Ed Stetzer, the President of Lifeway Research, spoke on "Keys to Understanding the Church and Kingdom". Here are some notes from his sermon taken from Matthew 16:13-20:
1. We Must Recognize the Centrality of Christ- v. 13-16
The Bible mentions details because details matter.
Too many churches are trusting in their stuff and not their Savior.
Make every message about Jesus, not just change. Don't preach anything that could be preached if Jesus never died.
Make Jesus the hero. Who is teaching or preaching should not affect attendance.
Make the cross more important than your church.
2. Peter's Confession is the Foundation of the Gospel- v. 17, 18
Peter's declaration of the person of Christ leads to Jesus' proclamation of Christ's plan.
The gates cannot hold back the power of the Gospel. It's not that the church cannot resist Hades advance but that the gates of Hades cannot resist the power of the Gospel, the power of the cross and the church. Gates are defensive not offensive.
3. The Church is God's Tool of Kingdom Mission- v. 19, 20
A kingdom-focused church matters (Eph. 3:7).
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