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thank you thank you good morning everyone welcome back to progress Baptist church for our morning service and welcome to the visitors amongst us who are here for the first time we'll revisit occasionally we trust the Lord will bless you as we worship together a couple of announcements before we get started here this morning we will be observing the Lord's Supper this evening usually we do that the first of the month but Pastor Butler was away so we decided to postpone that until today so this evening at the five o'clock service we will have the Lord's Supper Wednesday Bible study has also resumed it's at 7 30 p.m on Wednesday in the fellowship hall and then next Sunday Pastor Butler is going to be down in Kirkland Washington we're still doing a rotation and supplying uh Pulpit coverage for them for this month and so passer Butler will be in Kirkland cam Porter will be preaching here next Sunday today cam is in Surrey preaching so that Mike Kirkpatrick can be in in Washington so we'll remember them in prayer later as well for our call to worship please turn to Psalm 96. in your Bibles Psalm 96 as we turn our hearts toward worship of our great God oh sing a new song Oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the Earth sing to the Lord bless his name proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the Nations his wonders among all peoples for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods for the gods of the peoples or Idols but the Lord made the heavens honor and Majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary give to the Lord O families of the peoples give to the Lord glory and strength give to the Lord the glory do his name bring an offering and come into His courts o Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness tremble before him all the Earth say among the Nations the Lord Reigns the world also is firmly established it shall not be moved he shall judge the peoples righteously let the heavens rejoice and let the Earth be glad Let the Sea Roar and all its fullness let the field be joyful in all that is in it then all the trees of the woods Will Rejoice before the Lord for he is coming for he is coming to judge the Earth he shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth amen for our first hymn we'll turn to Psalm 26 in the Trinity psalter Trinity Salter Hymnal Psalm 26 and we will stand together as we see [Music] be careful [Music] Glory worthless [Music] everybody [Music] foreign [Music] [Applause] [Music] freedom of my Lord Joyce [Music] was [Music] everywhere [Music] let us turn to the Lord in prayer and ask his Blessing about our meeting this morning gracious Heavenly Father we do thank you for this beautiful day thank you for the sunshine thank you for the warmth in our hearts not only from the beauty of creation surrounding us but from the joy we experience when we gather with your people in the house of God we thank you for this privilege that we have this day to gather to worship together to hear the word preached and to fellowship with other believers thank you that you have placed Us in local bodies and that you have ordained this as a mean for means for our growth and encouragement and for Mutual benefit Lord I Thank you for the good that you are doing here and abroad we thank you that all over the face of the Earth there are churches preaching the gospel this day we thank you that there are churches established in many many nations and many ethnic groups many different languages the gospel is being preached this day and we thank You O Lord that this is a a foretaste of heaven when we know there will be people from every tribe and every Kindred every tongue Every Nation on the face of the Earth that will be redeemed and will stand before your throne and worship the lamb who was slain to redeem us Lord we thank you for that great privilege we do pray o God that the gospel would go forth powerfully this day and that your Holy Spirit would attend the preaching of the word we pray o God that you would cause the conversion of many Sinners that you would Grant people who are not yet saved to hear the gospel and to believe the gospel Grant Faith oh God so that we might see a grading Gathering of Souls and we pray that that would be the case even here in our midst this day that there would be those who have not yet embraced the truth they have not yet settled their accounts with you o God and we pray that you in your mercy draw them to yourself and that the blood of Christ would cleanse them from all unrighteousness Lord we pray for our own spiritual growth we know Lord that we often even as believers do things that Grieve Your Heart we do sin and we ask your forgiveness we pray that you would cleanse us from all unrighteousness and prepare our hearts even now for worship this day and may our worship be pleasing in your sight Lord we pray that you would bless the Brethren down in the Honduras the fellowship there that we know of we pray that you would encourage them bless John and Melina Curry there we pray you'd continue to uphold them give them the strength and allow them to be a blessing to many other people's bless the the pastors of the various churches in that location and Lord we pray that the Gospel Light will shine strongly in the Honduras the Lord we pray for the missionary Enterprise across the world we know that there are many who labor in fields where there is much Darkness much much evil perhaps of a different sort than the evil we see all around us here and we know there are many Believers that are being persecuted for their faith and we pray oh God that you would uphold them pray that you would be with those who are currently in Chains in prison those who are meeting privately secretly to worship you for fear of the authorities or for fear of the leaders of false religion around them we pray oh God that you would sustain your Saints and continue to convert their enemies like you did Saul of Tarsus and cause many to join the people of God and to even suffer the faith that you have ordained for those who are Christians we know that there is persecution and that it is ordained of you we pray that you'd uphold your Saints and uphold us here as well Lord we pray for our sister churches pray for those churches that are meeting here in Chilliwack today where the gospel is preached we pray that you would bless and encourage and strengthen your people we pray oh God for our church plants thank you for what you're doing there in Surrey we pray that you would bless cam Porter as he preaches there today encourage the Saints give him words of of strengthening and and blessing to pronounce and Lord I pray that you would bless Pastor Kirkpatrick as he spends this day in Kirkland Washington encourage the Saints there and Lord we pray that you continue to be with pastors lindblad and we pray that you'd bless them as they take this time off and regroup we pray that you would encourage them and and bring them back into the pulpit with renewed strength and the renewed vision for for the Eternal Souls of their their people bless them oh God this day I pray bless the work up in Armstrong we pray that you would continue to uphold Pastor Mel jars and the Brethren there encourage them bring more people into their midst and cause them to hear the gospel I pray likewise the the congregation that's gathered this morning in Dryden I pray that you'd be with them pray that they would continue to mature continue to give them Unity of purpose and spirit pray Lord that we would eventually in the not true distance future see a strong local church formally established in that location the Lord we pray again that you would be with us as we turn our hearts to worship and as we sing and and pray and hear the word preached may you be blessed by our worship and may you bless us in return I pray in Jesus name amen we'll sing hymn number 216 now 216 praise to the Lord the Almighty stand with me again as we sing with him [Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] memories [Music] foreign [Music] presence [Music] praise to the Lord without any man [Music] always before [Music] foreign [Music] seated please take your Bibles and turn to the New Testament for our morning reading we're in Matthew chapter 9. this morning Matthew chapter 9 we will read the first 17 verses and conclude the chapter next Sunday Lord willing Matthew chapter 9 beginning in verse 1. so he got into a boat crossed over and came to his own City then behold they brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic son be of good cheer your sins are forgiven you and at once some of the scribes had within themselves this man blasphemes but Jesus knowing their thoughts said why do you think evil in your hearts for which is easier to say your sins are forgiven you or to say arise and walk but that you may know that the son of man has power on Earth to forgive sins than he said to the paralytic arise take up your bed and go to your house and he arose and departed to his house now when the multitude