The episode explores profound themes such as the sovereign construction of the church, the spiritual composition that binds believers through divine love, and the singular commission of the church to lead souls to Christ. Adrian Rogers passionately argues that Jesus Christ is the bedrock of the church and challenges listeners to not only believe but also boldly confess their faith. The sermon closes with an invitation for introspection and action, urging believers to become active participants in their faith journey.
Pastor, teacher, and author Adrian Rogers has introduced people all over the world to the love of Jesus Christ and has impacted untold numbers of lives by presenting profound truth simply stated. Thanks for joining us for this message. Here’s Adrian Rogers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Turn to Matthew chapter 16, would you please? Look up here. This is the time of year that our students are taking tests, some of them hoping to graduate. I heard of a youngster who came home and his father said, how did you do on your examinations? He said, well, dad, I’m afraid I flunked my history test. The dad said, no, you need to be more positive. He said, okay, I am positive I flunked my history test. The scripture that I’m going to read to you is really an examination of The disciples had been with the Lord Jesus Christ in the greatest seminary of all. He had been teaching them for almost three years. And now he comes to the conclusion of his ministry with them, and he’s going to give them a final examination. And I want you to notice how it goes here in Matthew chapter 16. We begin in verse 13. And when Jesus came into the coast of Caesarea Philippi… He asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist, and some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, and here’s the major question on the exam, But whom say ye that I am? By the way, is that not the greatest question of the ages? Whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Peter. Barjona, that is, you aced it. You got 100. You got A+. For flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee that thou art Peter. And upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. I’ve already said that the greatest organization and the greatest organism on the face of this earth is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is absolutely totally foolish to talk about loving Jesus without loving what Jesus loves and Jesus loves the church. Now there’s several things I want you to learn about the church and I want you to pay attention. BECAUSE GOD’S PLAN FOR EVERY PERSON LISTENING TO ME IS THIS, NUMBER ONE, THAT YOU BE SAVED, AND NUMBER TWO, THAT YOU BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN A LOCAL NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. AND IF YOU’RE NOT THAT WAY, YOU’RE NOT RIGHT WITH GOD. OKAY? SO PAY ATTENTION. I WANT YOU TO LISTEN. ALL RIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT YOU TO THINK WITH ME ABOUT WHAT I’M GOING TO CALL THE SAVING CONFESSION OF THE CHURCH. WRITE THAT DOWN, THE SAVING CONFESSION OF THE CHURCH. WHAT MUST YOU CONFESS? What must you believe in order to be saved? Here’s what you must believe in order to be saved. You must believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. That’s where you put your faith. You must be a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Simon Peter is asked a question. Peter, who do people say that I am? Well, they said, some say that you’re John the Baptist. Others say that you’re Elijah. Others say that you’re one of the prophets. All right, now, Peter, who do you say that I am? Peter says, you’re the Christ, the Son of God. of the living God. Do you believe that? Do you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God? I want you to think about this saving confession and listen to me very carefully. It was a personal conviction about Christ. Put it down, a personal conviction. Now, he said, what are other people saying? Well, some say this and some say that and some say the other. Now, Peter, what do you say personally? What is your conviction? Peter says, I believe, I personally believe that you are the Christ. That means the anointed one, the Messiah. I believe that you are the Son of God. Now, how did Peter come to this conclusion? Well, not by taking a poll. Not by going out and saying, what do others say? nor did he come to this conclusion because he had figured it out, not by intellectual investigation. Now, remember, he had been almost three years with Jesus Christ, and yet Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Now, how can you know who Jesus Christ is? Not by taking a poll, not by asking what others think, Very frankly, it makes no difference what others think. Number two, not by bringing your mind and your intellect to the Bible to try to dig truth out of the Bible with your flesh and your blood, your mind, your intellect, your emotions. You’ll never know God except by divine revelation. Now listen, Jesus said, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, You’re blessed. But remember this. It doesn’t matter what others say. It doesn’t matter what you think. What matters is what God reveals to you. Now, I hope you get this. Because if you don’t get this, you’re going to miss the whole thing. Stop looking around and studying world religions. Stop, my friend, bringing your carnal mind to the Word of God. Lay your pride in the dust of And ask God to reveal to you who Jesus Christ is. And I tell you, He will. I promise you on the authority of the Word of God, if you want to know who Jesus Christ is, you can know. But not by taking a poll. Not by intellectual prowess. But by humbling yourself and opening yourself to the Word of God. The Bible says, God hath hidden these things from the wise and the prudent. and hath revealed them unto babes. Are you willing to come with a childlike faith? You say, oh no, I want to strut into the presence of God. Well, you’re not going to strut into the presence of God. Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona. His was a personal conviction about the Lord Jesus Christ. But secondly, I want you to see, not only was it a personal conviction about Christ, but it also was a personal confession of Christ. NOW SIMON PETER WAS NOT ASHAMED, NOT AFRAID TO CONFESS WHAT HE KNEW ABOUT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. ARE YOU ASHAMED TO CONFESS CHRIST? THEN YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HEAVEN. EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE CONVICTION, AND YET YOU DON’T MAKE THE CONFESSION, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HEAVEN. Listen to Romans 10, verses 9 and 10. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth, listen, confession is made unto salvation. Now, you’re in Matthew 16. You could go backward to Matthew 10, but let me just read it to you. Matthew 10, verses 32 and 33. Jesus said, Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Now suppose Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon Peter, who do you say that I am? Suppose Simon Peter said, well… TO HIMSELF. IN MY HEART, I KNOW WHO HE IS. BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE STANDING AROUND HERE. I DON’T WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH HIM OPENLY AND PUBLICLY. SO I’M NOT GOING TO MAKE THIS GREAT CONFESSION THAT HE IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. THERE ARE SOME OF YOU SITTING IN THIS BUILDING THIS MORNING. YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, BUT YOU ARE ASHAMED TO CONFESS HIM BEFORE MEN. I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. WALKING DOWN A CHURCH AISLE DOESN’T SAVE ANYBODY. SHAKING A PASTOR’S HAND DOESN’T SAVE ANYBODY. BUT WHAT IT INDICATES IS WHAT SAVES YOU IS THAT YOU’RE NOT ASHAMED OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. JESUS SAID FRANKLY, CLEARLY, PLAINLY, IF YOU’RE ASHAMED OF ME, I’LL BE ASHAMED OF YOU. THE FAITH THAT WILL NOT LEAD TO CONFESSION WILL NOT LEAD TO HEAVEN. Now, you may be somewhere out in the desert where there’s nobody to confess to. That’s one matter. But when you sit in a congregation like this and an opportunity is given to you to make an acknowledgement of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you ought to gladly say, I want to do it. How could you believe? How could you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and be ashamed of Him? It’s impossible. It’s impossible if you truly believed it, that he is the very Son of God. We’re talking about the saving confession of the church. It was a personal conviction. It was a personal confession. And then it was a personal conversion. Notice what Jesus said. Jesus said, And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock… I will build my church. Now, Jesus is making a play on words. We’re going to see later that Jesus is the foundation of the church, that Jesus is the bedrock upon which the church is built. But Jesus says to him, and I say that you are Peter. Now, his name prior to this has been Simon. What does the name Simon mean? It means something unstable. You remember the scripture? Simon, Satan has desired you that he might sift you as wheat. We could call him Shifty. But now Jesus calls him Rocky. Jesus gives him another name, Peter, Petras. It means rock. It means boulder. He says, that’s all right, Peter. Now I’m going to change your name. No longer are you Simon Johnson, Bar-Jonah. That’s what it means, Simon Johnson, son of John. Now your name is Peter. Maybe his nickname was Rocky. Hmm. Now, you’re Peter. You are a rock. Now, Jesus is the foundation rock. We’re going to see that later on. But now Peter has the same nature as Jesus. Peter doesn’t just have a piece of the rock. He is a piece of the rock. He has become a partaker of the divine nature. Now, let me tell you this about a Christian. A Christian is just not a nicer person or not just a nicer person. A Christian is somebody who’s had a miracle. He has become a partaker of the divine nature. Have you become a partaker of the divine nature? Have you? I mean, does God live in you? Has there been a change in your nature? The Bible says clearly and plainly, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, a new creation. Christians… are not a tadpole who finally turns into a frog. Christians are a frog turned into a prince by the kiss of grace. There is a divine, supernatural change. You have a change in your life. Has there been a change in your life? Or have you just joined a church? Now, what is the saving confession of the church? It is a personal conviction about Christ. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. It is a public confession of that Christ. