The Lord referred to Himself as “the stone of Israel” and emphatically stated, “He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall” (D&C 50:44). Neither Matt. The Foundation will provide service and resources to assist Church of God congregations, regional assemblies, and other movement related organizations with regard to endowments, charitable trusts, and charitable gift annuities, all designed to support the ministries of the church. When Elder Pratt was taken, along with the Prophet Joseph Smith, by a mob in Far West, Missouri, and imprisoned, Mary Ann was confined to bed, gravely ill, while caring for two small children. Maybe you are struggling with your faith. “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.” Psalm 89:26, “Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. Our eternal safety depends upon our building upon the sure foundation. Jesus and the Church The Foundation of the Church in the New Testament and Modern Theology by The Rev. I love the cherished anthem “How Firm a Foundation.” Some time ago I was in a meeting in the Salt Lake Temple with the members of the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and all other General Authorities assigned to Church headquarters. Or who is a rock save our God? With the design and construction of every temple, significant work is expended on what cannot easily be seen when the project is finished—the foundation. We can learn from the mistakes and the successes of others. But no one can build our spiritual foundation. Instead, Jesus referred to Peter being a small pebble that understood the real foundation of the church, Jesus Christ. Additional photographs: Eric P. Johnsen; Matthew Reier; RedDaxLuma/iStock/Thinkstock; shilh/iStock/Thinkstock. Reading this passage in proper context along with supporting verses shows us that Jesus is the Christ, the Rock of our salvation.Read more about Peter here: Apostle Peter … A. When you read the word of God, you can believe it is true because He is so true and honest. We pray for them every day. We are taught by them often. How feeble the church appeared when Christ spoke these words! Also, Jesus was not saying that He would build His church on Peter. To build and maintain a foundation, remember three principles: vision, commitment, and self-discipline. Jesus is the rock that His church is built on. It needs to be more than what we sometimes think or even what we sometimes feel—it must become who we are. In The Times Ahead Cling To God’s Promises. Jesus would not build His church on a fallible man and, in fact, 1 Corinthians 3:11 says that Christ is the foundation. But on this occasion President Monson said, “Let’s sing the seventh verse.” With all the General Authorities we sang: The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose. Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, is the sole foundation of the church, but he cannot be without his people. Not only is Jesus the foundation of the church, he is the provider of the building material that composes the church. Q: Does this mean that Jesus would build His church on Peter as the foundation? In Revelation 21, the foundation is the Twelve. It is broad enough for all, and strong enough to sustain the weight and burden of the whole world. The construction process is a significant undertaking, and maintenance is a lifetime effort. Vision is the ability to see. President Thomas S. Monson has stated: “Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Knowing that these forces would relentlessly attack the temple, the engineers designed, and the contractor excavated, a hole 32 feet (10 m) deep under the entire footprint of the structure. There was only a handful of believers, against whom all the power of demons and evil men would be directed; yet the followers of Christ were not to fear. Formally, we make covenants with God through priesthood ordinances. And by connection with Christ, the living stone, all who build upon this foundation become living stones. Indeed, it is the essence of our life’s work. Jesus Is The Foundation Of His Church. That foundation is the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is worth any price. The gates of hell did not prevail against Him. Gathering a wide range of critical scholarship, he argues that there is something solid and dependable at the foundation of the church's life and mission. During the time that Peter walked on this earth, he brought many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and His word, and their names are bound in heaven. However, today’s extraordinary blessing of accessibility to their message can lead to a lack of appreciation for its importance. Rather, He was saying the church would be built on what Peter said: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. He had established the foundation with which to build the church on. Built upon the Rock of their strength, they could not be overthrown. When Jesus was on the cross He said, “ it is finished.” He was talking about the plan of redemption. built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. In a gospel context, we sometimes call this “eternal perspective.” Jacob described it as seeing “things as they really are, and … things as they really will be” (Jacob 4:13). You likely have experienced much joy and much pain. They hold the keys of the priesthood of God. Was the Christian church founded by Jesus, or does 'the Eucharist make the church'? We can then securely build other righteous identities upon that foundation because we will know which are eternal and which are temporary and how to prioritize them. Jesus Christ, speaking of a person who hears and follows Him, described it this way: “He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. In order for us to be tested, we must face challenges and difficulties. Ultimately, the strength of our spiritual foundation is shown by how we live our lives, especially in times of disappointment and challenge. Today can be a pivotal, even historic, day in our life. “I Am a Child of God,” Hymns, no. Peter had expressed the truth which is the foundation of the church’s faith, and Jesus now honored him as the representative of the whole body of