Our scripture test this morning is from Matthew chapter 16 verses 13 to 26. Now when Jesus came into the district of Cessary of Philippi, he began asking his disciples saying,

who do people say that the Son of Man is?

And they said, some say John the Baptist and others, Elijah, but still others,

Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. He said to them, but who do you say that I am? And Simon

Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to

him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but my father who is in heaven.

And I also say to you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever

you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Then he warned the disciples that they should tell no one that he was the Christ.

From that time Jesus Christ began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem

and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes,

and be killed and be raised up on the third day.

And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying,

God forbid it, Lord, this shall never happen to you.

But he turned and said to Peter,

Get behind me me Satan. You are a stumbling block to me

For you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's.

Lord Jesus Christ, you have told us now in this word that you are going to build your church. And so I'm asking risen living Christ

that in your mercy you would give heed to us now and fulfill that promise in this hour not just

to build Bethlehem in strength and humility and love and grace and spiritual power, but that through what you're about to do in this service

you would build your church among the unreached peoples of the world.

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