Sermons church in Bangalore
Matthew 16:18-19 by Ps Ashish Raichur
Church is primarily who we are in relation to Him. Without our relation to Him, there is no Church. A body without the head can no longer live and function. We then relate to one another and to the world out of our relation to Him. In "Pictures of the Church" we learn how we are to rightly relate to Jesus, so that we can be the Church He is building.
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Matthew 16:18-19
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.
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 Lord Jesus is building HIS Church.
We learn that the Church Jesus is building is a strong, powerful, overcoming, advancing, Church that all the powers of hell cannot stop!

This is the kind of Church Jesus is building. Hence, we must align ourselves to this.

We'd like to spend some time examining a few key references to the Church and see what we can learn about the Church, which Jesus is building.

The Body

Colossians 1:18  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

We are His Body.
1) As His Body, our life flows from Him. (A body without its head is lifeless).
2) As His Body, we represent Him.
3) As His Body, we are His hands and feet - we do His will.
4) As His Body, we are in relationship with one another - we are connected to each other, we supply to (serve) each other and we need each other.

The House of God

1 Timothy 3:15  but if I am delayed, 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.

household = Family

We are His family.
1) As His family first of all we must be in proper relationship with the Father - as His sons and daughters.
2) A son or daughter that is "out of alignment" with the Father, could easily fall "out of alignment" with others in the family.
3) As His family we care for one another.

The Pillar of Truth

1 Timothy 3:15  but if I am delayed, 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.

We are the pillar and ground of truth - the upholders and standard bearers of truth - in a sin sick, corrupt, dark and depraved world.

1) We must be aligned and committed to the truth and individuals and as a local church.
2) We must beware of compromise.
3) We must apply God's truth to today's problems and provide answers. Show how truth applies to today's challenges. Else, although we may have the truth, we cannot influence the world.

The Temple of God

1 Corinthians 3:16,17
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

We often quote and interpret these verses in an individual sense. While it is true in its individual application - the context deals with a collective body of believers.

1) Together we are the Temple of God - the place where God dwells. We are a habitation of God. We must be filled with His presence.
2) Together we have the responsibility of keeping this Temple holy and free from defilement.

Solomon's Temple was an amazing picture of God's glory invading a literal temple.

2 Chronicles 5:13,14
13 indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,
14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

And yet the Lord promised that the glory of the latter house will be greater than the former:
Haggai 2:7-9
7 and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,' says the LORD of hosts.
8 'The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,' says the LORD of hosts.
9 'The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the LORD of hosts."

The Early Church manifested this 'greater glory'. The Book of Acts records this.
Its our turn to be the Temple of God and manifest His glory - greater glory.

A House of Prayer

Isaiah 56:7  
Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Matthew 21:12-14
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER,' but you have made it a 'DEN OF THIEVES.'"
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

1) God intends for us to be a house of prayer for all nations. We need to be engaged in constant prayer for the nation(s).
2) A House of prayer for the nations will become an oasis of healing for the nations - people will come into the Temple to receive healing.

Act 15:16,17
16 'AFTER THIS I WILL RETURN AND WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID, WHICH HAS FALLEN DOWN; I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL SET IT UP;
17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, EVEN ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, SAYS THE LORD WHO DOES ALL THESE THINGS.'

James quoting from the prophet Amos (9:11,12) indicates that the Church is the spiritual fulfillment of the rebuilding of the Tabernacle of David. In David's tabernacle there was 24/7 praise and worship of God. The result will be that the "rest of mankind" the unsaved will come seeking for the Lord!

Zion - The Assembly of God's People

Hebrews 12:22-24
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Mt. Zion in the Old Testament represents the city of David and the people of God in the Old Testament.
Mt. Zion in the New Testament represents the city of the living God and the people of God - the Church.

In 1 Peter 2:6-12 the apostle Peter reminds us that we are Zion, Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone - and hence we ought to walk as the people of God:

1 Peter 2:9-12
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10  who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
11  Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12  having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

The Bride

Perhaps one of the most wonderful pictures of the Church is that of His Bride.

Ephesians 5:22-32
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Christ's relationship with the Church is compared to a husband to his wife.

Jesus paid a great price to possess His bride.

Christ is coming back for a bride who will be without spot or wrinkle - who has made herself ready.
Our relationship with our Lord is in some ways defined by the relationship of a bride to a groom.
We'll look into this in greater detail at a later Sunday, but here are some thoughts:
1, The Bride is lost in her love, admiration, commitment to her Groom
2, The Bride adorns herself in what would please her Groom so that she can present herself in her best for the Groom.
3, The Bride keeps herself for the Groom. She does not settle for any other man.

Conclusion

Church is primarily who we are in relation to Him. Without our relation to Him, there is no Church. A body without the head can no longer live and function.

We then relate to one another and to the world out of our relation to Him.

If we put the "cart before the horse" so to speak and make church "about us" (i.e. what do i get) or "about each other" (i.e. community) or "about the world" (i.e. ministry to the world) - then we really do not have Church.
Church is primarily who we are in relation to Him.
  • We are His Body - I need to be correctly related to the Head, who is Christ.
  • We are the House of God - we are His family, His sons and daughters. He is our Father.
  • We are the Pillar of Truth - we align ourselves to the truth.
  • We are the Temple of God - we are the dwelling of God - His habitation. We keep the Temple holy as the One who dwells in it is holy.
  • We are Zion - the people of God, assembled for His purposes.
  • We are A House of Prayer - we minister to Him with the bowl and the harp, in prayer and worship.
  • We are the Bride - we are completely lost in love for Him, our Bridegroom.

In the coming weeks, we will take a deeper look on a few of these pictures to better understand who we are and what the Lord would expect of us.

All Peoples Church in Bangalore is a Spirit-filled, Word-based, Bible-believing Christian fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ desiring more of His presence and supernatural power bringing transformation, healing, miracles, and deliverance. We preach the full Gospel, equip believers to live out our new life in Christ, welcome the Charismatic and Pentecostal expressions in the assembly of God and serve in strengthening unity across all Christian churches. All free resources, sermons, daily devotionals, and free Christian books are provided for the strengthening of all believers in the Body of Christ. For further equipping, please visit APC Bible College.

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