July 21 | Disciples Build the Church

Series | The Life of Discipleship

Scripture | Matthew 16:18, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Lesson 21 | Disciples Build the Church

When Jesus was on this earth He had a two-part mission. His first mission was to redeem lost mankind by His death on the cross and His second mission was to build a living organization that would remain after His departure to heaven and represent His teachings upon the earth.

This living organization is called the “church.” The Greek word for church is “ekklesia.”  Ekklesia means “called out ones who gather together.”  The church refers to people who have been called out of the world and gather together to know God and to make Him known.  The main purpose for Jesus making disciples was so that they could be apart of His church and spread the Word of God to all the nations.

One day Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was. Peter received a revelation from the Father and said that Jesus was the “Christ” or the “Anointed One.”  Jesus then replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it,” Matthew 16:17-18.

Jesus declared that upon the revelation of who He was that He was going to build a church that Satan himself could not even stop. Gates are meant to keep people out. And since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, Satan has had power over this earth. But now for anyone who believes Jesus is the Christ they will invade the Devil’s territory and establish the Kingdom of God!

Jesus came and destroyed the works of the devil on the cross and established His church and told His disciples to go into the entire world and make more disciples.  Therefore, because of the work of the disciples throughout the ages Jesus is the most well known name in the world, the Bible is the most read book, and Christianity grows 8x faster than the rate of birth!

Today you must join this church and build it with the power of God. When you help build the church with the knowledge of who Jesus is and with the Word of God the gates of hell will not prevail against it. The gates of hell will not prevail in your house, community, city, or nation!

Reflection | Do you want to build the church with Jesus?

Action | (1) Join a great church. (2) Do whatever it takes to be a servant leader in your local church. (3) Lastly, be faithful and co-labor with Jesus and His other disciples to build the church, 1 Corinthians 3:9!     

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | 2 Chronicles 4:1-6:11, Romans 7:1-13, Psalm 17:1-15, & Proverbs 19:22-23. Click here to read online.