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. This is what I say. And it is a powerful conversion. Now you have become a piece of the rock. Now I say to you, that that’s what a New Testament church is built upon. Nobody is qualified for membership in this church. or in any church, your church out there, who does not believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who’s not willing to confess openly and publicly and unashamedly that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and had a transformation by receiving Jesus Christ into their heart and into their life. You know what has happened to so many churches today? Churches have become sort of social clubs. But obviously, it’s easier to get into some churches than it is some social clubs. At least they have some standards. Many churches today, rather than a sheepfold, have become a zoo where everybody gets in and nobody gets out. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is built upon a saving confession. Who do you say that I am? Peter says, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Have you said that? Have you confessed that? Has there been a change in your life? Has there? I say, has there? All right, let’s go on. The second thing I want you to see, not only the saving confession of the church, but I want you to see the sovereign construction of the church. Notice what Jesus says. Just keep your Bibles open. I say unto thee that thou art Peter… And upon this rock, I’m reading now verse 18, and upon this rock I will build my church. Now the church is sovereignly constructed. Jesus did not say you will build my church. He didn’t say I will build your church. Jesus said, upon this rock, I will build my church. Flesh and blood cannot build the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Jesus’ church, and He is the one that builds it. Now, we’re not talking about the building. We’re not talking about this building here. This building is just a sheepshed. This is not the church. It’s where the church meets. You are the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. I heard one day about a man who was filling out a form And on that form it said church preference. He put red brick. And we’re not talking about a building. We’re talking about a group of people that Jesus Christ has redeemed by his shed blood. Now, Jesus is the architect of the church. Jesus is the builder of the church. And Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church. Jesus says, upon this rock, I will build my church. Now, some people say that the church is built upon Simon Peter. That’s absurd. The church is built upon Jesus Christ. BIBLE SAYS CLEARLY AND PLAINLY 1 CORINTHIANS 3 VERSE 11 FOR OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST JESUS IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH JESUS IS MAKING A PLAY ON WORDS JESUS SAID I SAY TO YOU THAT YOU ARE PETER THE GREEK WORD THERE IS PETROS P-E-T-R-O-S IF WE WERE TO ANGLICIZE IT AND UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH But he doesn’t use the word Petros again. He uses another word. Thou art Petros, and upon this Petra, P-E-T-R-A, I will build my church. What’s the difference between Petros and Petra? One word means a rock like a boulder. Another word means a rock like a rock stratum, a ledge, a foundation, a massive rock. Now, Jesus says, Peter, you’re a piece of the rock. You’re a boulder, but I am the foundation. And upon this foundation stone, I will build my church. What is the foundation stone upon which the church is built? What Peter’s just said, you’re the Christ, the son of the living God. That’s right. And upon that rock, I will build my church. On Christ, the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord. I’m not looking back to some ancestral priest. I’m so grateful the church is not built upon Simon Peter. Simon Peter was a sinner like you are, like I am. If you continue to read this chapter and a few verses later, Jesus had to rebuke Simon Peter and say, get thee behind me, Satan. You’re an offense unto me. The church is built upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the solid rock. He is the one who is building the church. And therefore, I want to tell you something, folks. The church will be built. The church will be completed. Philippians 1, 6, he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it. What God starts, God will complete. He will present it to himself, a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. And don’t you feel beleaguered. You are on the winning side. And we have beneath us the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. I heard of a woman one day who was dying. And she seemed to be comatose. Others standing around the bedside thought she could not hear what was being said. But many times people who are dying, who cannot articulate, cannot speak, they can hear, they can understand. And so they were talking about her. She was a great Christian, had a glorious experience with the Lord Jesus Christ. And somebody said, well, she’s sinking. She opened her eyes and said, sinking? How can one sink through a rock? She was resting on the Lord Jesus Christ, and so am I. So there’s the sovereign construction of the church. Here’s the third thing I want you to see. I want you to see the spiritual composition of the church. Now, Jesus said, upon this rock, I will build my church. Well, what is the composition of the church? What does he build the church out of? Out of stone, living stones. Now, Simon Peter knew he was not the foundation of Put