WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:22.559 Today we're kicking off a brand new series called Ecclesia. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:24.079 Can you just say that with me? 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:30.320 Ecclesia, it is the Greek word for what we call the church. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:35.439 When Jesus named his new movement, he called it the Ecclesia. 00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:37.840 Now, here's what I want you to do. 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:44.399 What picture comes to mind when you think about or hear the word church? 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:45.520 Take a moment. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:47.039 What is that picture? 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:48.560 Visualize it. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:52.479 Now, even distill it down into a single word. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:01:00.079 What one word would you use to describe the church? 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:01.439 In fact, go ahead. 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:05.120 Why don't you just go tell your neighbor what that word was or what that picture is? 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:06.400 Take just a second. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:14.079 There's a little slight murmuring. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:15.040 We're starting to get it out. 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:16.079 You're starting to share it. 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:17.680 Okay, gotcha, gotcha, gotcha. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.239 We're figuring each other out. 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:22.079 I gotcha. 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:24.640 Here's the interesting part. 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:30.799 When you hear the word church, depending on your background, depending on your experience, lots of different words come up. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:36.079 Family, hope, home, life, Jesus, faith. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:38.799 Some other words come up. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:46.159 Maybe it's religion, maybe it's building, maybe it's institution, maybe it's hypocritical. 00:01:47.359 --> 00:01:48.640 Maybe it's just an event. 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:55.040 Like you what literally you wouldn't say this, but is it just an event that happens on Sunday? 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.159 Regardless, here's what I'll invite us in. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:10.000 Regardless of what word came into your mind, I believe that we actually have so much that Jesus longs for us to experience as a church. 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:15.120 What if our experience of church isn't fully what Jesus intended? 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:18.560 What if we settled for something less? 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:20.800 In fact, think about this. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:28.639 What was the picture Jesus had in his mind when he established the church? 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:38.800 In our series, we're gonna ask and wrestle with how do we return to Jesus' vision for the church? 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.280 That's what this is all about, the ecclesia. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:47.599 And I want to take you to the very first time Jesus ever uses the word church. 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:49.439 He uses the word ecclesia. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:54.240 If we're gonna understand what was Jesus' picture for the church, we gotta go back to what Jesus said. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:58.719 So if you got your Bibles, you can open up to Matthew chapter 16, verse 13. 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:03.120 If not, it's in your notes, or you can follow along on the screen behind me. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:05.360 We pick it up. 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:06.960 It begins this way. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:14.319 This is really important. 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:15.599 We'll get to it in a minute. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:19.840 He asked his disciples, who do people say the Son of Man is? 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:24.240 That's kind of like a key word or a way that he speaks about himself. 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:30.560 And they replied, some say you're John the Baptist, others say, oh, I just told others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:34.080 Jesus, he's this miracle worker, he's doing wonders. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:35.199 It's amazing. 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.919 And then he's teaching with power and authority. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:41.439 They're trying to figure out who is this guy. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:43.360 Some are saying, John the Baptist. 00:03:43.439 --> 00:03:47.919 Well, John was Jesus' cousin who got beheaded, you know, he's come back to life. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.080 Or maybe he's one of these prophets of old, Elijah, Jeremiah. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:59.759 The only way to explain what Jesus is doing is he is some prophet of old that has come back to life. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:01.840 And then Jesus turns it. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:03.840 Says, but what about you? 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:09.520 He asked, Who do you say I am? 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:11.919 It's not enough about what other people say. 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:16.560 And in fact, it's not enough what others think about me, but what do you say? 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.120 And then Peter steps up to the plate. 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:32.959 You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.279 This is something they whispered about. 00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.199 Something they had conversations, I'm sure, in private about. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:57.759 And then now, this in this moment, he gets the courage, the gumption, you are the Messiah. 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:05.439 And Jesus says, Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for this was revealed to you not by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:06.959 I tell you, you are Peter. 