The Prevailing Church

Notes: The Prevailing Church

Matthew 16:13–18

Guest SPEAKER: Pastor Jack Graham

Thursday, August 13, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Pastor Jack says he has loved the Lord and His church since he was a little boy.

The best things in his life have been in the church.

Getting baptized, meeting his wife, marrying his wife, dedicating his children, and the comfort from the church body when he buried his parents are all memories of the church for Jack.

The church will be your friend when you need a friend.

We are not talking about a building; we are talking about all kinds of churches.

Don't compare ourselves to one another or other churches; we are to compare ourselves to the example of Christ.

Some churches can seem dead; Harvest is not one of those churches.

Matthew 16:13-18 NKJV

[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.

Matthew 16:19 NKJV

[19] 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."

"The gates of hell will not prevail against it."

This summer with all that has been happening doesn't seem to paint a picture that we are winning.

Romans 12:21 NKJV

[21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

America is having problems, but the persecuted church around the world has horrible things going on with it. Over 300 Christians are being killed every month around the world.

3 ways the church prevails:

1. The church prevails when our focus is on Jesus.

In Matthew 16, Jesus was a

Ready focused on the cross.

"Who is Jesus?" That is the most important question for all of us to answer.

Matthew 16:18 NKJV

[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.

Jesus is not just a great moral person. Jesus is God.

Have you confessed to God and asked Him to be your Lord and Savior?

This confession by Peter was done openly and publicly.

Matthew 16:16 NKJV

[16] Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Don't ever be ashamed of Jesus.

Romans 10:9 NKJV

[9] that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

When Peter confessed Christ he became a new person.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

[17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

In church today so many attendees that are not saved surround us.

The faith that fizzles at the finish is faulty at the first.

The church that prevails is owned and operated by Jesus Christ.

Acts 20:28 NKJV

[28] Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Its not just how many you can get to come to church, it's to make sure that Jesus is in your church.

Acts 2:47 NKJV

[47] praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

The prevailing church is not any man, it's God.

This "Rock" is the answer Peter gave, Matthew 16:16 NKJV

[16] Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Matthew 16:18 NKJV

[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.

It is Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, that is the Rock His church is built on.

The building is not the church, we are the church. We are a church when we are gathered and when we are scattered.

Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV

[19] Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? [20] For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

1 Peter 2:5 NKJV

[5] you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Have you ever heard of a one brick building?

You are not just here for you but for the others that need you also.

1 Corinthians 14:40 NKJV

[40] Let all things be done decently and in order.

We are stacked together, brick upon brick, life upon life.

We are to work together with our church and the Church.

Psalm 119:63 NKJV

[63] I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

Ephesians 3:21 NKJV

[21] to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We have already won! Jesus has already told us.

Romans 8:37 NKJV

[37] Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Gates don't move. The gates of hell aren't moving on us, we are moving towards the gates of hell. We are an army on the move.

Jesus has given us the key to everything.

The "Key" is the Gospel!

With the Gospel we can set people free!

Any church that is not engaging the enemy does not have the right to exist.

You have been given the keys, are you accepting your authority and responsibility?

You have the keys to someone's heart that needs to know Jesus.