in your margin 1 Peter 2 verse 5. Now here’s what Peter thought about that. Here’s what Peter himself wrote about that. He says, ye also as lively stones, that is living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood. Now what Peter is saying is that Jesus taught me one day that he was the foundation of And I am a stone. But he said, you also are living stones. We’re not dead stones. We’re living stones. And we are built upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the very word church, he says, I will build my church. It’s the Greek word ekklesia. And it means a called out assembly. What the Lord Jesus Christ is doing is in Memphis, he’s calling out some people. In Toledo, he’s calling out some people. In Spain, he’s calling out some people. In Japan, he’s calling out some people. In Jakarta, he’s calling out some people. In Australia, he’s calling out some people. And he’s calling them by the Holy Spirit and by the preaching of the Word of God. A stone here, a stone here, a stone here, a stone here. And all of these stones are built upon the foundation, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a living stone. He is a living stone. He is a living stone. You are a living stone if you confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the master builder, the Lord Jesus Christ, is putting stone upon stone upon stone. Here’s a stone. Here’s a stone. Here’s a stone. And what our Lord Jesus Christ is doing is building a spiritual house. Now let’s think about that for a little bit. Let’s think a little bit about the composition of the church. Friend, first of all, I want you to know that we are built together. That’s the reason we must have the church. We are a building. Do you ever hear of a one stone building? Do you ever hear of a one brick building? No, friend, you can take a stone and push it around. You can take a brick and shove it around. It’s hard to shove a building around. Besides that, one stone, one brick doesn’t make a house. Therefore, you apart from me and I apart from you, I’m not what I ought to be, what I could be. We are standing together. Listen to me. We are built together. And because we’re built together, we are bonded together. Now, you don’t just take stones and stack them up. Stones have to be bonded together. Jesus Christ is the foundation. We are living stones like Peter. Peter, you’re a rock. You’re a boulder. Now, our Lord is taking these stones, these living stones, and He’s putting them in place. What keeps them from falling apart? They’re bound together. What is the mortar that holds us together? It is love. We are bound together by love. We sing it, we are one in the bond of love. It’s that love that holds us together. People look at this church, they can’t understand this church. They say, who are those people? What brings them all together? What is the commonality that they have? They come from different backgrounds, different educational achievements, different tastes, different proclivities. Even root for different ball teams. Some folks don’t even root for Florida. Now, what is it? What is it that holds us together? What is the mortar? Friend, it is L-O-V-E, love, that holds these stones together. Besides that, not only does the love hold us together, love holds us apart. You know, every stone is not perfect. Some stones have bulges and bumps, and other stones have cavities and chips. But where there’s a bulge, the mortar gives, and where there’s a cavity, the mortar fills. Isn’t that what love does? Let me tell you something, folks. what keeps us together what binds us together we are built together we are bonded together now listen and because we are built together and bonded together we are blessed together people say well you’ll be just as good a christian outside the church as you can be inside the church just one thing wrong with that is not so just not so Friend, I’m telling you that when we come to worship on Sunday morning, when we come, Peter says you are built up a spiritual house. What does that mean? A place for the spirit to live. God’s spirit comes. Why did Jesus say a little later in Matthew chapter 18, for where two or three of you are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. I’m telling you folks that Jesus Christ is in this place this morning in a way that he’s not out there. In a way, he’s not out there. Now, he’s omnipresent. There’s no place where he is not. But there is his manifested presence when God’s people come together. God comes to dwell with them and to meet with them. And we are blessed together. How good it is when God’s people get together. That’s the reason the Bible says we’re not to forsake this, sending ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another so much the more. ONE WOMAN HEARD THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES MIGHT VISIT A PARTICULAR CHURCH. SHE WANTED TO BE THERE TO MEET THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. AND SO SHE CALLED THE CHURCH OFFICE, GOT HOLD OF THE PASTOR, AND SHE SAID, IS IT TRUE THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE IN YOUR SERVICES SUNDAY MORNING? HE SAID, NO, MADAM, IT’S NOT TRUE, BUT THE KING OF KINGS WILL BE THERE, AND YOU’RE WELCOME TO COME. AMEN? LISTEN, JESUS CHRIST SAID, WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME, THERE AM I IN THE MIDST OF THEM. Can you be a Christian without being a church member? Well, yes. I guess you could be