00:05:07.040 --> 00:05:11.120 And Peter's name literally means pebble or uh stone. 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.519 And on this rock, so Jesus has this wonderful little wordplay going on here. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:20.000 I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.920 I'll give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:28.879 Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:32.959 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone he was what? 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:36.800 Isn't that the curious thing? 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.040 Peter gets it right. 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:40.480 He gets the answer right. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:41.360 Who do people say? 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:42.560 You're the Messiah. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:45.279 Peter, you didn't even get that on your own. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:46.160 The Father told me. 00:05:46.240 --> 00:05:48.000 Now don't tell anybody else. 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:52.879 Why in the world would Jesus say that? 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:56.879 Jesus' vision for the church. 00:05:57.040 --> 00:05:58.000 How do we return to it? 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:01.199 And if we're going to return to it, we got to answer three questions. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:03.199 This text uh answers for us. 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:06.240 First question number one is who is Jesus? 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.319 Question number two, what is the church? 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.759 And question number three, what is the purpose of the church? 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:29.920 If we want to return to the church that Jesus intended, the church that, by the way, was a just a fragmented group of misfits in an like obscure part of the Roman Empire of Palestine that ended up revolutionizing the world as we know it. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:36.480 That church, if we want to return to that church, we gotta ask the question: who is Jesus? 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:40.160 What is the church according to Jesus? 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:41.920 And what's the purpose of the church? 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:43.680 First question: Who is Jesus? 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:48.480 Now remember, I said, had you repeat Caesarea Philippi. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:55.120 Now, as you read the Bible and you see some of these locations and words, don't skip over them. 00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:57.279 They're rich with meaning. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:00.879 They don't just add these of, like, oh, this is a nice little place they visited. 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:06.319 It's actually shaped so much and impacts how we understand what Jesus is doing here. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:15.920 Caesarea Philippi, located about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee, was a city steeped in pagan worship and imperial power. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:22.800 Jesus is on a staff retreat, and he's been doing most of his ministry right here in the Sea of Galilee. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:24.800 Jerusalem's way down here. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:27.600 That's the center of religious power. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:35.759 And now he's starting to experience heat and pressure from religious leaders that is journeying on up to the Sea of Galilee. 00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:39.439 They're plotting to murder him as a heretic right now. 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:48.160 And so he goes on a staff retreat 25 miles north from the Sea of Galilee, all the way up to Caesarea Philippi. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.079 But what is notable about Caesarea Philippi? 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:55.040 Originally it's called Panaeus or Benius. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:01.920 It was named after the Greek god Pan, who was the god of shepherds, fertility, and unrestrained desire. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:08.560 His worship was marked by drunkenness, sexual immorality, and frenzied rituals in caves and forests. 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:13.839 This is like Jesus, or this is like today, us going on a church retreat to Las Vegas. 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:14.399 Okay. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:24.560 In Panaeus, a deep cave and spring were believed to be the entrance to the underworld, locals called the gates of Hades. 00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:27.439 Sounds familiar to some of the language he's teaching there. 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:29.040 Now, here's the interesting part. 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:45.840 The distinguishing feature of Caesarea Philippi, as you began to walk up to the city, was this massive, brilliant white marble temple that Herod the Great built in honor of Caesar Augustus. 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:50.000 He is blending his political loyalty with his religious devotion. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:56.399 Then Herod's son Philip, he did even more work to beautify it and to expand it. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:04.000 And so it is known as this place of both pagan worship and political power. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:11.679 When Caesar Augustus became king, by the way, it instituted what was known as the imperial cult. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:23.919 The imperial cult that they began to declare Caesar to be the son of God, the savior of the world, demanding loyalty, worship, and the confession that Caesar is Lord. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:34.720 When a new Caesar ascended to power, a herald was sent with the edict throughout the entire Roman Empire. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:38.480 And it was called the Uangelion or the Gospel, the good news. 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:40.879 And the Uangelian was sent to everywhere. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:43.679 And this it was sent that all hell. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:49.440 Caesar, son of God, Savior of the world, has ascended to the throne. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.759 Does that sound familiar? 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:53.200 Yeah. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:08.559 See, this language that we automatically just move to spiritual or religious is actually deeply revolutionary. 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.360 Peter shows up, the great confession. 00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:13.919 Think about this. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:14.559 This is amazing. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:15.679 The great confession. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:23.600 I can only imagine that the Caesarea Philippi is in the backdrop, this brilliant white marble temple. 00:10:23.840 --> 00:10:26.399 Who do people say that I am? 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:39.279 And Peter steps up and says, You're the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, and the shadow of empire, and the shadow of power. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:44.000 See, Messiah or Christ, those are the same words. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:45.759 One's the Hebrew word, one's the Greek word. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:46.639 It's the same thing. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:47.919 It means the same thing. 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:49.919 It literally means anointed one. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.000 It always means king. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:56.720 Messiah is God's final king. 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:08.480 The Jewish understanding of Messiah was that he would be a conquering king who would overthrow the established rule of Rome, the occupation of Rome. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:12.559 They've spent 400 years, they haven't heard a word from God. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:16.080 The people are desperate for someone to save them. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:18.480 It's like a tenor box waiting to explode. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:20.240 They're looking for anyone to follow. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:26.240 He says, Don't tell anybody else I'm the Messiah because there's gonna be an uprising if they really believe in it. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:32.639 He says, But you're the Messiah, you're the one that's come to redeem and restore us as a people. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:36.320 It's political, it's a king. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:41.200 Who do you say I am? 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:47.279 See, when you hear the word Christ or Messiah, I want you to replace it with the word king. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:55.279 Christ is not Jesus' last name, it is his royal title, his rightful position in the universe. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:58.080 Jesus Christ translates King Jesus. 00:11:59.120 --> 00:11:59.919 That's it. 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:02.080 King Jesus. 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:04.559 And so who do you say I am? 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:08.960 Well, first, Jesus is not a personal messiah. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:11.919 He's not just a personal messiah. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:15.759 Peter didn't say, well, Jesus, you're my Messiah. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:20.320 Oh, you know, you might not be everyone else's king. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:23.519 You're not, but but you're my messiah. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.120 You know, I really believe in you. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:30.240 No, you are the Messiah in our hypo hyper-individualistic society. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.799 What's true for you isn't necessarily true for me. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:35.120 What's good for you isn't necessarily good for me. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:41.600 Friends, Jesus is king, he is the way, the truth, and the life. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:45.279 No one comes to the Father except through him. 00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:50.159 Jesus is good for every person on the planet. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:56.960 Jesus is not just my personal Messiah, and he's not just a good teacher. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:01.279 Listen, Peter didn't say, Man, you're a wonderful rabbi. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:02.559 Think about this. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:07.840 Jesus is renowned for his teaching ever since he was a kid in the temple. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:10.080 They're like, in awe of his teaching. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:12.720 Who do you say I am? 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:14.720 He didn't say, wonderful rabbi. 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:21.759 He's like, he didn't say, man, your TED talks are amazing. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:24.080 We need to get your TikTok channel up. 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:25.840 It's gonna blow up. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:32.000 You're not just a good teacher, and you're not just a spiritual life coach. 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:35.200 Because I think that's what we go to Jesus for. 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:41.759 He didn't say, Well, you're kind of a Yoda mixed with Tony Robbins, helping me live my best life. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:52.799 What we need as the church is a vision of Jesus that is greater, that is grander, that is bigger than what we currently have. 00:13:54.399 --> 00:14:03.279 Jesus is not just a kind man, a good teacher, or a picture of sacrificial love, the all true but woefully incomplete. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:06.879 You can have good thoughts of Jesus that are incomplete of him. 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:13.360 And it is our small-minded thoughts of Jesus in the church that keeps us apathetic and anaemic. 00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:21.679 Jesus, listen, Jesus is God's final King, Savior of the world, Son of the living God. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:22.639 Period. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:27.440 This is who we worship and gather to sing about on Sundays. 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:29.759 That is who we're singing about. 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:37.519 Jesus, King, holy, righteous, pure, almighty King who saved me, who came for me. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:42.799 The way the Apostle Paul would say it in Philippians 2, he'd go this way. 