Week 3: Return to Our Vision
Today’s Focus: Building of Our Church
Matthew 16:18 (NIV)
And I tell you that you are Peter,[a] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[b] will not overcome it.
Jesus built the church to do His bidding on earth. It’s the church that Jesus wants to display His manifold wisdom.
Ephesians 3:10 (NIV)
His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,
Every time the church was persecuted, it was multiplied and went all over the world.
God is setting us up today for something great.
Acts 8:1-3 (NIV)
And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Saul thought the early church was a cult or sect and that he might be doing God a favor.
Acts 9:1-5 (NIV)
Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.
Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, “why do you persecute me (not the church).”
Jesus was saying that I am so closely associated with the church, that I am the church. You are really persecuting me.
We are becoming more like Jesus, not just His appearance but also His personality. We are to look more like Jesus every day.
What does Jesus look like?
Authentic - He was real. He was out among the people.
Relevant - He talked about things people cared about.
Incredibly enjoyable. He was not sad nor mad. He was a delightful person.
Accepting. The people who were the down and out ones, rushed to Him.
Powerful - They could touch His cloths and get healed.
Let’s build the church today!