saw it they marveled and glorified God who had given such power to men as Jesus passed on from there he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office and he said to him follow me so he arose and followed him now what happened as Jesus sat at the table in the house that behold many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples and when the Pharisees saw it they said to his disciples why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners when Jesus heard that he said to them those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick but go and learn what this means I desire mercy and not sacrifice for I did not come to call the righteous but Sinners to repentance then the Disciples of John came to him saying why do we in the Pharisees fast often but your disciples do not fast and Jesus said to them can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and then they will Fast no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment for the patch pulls away from the Garment and the terror is made worse nor do they put new wine into old wineskins or else the wineskins break the wine is spilled and the wineskins are ruined but they put new wine into new wine skins and both are preserved amen let us pray thank you Father in heaven for the teaching of Our Lord and thank you for his example in going to those who were the most needy and bypassing those who thought they were already righteous Lord grant us humility of heart that we may see our own State before you and that we may see the beauty of Christ Our Savior in saving us from our sins I assist in Jesus name amen for our final hymn before the preaching will turn to Psalm 48 a in our psalter of Psalm 48 a and we will sing stanzas four to six just the last three on the right hand page Psalm 48 a stanzas four to six thank you foreign [Music] anymore [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] and tell us [Music] foreign with me in your Bibles to the Book of Matthew Matthew chapter 16 we will return God willing to our studies in John's gospel on the 8th of October Pastor agalla will be preaching morning and evening on the first I'll be away next Sunday so God willing John back in October 8th I want to focus specifically on verses 13 to 18 but before I read I just want to say it's good to be back it was good to be a way to get some rest I got constant updates from Rick and Karen they loved it here I tried to make a pitch for them to sell their house and to move up here but they weren't quite that ready to to take that step but they spoke very highly of the congregation they spoke very kindly of the the work of Christ here in Chilliwack it was a great encouragement to me and then Rick gave a report to their church he had sent that report to me prior and again just a glowing report for the Saints they're in La Mirada we can trust God that they will continue to pray for us we should continue to pray for them them and other churches that share our confession of faith and churches that don't as well but nevertheless we do have a communion of saints that are rallied around a particular uh view of God's holy word so as I said our Focus this morning is Matthew 16 verses 13 to 18 but I want to read beginning in verse 13 to the end of the chapter so Matthew 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 so they said some say John the Baptist some Elijah and others Jeremiah are one of the prophets he said to them but who do you say that I am Simon Peter answered and said you are the Christ the son of the Living God Jesus answered and said to him blessed are you Simon barjona for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven 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 and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on Earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on Earth will be loosed in heaven then he commanded his disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ from that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying far be it from you Lord this shall not happen to you but he turned and said to Peter get behind me Satan you are an effect an offense to me for you are not mindful of the things of God but the things of men then Jesus said to his disciples if anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever desires to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it for what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul for the son a man will come in the glory of his father with his angels and then he will reward each according to his works assuredly I say to you there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the son of man coming in his kingdom amen well let us pray Our God and Father we thank you for this beautiful day we thank you for the Majesty of God revealed in the created order as well we bless you and praise you for that majesty and that Grace revealed in the Redemptive order we thank you for the gospel of our salvation for the life and the death and the resurrection of our blessed savior we pray now that the Holy Spirit would guide our thoughts as we consider this passage concerning the the church we pray that you would encourage our hearts you would build us up in our Most Holy Faith that you would cause us to be faithful in this present evil age to shine his lights in this crooked generation and to hold forth your word of Truth forgive us for all sin all iniquity all transgression all lawlessness and cleanse Us in that precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and for any and all who've come here this morning that are dead in their trespasses and sins we pray that today would be the day of salvation that you and your grace and in your mercy with that voice of that that is able to crush The Cedars of Lebanon you would crush the hardened hearts of men women boys and girls and bring them forth out of Darkness into Marvelous Light confessing the glory of Jesus Christ and we pray in his Most Blessed name amen well as I said our Focus will be on verses 13 to 18. I preached this sermon in February of 2021. that was at the height of the lockdown phase in terms of the coveted response on the part of the Canadian government and in that particular sermon I'm going to quote myself here I said even if we lose the court case this week that does not mean that Christ has disregarded his promise we did lose the court case we have been pronounced guilty But Here We Stand and we don't stand here because we're good and faithful we stand here because Christ is good and faithful Christ is the head Christ is the Builder and Christ is the one who promised that his church would withstand the assault of the gates of Hades and so in this particular passage I want to look first at the question concerning Christ's identity in verses 13 to 15. secondly the confession concerning Christ's person in verses 16 and 17 and then finally the Declaration concerning Christ's Church in verse 18. so notice with me first of all the question concerning his identity the setting has given us there in chapter 16 at verse 13 a when Jesus came into the region of caesarea Philippi he's engaged in his public Ministries going from place to place he's teaching the word of Truth he's engaged in healing Miracles he's engaged in what he has come to do to seek and to save that which was lost and then notice that Jesus asks his disciples a very pointed question in verses 13 to 15. notice in the first place it's a a a a a question concerning the Public's assessment of who he is in other words the disciples they move and shake and have their being with other people there and in Israel in the first century so Jesus asked the question who do men say that I the son of man am and then notice how the disciples respond to that in verse 14. so they said some say John the Baptist some Elijah and others Jeremiah are one of the prophets in other words what he had been doing what he had been teaching had not gone unnoticed by this time his Fame had spread by this time multitudes were Drawing Near to him because they wanted to hear what he had to say and so Christ wants to get his finger on the pulse in terms of the public assessment so he asked that question but then notice he moves from the general to the specific he moves from out there to in here he asks his disciples very pointedly and very specifically in verse 15 he said to them but who do you say that I am in other words we are concerned about the public assessment he says but I also want to know what you have to say and if you've never pondered this particular question it's a good time to perhaps pause and reflect upon it who do you say the son of man is who do you say that the Lord Jesus Christ is was he just the starter of a new religion was he just an ethically good man that that went about and taught uh behavior and moralism and ethics to the various crowds that would listen to him was he a revolutionary I think the the Jews who are looking for messiah pretty much classified Jesus as something of a religious revolutionary in the first century as well there are