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:45.919 He said, Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:15:04.639 Like you should put on the same attitude who, you know, being you know equal with God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but humbled himself, took on the very nature of a servant, became obedient even to death on a cross. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:23.519 Then he goes on and says this therefore, in light of this, therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.279 That's what got Christians killed, by the way. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:33.840 This is a polytheistic society. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:35.759 You can hat believe in whatever God you want. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:36.879 You can believe you are a God. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:38.159 Who flippin' cares? 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:39.120 We don't. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:44.000 But don't you dare not declare Caesar is Lord. 00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:52.240 See, Christians, Christians would not bow the knee to Caesar. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:53.919 They would not declare Caesar the Lord. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:57.120 They said we have one Lord and King in the universe. 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:01.840 His name is King Jesus, and I bow the knee only to him. 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:10.320 And my tongue will confess in this life, but I know everyone at some point, whether in this life or in the next, we will all declare that Jesus is Lord. 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:11.919 We'll all come to that recognition. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:17.039 And my hope and prayer, and their hope and prayer, is that every person would do it in this life. 00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:26.720 The most important question in the world. 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:31.039 This is not like an overstatement. 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:46.799 The most important question isn't where you're gonna go to school, what your degree is gonna be, who you're gonna marry, what you're gonna do for work, will you be able to retire early? 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.360 Those are good questions, don't get me wrong. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.440 They're not the most important question. 00:16:53.759 --> 00:17:01.440 The most important question in all of the world is who do you say Jesus is? 00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:10.799 How you answer it sets the very course and direction of your life and eternity. 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:12.799 Everything else flows from that. 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.519 How we function, what we do, what we think in response to who Jesus is. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:18.640 And T. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:21.119 Wright in his book, Simply Jesus, writes this. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:31.839 Jesus, the Jesus we might discover if we really looked, is larger, more disturbing, more urgent than we, the church, have ever imagined. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:42.000 We've reduced the kingdom of God to private piety and the victory of the cross to comfort for the conscience and Easter itself to a happy escapist ending after a sad dark tell. 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:48.559 Piety, conscious, and ultimate happiness are important, but not nearly as important as Jesus himself. 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:52.000 We want a religious leader, not a king. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:53.599 Let me say that one more time. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:56.079 We want a religious leader, not a king. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:59.119 We want someone to save our souls, not rule our world. 00:17:59.200 --> 00:18:06.400 Or if we want a king, someone to take charge of the world, what we want is someone to implement the policies we already embrace. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.799 Just as Jesus' contemporaries did. 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:15.440 But if Christians do not get Jesus right, what chance is there other people will much bother with him? 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.400 So let me ask you. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:26.799 Who do you say Jesus is? 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.000 Personally. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.799 Not what others say about him. 00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:39.839 Not what this guy up front's preaching about him. 00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:44.640 But who do you say he is? 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:51.759 When I was 17, I had a life-changing encounter with Jesus, set the whole entire direction of my life. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:55.519 I just want you to know, and my dad's sitting right there, so I gotta be honest. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:57.759 I didn't want to be a pastor. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:01.920 I saw him do that, it looked hard. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:05.279 I'm not a pastor because it's the family business. 00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:12.319 I'm a pastor because I had a life-changing encounter with Jesus that forever changed my life, and I want everybody else to have that same encounter. 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:18.480 I was 17, I'm in the middle of a field, and it's landscaping, and I encountered Jesus. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:20.960 Now, at that time I grew up in the church. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:22.720 I could answer the right answers. 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:23.839 I lived a double life. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.720 I lived one way at school and one way at church. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:34.480 In fact, there was a friend that showed up to church, saw me, and said, Huh, I didn't know you were a church-going person. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:37.279 Like, oh, that hurts. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:53.119 And then there's a moment, there's a moment where you encounter the king and you get a vision of him, and you experience his love and his kindness and his overwhelming grace, and you bend the knee and say, I'm all yours. 00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:55.440 And you know what happens when that happens? 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:58.000 Like you can't stop talking about them. