In Jamey Stout's sermon 'I Will Build My Church,' the focus is on Matthew 16:13-19 where Jesus questions His disciples about His identity, leading to Peter's confession that Jesus is 'the Christ, the Son of the Living God.' The sermon emphasizes that the foundation of the church is not based on human insight or public opinion, but on the God-given doctrine of the Apostles centered on Christ. Jesus is both the foundation and the builder of the church, a concept reinforced by His role as the ultimate prophet, priest, and king. The sermon highlights the durability of the church, asserting that its strength lies in Christ's finished work and His promise to build His church, against which the gates of Hades shall not prevail. The Apostles' doctrine, which is rooted in the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, serves as the immutable truth upon which the church stands. The sermon calls for believers to rely on this foundation and expect Christ to continually build His church.

Matthew 16, 13 through 19. Matthew 16, 13 through 19. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples saying, Who do men say that I the Son of Man am? So they said, some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah are one of the prophets. He said to them, but who do you say that I am?

Simon Peter answered and said, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus answered and said to him, blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my father who is in heaven and I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven let's pray Lord we bless and praise your most holy name that you are building your church upon yourself oh lord as you are preached you yourself are the builder and you yourself are the foundation and we are the church Oh God taken as dead stone dead stones made alive in you and Placed as a temple for a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit to the honor and praise of our Father in heaven Oh God, what can we say to these things that you would do this? But exactly what we just sing song Hallelujah, our hope springs eternal because he is at the right hand of you father our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and we pray that he would build as he has been doing already today among us in Christ's holy name amen today we find out why we're here simply put because Jesus Christ keeps his promise amen Our focus will be on verse 18 and we're going to answer three questions from the text.

What is the foundation of the church? Who is the builder of the church? What is the duration of the church? So first, what is the foundation of the church? Well first of all, he's going to clear some things away for us as we look at our context of our verse.

He begins as he goes to this doctrinal examination of his men about what's the general public's opinion here. When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples saying who do men say that I the Son of Man am and we get answers such as some say John the Baptist some Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets and Jesus you'll notice doesn't stop right there and say okay on this fuzzy understanding of who I am I'm gonna build my church does he He doesn't stop there and say that's what he's going to build it on and nor should we as the church today take a consensus or a survey of the unregenerate public and say hey how are we going to do this thing called church? No, we're going to build it on what Christ Jesus says is the foundation. So it is also not built on human insight. Look at verse 17 when Peter makes this confession did he tap Peter on the back and say that boy man you finally figured it out.

That great intelligence all those days of fishing and casting that net in there boy you have really done it now. Good job buddy. Does he say that? No he doesn't does he? Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you right?

That's what Jesus Christ said to Peter, who confessed the reality and truth of who he is, that he's the Christ, the Son of the living God. So, flesh and blood doesn't reveal this. Fallible human reasoning is not the foundation of the church. You'll notice if you just flip back to chapter 11 of Matthew see how the learned of the day those who consider themselves wise in the day what was their response? Look at Jesus prayer to his father in Matthew 11 25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

Even so Father, for so it seemed good in your sight. All things have been delivered to me by my father and no one knows the Son except the Father and nor does anyone know the Father except the Son and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal him and then he gives his sovereign invitation to those who are burdened with sin. So it's not the consensus or the opinions of the general public it's not human insight so what is the foundation and I believe this is what arises from our text The God-given Apostles doctrine of Christ is the foundation of the church. The God-given Apostles doctrine of Christ. Verse 17 again, God-given.

Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you who has but my father who is in heaven aren't you glad that the foundation of the church is the undisputable unfalable Immutable truth of the one who cannot lie. That's the foundation of the church of God's assembly of the firstborn from the dead So The Apostles doctrine we see first 17 is God given verse. We also see it's the Apostles doctrine The whole scene arises out of Christ's doctrinal examination of his men on this pathway as he goes from the general consensus what are people saying to the pointy question but who do you say that I am and can I tell you this evening that that's exactly what Jesus Christ is saying to you through his word at this very moment, who do you say that Jesus Christ is? Based on your answer will be your eternity of whether you will spend an eternity in hell or an eternity in heaven of whether you're a part of what Jesus Christ is building or whether you're cast off. Who is Jesus Christ?

