Tuesday; September 20

After Peter affirmed his faith in Jesus, the Lord made an interesting observation about His church. Jesus noted, “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18). Much has been made about the focus on this statement, but one of the lessons I take away from this observation is that the Lord’s church will not go away. There is nothing that will destroy the church – not oppressive persecution, destructive heresies or even a perception of disinterest. Interest in the Lord’s church may ebb and flow, but it will never go away!

While this may be a nice thought, it is an important reminder to believers, especially in today’s generation. There are a lot of people who proclaim gloom and doom for Christianity, but Jesus has promised us that His message will not go unheeded, nor will it be overcome by forces of evil.

Let’s not fall into the trap of lamenting the demise of the church. Mark Twain is credited with noting, “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”. The 21st Century church can echo that sentiment. No, the church isn’t dead – and it never will be. When we accept this truth, we’ll be able to hang on to our hope.

Think About It!

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