believers. But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Self-discipline can be defined as the ability to live consistently with our vision and commitments. The Church is described in the scriptures as the body of Christ and Jesus Christ is the only Foundation. For six thousand years the floods and tempests of satanic wrath have beaten upon the Rock of our salvation; but it stands unmoved. It becomes more dangerous.”4. But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. The effort of building and maintaining a spiritual foundation is not easy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The church was built upon One against whom the gates of hell could not prevail…. He denied his Lord 3 times. Read the words of Jesus in Caesarea Philippi. He will never go back on His word, and He will never change. Submission to Christ and faith in Him are here represented. Does this describe who you are? A central theme of the book is the relationship between the church and Christ, the church and the gospel, the church and the Kingdom. When a prophet speaks, those with little faith may think that they hear only a wise man giving good advice. But, Jesus Christ is the foundation of His church. But, the gates of hell did prevail against Peter. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Jesus Is Better. Developing self-discipline is essential to progress because it seamlessly connects learning and doing. As imposing and stately as this structure will be, however, it will still be subject to destructive winds and invasive groundwater. The foundation that had been built upon the sand swiftly crumbled while the house that stood on the solid foundation remained intact. A house, in this biblical parable, can refer to many things. Possessing a firm foundation is the ultimate protection from the buffetings of the world. In Ephesians 2, Christ is the cornerstone with the apostles and New Testament prophets as the foundation. “But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:48–49). But there are other stones in this foundation. I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes; That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, … no never forsake!3. This wondrous Restoration should make of us a people of tolerance, of neighborliness, of appreciation and kindness toward others. For who is God save the Lord? Now he refers to it as a temple. Our heavenly Father built His church on His sinless, perfect Son, Jesus Christ, not on a sinful man which Peter was. The anchors are spaced 15 feet (4.5 m) apart in both directions. Upon moving to Missouri, USA, along with other Saints, they endured horrific persecution. The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” Psalm 18:2, 31, 46, “And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer: The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.” II Samuel 22:2, 3, “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” Psalm 95:1, “There is none holy as the Lord; for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” I Samuel 2:2, “He teareth himself in his anger; shall the earth be forsaken for thee? Thomas S. Monson, “How Firm a Foundation,” Ensign, Nov. 2006, 62. He said, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  Matthew 16:19, “The keys of the kingdom of heaven” are the words of Christ. "Unless th… 28:16). 412-414, Your email address will not be published. He and his family were saved when all others were lost. If you have never had the foundation we speak of, or through neglect have let it crack or crumble, it is not too late to put on a hard hat and go to work. You will also learn that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. The important message from this Sunday was: Jesus Christ is the foundation … Against the church built upon this foundation, the gates of hell shall not prevail. Jesus Christ is the rock upon which we must build our foundation. For example, the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, when completed, will be 82 feet (25 m) tall at its roofline and rise 195 feet (59 m) to the top of the angel Moroni. Because the foundation stones are of different sizes — some in better condition than others — workers are drilling three-inch-wide holes at different angles into the foundation footing. Check here to Subscribe to notifications for new posts, Love You Lord Jesus! We can hide in the cleft of the rock. Peter was not the rock upon which the church was founded. (1 Corinthians 3:11) This observation by the apostle Paul warns Christians that it is possible to build either successfully or with awful failure on the foundation that Jesus Christ has laid for us. And so also it is by faith and obedience that we build on Christ as our foundation. The apostles and prophets were participants in laying the foundation, but the focus was definitely upon Christ as the cornerstone. Paul also teaches, “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11 ESV) The Bible is important but it is not the foundation of the Christian faith. We can count on Him being truthful, honest, sincere, loving and kind today; and when tomorrow comes, we know He will be the same truthful, honest, sincere, loving, kind God. In one form or another, all of us understand it. This is the only foundation upon which we may securely build. You may deeply feel the weight of life’s heavy burdens. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us, and as time goes on He will hold us closer and closer to Him. Our connection with God the Father and His eternal plan, and with Jesus Christ, His Son and our Rock, needs to be so firmly established that it truly becomes the cornerstone of our foundation. We sang the standard three verses of this beautiful hymn, concluding after verse three as we often do in sacrament services or other meetings. Jesus built His church on a Rock (Matthew 16:18) What is the foundation of the church of Christ? We will even choose to discard other identities and their accompanying practices—some highly valued by the world. Sin entered into the world through Adam, and through the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, sin and death were conquered on the Cross (1 Corinthians 15:45). 