a bee without a hive and a sailor without a ship and a parent without a family. But in my estimation, if you’re truly saved, you’re going to want to be a member of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. You say, well, it looks like church on the losing end. Well, friend, I’ll tell you something. When Jesus said this in Matthew chapter 16, upon this rock I’ll build my church, his ministry was at its lowest ebb. The crowds had all forsaken him. AND CALVARY WAS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. AND YET JESUS SAID, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. WOODROW WILSON SAID, I HAD RATHER TEMPORARILY FAIL WITH A CAUSE THAT MUST ULTIMATELY SUCCEED THAN TO TEMPORARILY SUCCEED WITH A CAUSE THAT MUST ULTIMATELY FAIL. I TELL YOU, THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS HIS CHURCH. AND HE SAID, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. NOW, HERE’S THE NEXT THING I WANT YOU TO SEE. IT’S WHAT I WANT TO CALL THE SINGULAR COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH. THE SINGULAR COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH. We talked about the construction, the composition, the confession. What is the commission of the church? Well, listen to it. In verse 19, Jesus said, And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Now, away with these jokes about St. Peter holding the keys to let you in and out of heaven at the pearly gates. What’s he talking about when he says, I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven? What are the keys of the kingdom of heaven? The truth. Gospel truth. Salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. The word key here stands for knowledge. Back in… Jesus’ day, there were scribes. These were people who were teachers of the Word of God, and the scribe would wear a key on his belt, not to unlock doors with. It was a symbol to symbolize the truth that he held. For example, the Bible says in Luke 11, verse 52, He’s speaking of knowledge. Here’s a key. Matthew 13, verse 52 says, Jesus said, Therefore every scribe which is instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. What he is saying is this. I’m going to give to you some truth, some keys that you can use to get people into the kingdom of heaven. What a blessing and what a responsibility. What is my responsibility and what is your responsibility? Now you say, you say, listen to me. THAT YOU HAVE MADE THE CONFESSION, JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD. YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE PART OF THE CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, WHAT THE LORD SAID TO PETER, HE’S ALSO SAYING TO YOU, THAT HE IS PLACING IN YOUR HANDS, LISTEN, THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. NOW HERE HE TELLS PETER, WHATEVER YOU BIND ON EARTH SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN. WHATEVER YOU LOOSE ON EARTH SHALL BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN. He says the same thing to all of them over here in Matthew chapter 18. It’s not simply to Peter. It’s not that Peter only is the keeper of the keys. We all are keeper of the keys. We’re all custodians of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. What is the singular commission of the church? Let me tell you what it is. The singular commission of the church is to bring souls bound in the chains of the gospel and lay them at Jesus’ feet. Our job is to win souls to Jesus Christ. Now, our job is not to fight communism. Our job is not to fight pornography. Our job is not to fight gambling. Our job is not to fight abortion. Our job is not to fight racism or sexual perversion. The gospel of Jesus Christ applies to all of these things. But friend, listen to me. You can make a man an anti-communist. You can make a man an anti-bigot. You can make a man an anti-pervert without making him a Christian. But you can’t make him a Christian without making him an anti-these other things. You see, the change is in the heart. And if we forget our singular commission, our singular commission is winning souls. Somebody says, well, we need to clothe the naked. Yes, we do. Somebody says, we need to house the homeless. Yes, we do. Somebody says, we need to feed the hungry. Yes, we do. But that is not our singular commission. And if we’re not careful, all we’re doing is making the world a better place to go to hell from. Our singular commission is to bring souls to Jesus Christ. Do you believe that? I hope you believe that. You know, it’s so easy to get sidetracked. The devil doesn’t care whatever else we may do as long as we’re not bringing souls bound in the golden chains of the gospel and lay them at Jesus’ feet. Now, what does this mean? Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. The Greek scholars tell us, and it’s absolutely true, that that the construction of this verse says this, that whatever you bind on earth shall have already been bound in heaven. Now listen, whatever you loose on earth shall have already been loosed in heaven. Now, what Jesus is saying is not, that earth’s will is going to be done in heaven. But what Jesus is saying is that heaven’s will will be done on earth when you use the keys of the kingdom. Now, he is saying, look, I have bound Satan. I have loosed the Holy Spirit. I have come to set the captives free. You have the keys. Whatever you bind, I’ve already bound. Whatever you loose, I’ve already loosed. What a privilege is ours. THAT IS THE SINGULAR COMMISSION OF THE CHURCH, EVANGELISM. JESUS TAKES THIS BOOK OF MATTHEW AND HE ENDS IT, GO YOU THEREFORE AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY GHOST. AND, LORD, I’M WITH YOU ALWAYS EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE EARTH. QUESTION, ARE YOU A SOUL WINNER? YOU SAY, WELL, NO, BUT I’M A CHRISTIAN. TO BE A CHRISTIAN WITHOUT BEING A SOUL WINNER IS LIKE BEING A BUS DRIVER WHO WON’T DRIVE A BUS. It’s a contradiction in terms. You say, well, I’m not gifted to do it. If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus and say He died for all. Let none hear you idly saying there’s nothing I can do while the sons of men are dying and the Master calls for you. Now, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I want you to listen to me today. And that’s not a fun sermon. But if you’re not endeavoring to bring souls to Jesus Christ, you’re not right with God. Amen. You may be a church member. You may be heaven bound. But you’re going to heaven second class. And you’re going to be ashamed when you meet the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the singular commission of the church. I must hurry. I want you to see the settled consummation of the church. The settled consummation of the church. Now notice this, Matthew 16, verse 18. And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. Now listen to this. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. The word that’s translated hell there is the word Hades. It means the abode of the dead. Now what’s he talking about? It’s not here’s the church. behind walls with massive gates and hell is banging on those gates but hell cannot break through no that’s not what he’s talking about gates don’t prevail nobody takes a gates off to war with them the idea is not here that hell is on the offense and church is on the defense no that’s not what he’s saying at all Nor is he saying that the church is going to invade hell and take over hell and possess hell. What do we want with hell? No. What he is saying is this. Because of your faith in me, Simon Peter, the very domain of the dead cannot hold the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Folks, we’re breaking out. We’re breaking out. The very gates of hell… the very domain of the dead, cannot stop the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Centuries have come and gone. The saints have died. One of these days the trumpet will sound. One of these days our Lord will come. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Friend, we’re going up. SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, THE CHURCH IS ON ITS WAY OUT. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. JESUS HAS CALLED THE CHURCH OUT. JESUS HAS SENT THE CHURCH OUT. AND ONE DAY HE’S COMING TO TAKE THE CHURCH OUT. I HEARD A PREACHER ONE TIME, COUNTRY PREACHER, TOLD A REMARKABLE STORY. I MAY HAVE SHARED IT WITH YOU. I DON’T REMEMBER. BUT HE SAID IN A POND, PARTICULAR POND, THERE WAS A GREAT HUGE CATFISH. I MEAN, A BIG ONE. And that catfish would swim around that pond. He owned that pond. And all the little minnows were afraid of him. But eventually he’d catch them and gobble them up. Just swallow them, swallow them, swallow them. Swallow them whole. Just suck them in. In go the minnow. He had a belly full of minnows swimming around on the inside of him. Great big old huge catfish. But one day he made a mistake. He swallowed a very special minnow. Took him in. That special minnow began to swim around and then swam over the side of that catfish and began to chew on his side. And chewed a hole in the side of that big old catfish and swam out. And all the other minnows swam out with him. That big old catfish is death. He’s been swallowing this person, swallowing that person, swallowing this person, swallowing that person. One day he swallowed Jesus. That was his mistake. That was his mistake because the Lord Jesus Christ has eaten a hole in the side of death and become the death of death. And the very gates of hell will not prevail against the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me tell you something, friend. If you say that you’re saved, you’re going to love the church of Jesus Christ. You’re going to attend the church. You’re going to defend the church. You’re going to commend the church. And you’re going to extend the church if you love Jesus Christ. I love the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember the great confession? Peter says of Jesus, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Can you say that? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Do you believe He’s the Messiah? What does that mean? He’s the one who paid for your sin with His blood on the cross. Do you believe it? Are you willing to confess it? Openly and publicly. I believe that you’re the Christ, the Son of the living God. So that He can change your life. Would you pray a prayer like this? Oh God, I’m a sinner and I’m lost. I need to be saved. I need to be saved. Jesus, I believe you died for me. I believe you paid for my sin with your blood. Lord Jesus, as you changed Simon Peter so long ago and made a boulder out of him, Lord, change me today. I want to be a living stone. I want to be a part of your church. built on your foundation, Lord Jesus. Come into my heart. Forgive my sin. Save me, Jesus. Amen.
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