Welcome to PowerPoint with Jack Graham. This is the mission of the church. He said, I have given you the keys to the kingdom. This unlocks the hearts of people as we proclaim the gospel of Christ, gives us open doors to share the message of Jesus Christ. On today's PowerPoint, Dr.
Grant brings a message about the relevance of the church today.
Now here's Dr. Graham with his message, is the church relevant? I want to ask you a question and... Would God's word answer this question today? A question that many are asking, is the church Relevant.
Many are saying not so much. And frankly, I do understand some of your thoughts, some of your feelings, if you feel this way about the church. But here's what I want to ask you to do today: I want to ask you to take a step back. And with an open mind and a willing heart, Take a fresh look at the church as Jesus. designed it and desires for it to be.
And then we'll answer that question from Jesus Himself: Is the church relevant? And as always, we're going to do this from the Word of God.
So take your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 16, the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, the first book of the New Testament. And we're going to read verses 13 through 19.
Now, let me give you just a bit of background here. This is six weeks before the cross. Before Jesus would die on the cross for our sins, to rise again on the third day, six weeks before his death. And so it is very important that he solidify the faith of his followers, in particular that band of believers, the disciples who became the apostles of Christ. He needed to make sure that they understood going forward what they were to be about.
And so he took them up past the Sea of Galilee all the way to the north through the Golan Heights as they are today. To a place known as, in that day, a little town by the name of Banias or Pannaus, named after one of the ancient deities, because this was considered to be a very supernatural place, a very spiritual place, known by the Jews as the region of Caesarea Philippi. And the reason this was considered to be a very powerful and supernatural place is because it was the veritable fountainhead of the water system of all of Israel. At the foot of Mount Hermon, a snow-capped mountain perpetually, which became the water source from all of Israel, out of this place called Banias or Pannaeus came this fountainhead of water, and many of the deities were worshipped there. The ancient Idols.
worshiped there. And so Jesus takes his disciples to this place. A place where pluralism reigned. One God, this God, that God, everywhere you looked was a God. And he asked his disciples, The question of the ages.
Let's begin reading at verse 13.
Now, when Jesus came to the district of Caesarea Philippi, He asked his disciples Who do people say that the Son of Man is? And they said, some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, But who do you? Say that I am. Simon Peter replied, you are the Christ.
The Son of the living God. Jesus answered him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter. And on this rock, I will build my church. And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed. in heaven. Is the church relevant? Ask Jesus. Who is the maker?
of the church. The architect of the church, the founder and the former, the framer of the church.
Now, you've heard it said in the past that the church is not about buildings. It's about people. And that is mostly true. Certainly, the church is not about buildings, certainly not about denominations. and factions But the church is about Jesus.
This is his church. He said, I will build my church. He did not say, I will build your church, nor did he say, you will build my church. Jesus is not building the church for us, neither are we building the church for him. Jesus is building the church for himself and his own glory.
This is his church. He is the mastermind. of the church. So when you say it's not about the people, to some degree that is right.
Some get tangled up because they look at people and the failures of people in the church. But let me remind you of who gave us the church. Look to him, listen to him. The church belongs to Jesus. Why?
Because he is the savior of the church. The scripture says that he gave himself for the church, that he died for the church, that the church is the blood-bought possession of Christ. He is not only the savior of the church, he is the sovereign of the church, which means he rules the church. He is the Reigning king of the church. And let me say.
That the only way the church will cease to exist is if Jesus will cease to exist. And the fact is that Jesus lives and therefore the church lives. Jesus has already conquered, therefore, we as his church have already conquered. He is the sovereign of the church. He is the shepherd of the church, described by Peter in Peter's letter as the chief shepherd.
What is the responsibility of a shepherd? To lead and to feed the flock of God. He is the chief shepherd. I, as the pastor of this church, and the other ministers of this church, and all pastors, are under shepherds, under the authority of Jesus. Who is the ruler of the church, the sovereign ruler and shepherd of the church?
Look, the church is not a democracy. You want to talk about who rules the church, who owns the church? The church is not a democracy, the church is a theocracy. God rules the church. And it's our responsibility under God to determine what it is that God wants to do and get on with doing it.
