Dear Christian friends:

Many leaders of the Christian Church are worried because the percentage of Christians in the world yearly becomes smaller. One man says if the present trend continues by the year 2000 Christians will be only 2% of the world population. Today Christians are 30% of the world population.

So we ask, why? Why are the believers becoming smaller and smaller while unbelievers grow larger and larger? Perhaps there are many answers to that question, but I think we will find the best answer if we attend to our bible text for today. Here Jesus tells us how He builds His church and some important things about that.

If we see how Jesus builds His church on earth we will also learn how we can help or how Jesus wants to use us so that His church grows stronger. So let us attend to our text and consider:

First, of all Jesus impresses upon us that His church is built on a good, strong "foundation". Every good building has a strong foundation. If the foundation is weak the building will not stand long.

What kind of foundation? All agencies or institutions are established on exact ideals: U.S. Government, "Government (rule) of the people and for the people". That is the "foundation" of our U.S. Government. It is a good and strong foundation and so today still have a good and strong government and country.

The Red Cross; the Cancer Society and others all have a "foundation" or ideal upon which their organization is established and built. So also the Christian Church has a "foundation" upon which it is built. Jesus says to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my Church." "Rock"? What does Jesus mean "Rock"? A little before verse 15 Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the promised Savior, the Son of the living God." (verse 16)

That is the foundation of the Christian Church, the teaching or preaching that Jesus of Nazareth, son of Mary is also the Son of God our Savior. So also St. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:20, "You are built on the "foundation" of the apostles and prophets and Christ Jesus Himself is the Cornerstone."

And again he writes, "In His love God gave me a work to do, and so as an expert master builder I laid a foundation, and somebody else is building on it. Nobody can lay any other foundation than the one that is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11)

In the hymn before the choir sang: "The Church's one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord she (the Church) is His new Creation by water and the Word. From heaven He came and sought her to be His holy bride; With His own blood He bought her and for her life He died." So that beautiful, wonderful teaching about Jesus the Savior of sinners is the foundation of the Christian Church.

As St. Paul did, so we must build the Church on that foundation. We must be eager to teach and preach and witness to others about Jesus, God's Son our Savior. Then the Church will grow strong and flourish. Jesus said, "I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven." What is that? Again that key is preaching Jesus to sinners, forgiving those who believe and not forgiving those who do not believe. (Verse 19)

If the Christian Church today is becoming smaller and weaker it is because we the members are not building on the one true foundation. Are we hearing that good news of Jesus often enough ourselves? Do we believe it and find great joy, comfort and hope in it? Are we eager to share our Jesus with others? Or are we afraid to tell others? Are we cheap about supporting our church and giving for world missions? A few days ago I received a letter from Dr. Arnold Meyer. (Show it and read parts of it.)

So lets remember Jesus' words here about how He builds His Church and makes it grow and flourish. And for our comfort He adds: "The powers of hell will not overpower it."

The Church has many enemies, powers of hell Satan and all who do not believe in Jesus Christ. False ministers, too, who say that Jesus did not come from heaven and who deny the resurrection of the body etc.

Let us not be afraid or worry, but take up our work. Let God use us to build His Church.

Amen.