those people that just again see him as an example to be followed but if we ask the Bible who does or who is Jesus Christ we need to come to grips with the reality that he was the word made flesh that he is the second person of the Triune God who for us men and for our Salvation came down from heaven that he is God most high from Everlasting to Everlasting but he assumed our Humanity he took to him our Humanity with all of the essential properties and the common infirmities thereof and yet without sin and he did that so that he could live for us so that he could die for us and so they could be raised again for us so not just the beginner of a new religion not just a revolutionary not just an ethically good man but the Son of God who came to save his people from their sins and as we move through this passage it's going to be a pretty focused or heavy emphasis upon the church today but with reference to the church the access to the church is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone in other words confessing him the way that Peter does in the following verses confessing him the way the rest of the Bible teaches the way that John the Apostle confesses or or writes concerning him of him in John 1 1. in the beginning was the word the word was with God and the Word was God and then in John 1 14 the word became flesh and dwelt Among Us and when we consider that again it ought to amaze us it ought to cause us to stand in awe as Believers that the Son of God came on this rescue mission to Deliver Us from this present evil age to Deliver Us from the clutches of the devil to Deliver us from death itself and to Deliver us from our own sin and our perversion and our wickedness and our lawlessness and if you're not a Believer here this morning I would encourage you to consider who Jesus Christ really is in other words take this thought home with you who do I say the son of man is do I confess him as Lord and Savior do I own him as the one who gave himself for me the way Paul does in Galatians 2 20. he speaks of Jesus as the one who loved me and gave himself for me in other words the Christian religion is one of personal pronouns I know there's a lot of nonsense outside these walls about pronouns today but in terms of Christianity it's a Redemptive religion that involves the personal pronoun that Christ loved me Christ gave himself for me so as we proceed in this passage don't let this thought Escape you who do I say say that Jesus Christ is who do I say that the son of man is and that brings us secondly to consider the confession concerning his person in verses 16 to 17. notice that it's Simon Peter that answers Simon Peter functions as a bit of a of a spokesman for the rest of the disciples specifically in Matthew's gospel you see that in 15 16 17 20 18 and 19. he's one among equals to be sure but there is a certain priority that we see in Simon Peter so it shouldn't surprise us that it's Simon Peter who ponies up here and he gives the answer now when we reflect on Simon Peter we're going to have to say a lot of things as we move through this passage to say what he what he wasn't or what he's not in terms of the Roman Catholic Doctrine but in terms of what he was he was the first called by Christ in Matthew 4 to follow Jesus he is one of the first to be named as an apostle in Matthew 10. in in other words we maintain the priority authority of Peter among his fellows without maintaining Rome's insistence that this passage teaches that he was the first pope Spurgeon says if there had been no Romanus to twist this passage it would have presented no difficulty and we'll see more about that as we proceed but then notice specifically the confession that Simon Peter makes in response to the question of Jesus but who do you say that I am notice that Simon Peter confesses in verse 16 you are the Christ the son of the Living God now Christ is the Greek word that translates anointed one it's similar to the Hebrew word Messiah which translated means anointed one and so the Old Testament was a promise concerning the Messiah it was a promise concerning the anointed one it was a promise concerning the coming one of God most high who would in fact save his people from their sins so when Simon Peter looks at Jesus and says Thou Art the Christ he is giving a very proper interpretation to that question who do you say that I am in other words this is what we need to confess about our Lord again not just that he's a good man not just that he's a good ethical teacher but he is the promise the Fulfillment of God's promises all the promises of God according to Paul are yea and amen and him so when Peter confesses that thou art the Christ this is biblical this is absolutely correct this is on the right track but notice he doesn't stop there he says you are the Christ the son of the Living God now when you look at the Old Testament you will see that this is taught Jews again that have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ today are looking for the Messiah we had an intriguing opportunity on the Thursday night that we're in California the second Thursday I went to visit my sister's family in in Palm Springs and on Thursday night in Palm Springs they have this open-air sort of Market it's about a billion degrees out there it's dark but there's all these people doing doing their thing and then there's this booth with ask a rabbi and I asked the rabbi what do you think of Jesus Christ and he says well I don't think much of Jesus Christ and then he went on to tell me Well the Messiah is not supposed to be the Son of God he's not supposed to be divine he's not supposed to be you know this that and the other I said well it sounds like you think about Jesus a lot because that's precisely what the scripture says concerning Jesus Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God well where does that come from it comes from second Samuel chapter 7 and the promise of the davidic Covenant God says that a son will indeed build a house for God it comes from the Psalms it comes from the prophets it comes from the Old Testament Simon Peter confesses that thou art the Christ the son of the Living God Living God picks up an Old Testament Motif which contrasts Yahweh of Israel with the dead Idols all around Israel and so again he's speaking biblical truth in response to the question who do you say that I am as well up to this point we have seen Jesus called or addressed as Son of God in Matthew's gospel you see it in Matthew chapter 2 verse 15. it's the prophecy from Hosea out of Egypt I have called my firstborn son what's Matthew telling us Matthew's telling is telling us that Hosea was prophesying concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as well you see the Lord's relation to his father throughout Matthew's gospel we see it preeminently in John's gospel he's the son sent by the father as well you've got this Old Testament background as I mentioned II Samuel chapter 7 Psalm 2 you are my son today I have begotten you and then in terms of Matthew's gospel very specifically you have the demons confess that Jesus is the son of God you have the devil confess that Jesus is the son of God and you have the father confess that Jesus is the son of God and so when Simon Peter makes this declaration Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God he's right on this is good this is what you need to listen to this is what you need to affirm if you are dead in your trespasses and sins a bit of moral Reformation isn't going to fix you a little bit of do-goodery isn't going to save you just making up your mind well I'm going to stop engaging in this particular practice and start doing this isn't going to bring you into the presence of God most high you must see Christ You Must Believe on Christ you must look to Christ and live remember our brother preached that passage the first Sunday that he preached I think it was the 20th of August been so long ago he preached from John's gospel John 3 and he likened or rather he showed how Jesus is responding and he invokes that passage in the Book of Numbers when the Israelites were stung by those fiery serpents how did the Israelites gain relief did they drag themselves over to that Brazen serpent that they kiss the Brazen serpent did they first suck the venom out of their leg and then looked to the Brazen serpent no they looked and they lived what's Jesus point in John 3 look and live for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life if you've subscribed to a religion that says go out and try harder go out and do more go out and be better you see that today and you know in discourse and social media do better do better well oftentimes that's just a corrective to some fool you're dealing with on the internet but that's the essence of man-centered religion just do better Brethren if it was all about just doing better to secure our place in heaven then why the cross the Apostle Paul says I do not set apart the grace of God for if righteous business comes to the law then Christ died in vain why the cross if you and I could just do