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Matthew 16:17-20
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
To the question, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Today’s passage records the Lord’s response to Peter’s answer.
Jesus said that Peter’s answer was a result of special revelation, revealed by “my Father in heaven.” Jesus went on to say that He would build His church on this confession. The body of Christ is based on the eternal, unchangeable truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One—the Son of the living God.
There are things in our world that are in direct opposition to what Christians believe. Many despise Christianity and desire to destroy the faith and the faithful. We should never be surprised at this. Scripture says that Satan is the prince of the world. He is a liar, deceiver, and destroyer. But he will never win because the community of believers, called the Church, is built on the Son of the living God. Nothing, not even the gates of hell, will ever overcome it.
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Body—the Church. Thank You for the privilege of being a part of it. Thank You for the promise that nothing will ever destroy it. In Your name. Amen.
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