JESUS BUILT HIS CHURCH  
Mt. 16:16-18

I. Direction For  His Church
   A. His Law is the New Testament  ( Gal 3 : 22-27 )
   B. The scripture is true and complete  ( II Tim 4:1-4 )
   C. We can not add to or take away from the Word  ( Deut 4:2 ; Rev 22:18-20 )

II. Roles Of The Church
   A. Kingdom  - ruled by our King ( Col 1:13-14 )
   B. Church - called out for a mission  (Mt 28:18-20 )
   C. Body of Christ - act as his hands / do his will ( Eph 1:22-23 )
   D. Family - joint heirs of God with Christ our Brother ( Rom 8:16 - 17 )

III. Warnings About The Church
   A. After the apostles died  divisions would come into the Church ( Acts 20:28 )
   B. Some will depart from the faith  ( I Tim 4:1 )
   C. Sit in the seat of God teaching wrong doctrines  ( I Tim 4:3 )

IV. Most Popular View Of The Church Is Wrong
   A. Founder was Jesus ( Mt 16:16-18 ) with the Apostles speaking for the Lord -
NOT Peter (  Mt 16:18-19 ; Mt 18:18-19 )
   B. All teaching must be approved by the Bible ( II Tim 3:15-17 ) not by the Church
      i) baptizing babies does not meet Acts 2:38
      ii) Mary was not a perpetual virgin ( Mt 13:26 )
      iii ) Peter had a wife ( I Cor. 9:5 )
      iv) we should call no man Father ( Mt 23:9 )
      v) can not pray to Mary ( Jn 14:6 )
      vi) all Christians are priests ( I Pet 2: 9)
   C. The first Church was very simple
      i) simple plan of salvation ( faith in Christ  , repentance , confession that Jesus is the Christ , baptism for remission of sin & to receive the Holy Spirit )
      ii) simple organization ( Jesus - Head ; elders  ; deacons ; preachers & teachers )
      iii) simple job : keep unspotted from sin ; study God's word ; fellowship other Christians ; care for the sick & poor ; tell the Gospel to others )
      iv) simple worship : teach God's word ; sing praises to the Lord ; pray through Jesus to our Father ; give of our means ; remember the Lord through his supper )
   D. After the Apostles died deceivers came in and slit the Church until AD 313 and AD 325  the Roman Emperor declared the Roman Church as the one true church and its decisions were equal with the Bible
   E. Many believe the Roman Church was the first church from whom all church came ; this is not what actually happened