better the cross because we don't do better the cross because we can't militate against our set the cross because we can't cleanse ourselves we can't wash ourselves we can't imbibe the Perfection demanded by God's holy law which is exact which is entire which is Perpetual that's God's demand upon us so the confession that thou art the Christ the son of the Living God is what is needful today for anybody dead in their trespasses and Saints and then notice how Jesus responds to this in verse 17. he pronounces a beatitude upon him a beatitude is a blessing you see that previously in Matthew Chapter 5 we call them the Beatitudes in verses 3 to 12. and you see another one in Chapter 13 specifically at verse 16 and Jesus pronounces Peter with this beatitude here simply means happy are you blessed are you whole are you content are you good are you not because of goodness in you but he's pronouncing a good thing upon Simon Peter for this particular confession so what does that show us that's the affirmation of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone not well you know Peter that's good but you need to go out and work your fingers to the Bone that's good Peter but you need to do all these particular Works in order to gain access into heaven now he pronounces in blessed on this particular point but then notice specifically what he says verse 17 Jesus answered and said to him blessed are you Simon barjona for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven in other words he's not saying blessed are you as a reward for your excellent studies in the Old Testament blessed are you because you mastered your Sabbath school lessons blessed are you Simon Peter because you're wiser than your contemporaries blessed are you Simon Peter because you're smarter than the guys around you no blessed are you Simon barjona for Flesh and Blood didn't reveal this to you what does that underscore you need God's grace to gain God's favor it's not a an autonomous attack it's not a you know a a blank slate it's not you know just do the best you can and and God will will receive you now that's not what Jesus is saying blessed are you Simon barjona for Flesh and Blood didn't reveal this to you you don't learn this in Sabbath School you didn't learn this unaided by the spirit as you read the the Old Testament scriptures you didn't you didn't get this in your singing of the Psalms or the you're chanting of the Psalms and synagogue you didn't get this but by God's grace see the reformed communion the reformed churches emphasize grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone we don't do that because that's kind of our Niche it's just the way that we're a little bit different we don't speak in tongues and we emphasize great no we do that because our Master does it's not flesh and blood that brought you to this place Brethren it's not your wisdom it's not your ingenuities certainly not your good works it's God the Father who opens the hardened hearts of man who causes the new birth who enables them to be born again and grants them the Saving Grace is a faith and repentance that they may lay hold of Christ and leave their sins in the dust it is God that is glorified for this confession by Simon Peter Flesh and Blood did not reveal this to you but my father who is in heaven before you start to think well that means there is no hope God the Father revealed this to Simon Peter God the Father revealed this to the Apostle Paul remember on the road to Damascus why was Paul going to Damascus because he wanted to join the Christian the the Christian worship service no he went there with extradition papers in his hand he went there to go to the synagogue to physically seize men and women he says this and take them back to Jerusalem not so they could be heralded as champions of the new religion but so that they could be persecuted so that they could be in prison perhaps so they could be executed well what stops Paul on the road to Damascus does he have a a moment of reflection a moment of recollection a moment wherein he just says you know I've been all wrong here my Pursuit has been bad I need to reflect more on it no it was Christ who comes to him on the road to Damascus and when he asks who art thou he says I am Jesus whom you are persecuting you see God sovereignly chooses a great multitude that no man can number so that is purposeful in order to give you hope it's not the case that there's just going to be a handful in heaven Revelation 7 it's a great multitude from every tribe and tongue and people in Asia so instead of looking at the sovereignty of God as some sort of a challenge or an obstacle see it as the Blessed provision of God in the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in other words there is hope in Christ there is hope in the father and the spirit there is hope in our blessed Triune God no one should leave despondent no one should leave in the sense that well I could never be saved well if Paul the chief of Sinners is saved he's a he's a trophy of God's Sovereign Grace guess what the Lesser Sinners can come to that table as well because of God's graciousness and because of faith in our blessed savior so the Apostle is pronounced blessed not because he had this moment but rather because God had favored him with this moment and that brings us finally to consider the Declaration concerning his church notice in verse 18 few things to unpack here he says and I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church in the gates of Haiti shall not Prevail against it notice Peter's already had revelation he's already by God's grace understood that Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God what happens on the heels of that he gets more Revelation he gets more information he gets more data it's a beautiful and a wonderful thing when you come to God's word as a saved sinner what happens it's like it opens up what happens when you read that Bible you've been in the way for many many years sorry sister you've been in the way for you know uh uh uh several years what happens have you ever had that well I've never seen that in the Bible I've never well it's not like it jumped in there on you know the the 17th of of September in 2023. God Reveals His glory to his people God Reveals His word to his people man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God I have found it curious before when I've left to to go on vacation or go somewhere else and I come back and somebody says oh that particular Pastor that preacher he said this and and it was incredible it penetrated my heart I I'd never heard anything like that before and I've known that yeah you've probably heard it about 25 times in the last 26 years right it's just the way God works he moves in a mysterious way says wonders to perform the word of God is not a closed up book the word of God is glorious it I mean it's closed in the sense there's no no new revelation being added to it but it's not the case that you read Genesis to Revelation say well I'm done you know I finished the textbook I'm ready to go Brethren that's not how it works and in this instance Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God so on the heels of that Jesus gives him more Revelation he gives him more instruction he gives him more information why because Peter along with the other Apostles are going to be somewhat foundational to the building of this particular church so let's look at what he says here in terms of the establishment of the church before we get to that I want to look at the definition of the church what's the church it's a good question isn't it what's the family what's the Civil State what's the Moose Lodge what's the else what what is this thing that we're dealing with when it comes to the church what is this thing that has the promise appended that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it what is this institution given by God most high that will survive into the eschaton think about it the family is not going to be the same in the age to come we'll be like the Angels neither marrying nor given in marriage the Civil State doesn't continue into the eschaton for which we praise God most high but the church does when we've been there Ten Thousand Years bright shining as the sun we've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun it is to the church that our lord Jesus appends or attaches this particular promise that the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it so what is the church the church or the word church is used three times in the gospels it's used once here and twice in Matthew here the emphasis upon the universal church I will build my church in Matthew 18 it's upon the local church if your brother sins go to him if he hears you you've won your brother if he doesn't hear you take two or three Witnesses if he refuses to hear them tell it to the church not every single church out there but to the local church of which he is a member so you see this emphasis on church here twice in or three times to a local church one universal church here in Matthew's