He's the shepherd of the church, the sovereign of the church, the savior of the church. He's the sustainer of the church. He has assumed the challenge of carrying his church from generation to generation. Has that happened? Absolutely yes.
In the past 2,000 years, we have seen the church grow, burgeoning from its birth in a very small beginning, now to 1.9 billion. Members of the church, members who profess that Jesus Christ is. Lord, and at the current growth rate. By the end of the 21st century, The Church of Jesus Christ will claim some Five. Billion.
Members The influence of the church's Power and force upon the earth is unmistakable. Consider Those already in heaven, the millions of people that have confessed Christ, who are now represented around the throne of God worshiping Him forever. The blood-bought, blood-washed-white flock of God, faithful of God, around the throne of God, then you have millions and millions, yes, billions of people who are now followers of Jesus Christ, and the best is yet to come. There's never been a better time than right now. To advance the cause of Christ through his church.
We have greater unity in the body of Christ than we've ever had. We have a technology now that is Uh of course, so very powerful. With media, with the internet. Mass growth in churches. The largest churches in the history of the Christian faith exist today.
Some of the churches in Asia, Korea in particular, some of the churches in Africa, some of the churches in South America, we look like a country church out in the wild wood compared to some of the massive churches that are being grown up in the name of Jesus in our generation. When Jesus said, I will build my church, he wasn't kidding. He has and he will. But remember this, it's not our numbers, it's not our church strategies, it's not our technologies, it's not the internet, it's not our great services, none of that. that gives us our strength and our success under God.
It is His grace, His glory, His power. Not personalities, not persuasion, not our human abilities, not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord. And we don't have to depend upon our abilities. We don't have to depend upon our scholarship, our popularity, our personal power, and influence. All we need to do is what those disciples did, and that is to be full of the Spirit of God, anointed by His power, and preach and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
And God will build His church. Maker of the church. You are listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham, and the message is the church relevant. Be sure to sign up to receive Dr. Graham's daily video devotional on the seven words from the cross.
This powerful study will remind you of the sacrifice Jesus made so that we can be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God. Dr. Graham will share a short devotional about the final words that Jesus spoke from the cross and what they mean to us today. To sign up, text Cross to 59789. It's absolutely free to join, so text Cross to 59789.
Right now, you have an incredible opportunity to help someone experience the hope and truth of Jesus Christ. And thanks to an exciting $150,000 matching grant, your gifts this month will be doubled to help proclaim God's word even farther through PowerPoint Ministries. And as our way of saying thanks, we'd love to send you Dr. Graham's book, Help, a powerful resource showing you how Jesus meets you in your struggles with strength. comfort and hope.
Text MAR to 59789 to give today. Again, that's MAR, M-A-R-59-789. Thank you for helping share the gospel with the world in need.
Now let's get back to today's message. Is the church relevant? But unless Talk about the makeup. of the church because that's where the church continues to be Relevant. Yeah.
Jesus asked a question. Really, he asked two questions. The first question is in verse 13. You see it there? He asked his disciples, who do people say the Son of Man is?
This is the question of public consensus.
Now, Jesus wasn't looking for information. He knew what was in the hearts of men, and this was in a particular period where many were turning away from him. He had begun to speak of his cross and of taking up the cross. And many didn't want a Messiah like that. They didn't want a dead Savior.
They wanted a powerful military solution to the bondage of the Roman Empire and so on. And thus, many were rejecting him. And yet, Jesus was not asking for information, nor was he surveying the disciples or the crowd to find some user-friendly strategy to keep more people coming in. No, he was solidifying the faith of his own men. and establishing The perpetual Legacy.
of the church. You don't have to worry about what the world is saying about the church because Jesus didn't. He did not concern himself with what the world was saying. It doesn't matter what the world is saying about our Jesus. What matters is what God is saying about him.
What he says about himself.
So Jesus asked then another question. Who do you? Say that I am. Now that is the question of all questions. It's the question that every person must answer for themselves.
