(15 minutes, easy set-up)
Students will begin a yearlong study of the New Testament Church by studying Matthew 16:13–20 and Acts 1:1–3.
(15-20 minutes, easy set-up)
Use this outline and the Biblical Commentary to prepare to share the truths of this passage with students. Download the Master Teacher Worksheet. Print a copy for each student. Encourage students to take notes on their worksheets as you teach. The underlined words in the Master Teacher Key Study correspond to the blanks on the worksheet.
Introduction: Has anyone ever helped pour a foundation to a house? (If you have experience in this area, tell a personal story.) The foundation of Hoover Dam is impressive:
Built from April 20, 1931, to May 29, 1935, on the Colorado River, about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada Provided water to farmers and inexpensive electricity to cities such as Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, and Las Vegas Took 3,500 men working around the clock five years to build it 726.4 feet from the foundation rock of the riverbed to the roadway on the crest of the dam Weighs more than 6,600,000 tons-as much as 1.2 million African elephants Took 3,250,000 cubic yards of concrete to build-enough to build a structure nine times higher than the Empire State Building or a highway 16 feet wide from San Francisco to New York City
The foundation is actually almost as wide as the dam is tall. It takes this type of foundation to support a structure as huge as the Hoover Dam. Just as a solid foundation is crucial to the stability of a building, a good foundation is equally important to the stability of the Church.
1. The Church is founded on the cornerstone of Jesus Christ, the true Son of God.
Peter identified Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:13-20). Jesus proclaimed, "On this rock Peter I will build my church." While the apostles and prophets are the foundation, the cornerstone is Jesus (Eph. 2:19-21). (Refer to the Biblical Commentary under Matthew 16:18 for a more in-depth analysis of this point.)
Illustration: Click here to access the "Foundations" PDF. Compare the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Empire State Building to point out the importance of having a solid foundation.
2. Jesus' death and Resurrection ignited the growth of the Church.
Acts is the continuation of the Gospels. It answers the question: "Now what?" Before His ascension, Jesus left instructions through the Holy Spirit and proved His Resurrection by appearing to many of His followers (Acts 1:1-3). The Gospels shift from Christ's earthly life to the birth of the New Testament Church (Acts 1:1-3).
Illustration: The prequel seems to be gaining ground as a great approach to selling entertainment. In Smallville, we meet Superman as a teenager. Moviegoers anxious to learn the "back story" fueled box office sales of the new releases in the Star Wars saga. For the early Church, the back story was the death and Resurrection of Christ. That story ignited passion for the disciples to make Christ known.
3. The mission of the Church is sharing the truth of Jesus Christ with the entire world.
Jesus' Great Commission to the original disciples and to believers today is found in Matthew 28:18-20. With Jesus as the cornerstone of the Church and with the knowledge that He is the risen Lord, believers as the Church have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry out the Great Commission.
Conclusion: Jesus' statement to Peter about building His Church also challenges us. Although the Church certainly has Jesus as its cornerstone, we are the Church of today. And even if the foundation is rock-solid, the building itself must stand strong in order to be useful. To have an impact on this world, the Church must realize the foundation upon which it is built. Like Peter, we must confess Christ as the true Messiah, God's only Son. When we recognize Jesus as our authority, we claim the power that only He can give.