STATEMENT — THE BASIS OF THIS MORNING S MESSAGE

STATEMENT! - (THE BASIS OF THIS MORNING’S MESSAGE) We will only discover, reach and enjoy our full purpose and potential here on Earth when we are dynamically connected to God (through Jesus Christ); and also connected to the (a local) Church.

MY AIM To get you to see how very important it is to have a personal and active (healthy; whole) CONNECTION with God, and with His Church (through a local Church). I BELIEVE that without BOTH of these ‘connections’ being in place, you will selling yourself short of all that God has in store for you while you live here on

TWO MAIN CONNECTIONS to fulfil your personal destiny READING: Matthew 16: 13 -26 • THIS MORNING – QUESTIONS

A ‘CONNECTION’ • A linking or joining together of at least two entities which assist, enable or depend on each other to fulfil a particular function. • This connection would facilitate a necessary flow of power, energy, or expertise between the two components so a perform the particular function. • Without a secure connection both entities would not be able to fulfil their designed and intended purpose.

THIS PASSAGE – Matt. 16: 13 -26 Contains 4 very well known features: 1. The QUESTIONS Jesus asks – Who do? 2. His MISSION STATEMENT – I will build 3. Christ’s shocking REBUKE of Peter

Matthew 16: 13 -26 13 And coming into the parts of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples, saying, Who do men say Me to be, the Son of man? 14 And they said, Some say, John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15 He said to them, But who do you say I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 Jesus answered and said to him, You are blessed, Simon, son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but My Father in Heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven to you. And whatever you may bind on earth shall occur, having been bound in Heaven, and whatever you may loose on earth shall occur, having been loosed in Heaven. 20 Then He warned His disciples that they should tell no one

Matthew 16: 21 -23 21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him, saying, God be gracious to You, Lord! This shall never be to You. 23 But He turned and said to Peter, Go, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you do not savour the things that are of God, but

Matthew 16: 24 -26 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange

MAIN CONNECTIONS to fulfil your personal destiny • EXPANDING THE QUESTIONS • WHY ASK THIS • 2 MAIN REASONS – Re-evaluation – information

4 BASIC ANSWERS 1. HISTORY – part of our part/background 2. HABIT – got into a routine 3. HELP – needed and given 4. HAPPY – find pleasure and blessing

To give Biblical perspective – Mt 16: 15 To focus on … AND to BUY INTO Christ’s stated MISSION STATEMENT “I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH…”

NOTICE CHRIST’S FOCUS ON THE CHURCH • He NAMES it – calls his collective people ‘CHURCH’ • He OWNS it – ‘MY’ … ‘HIS’ Church • He GROWTHS it – will BUILD it • He KEEPS it – the Gates of Hades will not prevail

WHY IS THE ‘CHURCH’ IS SO IMPORTANT 1 Timothy 3: 15 But if I should delay, that you may know how you ought to behave in THE HOUSE OF GOD, which is THE CHURCH of the living God, the PILLAR (of the truth) and FOUNDATION of the truth.

THIS WORD ‘CHURCH’ • To the modern ear sounds like. . . • What Jesus had in mind • To the ancient ear sounds

‘ek-klesia’ = ‘called…out’ WHAT JESUS HAD IN MIND He was going to establish, have and strengthen (build) a group of people who have a revelation of who He is; and who have responded to His CALL to assemble together regularly so that they can corporately receive instructions which would equip them to be His instrument in this world to reach it, and help it to be reconciled to God. • [CONNECTED to Him, they can do great things!]

2 Closing Questions • ARE you CONNECTED to the (a Local) CHURCH? • HOW are you connected? HOW SHOULD ONE BE CONNECTED TO THE (LOCAL) CHURCH?

3 THINGS TO CONNECT US 1. A CONVICTION about WHO JESUS is. 2. A CONSCIOUS AWARENESS of my place and role in what Christ is building. 3. A COMMITMENT (with others) to CHRIST and His MISSION.

Ephesians 4: 15 -17 15 But holding the truth in a spirit of love, we shall grow into complete union with Him who is our Head Christ himself. 16 For from Him the whole Body, closely joined and knit together by the contact of every part with the source of its life (Jesus), derives its power to grow, in proportion to the vigour of each individual part; and so is being built up in a spirit of love. 17 This, then, as one in union with the Lord, I say to you and urge upon you: Do not continue to live such purposeless lives as the