Jesus went to the territory near the town of Caesarea Philippi, where he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

"Some say John the Baptist," they answered. "Others say Elijah, while others says Jeremiah or some other prophet."

"What about you?" he asked them. "Who do you say I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

"Good for you, Simon son of John!" answered Jesus. "For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by my Father in heaven. And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

Then Jesus ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Matthew 16:13-20

The chief executive of a large and successful chain of stores made a striking statement about the future of his company. He said that a hundred years from now it would either be greatly changed or nonexistent. The same can be said about every human organization. Leaders come and go, consumer desires change, manufacturing methods evolve. As a result, companies either change or they don't survive. But His Church will survive. The moment we trust Jesus, we become members of His body, the church. One by one, believers die and pass through the gates to heaven, but this neither changes nor diminishes the church. Praise God, the church is indestructible.

The church, rooted by God, can never be uprooted by man.

Our Daily Bread - October 17, 2003