The Greatest Construction Project Of All Time

Since close to the beginning of human history, mankind has undertaken great construction projects. We have built ancient wonders of the world and modern marvels.

For example, the Great Pyramid of Giza stood as the tallest manmade structure for nearly 4,000 years. The Great Wall of China was built over centuries and spans over 13,000 miles. The Roman Colosseum held over 50,000 spectators and stood as a symbol of Roman power. In more modern times, the Taj Mahal was built in Agra, India, and was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

Notre Dame Cathedral was built over 200 years and includes some of the most iconic architectural elements in the world. After suffering a major fire in 2019, it took over five years and $750 million to restore and reopen it. AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, dwarfs the Roman Colosseum and holds 100,000 spectators.

Of course, the First Baptist Church of Dallas has always been about building. As our church began to grow, our Historic Sanctuary was completed in 1890. Under Dr. George Truett’s leadership, it was expanded and renovated more than once. Under Dr. W.A. Criswell, our church expanded its campus to five city blocks in Downtown Dallas. When our church needed to be revived, God called Dr. Robert Jeffress to lead us in the $130 million recreation of our church campus, which was the largest single church building project in modern history. And now, we have been called to complete another $130 million project—as we reconstruct our Historic Sanctuary as a beautiful new worship venue that will testify to God’s sovereign grace and that He does bring beauty from ashes.

But all these projects have two things in common: (1) they will not last forever, and (2) they pale in comparison to the greatest construction project of all time—the church of Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared that He would build His church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it! Dr. Charles Ryrie noted, “Building his church is Christ’s principal work in the world today.” And guess what? He has called you to participate in his work!

1. Jesus Called the Church Out from the Darkness of this World

Caesarea Philippi was a stronghold of darkness, a place where the prince of this world and his demonic forces ran rampant, and a place devoted to earthly and demonic kingdoms.

In the towering cliffs bordering the city, there are niches for shrines and idols carved into the rock, and at the base is a vast cave that reaches down into the depths of the earth. It was thought to be the gateway to the underworld, a highway to hell. There, the people engaged in wicked pagan worship and would throw animal sacrifices into the cave as offerings to demonic forces.

It was in this dark place, a spiritual warzone surrounded by ancient temples of pagan idolatry, the newly constructed temple dedicated to the Roman Emperor, and the perceived entrance to hell, that Jesus boldly proclaimed he would call out his church from the darkness of this world and promised that no power would overcome it.

Today, the church is ministering in an ever-darkening culture. For the last three decades, the percentage of Americans who claim to be Christian has steadily and significantly decreased. For the first time in our nation’s history, we appear to be entering a post-Christian era. Some professing Christians will only represent a relatively small minority of Americans within the next few decades. However, it would be a mistake to underestimate the church of Jesus Christ.

Why? We were built for this. It was in the midst of darkness, standing face-to-face with the kingdoms and powers of this world, that Jesus promised He would build His church.

2. Jesus is the Promised King and the Lord Almighty

Messiah (in Hebrew) and Christ (in Greek) means “anointed one.” In the Scriptures, Messiah is the title given to the promised Son of David—the coming king who would fulfill the Davidic covenant, triumph over his enemies, and establish an everlasting kingdom.

When Peter proclaims, “You are the Messiah,” he is saying that Jesus is the promised King—the King of kings—who will fulfill the Old Testament prophecies and the Davidic Covenant and will reign forever over all peoples of the earth in perfect peace and righteousness.

But Peter does not stop there. He goes on to say, “You are the Son of the Living God.” This was not the first time the apostles had thought Jesus might be the promised Messiah. But their understanding of who He was and what He had come to accomplish had been limited by their own expectations.

3. Jesus is the Founder, Builder, and Head of the Church

In Matthew 16:17, “Jesus responded, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.’”

In other words, this is not something Peter could have discovered by human reasoning, insight, or intuition. This spiritual truth could only have been divinely revealed by God.

Peter is blessed because the Father has graciously revealed this truth to him. Jesus continues, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (NASB 1995). In the ESV it says, “…and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

4. Jesus is the Champion of the Church

The Champion of the church, Jesus Christ, has called His people out of darkness, so that even the powers of death will not prevail against them. They will live eternally in His Kingdom. And that is why the church can say: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Some of you have lost someone you love dearly, and it is natural and normal to mourn their passing. But we do not mourn as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We know that our believing loved ones are with Jesus, and we will see them again because the power of death will not prevail against the people of Christ!

5. Jesus Commissioned the Church to Carry on His Work.

So, how should we live in light of this great promise? Well, Matthew 16:19 reminds us that Jesus has commissioned His church to carry on His work!

After making this declaration, Jesus tells Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”

In giving Peter the keys to the kingdom, Jesus was giving him—as representative of the apostles and the church—the authority to bind and loose. Well, how do we know that this was not some special privilege given to Peter? Because just a couple of chapters later, in Matthew 18:18, Jesus entrusts the authority to bind and loose to the whole church.

The phrase “bind and loose” was a common rabbinic saying that meant to forbid or permit. It was used to describe making authoritative decisions or enacting legislation. Here, using the future perfect tense, Jesus says, “whatever you forbid, will have been forbidden in heaven, and whatever you prohibit, will have been prohibited in heaven.” In other words, you are to relay the decisions that have already been made in heaven.

How would Peter bind and loose? And how does the church bind and loose today? By proclaiming the gospel message, we announce the decision that has been made in heaven: whoever trusts in Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior for the forgiveness of their sins will receive eternal life, but whoever rejects Jesus’s free gift of salvation will not escape the powers of death and will spend eternity in hell.

To effectively fulfill this commission, you remember these three things:

• You are to be Built on the Rock.
• You are to be a Building Block.
• You are to be a Builder.

Over the next two years, with God’s help, we are going to build a beautiful building. It will be a testimony to God’s goodness and grace. It should also remind us that Jesus is doing something far greater. He has undertaken the greatest construction project of all time, and He has called you to join His work.