Foundry Community Church
Thirteeth Sunday after Pentecost - Year A
  • Come Thou Font of Every Blessing

      • Psalm 124ESV

      • Romans 12:1–8ESV

  • Take My Life, and Let it Be
  • Matthew 16:13–20 ESV
    13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
    This is the Gospel of our Lord!
    All: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Chirst!
    Everyone Is Becoming Something
    Every one of us is being shaped.
    Our experiences shape us.
    Our relationships shape us.
    Our culture shapes us.
    Our disappointments shape us.
    Our victories shape us.
    And, most importantly, our view of Jesus shapes us.
    Jesus doesn't begin His conversation with Peter by asking:
    “Are you successful?”
    “Are you religious enough?”
    “Do you know enough Bible verses?”
    He asks:
    “Who do you say that I am?”
    Because the answer to that question determines everything that follows.

    KNOW WHO JESUS IS

    “The Wrong Answer”

    Imagine taking a family photograph and asking someone:
    “Who is that?”
    They might identify everyone correctly except the most important person.
    You could know their name.
    Know their occupation.
    Know facts about them.
    And still not actually know them.
    That's the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing who Jesus is.
    Peter's confession isn't simply information.
    It's recognition.

    Matthew 16:13–17

    Jesus asks
    Matthew 16:15 ESV
    “…But who do you say that I am?
    Peter answers:
    Matthew 16:16
    Matthew 16:16 ESV
    …“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
    Peter doesn't merely identify Jesus as a teacher.
    He recognizes Him as the Christ, the Messiah.
    The One Israel has been waiting for.
    The Son of the living God.

    Application

    We live in a world full of opinions about Jesus.
    Good teacher.
    Moral example.
    Prophet.
    Spiritual guide.
    Historical figure.
    But Christianity makes a much bigger claim:
    Jesus is Lord.
    And Christianity begins when we stop asking what everybody else says about Jesus and answer the question personally:

    “Who do YOU say Jesus is?”

    LET YOUR CONFESSION CHANGE YOUR LIFE

    “The Mirror”

    A mirror doesn't change your appearance.
    It reveals it.
    But imagine looking into the mirror every morning and saying:
    “That's not really me.”
    Eventually, something has to happen.
    Romans 12 is essentially Paul saying:
    Stop conforming to the world and let God transform you.
    Our faith should become visible.
    Not because we're trying to impress people.
    But because something inside us has changed.

    Romans 12:1–8

    Peter makes the right confession.
    But Paul takes us further.
    If Jesus is Lord, then our lives belong to Him.
    Romans 12:1 says:
    Romans 12:1 ESV
    1 I appeal to you … to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God…
    Now let’s put gas in the can for motivation.
    Romans 12:1 ESV
    ….which is your spiritual worship.
    That's Christianity in action.
    Not merely:
    “I believe in Jesus.”
    But:
    “Because I believe in Jesus, I live differently.”
    Paul describes a transformed mind.
    A transformed life.
    A transformed community.
    A church where people use their gifts to serve one another.

    Application

    The question isn't simply:
    “Do I believe?”
    The deeper question is:
    “Is what I believe changing me?”
    If Jesus is Lord:
    Our marriages should look different.
    Our relationships should look different.
    Our priorities should look different.
    Our generosity should look different.
    Our forgiveness should look different.
    Our service should look different.
    Our church should look different

    BECOME THE PEOPLE JESUS IS BUILDING

    “The Builder”

    Imagine walking onto a construction site.
    You see piles of lumber.
    Steel beams.
    Electrical wiring.
    Concrete.
    Dust everywhere.
    It doesn't look like a finished building.
    But the architect knows exactly what is being built.
    That's the Church.
    Sometimes we look at ourselves and see unfinished people.
    Jesus sees what He's building.
    The Church isn't finished.
    And neither are we.

    Matthew 16:18

    Jesus says:
    “I will build my church.”
    That's an incredible promise.
    Notice the wording.
    Jesus doesn't say:
    “You will build my church.”
    He says:
    “I will build my church.”
    The Church belongs to Jesus.
    And He is building something.
    Exodus gives us a beautiful picture of this.
    Pharaoh is trying to destroy God's people.
    But God is quietly preserving them.
    A baby named Moses survives.
    A deliverer is being prepared.
    God is working behind the scenes.
    Then, centuries later, Jesus tells Peter:
    “I will build my church.”
    The enemy can oppose it.
    Culture can misunderstand it.
    People can disappoint it.
    Circumstances can threaten it.
    But Jesus is still building.

