Ecclesiology

Theology can be either so esoteric that its useless for anything but discussion or it can be so simple that it loses its trancendancy

theology that does not tuch life is great information you can do nothing with

Ecclesiology;

The law of first mention takes us to Matthew 16 because it is the first mention of the church both by chronology and the first mention of the church by it's head.
(Ephesians is Paul's exegesis of the church).

Matthew 16:13-20- you here is plural
who do "y'all" say I am.
Peter answers a question which wasn't addressed strictly to him. ... Peter, he says, is the leader of the group and thus he answers as a group representative.

Simon means pebble
Peter means stone
Rock means a collection of smaller stones coalesced together.

The most important thing you can do is to build a leadership team.

ecclesia is an elected body who would make legislative decisions for the benefit of the people whom they represent.

The Gates of Hell: Throughout the OT the gates is a place of legislation, the elders would meet at the gate for business.

The ecclesia is going to make legal decisions which the gates of hell cannot override.

It's not about sovereignty against free will. It's sovereignty saying at he beginning "Let them rule" Thus it is our will wrapped inside of he sovereignty of God. It's football field. God sovereignly defines the field and we run around on it wherever we want, we just can't cross the lines.

2 peter 3:9 God won't move until we seek him.

Matthew 16:19
bind means to stop, restrict
Loose means to permit,
I'm going to give you the right to say what will and won't work. This is a legal issue.

This is why holding God to his word is critical.

One old man was asked to reveal the secret to his long life. He said that every morning you should sprinkle a little gunpowder on your cereal every morning. One woman took his advise. She lived to be 102. She left 12 children, 40 grandchildren, 79 great grandchildren and a 15 foot hole in the crematorium. (Now that is an impact!)

IMPACT.

We want to make an impact.
2 Cor 11 even Paul felt like he had to defend his ministry by claiming that he was a superior apostle.
But the impact is not up to us.

MT 16:13-20
Because of your faith revelation Petros, I tell you that on this Petra I will build my church.

Jesus says "[Tom, ]I will build my church!" Jesus always keeps his promise. He will make the impact. Matthew 16:18 declares the promise, I will build my church.

I WILL -

I've read through the Bible and whenever Jesus says, I Will" He will do it. - D.L. Moody

It's not your identity that' at stake, it' Jesus' identity. Jesus as the Lord of his church says I will build.

I WILL BUILD
Emphases: the authority and ability to build the gathering of the saints. The Ekklesia is the called out gathering of the saints.
The Lord of all says "I will build my called out people."

Without God we cannot; but God without us will not.

Jesus is going to take care of the church no doubt about it. He doesn't need you to do it but he wants you to do it.