Simon Peter the spokesman for the rest pipes up says you are the Christ the Son of the Living God now all the disciples confessed this earlier at least I assume that it was the disciples in the boat as Jesus had just walked on water Peter had just walked on water and then Peter was saved out of the water and this confession comes in 1433 then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him saying truly you are the son of God but now we have the point blank examination of our Lord to his men who do you say that I am and Peter speaking for the rest and so this brings our Lord's response and I also say to you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church context is key as one brother put it context is like real estate location location location location I think it was Martin Devere that said that so location is key what do we have We've got an apostle confessing the God given truth about who Jesus Christ is. And it's here that this word play comes in and our Lord says you are rock and own this rock I will build my church the first one being and masculine and the second one being in the feminine but it is the same word nonetheless you are rock and own this rock I will build my church We also have some great help from the Apostle Paul who tells us in Ephesians 2 20 Having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets Jesus Christ himself Being the cornerstone Now I ask you a question How many times and I know there's a lot of builders in here, how many times do you lay a foundation?

How many times? Brothers, hopefully just one time, right? Or you got a bad foundation. So, one time. And I think the same is true with Christ's church is that the foundation has been laid by the Apostles doctrine about Christ and now every church must build upon that foundation and that foundation alone it is the infallible truth about Christ and his accomplishment the Apostles doctrine the God-given Apostles doctrine now this is not to meant to negate the Old Testament for listen to how Paul the Apostle opens his letter to the Christians in Rome Paul a bondservant of Christ Jesus called as an apostle set apart for the gospel of God.

Now listen to this what he says about the gospel of God. Which he God promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his son. And we could go on and he just shows his his dissent from David and his being declared the son of God in power by the resurrection from the dead. So the Old Testament is the basis of the Apostles doctrine. They are showing that Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament.

So the foundation of the church is the Word of God and it's the Word of God incarnate as all the promises are yes and amen. In who? In Jesus Christ, not the succession of Apostles but in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone so much so that this whole matter of it being the foundation of the church is God-given Apostles doctrine of Christ it's because they point to him they are the authentic witnesses of Christ whose identity does Peter confess his own what's it all about what is Peter's confession all about? Who's at the center of it? There's only one Jesus Christ.

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. So Christ's person, now they get the person but do they get the work yet? He's going to be rebuked severely isn't he? But the work, the accomplishment of redemption that our Lord is about to do for our souls and they're gonna get that too oh first Peter's shown us that hasn't it Trent precious blood of Christ and what that means and so his person in work is the foundation and they're the pointers they're the they're the witnesses that give us the God breathe interpretation God did not do a great work of redemption and leave us to guess work about what he did. No, he appointed men to know exactly what he did, revealed to them by him himself so that we could know the great things that our God freely gives us in Jesus Christ.

So it's their witness to Christ and this is why Paul the Apostle in 1st Corinthians chapter 3 verse 11 can say this, for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid and what does he say which is Jesus Christ Jesus Christ this is the most magnificent thing that comes out of this text is what God is doing is that here Jesus Christ is the foundation of his church. But we also find out that not only is he the foundation, but this foundation builds. The foundation himself is the builder of the church. So This brings us to the next question. Who is this builder?

I, Jesus says, will build my church. So let's look at him just in some of the ways in which our text has him here. Notice when the initial question comes, it's, who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? Well, this is a reference to Daniel chapter 7 and we know that because our Lord will quote this as he is put under oath if to whether or not he's the Christ the Son of the Living God by the high priest so here's Daniel 7 13 through 14 I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven he came to the ancient of days and they brought him near before him then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away in his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed. How about that for your builder church who has the kingdom which will not be destroyed and we are in that kingdom as he tells us in Colossians chapter 1 that he's transferred us from the domain of darkness and has placed us in the kingdom of his beloved son.

Oh what a king we have. This is our builder. We know this is what he's referring to in Daniel when he refers to himself as the Son of Man, his favorite self-reference. Matthew 26, 63 through 64 says this, but Jesus kept silent, and the high priest answered and said to him, I put you under oath by the living God. He's speaking to the living God.

Tell us if you are the Christ the Son of God Jesus said to him it is as you said nevertheless I say to you hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven sound familiar it should should sound like Daniel 7 Not only is he the son of man, he is the Christ. He is the ultimate anointed one. He is the ultimate prophet, priest, and king. There were three offices that were anointed in the Old Testament. It was prophet, priest, and king.

