Jesus’ declaration was in reference to what would be His Body.
With the crucifixion, Jesus’ physical body would appear assailed and defeated - with Jesus’ life appearing to have been snuffed out, dead.
But, the resurrection and then the infusion of the His Spirit into His brothers and sisters would be proof of life and Life’s overcoming - that life, and especially Life, is not merely what we can see and touch, but that life is God’s to distribute and sustain at His will. And then there’s Life, Life in Christ, Life in the Spirit - Life in those born again into the Life of the Spirit, to the Father, in Christ (John 3)
Jesus was declaring that the “body prepared for Him” (Heb 10:5) had fulfilled its purpose, in and by which Jesus would accomplish His Father’s will. And that now there would be a “new Body” that Christ would indwell, a body, not destined for the cross, but destined to bring glory to the Father, to finish, with Jesus, His mission and demonstrate to all creation the riches of the glory of God’s grace showered on men and women
Ephesians 2:4-10
“...because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Jesus “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”
Matthew 16:13-18
“13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18And 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.
How will He build it?
Matthew 16:18 Jesus “...and on this Stone I will build it…”
● Jesus Himself the Rock - Petra
○ (Chief) Cornerstone - Petros
○ The Living Stone - lithos
● Testimony of the Gospel
● Peter as - stone - Petros
○ Foundational Apostle
○ One of the many living stones - lithos
1Peter 2:1-10
1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”
7Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
● All believers - living stones
● On Jesus the Cornerstone
○ Anchor and support
○ Giving direction
○ Keeping in line
Built on the foundation of the apostles - Jesus has them given leadership
○ Equip the saints to do the work, while
○ Building up the body into the head
○ Until we all reach unity
Phil 2 “have then the same attitude as Jesus… humble… servant… gave himself up to death…
Eph 4:1-6, 12-16, 29-32
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all… Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work…
29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
1Cor 12:7,11-26 The Body of Christ… that anchor and support, keeping in line and direction, to the holding together
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good… 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines...
● Knit together like a body -
○ Colossians 2:19 “connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.”
Romans 12:3, 9-10
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you… 9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
● To care for one another - 1Cor 12:25-26
○ Serving
○ Caring
○ Protecting - and that, usually, from ourselves
12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by c one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
