A Church That Honors God, Part 2
“… This is the rock on which I will put together My church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.” Matthew 16:18 (MSG)
No organization on earth is more exciting and eternal than the church built on the rock of Jesus Christ! The church is the hope of the world because Jesus is the Living Hope! When Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was, Peter responded without hesitation, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:16 (MSG) He had been with Jesus long enough, and witnessed first-hand His miraculous power, and heard the message of His teaching to know that He was no ordinary man. He was the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God! No wonder he left everything to follow Jesus!
Jesus told Peter, "God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn't get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God Himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together My church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.” Matthew 16:17-18 (MSG) This is the kind of church that honors God, one that is built on the same confession as Peter, that Jesus Christ, alone, is the Messiah and the hope of the world. Jesus promised that the church that honors Him would become so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to prevail against it! Are you part of a church like that? The church that honors God operates on four dynamic principles. Look for these in the church you affiliate with. If they’re not there, ask yourself, “Why not?” Understand that just because the word “church” is on the sign, doesn’t necessarily mean it is one that honors God. What are those four principles? We’ll cover the first two today.
First, the church that honors God dreams big! It honors God when we believe God for great things. He called us to go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every nation in the Great Commission. And a great commitment to the great commission will grow a great church! William Carey, the father of modern missions, said, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” In Ephesians 3:20 (TLB), the Bible says, “Now glory be to God, who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of – infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.” God’s mighty power is at the church’s disposal! What are you believing God for in your life right now? In your church? Is your dream bigger than what you can do alone? Does it frighten you? If not, then it’s probably not a God-sized dream. God’s vision will take God’s ability to accomplish so that God alone receives the glory! Here are two truths about a God-honoring vision for your life and the church.
God’s vision is bigger than your ability.
And God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things!
This gives me hope and encourages my faith as a pastor and member of a local church that seeks to honor God! Dream big!
Second, pray hard! The bigger you dream, the harder you’ll pray. Obstacles and impossibilities, problems and pressures will always come. Life is filled with disappointments that will try to snuff out your vision. Keep praying! Problems are really opportunities in disguise. They will bring you to your knees. But look what Jesus said in Matthew 5:3 (MSG), “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” At the end of your rope, you’ll discover that God is your only hope! One of the lessons I’ve learned at Woodlands Church is that God fights for you when you fall on your knees and surrender to Him. The church is His business. He is the founder and CEO of His church, and He promised that not even the gates of hell of prevail against her! Why? Because the church is not only His business, but the church is His bride, and He loves her. The church is His body, and He will never die! He is the eternal God! The more you realize that, the bigger you will dream and the harder you will pray.
Tomorrow we’ll look at two more dynamic principles of a church that honors God.