And now we have a prophet who says, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. We have a priest who says to us to the angel to marry or to Joseph in Matthew 1 21 and she will bring forth the Son and he shall call his name Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. He is Yahweh saves. We have him institute the Lord's Supper that we just got to celebrate just a few moments ago and we're all extremely happy about that as we were all laid low by this truth about covetousness that we would be able to have the body of Christ that never did any act of covetousness offered on our behalf and pure blood that was spotless Offered to pay for all of our sin on that tree for us. Oh hallelujah What a priest and so he says in Matthew 26 26 through 29 and as they were eating Jesus took bread blessed and broken and gave it to the disciples and said Take eat this is my body Then he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying drink from it all of you for this is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins but I say to you that I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my father's kingdom such blood that he knew was so effectual that he would have his with him in the kingdom of his father he is the king he is the ultimate anointed king which would be the great focus most likely of our text and of our word here and so this king fights our enemies Matthew 9 to 12 excuse me Matthew 12 29 through 39 30 excuse me or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man and then he will plunder his house he was he who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather with me scatters abroad.

Think about this our Lord marched into this Satan deceived world and he said that one's mine and that one's mine and that one's mine And not one single thing can you Satan do about it. He cannot overthrow the work of our Lord. He cannot overthrow the sinless life of our Lord. He cannot overthrow the blood that he shed and the resurrection over death that he accomplished. This is our Christ and he is the builder of his people, his church.

Hallelujah what a Savior. Listen to what he says about the resurrection as he conquers as Corinthians would put it the final enemy death. But the angel answered and said to the women, Do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here for he is risen as he said, Come and see the place where the Lord lay. Hallelujah!

He's alive and thus we're loosed from our sins and we await the day like him when we will be resurrected and this covetous man will not covet anymore whatsoever. Hallelujah! I can't wait for that day. I can't wait for the day when I can say with the psalmist all I desire is you. There's no taint in me whatsoever.

Oh God speed the day. Amen. Oh God please. He is the son of the living God, Peter says. This is Peter's way of showing what he means when he confesses Jesus to be the Christ.

This is an apposition to Christ, the son of the living God. He's the son of God by nature. Notice what he said in verse 17, my father who is in heaven far from rebuking Peter, he says write on Peter and God the father showed you this. Matthew 1 23 has already told us this for we have in Matthew 1.23, behold the virgin shall be with child and bear a son and they shall call his name Immanuel please tell me what that means God with us The incarnation is such a miracle that the uncreated creator would take on created nature to save a wretch like me. This is over the top love that he would breathe our air that he created that he would hear our insults oh my this God there is none like him there is none to compare him to he is the Son of God by decree Psalm 2, 7, and 8.

I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations. And here we are the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. And I believe in this context, the synonymous word for son here is king.

He is the son by nature. He is the son by divine appointment. He is the Father's king. And all bow their knee to King Jesus. All.

He is the builder of the church and he is the foundation of the church and so my friends with a foundation like Jesus Christ and a builder like Jesus Christ how durable is his building how durable is his people well their durability is not found in themselves is it my friends but it is found on an unshakable foundation Jesus and his finished work and his promise that he's going to build till he comes amen so no weapon formed against her shall prosper and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Christ is building on himself a people that will never die. Isn't that awesome? So, application. When we speak the Apostles doctrine about Christ, brothers, sisters, when we take this book and we lay before people what God has said about his son.

That very son takes those I know weakness that we are but he takes it and he's building he's building he's building he's building he's building he's building and if that doesn't thrill you you know if you don't and I speak to me too if I don't come to church expecting my Christ to do some building, When the Apostles doctrine is laid before me When the law slays me and I'm shaken before the judgment seat of Almighty God And see that Christ alone is my only hope Man, Christ is building, he's building, he's building and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it so I ask you, you got something better to do? No, you don't and so unless the Lord builds the house we labor in vain who built it and let me tell you something he's promised to build the house let's just stick to the foundation amen let's pray father we come before your holy throne of grace we bless you that you would give us such a sure foundation your son your son declared to us from Holy Scripture and my father I pray that if there be one here who was on the outside looking in that they know they're a dead stone.

I pray that today they would know that Jesus you're still building. The day of salvation is here. Oh Lord please help them not to harden their heart but today hear your voice. Oh Lord call them to yourself as only you can. Open their eyes.

We're not expecting divine revelation, Lord, but we are expecting, as only you can, illumination to see what Peter saw, that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Would you do that for your glorious namesake amen