1 Peter 2:4-8; Eph. Jesus is the foundation of the church (cf. Theirs is a mission weighted with eternal results.”, E. G. White, The Desire Of Ages, pp. Multitudes are today building upon foundations that have not been tested. All the tools you need to build, repair, or strengthen your foundation are available to you. Jesus is the foundation for all believers: “ Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone ” (Ephesians 2:20). 2 This is not new doctrine. With the message of the oft-sung hymn “I Am a Child of God”6 in your heart and soul and not simply on your lips, and with a continual reliance on the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ, you can find peace and comfort even in the most difficult of times. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” B. These words have power to open and to shut heaven. Mary Ann Pratt married Parley P. Pratt in 1837. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”  Matthew 26:33, 34, We can count on Him being truthful, honest, sincere, loving and kind today; and when tomorrow comes, we know He will be the same truthful, honest, sincere, loving, kind God. We can be taught by others. For others, it may mean reprioritizing their life and making their love for God supreme. There are 15 men on earth who are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” I Peter 2:3-8. Taking A Stand Series. Then if his counsel seems comfortable and reasonable, squaring with what they want to do, they take it. How fortunate you and I are to have a God that is as solid as a rock. Upon this living stone, Jews and Gentiles alike may build. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”  Matthew 26:33, 34. On the north and south walls, these holes go to depths of eight to 14 feet; on the east and west walls, the holes stretch from 10 to 35 feet deep. For six thousand years, faith has builded upon Christ. The anchors were drilled 50 to 175 feet (15 to 53 m) into the granite and tensioned at 250,000 pounds per square inch (17,577 kg per square cm). Does it at least describe who you are working to become? In 1 Peter 2, Christ is the cornerstone of the Church. When Jesus told Peter that “upon this rock I will build my church”, he meant that He (Jesus) was the rock that His church would be built on. I give such detailed information to teach this point: unlike building a structure (which is temporary), in building our everlasting (and, we hope, eternal) lives, we sometimes pay woefully little attention to the engineering and construction of our foundations. Jesus paid the price for the church by His blood. Contributed by Mark Schaeufele on Jun 6, 2015. based on 1 rating. - Proudly Powered by WordPress. Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone of the Christian faith or church, not Peter. In Isaiah, He is called “a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). In this world when everything is going every which way but the right way, it is so nice to have a friend that you can lean on. Notice the evidence for this in the text. Perhaps matters in your family are not as you would wish. These can break us, and the surface of our souls may crack and crumble—that is, if our foundations of faith, our testimonies of truth are not deeply embedded within us. We raise our hands to sustain them several times a year. Whatever your circumstance, having a firm foundation will lessen your load. When we are redeemed, we become "living stones, [and] are being built into a spiritual house…" (1 Peter 2:5) We haven't made ourselves into stones to be used in the construction of Christ's church; the Lord has done that for us. “Upon this rock,” said Jesus, “I will build My church.”  In the presence of God, and all the heavenly intelligences, in the presence of the unseen army of hell, Christ founded His church upon the living Rock. So what Jesus actually says is that you are a pebble, but on a foundation rock (different word in Greek for rock) I will build my church. Paul said, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, and your faith also is vain…. Bible Truths about Last Day Events and How We Can Prepare for the Lord's Second Coming! Peter was no different than you or me, friend, he was a sinner. Moses said: “Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. They base their belief on an out of context interpretation of Matthew 16:17-19. Many persons are by their own endeavors hewn, polished, and beautified; but they cannot become “living stones,” because they are not connected with Christ. The hole was dug into native Pennsylvania granite to provide an immovable foundation upon which to build. 301. They include consistent, quality prayer; daily gospel study through the scriptures; actively participating in the meetings of the Church, especially by partaking of the sacrament with real intent; continual selfless service; and diligent covenant keeping. Nephi praised the Lord as “the rock of my salvation” and “the rock of my righteousness” (2 Nephi 4:30, 35). And in that way Jesus becomes the foundation and focus and goal of the family, and life at home is transformed. Without this connection, no man can be saved. Later, Mary Ann visited her husband in jail and stayed with him for a time. Despite this tumultuous life, Mary Ann Pratt stayed true. They declare the conditions upon which people are received or rejected. Today, those that love the Lord and are looking forward to His soon coming have their names bound in heaven. And in Matthew 16, the rock is Peter. These are they who fall upon the Rock and are broken. In one form or another, all of us understand it. We can wake up each morning knowing that He will stick close to us. Ephesians 2:19-22. Our heavenly Father built His church on His sinless, perfect Son, Jesus Christ, not on a sinful man which Peter was. We often call these promises covenants. This is not new doctrine. Professor Paul Avis 9780567697493 (Paperback, 2020) Delivery US shipping is usually within 7 to 11 working days. But, there were those, at that time, that refused to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and had no desire to obey His word even though Peter tried to help them to understand that Jesus was the Son Of God and salvation comes through Him. 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