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:02.160 Like you just start telling everybody, that's what I started doing. 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:04.480 I just started telling everybody about Jesus. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:08.160 17-year-old Ryan at high school, just telling everybody about Jesus. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:09.440 You know what happened to? 00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:15.519 Man, that's when worship just took off in my life. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:24.960 By the way, you'll always be able to tell what a church thinks about Jesus by the way they worship and the way they witness. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:34.240 Who do you say Jesus is? 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:51.920 For some, you've been through the good teacher, the sacred buddy, you've been through all these life coach areas, and today is the day in decision of your heart as we continue, even as I talk, you can check out and go, Jesus, today I make you Lord of my life. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.160 You are my king. 00:20:57.039 --> 00:21:00.319 You have given everything to me. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.000 You gave your very life. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:05.680 You are the most trustworthy being in all of the universe. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:09.759 How could I not give you everything in return? 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:12.319 First question. 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:17.200 Who do you say Jesus is? 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.279 Question number two. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:21.519 What is the church? 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:30.240 If we're gonna return to Jesus' vision for the church, we have to have a grand, beautiful, big, accurate picture of Jesus. 00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:33.599 And then we have to understand what Jesus meant when he said the church. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:35.759 He says, I tell you, you're Peter. 00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:39.519 And on this rock, I will build my what? 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:40.960 Church. 00:21:41.119 --> 00:21:42.000 Let's try that again. 00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:45.759 We I know you're with me, but I just didn't feel it, you know. 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:48.400 I'm Peter, and I will build my church. 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:50.160 Thank you. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:55.759 The word ekklesia, it's the first time we see it. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:58.799 It simply means assembly or gathering. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.759 It's a compound word of. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.839 Two Greek words, ek meaning out, kaleo meaning to call. 00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.480 It literally means the called out ones. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:10.640 In classical Greece, this is how it was used in ancient Athens. 00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:20.960 It was a political, excuse me, guess not, a political civic assembly of citizens shaping the city and influencing culture. 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:26.000 This, by the way, by the way, ecclesia is not a religious word. 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:34.799 A political civic assembly of citizens shaping the city and influencing culture. 00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:36.480 Doesn't this start to make sense? 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:39.440 Jesus' central message was the kingdom of God. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:48.240 He is the king, and this new movement is the ecclesia, the assembly of citizens ushering in the kingdom. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:56.079 In the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, this happened around 200 BC before Christ. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:07.680 Ecclesia is the primary word used to translate the Hebrew word kahal, which refers to the covenant nation of Israel gathered to worship and obey God. 00:23:07.839 --> 00:23:16.079 There is some religious or theological undertones here, but it's actually about the nation of Israel. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:22.319 The nation that was a called-out people to be a blessing to all other nations. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:28.079 Now Jesus is saying he is building his own people of called-out ones. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:34.640 When Jesus said, I will build my church, he wasn't talking about a building, a brand, or a once-a-week gathering. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:36.880 He wasn't thinking of pews or pulpits. 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:45.279 When Jesus used the word ecclesia, he was thinking of a people summoned, empowered, unleashed to shape the world through the ways of the kingdom. 00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:49.599 He wasn't, by the way, starting a new religion. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:53.519 He was launching a revolution, a new way to be human. 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:54.319 And this is amazing. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:58.559 The context, remember, Caesarea Philippi, in the shadow of empire. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:04.079 The kingdom of God is breaking forth under the noses of the kingdoms of this world. 00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:06.000 So what is the church? 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:09.279 First, the church is Jesus established. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:11.359 I will build my church. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:14.240 He started it, he gets to define what it is. 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:16.720 It is his church. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:22.880 You don't talk about I go to so-and-so's church or so-and-so's church. 00:24:22.960 --> 00:24:25.279 I go to the church that Jesus founded. 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:27.200 I'm part of his church. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:29.119 Secondly, it's Jesus centered. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:31.279 It's all about him, it's all because of him. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:32.720 He is King Jesus. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:44.400 And our goal here isn't to be the coolest church in town, it is to make much of Jesus to introduce you to the one who changed my life and so many others. 00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:47.759 Jesus established, Jesus centered, and then Jesus built. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:49.680 Let's sit on this for a second. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:53.119 Who is building the church, by the way? 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:58.799 Yeah, so here's a little cheat code, by the way, if you never grew up in Sunday school. 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:05.039 Like if you don't know the answer, you just say Jesus, and it's generally right. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:05.839 You know? 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:08.640 So who is building the church? 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:10.240 Yeah, fantastic. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.519 You're amazing, A plus. 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:18.559 I will build, in fact, the emphasis in the Greek here is literally my own church. 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:20.000 It's possessive. 00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:21.519 I'm building it. 00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:33.200 Jesus is building the church, and the question then, you know, throughout history is what does it mean, you know, upon this rock, you know, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build the church. 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:39.599 Well, if you grew up in the Roman Catholic tradition, uh, they would say, well, Peter is the rock and he is the first pope. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:43.680 And if you grew up in the Protestant tradition, they said, no, no, Peter's not the first pope. 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:45.599 It's it's actually the confession. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:48.720 He said, you know, you're the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.759 He's building his church on that confession. 00:25:51.839 --> 00:26:00.000 And then others have said, well, actually, Jesus said, He's the rock, he's the cornerstone, he's making this, you know, parallel, Peter the pebble, right? 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:01.759 And this rock, this stone. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.200 Well, what is it? 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:05.680 Well, let's let Peter tell us. 00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:32.799 First Peter 2, he says, This, as you come to him, Jesus, speaking of Jesus, the living stone, hmm, rejected by humans, but chosen by God and precious to him, you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood offering sack spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:34.480 You know what Peter would say? 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:39.440 Not A, B, C, D, all of the above. 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:51.440 Peter would say, Jesus is the foundation who's built uh on whose the church is being built, and it's building his church of those who confess him as Lord. 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:55.359 And Peter has the honor of being the first stone Jesus picked for building his church. 00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:58.799 It's Jesus built. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:04.079 And so we're a part of something that he's doing, not we're doing. 00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:08.559 And then finally, it's Jesus empowered, the keys of the kingdom. 00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:11.839 Keys is about authority and access. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:15.519 Jesus would say this in Acts 1.8. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:22.720 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses. 00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:32.960 Like the church is the Jesus-empowered community of saints who are following him that lean in and realize, you know what? 00:27:33.119 --> 00:27:41.359 It's all about him, it's all because of him, and I have all authority in heaven and on earth because he has given me the keys, the access, and the authority. 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:43.279 He's given me his authority. 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:57.359 And so we need a confident church that steps into the areas of our world, the areas of our uh college campuses, the areas of work, and I step into that place, not cowering or scared. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:28:06.559 Certainly there's times for that, but I realize I am a Jesus-empowered follower, and He's given me the keys, He's given me access and authority. 00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:11.519 And if I would just have that vision, I wonder what might happen in the world. 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:14.640 And said we often retreat back. 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:15.759 So what is the church? 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:21.680 The church is the subversive kingdom community living under the reign of King Jesus. 00:28:23.039 --> 00:28:35.119 It's counterculture, it's this kingdom community who live and operate under King Jesus. 00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:51.200 In the early church, there were these distinctive marks that defined them, that set them apart from every other gathering or group. 00:28:52.799 --> 00:29:00.240 It was their radical generosity, their bold faith, and their sacrificial love. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:06.319 Their radical generosity, their bold faith, and their sacrificial love. 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:08.079 In fact, we'll take the rest of the series. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:17.039 We're gonna spend six weeks unpacking two weeks on each of these: radical generosity, bold faith, and sacrificial love. 00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:22.960 They're the things that when you thought of the church, they're the things of the early church that jumped to mind. 00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:27.359 This is what marks a follower of Jesus. 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:33.680 I was talking with my kids um last night, they kind of dared me, challenged me, and I tried at first service. 00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.559 I don't know if it landed. 00:29:34.640 --> 00:29:35.839 I'm gonna try it again. 00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:41.039 Um, but I have something that is a distinctive mark. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:45.680 Uh, and if you haven't met me before, uh, I don't normally wear a hat. 00:29:45.839 --> 00:29:47.440 Okay, I normally have hair. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:51.119 In fact, my hair is a distinctive mark. 