“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18; NKJV).
Search. To search is “to look into or over carefully or thoroughly in an effort to find or discover something” (Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary). Jesus commended the Jews of His day for searching the “Scriptures” (John 5:39). The Bereans were commended by the Holy Spirit in Acts 17:11 because they “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether” the things taught by Paul and Silas were so. It is the will of God for me to search, to look, to be careful and thorough in an effort to find Him, His will, His love.
Christ. “Christ” is a title. It literally means “anointed.” Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed of God. The prophets speak of an anointed of God who would occupy the office of prophet, priest, and king, a Messiah. Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of each and every one of those prophecies: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36; NKJV). Jesus was anointed by the Father to “save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15; NKJV). It is the will of God for me to find His anointed, to be saved from my sins.
Church. The anointed of God, the Christ, came to build His church. He came to construct, to erect, to found a church. Not a physical building mind you, but a church, an ekklesia, a people. Not a structure confined to a place, but a people of “every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” (Revelation 14:6; NKJV). It is the will of God for me to search for Christ’s church, to be careful to find the people that the Christ has called out of the world into His marvelous light.
God’s Promise. If I search for Christ’s church I will find: “Ask, and it will given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8; NKJV). Even evil men know to give good gifts to their children (Matthew 7:9-10). Our Heavenly Father, who is good, will “give good things to those who ask Him” (Matthew 7:11; NKJV).
Our Prayer. Father, as we search for Christ’s church, may we find. May we be Christ’s church. As others search may they find us to be what we hope to be: Christ’s church. In His Anointed Name, Amen.
