to survive; we leverage resources to advance the Gospel. We don’t spend money to keep the lights on; we leverage money so that we can be the light.
In this story Jesus has an interaction with Peter. Jesus led the disciples from Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee about 40 miles north to a town called Caesarea Philippi. The city was home to a temple to the Roman god, Pan. It was here that Jesus asked, ‘Who do people think I am?’ Then came the answers…Elijah or Moses or one of the prophets. But Jesus then asks the question that you and I have to answer for ourselves today, ‘Who do you say I am?’ He personalized it. Peter speaks up and boldly says, ‘You are the Messiah, the Christ.’ And Jesus praises his answer and then makes a declaration of His own.
He said, I will build my church.” This is a powerful statement because Jesus is saying the church belongs to him. Not a person, organization, committee, denomination, synod, nation, group, conference, district, or network.
These modern structures have their place, but when you step all the way back, it’s important to realize the Church belongs to Christ. He is the head of the Church. He is in charge of the Church. He is the boss. The Church is ultimately His responsibility. This makes our mission that much more important. And it means that your part in it, no matter the size of it, has eternal ramifications.
Live It
Read It
Matthew 16:13-20
Study It
The church is more than a building, more than a collection of ministries on a Sunday, and more than a service lineup.
We are here to be a light in the darkness and a place of hope for the hopeless. With a deep sense of purpose and an urgent mission in front of us, we’re a group of people joining forces to bring the Gospel to our cities.
Of course, those things take resources. But we don’t just consume resources to survive; we leverage resources to advance the Gospel. We don’t spend money to keep the lights on; we leverage money so that we can be the light.
In this story Jesus has an interaction with Peter. Jesus led the disciples from Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee about 40 miles north to a town called Caesarea Philippi. The city was home to a temple to the Roman god, Pan. It was here that Jesus asked, ‘Who do people think I am?’ Then came the answers…Elijah or Moses or one of the prophets. But Jesus then asks the question that you and I have to answer for ourselves today, ‘Who do you say I am?’ He personalized it. Peter speaks up and boldly says, ‘You are the Messiah, the Christ.’ And Jesus praises his answer and then makes a declaration of His own.
He said, I will build my church.” This is a powerful statement because Jesus is saying the church belongs to him. Not a person, organization, committee, denomination, synod, nation, group, conference, district, or network.
These modern structures have their place, but when you step all the way back, it’s important to realize the Church belongs to Christ. He is the head of the Church. He is in charge of the Church. He is the boss. The Church is ultimately His responsibility. This makes our mission that much more important. And it means that your part in it, no matter the size of it, has eternal ramifications.
Live It
- Do you see the Church as something that will outlive you?
- Do you recognize that you have a massive part in building it through your obedience to generosity?