Our House: A 5-Day Prayer for the Local Church

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Matthew 16:18

If someone asked you, “Who do you say Jesus is?” what would your answer be? For the apostle Peter the answer was clear: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Peter’s confession is the first from any of the apostles in the gospels. Jesus then told His disciples that the church, the whole body of His believers, would be built upon the apostles with Him as its cornerstone.

In these few lines, Jesus illustrates His lesson by using Peter’s name as a clever play on words . In Greek, Peter’s name is Petros, which means “rock” or “stone” in a building. But Jesus uses another word in Greek—petra—which means “bedrock.” And this time, He was using the word petra to refer to Himself as the structural foundation of the building. So although Peter and the apostles would have key roles in building the early church, Jesus Himself would be the foundation. And when the Son of God is the solid ground of the church, nothing can overcome it.

Christ is still building His church today, and He’s inviting us to use the gifts God has given us to be a part of His work. Will you join the apostles and become a rock in your church?