...Matthew 16:18 "And I also say to you, that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. "
1 Corinthians 1: 26-29 "Take heed, brethren, your vocation, that you are not many wise according to the flesh, nor many mighty, nor many noble; But the foolish thing of the world chose God, to shame the wise; and the weak things of the world God chose to shame the strong; and the vile of the world and the despised chose God, and what is not, to undo what is, so that no one may boast in his presence. "
The churches are marked by their lived experiences, by their history, just as our own personal history marks our way of being and thinking. Sometimes conflicting experiences influence for good or bad in us, but always by Jesus Christ we can have the perspective of a better life for our personal lives and also for our church.
Think of the church in its two aspects: as a local church, ours, and as the universal church. The local church must be an expression of the universal church. With this in mind, let's look at three conditions to consider the church as indestructible.
I. The church is indestructible as long as it depends entirely on the Holy Spirit
The church is not the result of a human decision or human effort. The Church is part of God's plan in Jesus Christ, therefore it does not depend on human effort.
The church is built by the exercise of the gifts of each member. These gifts are given by God through his Spirit. In the church every woman, every man, every lady, young man, boy or girl, all are necessary, but none is indispensable. The only indispensable in the church is the Holy Spirit.
II. The church is indestructible as long as God's act is manifested in it
If the Holy Spirit is in the church, it is to be expected that God acts in it.
This act of God is often different than expected. Today, the "spectacular" act of God is privileged in Christian movements. Sometimes this spectacular performance in miraculous health or prosperity, in the expulsion of demons, etc., seems more attractive than the serene miracle of a life transformed by Christ, than the miracle of being able to have peace in the midst of adversity, that the miracle of worrying about the needy ... These are not in any way minor miracles.
God is present in the church when believers gather to worship him; God manifests himself when he gives us the courage to speak and live our faith before those who do not share it; God manifests himself in his church when believers pray for someone in need; God manifests himself in his church when he shows empathy (the same feeling) with that brother or sister who suffers some adversity. God manifests himself in the church when we visit the sick person.
God manifests when our resources can help a project or who are experiencing financial difficulties. God manifests himself when our participation impacts the life of the society that surrounds us. These are not minor miracles. These manifestations of God, I bear witness for our personal experience as a family, we have been able to perceive them in this church.
God continues to be present even when there are difficulties in the church: This text is in the middle of the story of two conflicting situations in the church: 1) The scandal of the attempt to deceive Ananias and Sapphira, (cap. .4) and 2) Ethnic misunderstandings regarding the care of widows (chapter 6).
However, despite these internal difficulties, God continued to manifest in the church and the gospel continued to spread. The divisions so frequent in local churches today, ultimately result in the spread of the Gospel.
The church is indestructible as long as it remains true to its vocation
The church is called to live and witness to the Lord of the church, to Jesus Christ
This fidelity is not always simple. The apostles here say they were flogged. In the following chapters will be narrated the first martyrdom of a believer, Esteban.
This allows us to see that sometimes the testimony is accompanied by suffering. But for these believers, this was a source of joy. This is what Jesus Christ gives: peace and joy in adversity.
This is what allows us to remain faithful despite maybe the incomprehension or the open rejection of those around us, including our own family. We can remain faithful even if things do not always happen as we wish, even if there is rejection, persecution, even illness.
Additional considerations:
Although the church of Jesus Christ is indestructible, it does not mean that the people who make it are supermen or super women. But it is precisely in human weakness that the power of God can manifest itself.
The indestructible of the church is not the human of it, it is not a structure or hierarchy, it is not its dogma. Its indestructibility is given by that which is eternal.
The indestructibility of the church is manifested through human frailty. Jesus Christ makes himself known today by living and speaking through each of us, women and men who have believed the gospel.
We must think that we are the instrument of God in this place where we are, so that everything God does through us will always contribute to his eternal Kingdom continuing to manifest. So that no work we do in the Lord will be in vain. Let's go forward, "Steemchurch" the first blockchain church, promoting the gospel of peace and salvation.