I can't answer that question for you. As your pastor, your professor can't answer that, your parents can't answer that question. Your friends can't answer that question. You and you yourself. must answer the question, who is Jesus?
This is the fact that Jesus calls us to personal Conviction. This is like the final exam. Jesus had been teaching his disciples. For nearly three years, and now comes the final exam, and one question: pass or fail? Who do you Say that I am.
The church is made up of people who one at a time Respond to that question in the affirmative as Peter did. You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. You are the Christ, the Son of God. of the living God. This does not come naturally.
Jesus reminded Peter and us that this wasn't a a human recognition, but it was a heavenly revelation. The Father gave you this information. As to who I am. But Peter, who was so often simply opening his mouth to exchange feet, Says with everything within him. He says it verbally, he says it publicly.
Yeah. Are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And once again, the language here, the language of the New Testament is so vivid. The way he said it is this. You, Jesus, and you alone.
Are the Christ, the Son of the living God. You and you. Only. We live in a politically correct world where that is improper to say. To say, to claim, as Jesus did, that I am the way, the truth, the life, article present.
The way, the truth, the life. Without me, there is no going, I am the way. Without me, there is no living, I am the life. Without me, there is no going. I am the way, the truth, and the life.
And that brings charges of intolerance. Bigotry. You see, we've made a mega shift in the way we think regarding tolerance today. Let me tell you what tolerance is. Tolerance.
is respecting the other person's viewpoint. Tolerance is honoring. The other person. even though they may believe differently. Then you believe.
Tolerance. Loving a person in spite of the fact. That they may have viewpoints that are diametrically opposed to your own. That's tolerance. But now we have made this major shift that tolerance has become.
Your truth is as my truth. All truth is equal, and if I dare to suggest that I possess truth in Jesus Christ, then I have become intolerant, which is the greatest sin of our culture. You see the shift? From moving. From the position that I respect you, I love you.
I recognize you have a different opinion of mine. I will treat you the same. Even though you have a different opinion, that's tolerance. But tolerance is Is not moving to the position that you have a truth, I have a truth, everybody has a truth, everybody has a God, you've got your own God. Pick one.
They're all the same. Untruth. You have to decide. Who is Jesus? Is he who he claimed?
to be. And to follow Jesus, to Make this personal confession is so much more than mental assent or intellectual acknowledgement. It's more than nodding your head and agreeing privately. It is a public. as well as a personal Commitment to Christ.
It is a personal conviction, but it is also a public. Confession. Peter said this as we are to say it publicly. This is also the point where some dismiss church. Because they say things like, well, my religion, you know, I believe in God, but that's between me and God.
not between you and God and me and everybody else. I don't need the church. I don't want the church. I love Jesus. but I don't love the church.
I'll tell you what that is. That's keeping your options open. That's all that is. Rather than standing and committing to Christ and to follow Him. openly, outwardly, visibly, verbally.
It's just keeping your options open, staying uncommitted. It's the same reason some people choose to shack up rather than get married. No commitment. But let me tell you what Jesus said about that. Matthew 10, 32, 33.
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge Before my Father who is in heaven. That anyone who denies me before men I will deny. before my Father who is in heaven. Very clear. Here's what Romans 10, 9 and 10 say: If we confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.
For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. It is a personal conviction. Who Jesus is, but it becomes a public confession. Jesus assigned, gave authority to the church to baptize believers.
Why? That we might stand. And give account of our lives and make the good confession of faith in who Christ is: that I believe in Christ who died on the cross for me, who was buried, and on the third day rose again. Baptism does not save. It doesn't even get close to helping to save.
But let me tell you this. If the faith that you have won't get you forward to follow Christ openly and publicly through believers' baptism, that faith that won't get you into a baptism won't get you into heaven. Because faith in Jesus Christ is always public. And it's always personal, the makeup of the church. Jesus calls the church.
than to perpetual construction. Verse 18 again. He said, I tell you. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.
There is the guarantee of the living legacy of the church. You want a guarantee? Sign Jesus. I will build my church. The gates of hell will not prevail.
