Text: Mathew 16: 16 – 20
MEMORY VERSE:
Mathew 16: 18 “And I say unto you, that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”
INTRODUCTION
The word church is from the Greek word ‘EKKLESIA’ which means the assembly of the called out ones. EKKLESIA was from 2 root words EK – OUT OF; KALEO – TO CALL. Therefore the church are people called and separated from the world of sin unto the living God (1 Peter 2: 9) says you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praise of him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light. Thus, church is people called unto the saving of their souls.
THE MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH
- The saved souls are the church (Hebrew 12: 23)
- The church is the pillar of the truth (1Timothy 3. 15)
- The church is refer to living saints (Romans 1: 7, Colossians 1: 2)
- She is to show forth God’s glory on earth (1Peter 2: 9, Ephesians 2: 10)
- She is in a spiritual warfare (2 Corinthians 10: 3 – 7, Ephesians 6: 10 – 17)
- She is the bride of Christ (2 Corinthians 11: 2, Revelation 19: 7 – 9)
- She is the figure in dispensation of grace (John 1: 14, 16 –17)
- Christ is the head of the church (1Corinthians 11: 3, Colossians 1: 18)
- The church is the extension of God’s kingdom on Earth. {Col 1,13}
- The church is the power of God on earth. {Lk 10,19 MK 16,17]
- The Church is the body of Christ while Christ is the head of the Church. {Eph 1,22}
CONCLUSION
Church is not just the building or an edifice, but an assembly of God’s people, saved and sanctified from the world and into the liberty of Christ.
