21/11/2013 Today’s Meditation: Matthew 16:13-20 The Caesarean Discourse 5 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” Mat 16:18. There are deep revelations in this simple assertion of Jesus Christ seen in this verse. 1. MY CHURCH – for the first time, Jesus used the term church to describe His disciples. This morning let us look at the phrase “my church”. Please note that He did not say our church but My church. The church of God is an exclusive property of Jesus Christ. He paid the price for it; He purchased it with His blood. Jesus died for the church; it is the product of His sacrificial dead and His resurrection. If Jesus did not die and rose again, there will be no church. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” Acts 20:28. “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” 1Pet 1:18-19. It is a terrible error to turn the church of God which is an exclusive property of Jesus Christ into a personal possession. That is one of the greatest errors of the modern times. First, it was the denominationization of the church. In church history, it started with the breaking up of the Eastern Church from the Western church; it was purely a political matter. Then came the Reformation that led to the Protestant being separated from the Roman dominations and errors. The Church of England breaking away also was a political move; and the story continues until the advent of Pentecostal movements. Today the situation is terrible. Every Tom, Dick and Harry starts denominations in their names as a personal enterprise. It is common in our day to see a man starting a denomination; the man is the chairman board of trustee, his wife is the treasurer and the first son is the secretary. It is painful that the church of God is now a family business. Also common today are ministries bearing individual names. You will see things like “Simon Jonah Peters Ministries international”, Paul of Tarsus ministries International ( I am sorry for using the names of respected Apostles; I dare not use personal names here). There personal ministries are organised, managed and inherited as if they are owned by the founders. Church of God is passed from husband to wife and from father to children as family business without any recourse to Christ who said “My Church”. Any man who personalise what Christ purchased with His blood is not only an enemy of the cross, he is also a child of hell. Those who build personal business empire and call it church are servants of hell; they are making money at the expense of Christ’s death. Their judgement is awaiting them in eternity. Beloved, never be part of those who see the church as an opportunity for money making; don’t start or be involved in “church business”. I pastor a church by His grace but the church is not mine. There is nothing in the church that is my personal property. No penny of the church comes to my hand from day one. My children are not inheriting it. There is no Aaronic inheritance in the New Testament. If you are a minister of God reading me, beware of greed; don’t think the way to make more money is to go and start your own church where you will have a total control over all the money. The truth of the matter is that majority of these personal churches are founded for economic reason; they are personal enterprises. Please, do not be involved in these modern day madness. Stare clear of those who are making money at the expense of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The church belongs to Jesus and Him alone. The true church is one. Jesus Christ said “I will build my church”; He did not say churches. The church of Jesus Christ is one all over the world. It can never be fragmented or personalised. I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ. I hope you are too? Your labour in the body of Christ will not be a wasted labour that has no eternal record in Jesus name. The church will not be a waiting lounge for hell for you in Jesus name. Have a blessed day. It is well with you in Jesus name.
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 05:04:25 +0000
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