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:59.519 I got a little bored uh this last week, and I here's the crazy part. 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:06.160 Here, I will walk past people I've known for years and they won't even acknowledge me. 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:12.240 Like, like won't even say I'm like, hey, and they're like, and they just come and walk on. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:17.680 Like the distinctive mark for me is my hair, not me. 00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:23.680 And I would just wonder, I'll put this back on, I know it's distracting. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:29.279 I just wonder if we've missed the distinctive mark. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:44.880 And oh, that we would return back, that we'd be a church of radical generosity, we'd be a church of bold faith and sacrificial life. 00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.559 Three questions. 00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:50.720 Who is Jesus? 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:52.880 What is the church? 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:58.240 And oh good, I left me four minutes for what is the purpose of the church. 00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:01.279 Last service I only had two. 00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:05.680 What is the point of it all? 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:10.720 Jesus said, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:13.440 I'll give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:15.519 The gates of Hades, remember, where are they? 00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:16.160 Where are they? 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:17.599 Caesarea Philippi. 00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:21.519 Hometown of the god Pan, right? 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:24.240 Believed to be this deep cave. 00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:31.039 They had this deep cave that had down below it this massive like pool of water. 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:37.440 And in their minds, this was the entrance to the underworld. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:41.440 And they called it the gates of Hades. 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:44.880 So when Jesus says this, what is he meaning? 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:49.039 The first thing that comes to mind is the power of death. 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:54.640 He says, the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:57.920 The greatest enemy that we've faced is death itself. 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:01.920 It has been victorious over and over until one. 00:32:03.119 --> 00:32:11.519 And one person defeated the grave, and because he is the first fruits, then every person that follows in his ekesia are grave defeaters. 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:19.119 The death, the grave, no longer holds its power or its sting. 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:25.279 And then it also means the powers of evil. 00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:29.759 We live in a fallen, broken world. 00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:36.319 You look around and it's so easy to see. 00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:42.559 Like just to feel overwhelmed and see evil on display. 00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:49.440 The scripture talks about principalities and powers of this dark realm. 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:52.880 Now, here's what's interesting. 00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:57.519 Are gates defensive or offensive? 00:32:58.799 --> 00:32:59.839 Help me out. 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.839 Defensive. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:06.720 So in Jesus' mind, the gates of hell. 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:09.920 Think about this. 00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:17.440 He is talking about a called-out community that is storming the gates of hell. 00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:18.079 Why? 00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:28.160 To bring life, to bring hope, to bring rescue, to be a called-out people that rescue other people from the clutches of destruction and dismay. 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:33.519 When you see all the world around you, you just don't throw your hands up and go, oh well, sucks to be them. 00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:34.960 I wish to have a better life. 00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:38.880 You go, I'm a called-out one by the name of Jesus, full authority. 00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:40.400 I am a church. 00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:46.799 I am the Ecclesia with his collective group, and I'm called to be light and love. 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:53.839 The purpose of the church is to advance the kingdom of heaven here on earth. 00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:58.400 The church is God's game plan for reaching the world. 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:01.359 There is no plan B. 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:04.319 And so what do we do? 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:05.599 We gather to worship. 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:06.400 We do. 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:10.559 We worship King Jesus to be formed by his word. 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:17.760 And then we scatter as ambassadors, bearing witness to the gospel and joining his work of renewal and restoration. 00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:20.000 We gather, we do this. 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:24.000 But the problem is when we do this, we think church is over. 00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:28.000 And we tell people, oh, I well, maybe you don't in Silicon Valley. 00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:29.760 I went to church. 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:33.280 Um, yes-ish. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:43.440 See, what happens is the minute we say amen, we leave, the church doesn't stop, the church is on the move. 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:46.800 Because you are the church, we are the church. 00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:58.480 We gather to worship King Jesus, to hear and learn from his word, and then we scatter, we go, we are sent ones to bring healing and hope to the world around us. 00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:02.639 And so the church is not a club or a holy huddle. 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:07.280 Some people think we should retreat from the world, create our own little safe environment. 