Precious Foundation

‘Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God’ Matt.16:16

We are taking time to build a foundation because the story of Jesus is extremely important. The story of Jesus is the foundation for effective witnessing. Emperors rule for decades but Jesus preached for just three years. Even though Jesus preached for just three years, today there are people in every continent on earth worshipping and lifting up the name of Jesus. God is saying to us clearly that He is in control. Regardless of the pressure and persecution the church experienced, the church is still standing today. Why? because God is in control. The same goes for you; the pressure may seem like it’s going to break you. Relax, God is in control. You will not break; you will stand and stand even stronger. A lot of people did not understand Jesus. The question the Pharisees asked, Nicodemus asked, and the Samaritan woman asked at the well, was ‘who is this man?’ Even the disciples also asked this same question. Jesus was sleeping in their boat and they were experiencing a storm. Jesus spoke to the storm and it became still. And the disciples said ‘who is this man? What manner of man is this?’ Eventually Jesus decided to answer this question directly. ‘When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well”, they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets”. Then he asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah [not a messiah], the Son of the Living God”. Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it’ Matt.16:13-18. The identity of Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, is the foundation of the church. The identity of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, is the foundation of this new entity called the church because this was the first time the word church was used in the Bible.

Prayer [song]: You are the pillar that holds my life (2x). Master Jesus, You are the pillar that holds my life (2x).