What happens, generally speaking, when a building’s foundation has no structural integrity? Eventually it gives way and collapses. Of course, this has happened numerous times in the history of the world. Five years ago, a Miami condo partially collapsed when problems led to support columns failing. Sometimes a foundation isn’t as strong as thought and fails. Other times, a building really wasn’t built on much of a foundation and it gave way. A building needs a rock-solid foundation.

The English word “church” comes from a word used in the Gospel Reading: Ecclesia. This is where we get words like “ecclesial”, “ecclesiology”, and the title of the Old Testament book “Ecclesiastes”.

Jesus says, “On this rock I will build my Ecclesia [my Church].” The Church needs a rock-solid foundation, and Jesus isn’t talking about a physical building. If we had no building and just met outside, it would still be a “church” service. The word “ecclesia” (the word “church”), biblically speaking, means “gathering or assembly.” Think of the song: “I am the Church, you are the Church, we are the Church together.” Jesus says, “On this rock I will build my gathering of believers.” Our Lutheran Confessions offer a great definition of the Church, stating: “God be praised, a seven-year-old child knows what the Church is: holy believers and ‘the little sheep who hear the voice of their Shepherd.’”

Knowing precisely what the Church is, we can now ask, what is the rock upon which Jesus’ gathering of believers is built?

It’s just about impossible to preach today’s Gospel Reading without in some way addressing those who suggest that Peter and the popes are the rock. Those who believe this consider Peter to be pre-eminent by divine right. He and his successors are seen as the bishop of all bishops. Especially at the time of the Reformation, people taught that it was necessary for salvation that people believe these things about the pope. Thus, the papacy elevated itself to the position of Christ Himself. For this reason, Lutherans have historically referred to the papacy as the anti-Christ. Lutherans haven’t said this because they are mean. They have said this because of the claims made by the papacy.

Let’s say, hypothetically, Peter is the rock. Just how rock-solid is Peter? I have good news! You only have to wait until next week to find out. In next week’s Gospel Reading, Jesus tells the disciples that He must be killed and raised on the third day. Peter then rebukes Jesus, saying, “Uh-uh, Lord, this won’t happen to you.” Jesus scolds Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!” Peter’s attempt to dissuade Jesus from going to the cross comes from Satan who tried so hard to keep Jesus from the cross. In that biblical account Peter wasn’t a rock-solid foundation.

Nor was Peter a boulder of rock-solidness later on. He tried to defend the Lord in Gethsemane… before denying Him three times. This same Peter, about fifty days after that, boldly preached Christ crucified and raised on Pentecost day… But then again years later, Peter had to be called to repentance after not being rock-solid in front of people who believed that salvation comes by faith in Jesus plus good works. But then again, according to tradition, Peter faithfully suffered martyrdom by being crucified upside down.

Peter (like all sinners) is revealed to have lived a life of ups and downs, times of failure and sin, as well as times of steadfastness and boldness. A Church that is built on Peter (or any other sinner) is a church that is built on shifting sand.

As sinners, we are so often tempted to believe that the Church is built on other “rocks.” As money is a necessary tool of exchange in this world, so we may believe that the church is built on money. This temptation is most publicly prominent among evangelists on social media or television as they fleece the sheep of Christ. Yet, just as the temptation is there to serve money in our individual lives, we’d be foolish if we thought individual congregations are somehow immune. Old Testament kings believed that with enough soldiers they could win any war. Likewise, we may believe that with enough money we can build the greatest congregation. With enough money, we can solve this crisis or that crisis. We may believe that nothing can stop what we do for Jesus… if we just have enough money.

And yet, money is (and always will be) fleeting. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, you never have enough money. Guess what often is the number one worry in a $100,000 budget congregation? Money. Guess what often is the number one worry in a $1,000,000 budget congregation? Money. The love of money is insatiable and so is the temptation to trust money. A church built on money will wash away, because it’s built on sand.

Christians may be tempted to believe that the Church is built upon people. This temptation is similar to money. All of our problems will disappear if we only have enough members. The congregation will, theoretically, have more money because more people would be giving. The congregation will, theoretically, have enough people to fill the council, boards, and committees that are necessary to run an organization. The congregation will, theoretically, have a multitude of volunteers to carry out its functions.