gospel now the word church is more related to the the Dutch and the German Kirk or the Scottish Kirk and that comes from one Greek word that's used twice in the New Testament Korea Khan that means something that belongs specially to the lord it's used of the supper in First Corinthians and it's used of the day in Revelation 1. so Kirk or curricon that which Belongs to the Lord now the Greek word that we see translated church is Ecclesia and you've probably heard pastors or you've probably heard students of the Bible say well Ecclesia means it's the called out of God they look at the etymology the exit the out called ones the of God that's not what it means it corresponds with the kaha in Israel the Old Testament the Hebrew word kahal means the assembly the convocation the Gathering of God's people that's the emphasis that we find I will build my church it's not a building now we need to make sure that we're not foolish in this regard as well remember back in the pandemic we don't need a building to worship god of course we don't need a building to worship God but it's kind of nice to keep the rain off our heads when we do worship God the argument was never you have to have a building the argument was always don't stop us from worshiping God whether we happen to meet in our public building or we happen to meet in the living room we like to not get wet when we engage in this particular Endeavor so when it comes to the the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ that's the primary emphasis in fact RT France makes this observation he says the Greek term Ecclesia never denotes a physical structure in the New Testament I mean we say help my church is on Wellington and my church is on Yale am I we need to make sure that we're not you know you know the the super psycho pharah say well well the church isn't people use that as a common form of parlance that that's okay but when you stop to think and when you stop to Define it's not the structure it's not to build it God obliterates this building then we'll still continue to meet as the church the Greek term at glacia never denotes a physical structure in the New Testament but always a community of people the new town the new Temple is not a building of literal stones but consists of living stones that's a good emphasis for us to remember now as we look back at our text we want to look at what Jesus says concerning the church verse 18. and I also say to you that your Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Haiti shall not Prevail against it so first look at the foundation of the church now there's been significant amount of debate about this passage between what's called Protestants and what's called Roman Catholics notice Verse 18 I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock is Peter The Rock is Peter the foundation is he the pope is he the successor of Jesus Christ on Earth is he the vicar is he the ruler over all Christians on Earth well in terms of the identification of the rock those are the possessions that the Roman Catholic churches teaches that that Peter is The Rock again they derive their doctrine of papal infallibility papal succession all that stuff from Simon Peter amongst Protestants there's two basic approaches one the rock is Peter's confession of faith based on this confession of Faith Peter that's the rock upon which I will build my church I don't think there's anything necessarily wrong with that but I think the third interpretation gets at it even more clearly and that simply is that the rock is the Christ who Peter confessed the rock is the Christ who Peter confessed Thou Art the Christ the son of the Living God blessed are you Simon barjona Flesh and Blood did not reveal this to you then I say to you Simon Peter Upon This Rock I will build my church in other words it's Christ in his person it's Christ that second person of the the godhead that takes on our humanity and lives and dies and is raised again for us and for our Salvation the the rock is our blessed savior he's the foundation of the church he is the the the reason for it he is the the rationale for it Owen makes this observation it is not the person of Peter who confess Christ but the person of Christ whom Peter confessed that is the rock on which the church is built so again he's not saying Peter lucky you ding ding ding ding ding you won the prize upon you is going to be built the church now consider this in terms of Roman Catholicism some of you many of you perhaps have no knowledge you didn't grow up in it you weren't raised in it you don't know much about it seems a bit odd they wear funny hats if they're in the priesthood or their popes or you know the the Frank the hippie Pope right now seems a bit odd he seems more like a Marxist and a leftist and is this really consistent with Roman Catholic theology so there's a lot of puzzling things about romanism but know this that this is the passage upon which they have their idea of the Pope the RC or the Roman Catholic Church teaches that Peter in his person was the Rock and that this is the justification for papal Authority in other words he and his successors are the popes who have supreme authority over Christians on Earth and this is to quote them this is the Catholic encyclopedia the pope as Bishop of Rome is the successor of Saint Peter and therefore the visible head of the church on Earth the vice Regent of Christ and the supreme ruler of all Christians now probably you will all join me with saying praise God that's not true praise God that Francis isn't my head praise God that the hope of the the the the glory and the maturation and the growth and the success and Triumph of the church is not appended to him or to any that will succeed him or any that preceded him now when it comes to Peter we don't want to go the opposite direction and say well you know he he was just a derelict like the rest of us now the Bible envisages good things about Peter the Apostle Peter does occupy a place of priority among the disciples Acts 2 acts 8 Once the narrative shifts to focus on the Apostle Paul in terms of the uttermost parts of the Earth in terms of the Gospel going forth Peter is the I don't want to say the star of the first half of the of the book of Acts but he certainly got priority among the others as well the Apostle Peter was not infallible that's part of Roman Catholic dogma with reference to Peter not everything you know I'll have the chicken instead of the steak and he ends up with bad steak that doesn't mean infallibility in all things but it means infallibility on Doctrine infallibility on Dogma infallibility on things that make that matter in terms of religion in terms of access to God I mean in this passage he goes from being pronounced blessed art thou Simon bar Jonah for flesh and blood not reveal this to you but then he hears get behind me Satan right he tries to forbid Jesus from going to Jerusalem once Jesus starts to say how that church is going to come to fruition and how that church is going to be built and how that church is going to withstand the gates of Hades itself he does so by telling or outlining the mission of the Messiah I must go to Jerusalem I must be tried I must die I must be raised again what does Peter say forbid it Lord get behind me Satan you see in Galatians Chapter 2 the Apostle Paul rebukes Simon Peter because Simon Peter didn't want to eat with the Gentiles because he thought they would offend certain Jews you see as well in the book of Acts chapter 15 when they convene to consider Gentile inclusion the Covenant promises of God Peter is subject to James James is the leader of the church in Jerusalem so there's no infallibility of Peter as we find it here in scripture the Lord Jesus here is not instituting a succession of popes consider if he had then after John's after Peter's death there would have been a new pope and he would have presided over John the Apostle who was still alive that that just doesn't make any sense plus there are several commentators I think John Calvin holds it Simon Peter never ever went to Rome so there's problems with the Roman Catholic interpretation of this passage the position of the Roman Catholic Church is not exegetical it is an imposition upon the text of a particular ecclesiology Fox Spurgeon says no unsophisticated reader I love the way he does that no unsophisticated reader you know who that is that's us you have to be sophisticated to see potpourri in Matthew 16. you have to engage in sofas sophistry you have to engage in in things outside of Matthew 16 to see papal succession in Matthew 16. so he says no unsophisticated reader the Bible sees any trace of potpourri In this passage the wine of romanism is not to be pressed out of this cluster that's just a wrong interpretation now this isn't let's bash the Roman Catholic church and all their bad things I mean that would take you know a series of sermons to be sure but it's simply to say that it's Christ that's the rock it's Christ that's the foundation it's Christ as I said that's the rationale the very reason for the Church of