“So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it.”
It is fascinating how prophets throughout the ages have had parts of the knowledge of what the church will be in the end and what signs there will be.
It seems the end times has been a constant expectation with possible imminence. That as veils of revelation are peeled back, the picture becomes ever clearer and the parts of the puzzle become increasingly constructed.
Peter, who Jesus named as the rock on which He would build His church, has much to contribute to this construction and his words make increasing sense as we come to what is today.
He identifies the hope.
“Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on.
That our faith is firm in knowing we receive protection until the last.
“You have faith in God, whose power will protect you until the last day. Then he will save you, just as he has always planned to do.”
That we are invested with a promise when Christ returned.
“Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honour and glory when Jesus Christ returns.”
Christ’s church has to be built for His return and that He is the Living stone that people have rejected and more so the cornerstone.
“It is just as God says in the Scriptures, “Look! I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone. No one who has faith in this one will be disappointed.”
The capping stone as the head of the body that builds the spiritual body and we are the holy priesthood.
‘’Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honoured. And now you are living stones being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.”
We are already called to share His throne as co-heirs but are the living stones in His church.
“He lets us rule as kings and serve God his Father as priests. To him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.”
Peter’s vision of this different church was prophesy of the church birthed at Pentecost but equally relevant to the spiritual church that will be birthed following these birth pangs of the born again, spirit filled, living stones of the church to come not based in a building but in the people who simultaneously will become the bride ready for her bridegroom.
The true representation of the family of God where children will be born into what He is bringing forth.
“But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things he has done. The Scriptures say,”
Church is a spiritual body in Christ’s body in a way that Peter glimpsed and prophesied but had not reached the time to be revealed in its reality.
The illustration shows us being made into a royal priesthood and kings. Light emanating to push back the darkness.
Nine Scriptures that come to mind:
“So I will call you Peter, which means “a rock.” On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it.” Matthew 16:18 CEV
“Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on.” 1 Peter 1:3 CEV
“Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honour and glory when Jesus Christ returns.” 1 Peter 1:7 CEV
“Be like newborn babies who are thirsty for the pure spiritual milk that will help you grow and be saved. You have already found out how good the Lord really is. Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honoured. And now you are living stones being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.” 1 Peter 2:2-5 CEV.
“It is just as God says in the Scriptures, “Look! I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone. No one who has faith in this one will be disappointed.” 1 Peter 2:6. CEV
“He lets us rule as kings and serve God his Father as priests. To him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 1:6 CEV
“But you are God’s chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things he has done. The Scriptures say,”. 1 Peter 2:9 CEV
“Father, I don’t ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don’t belong to this world, and neither do I. Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. I am sending them into the world, just as you sent me. I have given myself completely for their sake, so they may belong completely to the truth.” John 17:15-19 CEV
“Sometimes false prophets spoke to the people of Israel. False teachers will also sneak in and speak harmful lies to you. But these teachers don’t really belong to the Master who paid a great price for them, and they will quickly destroy themselves. Many people will follow their evil ways and cause others to tell lies about the true way. They will be greedy and cheat you with smooth talk. But long ago God decided to punish them, and God doesn’t sleep. This shows that the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their sufferings and to punish evil people while they wait for the day of judgment.” 2 Peter 2:1-3, 9 CEV
The song First Love. Josh Baldwin
Lessisgreater 