He said, I tell you, verse 18, you are Peter. That's little rock. It's a word, a diminutive form, which means like a small pebble, like a small rock, like a small stone. You are Peter, and on this rock, this means a huge slab of rock, a large rock. I will build my church.
What is Jesus saying here? He is saying, Peter. You're a little rock. You're a pebble. You're a small stone.
And upon this rock, this massive stone, and when you're at Caesarea Philippi at Bannius, there, you can look, and there's this massive. Stone, this massive rock that is there. Perhaps Jesus pointed to it as an illustration. And he said, Upon this rock, what is this rock of ages? It is the bedrock conviction and confession that Jesus is who he claimed to be: the living Lord, the Savior, the Messiah.
Upon this rock, upon this confession, upon this conviction, I will construct my church. and the gates of hell will not prevail. against it. This is the mission of the church. He said, I have given you the keys to the kingdom.
A key means you unlock doors. God has given us a universal key to the kingdom. This unlocks the hearts of people as we proclaim the gospel of Christ. It gives us open doors to share the message of Jesus Christ. And we have one mission, and that is to share the gospel, this good news of Christ.
to be open doors to bring people into the kingdom of God.
Now The most irrelevant thing The most irrelevant church is a church. Off mission. Maybe the question isn't, is the church relevant But maybe the question is, is the church Real. Because when the church is real God will use that church for his glory. You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham, and the message is the church relevant.
I want you to know that right now, your support goes even further to help share the hope of Jesus with people around the world. Thanks to a generous $150,000 matching grant, Every gift this month will be doubled to help proclaim God's word through PowerPoint ministries. That means you'll help reach even more people who desperately need truth, encouragement, and the gospel. And as a heartfelt thank you for your generous gift this month, we'll send you Dr. Graham's book, Health, to remind you that you are not alone, your pain is not unseen, and God's peace is real.
Text MAR to 59789 to have your gift doubled and request your copy today. Again, text MAR, that's M-A-R, to 59789. Be sure to sign up to receive Dr. Graham's daily video devotional on the seven words from the cross. This powerful study will remind you of the sacrifice Jesus made so that we can be forgiven of our sins and reconciled to God.
Dr. Graham will share a short devotional about the final words that Jesus spoke from the cross and what they mean to us today. To sign up, just text Cross to 59789. It's absolutely free to join, so text Cross to 59789. Pastor, what is your PowerPoint for today?
Um The church is relevant because Jesus says it is relevant. He said, I will build my church and the gates of hell. Will not prevail against it. I don't know how more relevant that you can get than that. The church is eternal.
It is His church. And what we need to do as members of this body of Christ, His church, is to be faithful to Christ, to be faithful to the Word of God. There's never been a better time than right now, a better place, God's church, to advance the gospel than right now.
So, if the church is together, if the church is unified, if we're working together, we have the greatest opportunity in history. You know, some of the greatest churches, both large and small, in the history of the Christian faith. Are in existence today, making a difference in communities and cities and hamlets all over the world. Starting churches, planning churches, multi-sites of churches. This is all incredible in our own time.
Yes, the church is relevant. And it is vital that every one of us recognize that because Jesus is the head and the builder of the church, then we are responsible to be a part of what God is doing through his church. Don't miss out on the church. Don't neglect your church. Be faithful in attending, supporting, and giving, and working, and serving through the ministry of your church.
I want to ask you to... pray for PowerPoint right now and support this ministry in every way that you can, including your financial gifts as God leads you. I promise you, we will put your financial gifts into the work, into the ministry, so that the gospel can go forward. For those of you who live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area or if you're visiting the Dallas-Fort Worth area anytime, Come to Prestonwood. You can find more about Prestonwood Church by going to Prestonwood.org.
God bless you. Thank you for joining us today. And I look forward to sharing the Word of God with you again on PowerPoint the next time. And that is today's PowerPoint. Remember, when you give a gift to PowerPoint, we'll send you Dr.
Graham's book, Help. Just text Mar to 59-789. And join us again next time as Dr. Graham brings a message about how men can be men after God's own heart. That's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham.
PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministries.
