Year of the Bible: Part Nine of TwelveSample

Here comes the Church!

The Baker Illustrated Bible and Dr. Tony Evans’ commentary give us insight into today’s passage. For the first time, a character correctly identifies Jesus as the Messiah. Peter declared this on behalf of all the disciples, and none of them disputed Peter’s words. Jesus confirmed the declaration and emphasized that Peter’s revelation was from God. Imagine how encouraged Peter must have been to know that his spirit received revelation from God! We can always be encouraged when we receive confirmation that our understanding aligns with what God communicates.

After Peter’s declaration, Jesus announced the coming of something so extraordinary that not even hell could overpower it. He was talking about the Church. Jesus could only build the Church with people who knew who He was. So, when Peter acknowledged Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus’s ministry changed. He left the cosmopolitan northern part of Israel, where He was very popular, and went south to the fundamentalist part of Israel, where His teachings were not as popular.

Jesus’ revelation that the Church was coming started to open the minds of His followers to their identity in Him. Jesus began setting up His Kingdom in the hearts of His Church, and not even the gates of hell could overcome the authority and power He would give to the believers. We are Jesus’ Church. We have the authority to stand against the schemes of the enemy.

Question: Do you understand your authority in Christ?

Prayer: Ask God to reveal the power He has given you through Jesus.