    Application

    Our job isn't to build our church.
    Our job is to become the kind of people through whom Jesus builds His Church.
    That means:
    Faithful people
    Serving people
    Forgiving people
    Generous people
    Courageous people
    Compassionate people
    Gospel-centered people

    CONCLUSION — WHO ARE WE BECOMING?

    Go back to Jesus' question.
    “Who do you say that I am?”
    Peter answered correctly.
    But Jesus wasn't finished.
    The confession was only the beginning.
    Because knowing Jesus should change us.
    Romans says:
    Be transformed.
    Exodus says:
    Trust God even when you can't see what He's doing.
    Psalm 124 says:
    Psalm 124:2 ESV
    2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us,
    Remember that your help comes from the Lord.
    Matthew says:
    Jesus is building His Church.
    So perhaps the question we need to take home today isn't merely:
    “Who is Jesus?”
    It's this:

    “Because Jesus is who He says He is, who am I becoming?”

    Are we becoming more like Christ?
    Are we becoming more loving?
    More faithful?
    More courageous?
    More generous?
    More willing to serve?
    More willing to forgive?
    More committed to the mission of Jesus?
    Because Jesus is still building His Church.
    And He is building it with people who have decided:
    Jesus is Lord.
    My life belongs to Him.
    And I want to become the person He is calling me to be.

    Communion Transition — “Who Are We Becoming?”

    As we come to the Lord’s Table, I want us to return to the question Jesus asked His disciples:
    “Who do you say that I am?”
    Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
    But that confession was never meant to remain just words. If Jesus truly is the Messiah, then His identity changes our identity. His sacrifice changes the way we live. His grace changes the way we love. And His resurrection gives us hope that we are still being transformed.
    That is why Communion is so important.
    At this table, we remember who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.
    The bread reminds us of His body given for us.
    The cup reminds us of His blood poured out for us.
    And as we receive these gifts, we are reminded that Jesus isn't finished with us yet.
    He is still building His Church. He is still transforming His people. And He is still shaping us into the people He has called us to become.
    So as we come to the Table today, don't simply come remembering Jesus.
    Come surrendering to Jesus.
    Come with your confession.
    Come with your brokenness.
    Come with your gratitude.
    Come with your need for grace.
    And come with this prayer:
    “Lord Jesus, because You are who You say You are, make me who You are calling me to be.”
    Let us come to the Table.

      • Matthew 16:13–20ESV

      • Matthew 16:15ESV

      • Matthew 16:16ESV

      • Romans 12:1ESV

      • Romans 12:1ESV

      • Psalm 124:2ESV

  • Leader: Brothers and sisters in Christ, we come now to the Lord’s Table—a place of grace, remembrance, and renewal. Here we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, proclaim His victory over sin and death, and celebrate the unity we share as His people.

    Invitation to the Table

    Leader: Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
    This table is not the table of any church, but the table of our Lord Jesus Christ. All who trust in Him, repent of their sins, and desire to follow Him are invited to share in this meal of grace.

    Prayer of Confession

    Leader: Before we receive these gifts, let us confess our sins before God.
    All: Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart, and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
    Let us go before our Lord in Silent Confession…

    Assurance of Pardon

    Leader: Hear the good news: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
    In Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven.

    The Great Thanksgiving

    Leader: The Lord be with you.
    People: And also with you.
    Leader: Lift up your hearts.
    People: We lift them up to the Lord.
    Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
    People: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
    Leader: Let us pray as our Lord taught us…

    The Lord’s Prayer

    Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

    Words of Institution

    Leader: On the night He was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread. After giving thanks, He broke it and said:
    "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
    In the same way, after supper He took the cup and said:
    "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
    For whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.

    Prayer of Consecration

    Leader: Let us pray.
    Gracious Father, pour out Your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts of bread and cup. By Your Spirit, unite us with Christ and with one another, that we may be nourished in faith, strengthened in hope, and renewed in love. Make us faithful witnesses of Your kingdom until Christ comes again in glory. Through Him, with Him, and in Him, all honor and glory are Yours, now and forever. Amen.

    Distribution

    Leader: The body of Christ, given for you. Amen.
    The blood of Christ, shed for you. Amen.

    Prayer After Communion

    All: Gracious God, we thank You for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of Your Son. Strengthen us through this meal to love and serve You faithfully, to seek justice, to show mercy, and to walk humbly with You. Send us into the world in the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ's love. In His holy name we pray. Amen.

      • 1 Corinthians 11:23–24ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 11:23–24ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 11:23–24ESV

  • Doxology
  • When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
  • Now Unto Him
Foundry Community Church
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