Christ and it's as a result of that that the gates of 80 shall not Prevail against it if if it's simply man if it's simply a group of Elders if it's certainly a simply a group of of so-called popes it's going to fail how do we withstand the gates of Hades well we do it because our head is triumphant we do it because our head is powerful we do it because our head is Champion we do it because our head is able to bring down the gates of Hades through his work at the right hand of the father so the Protestant understanding of the rock understands that it's Christ who is the foundation of the church that the Protestants also recognize that the apostles play a foundational role you see it Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 20 and then in the Book of Revelation at chapter 21 verse 14 the names of The Twelve Apostles are on the gates there so we don't delegate or we don't derogate them or or or subjugate them to the regular you know everybody got everybody same on the same footing no they they wrote the New Testament they taught us how to interpret the Old Testament that you understand that right when Matthew for instance in Matthew 2 invokes Hosea as the rationale for Jesus leaving Egypt we need to listen to how he's interpreting the word of God the Apostle Paul in Romans 4 tells us that Jesus inherits the world that helps us to understand those promises given to Abraham Isaac and Jacob that they transcended the geography of Israel when the New Testament applies Old Testament promise to the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ vis-a-vis Exodus chapter 19. what was Israel supposed to function as in the the world as a kingdom of priests do they pass that do they make it to that do they become that no they fail miserably but the true Israel the Lord Jesus Christ is successful in his work of redemption and so by virtue of our Union with him all those Covenant Promises of God are received by the church It's the Most Blessed thing so we understand that the apostles had a very important and foundational role but it's Christ as The Rock it's Christ as the foundation it's Christ who is the one that gives meaning to this very passage not Peter not a succession of Peter's but rather it is Jesus now that's the foundation but notice secondly the builder of the church and I think this is very encouraging and I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I not I Jimmy but I Jesus says will build my church Jesus Christ builds the church not elders not deacons not faithful Church men Christ who builds the church it's Christ who puts it together it's Christ who sustains it I think I once read where there was a handful of of fathers Church fathers early you know early centuries of the church and they were musing on the reality that if it were up to us we would have never made it this far so like second third Century they're amusing on that if it were up to us we'd have never made it thus far well we're in the 21st century now Brethren are we going to start patting ourselves on the back are we going to start doing well it was John Calvin at CH Purge and they kept it all together they were Faithful Servants of Christ most high they were faithful preachers of the doctrines of Grace they were faithful you know Servants of our blessed savior but who gets the credit who gets the win who gets the glory for building the church it's not the industry of the church it's not the Committees in the church it's not the Servants of the church but it's Jesus Christ who builds his church I think there's a world of encouragement in that small phrase I will build my church he will not be thwarted he will not be frustrated he will not be stopped he will not go away as much as our current political system would like for him to go away he ain't going anywhere he is going to accomplish his purpose from every tribe every tongue every people every nation he is going to amass that great multitude that is going to end up before the Throne of God most High singing his Praises through all eternity I will build my church and then notice the promise of Triumph now I'm not suggesting triumphal Islam everything's going to be hunky dory you're part of the church you're the King's Children everything's only ever going to be great no Brethren you know that's not the case that's a lie oh come to Jesus and everything's going to be you know just always wonderful really did David experience that first Samuel chapter 16 he's anointed by Saul uh by Samuel rather and first uh first Samuel 16 he's he's driven out by Saul does Jesus in his Earthly Ministry have a the spirit of triumphalism no he's a man of Sorrows he's acquainted with grief read the book of Acts is that the triumphalism of the early church no it's the Triumph but not triumphalism we need to be careful that we don't become obnoxious that we don't become the sorts of people that gloat the sorts of people that are arrogant the sorts of people that do not have that humility of spirit understanding that the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against us but nevertheless they're going to try there will be that contrast in the Christian Life In This World Jesus says in John 16 33 you will have tribulation but we have good cheer I've overcome the world so my argument is is that this this passage promises Triumph but it ought not to produce in us triumphalism that obnoxious spirit that says oh nothing ever bad is going to happen to me nothing ever contrary is going to happen to me the health wealth and prosperity Liars take this particular time come to Jesus and you'll get not only salvation but you'll get a new car you'll get a new summer home and if you don't it's because you lack Faith well what happens to the bruised broken battered child of God that doesn't get those things does that mean Jesus fails us that's what their theology inevitably has to lead to Jesus never fails Jesus never disappoints it may be in this world that we don't get those things that that we were promised by by Godless men but Christ has glorious things in our future at that Harvest Time so notice with reference to this statement this latter statement in verse 18 when he says in the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it there are two things taught here first the Perpetual assault against the church and secondly the Perpetual Triumph of the church the Perpetual assault against the church and the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it I don't want to spend too much time on this word Hades but suffice to say it's probably the two compartment sort of place of the dead until the resurrection we see that that death in Hades according to the Book of Revelation are are delivered up cast ultimately into the Lake of Fire which is hell so a lot of Scholars see a two compartment sort of place for the dead until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ a place for the righteous and a place for the wicked it does seem to take the Nuance here of being the the the the antagonistic enemy of God's people those who wish to thwart those who wish to stop those who wish to conquer Jesus and his church so notice he says in the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it so we have that promise of Triumph that we'll see in just a moment but we also have this promise that they're going to try I I just you know I don't like to say these kinds of things because I don't want to be sort of uh you know party pooper but if you haven't had a tough Christian Life just hang on gonna happen again I'm not trying to jinx you or you know put some bad mojo or anything like that or Juju or whatever they call it I'm not but in this world you will have tribulation John 16 33. let's pulse surmise According to second Timothy 3 12 all who desire to live Godly in Christ Jesus shall what they'll just walk unharmed in the in the Earth around them all the perverts and the murderers and the criminals and and all the people on the street I'm describing the politicians they're they're all going to be antagonistic they're all going to be contrary they're all going to be enemies to you be of good cheer I've overcome the world there's going to be persecution there's going to be hardship there's going to be turmoil there's going to be a flagship children of God are not immune from those things children of God don't have some bubble around that it's not like you know that big thick shipping bubble wrap that that sort of surrounds us and wherever we go we're safe and and unaffected by the problems around us all you have to do is read Acts all you have to do is read the latter part of Hebrews chapter 11. all you have to do is focus on the Epistles in Revelation 2 and 3 to the churches in Asia Minor all you have to do is take a a brief glance at the history of the church all you have to do is see the the early controversies concerning the Trinity and christology what happened to people that were telling the truth they would get exiled they would actually have to leave their homes and their places and their families and go live out in the desert for the heresy of maintaining the Christ is the word made flesh who dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth need only think of the Scottish covenanters one he'd only think of the Huguenot in France one need only think about just about every other country on the face of the Earth presently come to a morning prayer meeting on a Sunday morning at 0-9 30. we'll take a tour around the earth to hear that there is persecution there is suffering there is Affliction what does that suggest the gates of Hades are going to be defeated but they're not going to go away without trying to mount up a last resistance in other words the Devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour according to Peter in First Peter chapter 5. so the passage not only promises Triumph but it also promises hardship and difficulty and and things that that are not necessarily a happy event for the people of God but one other thought in terms of the the Perpetual assault against the church we need to make sure we keep the proper emphasis here notice that Jesus does not say that Hades itself or the Devil Himself or I mean there is a sense where instrumentally that happens but what does Gates suggest to you gates are defensive aren't they if you build your house and you put a fence around it why do you do that well I don't want you know stray dogs coming into my yard I don't want you know my neighbors Pat ferret coming into my yard you probably also don't want two-legged creatures with guns coming into your yard so you put a gate or a fence around your your property we used to do this in countries we called them borders but those seem to have dissipated what is Jesus saying it's the church now that is on the March and this is where the church today needs to wake up the church is on the March the church isn't surrounding itself with the covered wagons the church isn't hunkered down in the corner the church isn't you know busy biting their Collective fingernails and letting their Collective knees knock while they just hope everything turns out good no the gates of Hades shall not Prevail against it well what does that mean it means the church is on this trajectory to proclaim the gospel and to make disciples of all the nations to baptize those disciples and then to teach those disciples everything that Jesus commanded and while the church is engaged in that particular activity or task the gates of Hades will be plundered in other words it's when the church does what the church is supposed to do that the gates of Hades are ineffective in fact I think you see something of this Illustrated in Colossians 1 at verses 13 and 14. the Apostle says he God has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love in whom we have Redemption through his blood the Forgiveness of sins listen to that he has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom the son of his life what's he conveyed us out of the kingdom of darkness the power of the devil the gates of Hades see what we find Jesus saying here is that the church is on the offense not with military might not with guns blazing but with the weapons that God has equipped his church with preaching and prayer there's other things to be sure that those are the emphases we find in the New Testament very often preach the word Paul says to Timothy convince rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and teaching how does God Advance his kingdom in the time of the covenanters how does he Advance his kingdom the time of the Huguenot how does he Advance his kingdom today in Indonesia how does he Advance his kingdom today in China how does he Advance his kingdom Day in Canada yes through loving deeds and through kindness and encouragement and all the sorts of things that the people of God are to muster but it's through the foolishness of the message preached God Saves those who believe it is the plundering Ministry of Christ through his church to snatch Hell Bound Sinners out of that kingdom of darkness and convey them into the kingdom of the son of God's love it is the Most Blessed thing we find here in Matthew 16 18. if we get this in our hearts and Minds in our prayer closets in our corporate meetings in our public services with reference to worship I'm not saying everything's going to magically happen every he's gonna turn around Justin Trudeau will get converted if that I'm not suggesting that at all but I am suggesting what the church aligns with God's word and will that's when she's in a better position to engage in the Warfare currently in our in our in our sights Gill says all the infernal principalities and Powers with all their United cunning and strength will never be able to extirpate the his gospel to destroy his interests to demolish his church in general or ruin any one particular soul that is built upon him so there is this Perpetual assault against the church that there is this Perpetual Triumph of the church and again why does this happen not because of Peter not because of his successors not because of pastors and deacons not because of faithful Church attendance but he does this because Jesus builds his church and the gates of Haiti shall not Prevail against it brethren we ought to be encouraged we ought to be hopeful we ought to see for sure what's happening in the world around us we're not to let that dictate our present activity in terms of service to our Sovereign Lord we have marching orders we have the Great Commission we have the emphasis in Holy scripture on how we're supposed to conduct ourselves in this present evil age now in conclusion just a few thoughts and then we'll go first the head of the church I think that in Matthew 16 if you compare this with second Samuel chapter 7 you will see something very interesting very unique I've often taught on second Samuel I've referred to it many times as the davidic Covenant basically David is sitting in his house he's sitting in his Mansion he's sitting in his Palace and David says you know what I'm sitting in a palace and God dwells an attack the Tabernacle at that time there's no permanent fix sure there was no Temple at that point there was the tabernacle you could put it up you could take it down it was designed that way for the Wilderness wanderings of Israel before they arrive in the promised land so uh David's David's music is legit I I'm dwelling in in Pomp and glory and God lives in a tent she wants to build a house for God he wants to build a temple for God and then of course Nathan the prophet encourages him and then God says to Nathan no don't encourage him it's not going to be him it's going to be Solomon his son David secured the kingdom through Bloodshed Solomon would have a peaceful reign in which he could build the temple but the word house is used God says I'm going to build a house out of David and what he means there is Dynasty a succession of Kings one will rise up from David and he will build a house for God so when Simon Peter says you are the Christ the son of the Living God and when Jesus says on this rock I will build my church or God's house you see the fruition or fulfillment of the second Samuel 7 The Vedic Covenant right here in Matthew 16. God always had as his purpose a Son of God who would build a house for God and who would Reign forever to the glory of God that's our Lord Jesus Christ he is the head of the church secondly we need to understand with reference to the foundation of the church it's Jesus he is the Christ the son of the Living God that is foundational no church without that confession there's no church without that hope there's no kahal no assembly no convocation no God's people without the Christ the son of the Living God but as I said brethren we need to respect and esteem the apostles we need to understand that that office is closed there's no new apostles today I know in charismatic circles sometimes they have an apostle no the apostolic Ministry is over he gave some to the apostles he gave some to be prophets he gave some to be evangelists pastors and teachers the abiding offices in the church today as Elder and dika not Apostles the apostles were unique the apostles as I said preachers of the Gospel missionaries to the people to the people that that God had purpose to hear the truth writers of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and interpreters of the Old Testament so that we may learn how to read it properly you see we need them and we need the New Testament to help us understand the Old Testament but with reference to the Old Testament we need that as well I think it's symptomatic of the church today that we don't always read the Old Testament one of the brothers in the prayer meeting this morning said you know in a general way may may the world sort of wake up to the Ten Commandments of God I mean when you look around the world today that we need a good dose of that law don't we you're not supposed to kill people I mean you are but they need to be the right people problem isn't that government kills it's they kill the wrong people they kill babies in the womb they kill elderly people