As we prepare to begin meeting again this next Sunday, I thought it would be good for us to be reminded about what “church” is all about.
Let’s begin by looking at the first time Jesus ever used the word “church.”
Matthew 16:13–18 (ESV)
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
When Jesus probed His disciples as to who people said that He was, He was baiting them for the main question.  He already knew what everyone else thought about Him. He wanted to hear His followers declare what they thought about Him.  
So, He asked the question,  “But who do you say that I am?” 
It is certain that Peter’s response was followed with a hardy amen from all the other disciples. Yes, all of His true followers could concur that Jesus was indeed, “the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Now, we must admit that this passage has been the subject of much debate down through the centuries.  So, let me just sum up what I do not believe. I do not believe that Jesus was saying that He was going to build His church upon Peter as the rock (i.e. the foundation).  I do not believe that Jesus was saying that He was going to build His church upon a creed or on the statement that He is “the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”
It seems to me that Jesus was saying that He will build His church upon Himself. That is upon who He actually is:  He will build His church as the revealed Christ, the Son of the living God.  And all who accept this revelation regarding His person will become a part of His church. 
To be clear, it’s not the declaration of who He is, but it is who He is that He will build His church upon.
Many will give lip service (i.e. accept a creed) as to who Jesus is, but only those who entrust themselves into who He is are truly a part of His church. 
Jesus clearly referred to Himself as the cornerstone.
Mark 12:10 (ESV)
Have you not read this Scripture: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
Architecturally, the cornerstone was the stone that connected two walls and therefore set the framework for the entire building.  It was used to describe the foundation of the building.
Of course, Jesus did not have in mind a building of stone, but rather a building of people.
Paul describe this building this way…
Ephesians 2:19–22 (ESV)
19 …you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
So, Peter as well as the other foundational leaders will build Christ’s church as guided by the Cornerstone, that being, Jesus.  And we who accept Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, will be a part of that “building.”  We will be the “place” where the Holy Spirit will dwell.
So, even today, Jesus still asked the question of each of us, “Who do you say I am?” 
Have you placed your faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God?