Oftentimes our concern is not about reaching out to unbelievers with the Gospel. It’s not about revealing the Good News of Jesus with a broken, sinful world. It’s not about proclaiming the Resurrection and the Life to a dying world. It’s not about sharing the hope, comfort, peace, and joy that we have through the forgiveness of sins. Oftentimes our concern is much more selfish. We are tempted to get more butts in pews for the sake of accomplishing worldly statistics and goals.

In order to make this happen, congregations are tempted to do anything they can to appear more friendly to the world: change the sermon from a Law and Gospel, sin and grace message into a feel-good pep talk; change the Christian Church’s marvelous tradition of liturgy and hymns into a rhythmic emotional roller coaster; change the congregation’s beliefs and practices regarding things like Holy Communion, the Sixth Commandment, and how we relate to congregations of differing beliefs into beliefs and practices that are more accepted by the world. Congregations are tempted to try all kinds of things, even becoming one with the world, in order to build upon people.

Definitionally, building the Church upon people is nothing more than building people upon people. Sooner or later such a structure has to collapse in on itself, because the whims of people are always shifting. Lacking a sturdy foundation, people-built churches always fall.

Another temptation, and perhaps the most common of all, is the belief that the Church is built upon what we want individually. These are the things that most people consider when looking for a congregation: Does the service fit my style? Is the pastor approachable, funny, entertaining, or inspiring? Is the congregation warm and inviting, but not too friendly? Does the congregation have an active youth group? Does it have adult activities? These aren’t the only questions, of course. But they are often the first questions.

Christians are tempted to turn congregations into a marketplace of as many notions as there are people. No unity in the faith is created whatsoever. Congregations become just like our culture—places of rugged individualism rather than the holy body of Christ. A congregation that is built upon me personally or upon you personally is going to fall just as soon as something doesn’t fit personal preferences.

Although we often are tempted to believe the Church is built on things like these, the Church is built on absolutely none of them.

THE CHURCH IS BUILT UPON THE ROCK-SOLID CONFESSION OF CHRIST!

Peter’s confession! “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” That’s the rock of the Church! That’s the rock of salvation. Christ Jesus is the way the truth and the life. God’s Son is sent into the world so that all who believe in Him may have eternal life. The Church is built upon Christ Jesus, who died for your sins and rose again on the third day. The Church is built upon Christ Jesus, who forgives your sins and promises you eternal life. Jesus is the Rock who imparts to His Church His stabilizing, fortifying Word of forgiveness, renewal, and life.

The confession of Christ is the rock because of who Christ is and what He does. Salvation through faith in Jesus is the chief teaching of the Church. Our Lutheran Confessions say: “Human beings cannot be justified [that is, declared not-guilty] before God by their own powers, merits, or works. But they are justified [declared not guilty] as a gift on account of Christ through faith when they believe that they are received into grace and that their sins are forgiven on account of Christ, who by His death made satisfaction for our sins. God reckons this faith as righteousness.” The Church is built upon this confession of Christ!

Through the rock-solid confession of Christ, the Church (the gathering of Jesus’ people) can be identified. We are unable to see into the hearts of people, and so we identify the Church by what is confessed. The Lord gives the marks or signs by which the Church is found. The Lutheran Confessions point out that: “The Church is the assembly of saints in which the Gospel is taught purely and the sacraments are administered rightly.”

To find the Church you find the confession of Christ. To find the confession of Christ you find where His Gospel is purely taught and where the sacraments are rightly administered in accordance with Jesus’ institution.

Is the Good News of Christ’s death and resurrection for the sins of the world to be received by grace through faith being proclaimed?

Does that place put God’s name upon sinners as they are brought under the waters of Holy Baptism?

Is Jesus’ true body and blood being put into the mouths of those who have been prepared?

Wherever these things occur anywhere in the world, you can be sure that there is Christ’s Church, because the people are gathered under the confession of Christ. Jesus promises, “Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Wherever the Gospel is purely taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered, Christ is without any shadow of doubt building His Church.

Christ builds the Church upon the confession of His name wherever repentant sinners are being forgiven through Word and Sacrament. With a rock-solid foundation such as that, not even the gates of hell can triumph over you. Amen.