Church On The Rock

While people are waiting on a move of God … God is waiting on a move of people!

Key Scriptures: Acts 2 NKJV

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Our Key Scriptures for today paint a picture of the very first church congregation, how they began and became the great church of Jerusalem. That church, described in the book of Acts, is a pattern church. These men who founded, established, structured and managed this church all knew Jesus personally. They were Apostles, disciples or relatives who were committed to accomplishing the vision Jesus died for. What was that vision?

Matthew 16 NKJV

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

20 Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ.

Why did Jesus command His disciples not to tell anyone He was the Messiah? It was not time. You see, it is not always the time we think it is or should be … it is God who makes all things complete in His time, not ours!

But, back to the vision Jesus just gave His disciples …

Verse 18: “… on this rock I will build My church …”

1 John 3:8b says the reason Jesus came to earth was to destroy the works of the devil.

How was He going to destroy the works of the devil? What tool or strategy would He use? Ah! The Church! Jesus was going to build His church in such a manner that the gates of hell could not win against the church.

Later, after Jesus had been crucified, had died, was buried and had resurrected, He spent 40 days continuing to teach His followers and prepare them to fulfill their destiny. At Christ’s ascension from the Mount of Olives, He gives His farewell command and commissions His followers to begin the process of building His church.

Matthew 28 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

From this point we watch their efforts unfold beginning with the book of Acts. One week later, recorded in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon 120 people praying in a locked room and filled them all with the power of God to be a witness and accomplish the work Jesus left with them.

The efforts of their witness that day saw 3000 people born again. These 3000 new believers became disciples and committed themselves to one another providing the foundation for the first church in the world to be birthed in the city of Jerusalem. A few weeks later another 5000 were saved and joined the church. Wow! Things were really rolling now. (Acts 6) But how were they really doing? Were they accomplishing Jesus commands? Would their efforts lead to the fulfillment of His vision?

Remember, Jesus’ vision was to build a church and He would do so by making disciples.

Is there any way to see if the vision was being accomplished? Sure there was … and there is today … God has not left Himself without a witness!

For example, when we look at the Authorized Version of the Bible, the KJV, we can track the progress of Jesus’ vision and easily see what happened in that first 40 years, the first generation of Believers if you will.

We will look at a simple chart I have put together … let me explain:

New Testament Disciple(s) Church

Gospels 226 3

Acts 29 22

Epistles 0 71

Revelation 0 19

In the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the word translated Disciple(s) is mentioned 226 times and the word translated Church is only mentioned 3 times, two of those in one scripture verse. You see in the beginning the main focus was disciples and the church was just a dream, a vision, a hope of Christ. As time goes on and we get to the book of Acts we see the word disciple spoken only 29 times and the church being referred to 22 times.

Now, after we leave the book of Acts and get into the Epistles, from the book of Romans all the way through Jude, and even throughout the book of Revelation, the word disciple is never mentioned again. Rather the Church has become the only focus and is now the force Jesus intended to be reckoned with in the earth. This process of making disciples in order to build a Church On The Rock took only about 10 to 15 years of that generation. Perhaps the reason it took so long was that it was the first attempt!

I know Jesus wants us to be disciples and there is a season of life when we need to be taught the first principles of our faith and give ourselves in pursuit of learning Christ. However, the major portion of our life is meant to be spent as functioning members of the church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the Family of God in the earth, joined together and committed to one another and to the principles of our faith so that we stand firmly in the way of satan’s attempts to take over our lives, families, communities, our schools, our economy, our government, our nation and the world.

If you don’t know Christ and His Word, submit yourself to discipleship today. Attend every church meeting we have from Sunday school, Sunday Worship, Wednesday classes and church, Home Groups, Bible Studies, Mentoring Meetings, Leadership Training, Prayer Meetings and Praise Gatherings. Pray and ask God to show you who you can submit yourself to for some personal one on one time to be discipled.

One of the best ways to be discipled is to get involved in the church. Getting involved in the work and mission’s outreaches of our church is a life changing experience.

Disciples become the church.

The results of any efficient discipleship effort will be a local church.

In fact, everywhere the apostles went and worked they left a church.

Even the book of Revelation is written to the church … I suppose Jesus expects the church to be active and involved on planet earth, standing in the way, resisting satan, until the very end.

Disciples become the church

Remember I told you that the church in Jerusalem was a pattern church. I said this because the church has to be birthed in every generation. You see, God has no grandchildren, He only has children and we must continue to work His strategy and keep the great commission in order to accomplish His vision and raise up a church in our generation that the gates of hell cannot prevail against.

Earth without a church belongs to the devil. A city without the church is at satan’s mercy. (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

What can we do to insure we are doing our part to fulfill Jesus vision in our day?

Acts 2

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

In Other Words They were fully committed to:

1. Prayer

2. Searching the Word of God for answers to life’s daily questions and applying those answers to life

3. Making time in their busy schedules for Church and Christian friends.

As we do so we will become a Church of Disciples, built strong like a Church On The Rock which the gates of hell cannot prevail against.