Commencing 4th September 2022
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus declares “I will build my church”. As church growth seems slow, and
relationships can seem at times strained, and our society seems increasingly anti God and his church
it’s easy to doubt these words of Jesus. Is Jesus really building his church?
My prayer is that Matthew 14-18 will grow our confidence in the power and identity of the one who
says these words, grow our understanding of how he is going about it, and encourage us as to who
will be part of it.
Matthew 14-18 shows us that Jesus truly is Immanuel – God with us. He is the son of the living God.
Matthew 14-18 shows us that Jesus is building his church through humility, compassion, and through
suffering and death. Despite people’s expectations of a different kind of Messiah Jesus spends time
teaching his disciples how he will build his church.
Matthew 14-18 shows us that Jesus WILL build his church despite those who oppose him. As he goes
on to say: “the gates of hell will not overcome it.”
Matthew 14-18 encourages us with who will be part of the church. People of faith, people from Jews
and Gentiles. People who come to Jesus. Jesus’ teaching in chapter 18 also outline for us how this
community should behave, turning much of the world upside down. We gain honour by serving. We
show forgiveness not revenge.
Matthew 14-18 I pray will grow our confidence that Jesus is building his church in our world because
he is God, he builds it despite opposition and suffering, and he is building it with people who come
to him in faith as the one who suffering, died, and rose again to bring people into the church.
You can listen to all of the sermons in this series below: