Building Christ’s Church

 Matthew 16:13-20, Romans 12:4-8

In Matthew Jesus asks the disciples who they think he is. Good ‘ole Peter had the answer, “You are the Messiah, the Son of God.” To this Christ praises him and changes his name from Simon to Peter which means rock. Jesus proclaims that he will build his church upon him. Peter goes on to convert thousands of Jewish people into Christ’s church and after a dream he is told that Gentiles can also become Christ’s church.

Well God chose another to spread the gospel throughout the land and the entire world at that time. This one would never pass a resume for this position today. You see he was a zealous hater of Christians and went about arresting them. But Jesus saw the potential in him and in a dramatic conversion turned Paul from hunting Christians to becoming one and recruiting – making Christians.

Paul in our Romans passage talks about what makes up Christ’s church. He talks about the many members and what gifts they have to contribute to the body of Christ – Christ’s church.

He talks about the gifts given to us differing according to the grace he has given us. Talk about grace, God used a bumbling fisherman to build his church on due to his great faith in Christ. Paul talks about the gift of prophecy in proportion to faith. Christ was so impressed by Peter’s faith that he gave him the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Then God chooses an enemy of Christianity to turn into the greatest missionary of Christianity. Who are we then to question if God can use us or not? Paul goes on to tell how one exercises their gifts: prophecy in proportion of faith, ministry in ministering, teacher in teaching, exhorter in exhortation, giver in generosity, leader in diligence, compassionate in cheerfulness.

We are not then to put our gifts on the shelf – we are to use them to help the body, to help build up the church of Christ. While Peter, the disciples, and Paul had a job to build the church, we each have a role to play to keep the church of Christ built up. It’s by exercising our gifts, knowing like Peter did that Jesus is our Savior, the son of God.

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