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Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Matthew 16:16-18 (NIV)
A Victorious Church
When Peter confessed that Jesus’ true identity is the Son of the living God, it was through a revelation from Holy Spirit. This truth would be the foundation stone for His church to be built. Jesus explained that He was building a victorious church that would triumph over the kingdom of darkness.
Both Jesus and Paul used the word ‘church’ to reference God’s people. The Bible never refers to a church as a religious building; rather, it always speaks about people being the church as God’s earthly family.
God’s Earthly Family
Humanity’s story begins with the idea that God is our creator. And even though we don’t always fully understand it, God wants to be with us and for us to enjoy being with Him.
All his acts are with a purpose. God didn’t create us out of need. He made us to enjoy our relationship with Him. The Bible calls Him our Father, and we are His children. This is why it describes God’s connection with us in family terms. Genesis states that God created us in His image to represent His earthly family.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Image Bearers
Being image-bearers of God means that we are God’s representatives on earth. God desires a relationship with us and wants us to work with Him in caring for the world. We are called to be His co-partners, participating in his family business.
He shared his attributes with us, things like creativity and intelligence, so we can co-rule and be caretakers of his world. It gives us a permanent, profound, and secure identity, to be his child — this is his original desire and plan. This is how God sees every human, and he wants us to consider every person a sibling. We all have the same status as imagers of God.
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.””
What we do matters
This also gives us purpose, we have a mission, and every person no matter how small or weak or short-lived has a purpose, a role to play in someone else’s life.
Every job that honours God and our fellow humans is a spiritual calling. To God, being a pastor or minister is not more important than any other role. What we do matters, often it is in small, everyday ways.
Salvation doesn’t cost us anything, it is free for all who believe. However, following Jesus is not always easy, it requires making choices — we will get into that a bit later— to love and honour God and treat people for who they are, as fellow imagers of God.
“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.””
Why Live like Jesus?
Imitating Jesus has many benefits. Sin harms us and others, leading to destruction. The pleasures of the world are temporary and worthless.
The world’s culture tells us to live life to gratify our happiness, regardless of the effect our decisions have. It only calls us to live in the now. The reality is that the way we live and think
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
Connection with Father God
Prayer was how Jesus connected with God. It should be important for all His followers. In prayer, we feel God's presence and help share His Kingdom on earth.
Jesus taught his disciples to pray sincerely for God's will, daily needs, true forgiveness, help against temptation, and protection from evil. Prayer helps us grow closer to our Father. Praying like Jesus means staying connected to the Holy Spirit every day.
““This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”
Personal Application
Are you making time for daily reading and prayer? Start with just 5 to 10 minutes.
Are you part of a LifeGroup and attending a local church regularly?
Have you forgiven everyone who has wronged you?
Ask God for what you need each day through prayer.