00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:09.679 It's a big, bad world out there. 00:35:11.440 --> 00:35:14.320 I need our Christian Christian bubbles. 00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:16.000 We do need space. 00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:19.360 But we're sent ones. 00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:21.440 It's not a club or a holy huddle. 00:35:21.679 --> 00:35:24.159 Jesus said, You're the salt and light. 00:35:24.559 --> 00:35:38.079 It's time once more for the ecclesia to be culture shapers and city influencers, not to reflect culture around them, not to retreat from it, but to influence it in the name of Jesus. 00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:41.840 The church is not a religious organization either. 00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:44.400 It's a rescue operation. 00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:50.400 Do you ever wonder why, like you get saved and you don't just get zapped to heaven? 00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:54.400 My gosh, that would be so much easier, wouldn't it? 00:35:56.400 --> 00:36:01.440 No, it's not just this religious organization, it is a rescue operation. 00:36:01.679 --> 00:36:13.840 The apostle Paul would say, he's given us the ministry of reconciliation, and that you're an ambassador, a representative, drawing others to Christ. 00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:17.119 And the church is not a spiritual support group either. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:29.519 Yes, the church is the kingdom community that builds one another up, encourages, exhorts, grieves, and rejoices with one another, but we've subtly turned it into a place that exists to meet my needs and help me feel good. 00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:32.800 The church is the hope of the world. 00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:35.519 It's the movement of his people on mission. 00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:41.199 And this world to bring hope of King Jesus to everyone that they make. 00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:45.440 This is the way the apostle Peter would say it. 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:53.519 Just shortly after The Living Stones says, But you are a chosen people. 00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:55.119 That's who you are. 00:36:56.639 --> 00:37:01.280 A royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession. 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:04.159 You are a holy nation. 00:37:04.320 --> 00:37:07.039 You have been set apart by God. 00:37:08.639 --> 00:37:09.920 You're chosen people. 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:17.679 He's just he's using words that were describing Israel in Exodus and Deuteronomy of the nation of Israel. 00:37:17.760 --> 00:37:22.880 And now he's applying it to this new ecclesia to be a blessing to all people. 00:37:23.039 --> 00:37:25.519 He says that you are a royal priesthood. 00:37:25.599 --> 00:37:26.400 That's who you are. 00:37:26.559 --> 00:37:29.039 We don't just have a pastor up front or pastors around. 00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:32.079 We have a whole army of pastors. 00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:34.880 It's called the priesthood of all believers. 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:36.400 You know what a priest did? 00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:39.440 They just simply bridged the gap between God and man. 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:42.320 Hey, let me introduce you to God. 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:45.360 That you, why? 00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:53.760 That you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his glorious light. 00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:06.079 We exist, this is the way we say it here, to awaken this generation to new life in Jesus. 00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:10.079 How do we return to Jesus' vision of the church? 00:38:10.480 --> 00:38:11.519 Three questions. 00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:14.000 The first one's most important, though. 00:38:15.519 --> 00:38:20.880 The most important question in the world is who do you say Jesus is? 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:24.559 And everything else flows from that. 00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:31.440 And I just want to invite you to have a Lordship moment. 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:39.280 Maybe you've never said yes to Jesus ever. 00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:48.320 Simply says, if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe in our heart, you will be saved. 00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:53.039 Today, Jesus, I long for you to be the king of my life. 00:38:53.199 --> 00:38:54.639 You're the king of the universe. 00:38:54.800 --> 00:38:57.199 Would you be the king of my life? 00:38:58.559 --> 00:39:02.239 And for others, let's be honest, it's so easy. 00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:22.480 Maybe you've been there, you've done that before, but it's so easy to just kind of live one foot, kind of 17-year-old Ryan, which has been repeated throughout the years as well, and one foot in the church and one foot in the world, and you're just kind of trying to do both things and doing your own thing, and and where you would just say, today, Jesus, you're king. 00:39:25.440 --> 00:39:29.039 And even as we worship, you might want to just get on your knees. 00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:35.679 Like, I have bowed the knee to the Silicon Valley gods of productivity, of affluence, of upward mobility. 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:38.639 I've bowed the gods to like the American dream. 00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:41.119 I have bowed the knee to all of these things. 00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:44.159 But today, Jesus, you are my king. 00:39:44.480 --> 00:39:46.800 Would you come and reign in me? 00:39:46.960 --> 00:39:54.159 And it scares me, honestly, because I don't fully know what that means, but I'm inviting you to have your way in me. 00:39:54.400 --> 00:40:05.119 And you might just need that physical sign that at the name of Jesus, every tongue will confess and every knee will bow. 00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:10.480 Declare, Jesus is Lord. 00:40:11.679 --> 00:40:15.039 And so I just want to give you a moment. 00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:20.639 Answer the question, and let's worship together. 00:40:30.320 --> 00:40:32.639 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:40:32.880 --> 00:40:37.280 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:40:37.440 --> 00:40:39.519 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:45.599 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.