they kill the mentally ill and the the infirm and that sort of day who should they kill well they should kill criminals murderers rapists pedophiles things like that wouldn't it be a nice thing for the world to have a dose of the law of God and as I was Amen in that prayer brothers and sisters I'm right there with him I also thought you know sometimes you think when somebody else is praying it'd be nice if the church could recover those Commandments too it'd be just wonderful if the effects of a theology that relegated the Commandments to some future Millennial kingdom was not affecting the mass of Christianity Today in other words Brethren the church as church needs the apostles to help with the Old Testament and that doesn't mean we dispense with it it doesn't mean we disregard it like the Ten Commandments it means we listen to Paul we listen to Peter we listen to James and John and we listen to how these brothers understand the Old Testament and we follow them in that Pursuit so that we can understand that Christ is in fact the promise of God realized now thirdly the function of the church I gave a definition of us what we are what we do what's the function what's the church supposed to do well if we try to do everything we'll do nothing right or nothing well uh my my favorite sort of summary statement about the mission of the church or what we call the marks of the church is Belgian confession 29. I said well that's not the Bible Well it accurately summarizes what's in the Bible you know what the Belgian confession says are the three marks of the church now there's other things we can do other things we perhaps should do but there are three things we must do the preaching of the word of God not encounter sessions not group therapy not you know group hugs not story time with the you know the Storyteller shared before that somebody said you know my congregation loves story so we moved the pulpit and I got a big easy chair and I I just sit there and I tell stories man if you want to waste a Sunday morning like that you you go right ahead but man that is not the purpose for God's Church it is the proclamation of God's word law and gospel secondly it's the administration the sacraments make disciples baptize them and then Matthew 26 take eat and drink when it comes to the church that's something we must be about and then the third thing you see it in Matthew chapter 18 is the exercise of church discipline those are things that churches must be about notice what's not in that list Entertainment Group therapy all those sorts of things that have that have superseded the mission of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ so not enough just to know what we are but we ought to know what we're supposed to do how do we function in this present evil age what is our Niche how do we how do we fit in the community are we supposed to go out and hand out hot dogs are we supposed to go out and you know hand out shoe shines are we supposed to go out and do all these things again some of those things might be okay some of those things might be permissible but the things that the church must be about is preaching the sacraments and discipline it's a very wonderful summary statement concerning the the the the function of the church and then fourth I want to suggest with reference to us all the encouragement of the church I was very encouraged this past week that this is over I mean it's not but at least I think our part is and it just fizzled out you know in February 2021 it was a different ball game wasn't it it was a different scenario altogether especially November 2020. you know the the orders given you can't meet don't go you know that's it it was you know all over the news it was all over the progress it was all over everything so email everybody's talking all that sort of thing death threats and hate you know all this stuff there were seven of us in the courtroom on Wednesday morning the judge the bailiff the Crown Council the defense Marty me Tim champ his wife on the bailiff did I say the bailiff seven of us nobody cared I'm not saying you didn't you didn't weren't Prime just say in the grand scheme of things it it came and it went and that's just my new shop in terms of the history of the church Brethren the Roman Empire was formidable the Roman Empire was really good at crushing other peoples the Roman Empire was was was at at an art level of vanquishing enemies and and detractors and and anybody who wouldn't confess Caesar as Lord and Savior where's the Roman Empire today what was the Battle Cry of the church at that time it was Psalm 110 1 the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool in other words whatever man brings against our blessed savior the Savior knows how to deal and the Savior will deal and as the psalmist says he will tread down our enemies that is a promise that should uphold the people of God as we move our way through this present evil age he will tread down our enemies again not us guns blazing or C4 charges when we go into Mass groups of people it is Christ who builds his church so there's a great deal of encouragement In this passage first Christ owns the church not men I will build my church this ought to affect every Elder every Deacon every church member to realize when we use this Con we use this conversation and that's fine my church is on Wellington my church does this my church sings well my church again let's not be hyper pharisaical I want to start your church it belongs to okay beyond that hyper Pharisee we need to understand it's Jesus church it's his project it's his building plan he is the project manager First Timothy 3 15 I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living God the pillar and ground of the truth it is Christ's Church he owns it as well secondly Christ builds the church not man now again men are supposed to serve men are supposed to function men are supposed to carry out their task Calvin Luther and and Spurgeon and chrysostom and athanasius and Cyril and all those guys had their marching orders dictated to them by Christ but is Christ ultimately who builds his church and that is encouraging as well thirdly Christ protects the church not men again we do all we can we we seek to facilitate the protection of the bride of Christ but it's ultimately Christ the victory is the Lords the horse is prepared for the battle but the Day of Victory belongs to Yahweh and we understand that and we rejoice in that fourth Christ defines proper conduct in the church not men it says why I highlight the marks of the church it's not a free Fruit oh well you know I think we should do this and I think we should do that and we think oh we we knew what Christ is commanded and then as well Christ demands that his people be faithful with reference to the church we don't build it we don't ultimately protect it we don't ultimately defeat the gates of Hades but we're to be faithful relative to her we're to love her we're to care for her we're to pray for her and may I just say as I close right now I'm thankful for this church I was happy to come back I'm not saying that the beaches in Southern California were terrible or In and Out Burger was bad but when it comes to being in the house of God Brethren there's no other place I'd rather be I love this church I love the brothers and the sisters I love being here so that wasn't you know the that welcome back email I look forward to what I really did my wife and I both woke up this morning with that Spirit of David in Psalm 122. I was glad when they said unto me let us go to the house of the Lord may God bless us may God keep us may God Prosper us not with what the world defines as Prosperity but with a faithful resolve to serve our blessed savior and to count ourselves blessed to be functioning in his cause and for his glory and if you are a Believer Rejoice be encouraged if you're not a Believer come to the Savior join the rank and file of God's people and serve on the winning team well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you for your grace and for your mercy and for your loving kindness we thank you that you by Grace have kept us we pray that you would continue with us that you would bless us and help us to be faithful in the coming age and we ask this in Jesus name amen well you can take your hymn books and we'll sing 568 to close our service this morning doxology in praise to our Triune God 568 will stand as we sing together [Music] praise [Music] you know [Music] [Music] him who is able to establish you according to my gospel in the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest and by the prophetic scriptures made known to All Nations according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God for obedience to the faith to God Alone wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever amen may this be the case most high as the church serves you in this lower World in this present age and may you be glorified and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we'll close with a brief time of meditation thank you thank you