THE CHURCH IS RIGHT

                                                MATTHEW 16:13-21                                                        

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH IS RIGHT!

1. The Lord Jesus said, He, Himself is the Foundation [Mt. 16:13-21, 7:21-27]

2. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, said Jesus is the Foundation [1 Cor. 3:10-11]

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

3. The Holy Spirit, through Peter, said Jesus is the Foundation [1 Pet. 2:1-8]

Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

II. THE FOCUS OF THE CHURCH IS RIGHT!                                             

At least it is if the Church:

1. Evangelizes the World [Mt. 28:18-19a]

2. Instructs the Believers [Mt. 28:19b-20]

3. Glorifies the Lord [Mt. 5:16, Jn. 15:8, 1 Co. 10:31]

Mt. 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Jn. 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples

1 Co. 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

III. THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH IS RIGHT!

1. The Rapture of the Church [1 Co. 15:50-58]

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

2. The Return of the Church [Jude 14, Rev. 19:11-16]

Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints

3. The Reign of the Church [2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 5:10, 11:15, 20:6, 22:5]

2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: