16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to 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 also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
When it comes to The Church – meaning all God’s people – it’s easy to get confused and think that means just our local church. When we add in all the different denominations, The Church can get watered down to just mean “the building we go to on Sunday mornings.” In his message today, Pastor John reminds you that while you need to be a part of a regular fellowship of believers, you must not lose sight of Jesus’ intention for His Church as a whole. He wants you to learn His Word and speak the truth boldly with love.
Now, let’s join Pastor John in the book of Matthew chapter 16 as he continues his message, The Doctrine of The Church.