A Strong Foundation

Years ago, a church that I had the privilege to serve as pastor decided to do away with their outside concrete steps.  In the winter they were a hazard to elderly members.  I remember the day the church started the process of knocking them out.  The concrete was tough going for the sledgehammers and finally someone brought a jackhammer.  Just as we were beginning to make progress, the man who was using the jackhammer heard a loud clang.  He discovered that to reinforce the concrete they used Model T car frames.  The steps of that church were built on a strong foundation.

Jesus said that He would build His church.  He spoke to Peter in Matt. 16:18 with these words: “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.  Jesus commended Peter because of his statement in verse 16 when He called Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus told Peter: "Thou art petros (a stone), and upon this rock petra (a large rock), I will build My church." Peter may have been a stone, but Jesus Christ is the foundation rock on which the church is built.  In the book of Acts 4:10-12 Peter said: “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone, which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

The foundation of the church is so strong that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.  The gates of hades symbolized the organized power of death and Satan. By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ conquered death, so that death would not be able to hold any of His people. Christ would "storm the gates" and deliver the captives!  We rejoice that Christ’s church is built on a strong foundation.