"I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH"'

                                       Matt. 16: 1 8

                                    INTRODUCTION
          Is this a promise? A declaration? Some claim it is a promise to
                     Peter,  others an expression of determination.

            1. CHURCH IN THE FUTURE
                  1. "Will build."
                  2. "01kodoiiieo," "Olkodomeso" is future.
                  3. The kingdom had not yet come.
                  4. The king had not been crowned.
                  5. Hence the church had not been established.
            
           11. RELATION OF PETER TO THE CHURCH
                  1. Peter not the foundation.
                  2. "Petros," Peter, masculine gender.
                  3. "Petra," rock, feminine gender.
                  4. Neither was Peter the first stone in the spiritual temple.
          
         111.  RELATION OF CHRIST TO THE CHURCH
                  1.  He is its foundation. (I Cor. 3:11; 10:4.)
                  2.  "Ecclesia," first time used by Christ.
                  3.  Second time. (Matt. 18:17.)
                  4.  Synonyms for "ecclesia"-"little flock," "disciples,"
                      "kingdom."
                  5.  "(church found in framework of teachings of Jesus.
                  6.  Christ the head. (Eph. 5:23.)
          
          IV. "KEYS OF THE KINGDOM"
                  1. "Kleis," key, "authority, power."
                  2. Peter to use them first.
                  3.  He announced terms of entrance into the kingdom.
                         ',a) First to the Jews on Pentecost. (Acts 2.)
                         (b) To the Gentiles, house of Cornelius. (Acts 10.)
                  4.  Does power to admit include power to exclude?
         
              V. CHURCH A NEW CREATION
                  1. Requires faith in Christ. (Mark 16:15, 16.)
                  2. Repentance or reformed life. (Luke 24:46; Acts 2:38.)
                  3.  Baptized into his death. (Rom. 6:3, 4.)
                  4.  A new creature in Christ. (11 Cor. 5:17.)
                  5  Jew and Gentile created one new man (Eph. 2:15.)