The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye ( PROVOST)
The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye | PROVOST

This year we are being challenged to think about and understand what
Church is, our role and how this should shape our character and understand ing of our faith. This is the first time the word Church appears in the New Testament. Church comes from the Greek word ekklesia meaning a group of citizens called out of their homes into a public place. In this case it is a company of Christians called out to live out their faith with hope for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ.

In Matthew 16:13-18, Jesus engages with his disciples about his identity.
There are diverse answers but Peter answered “You are the Christ”. This answer gave Peter prominence among other disciples which would have made him very proud. Hence Jesus makes it clear to him, that this was by divine revelation not his own wisdom. Bar-Jona meaning son of Jona or the son of a dove, not born in dignity but preferred by the grace of God.

But I tell you Peter in Greek Petros meaning the little rock, and upon this rock (Petra) meaning very great rock and solid, referring to Christ himself “I will build my church.” Christ is the great rock (Deut 32:3-4, 15, 18, 1 Cor. 10:4, 1 Peter 2:6 (Eph 1:22, 5:23, Col 1:18. Christ himself was about to establish his church which will continue to exist. The church will be persecuted John 15:20, 16:33. Ps 18;31, 118;2 but will stand firm through eternity. Peter though small rock was to have this assured strength in the Christ the rock, that he was going to be stable, not shaken by waves of persecution nor by fluctuating voices of men and women which might divert him from the truth.

In Ephesians 2:20-21, Paul assures us of a church build on the foundation
of Apostles with Christ himself as the cornerstone. On Christ our solid rock
we stand because all other ground is sinking sand, he draws souls to himself and in him they find rest and continue in constant dependence. If you take out Christ from any church it remains empty that is to say if you take out Christ from your life you are like a house with no foundation. You collapse any time because the cornerstone is missing. Christ is the pillar that makes the believer firm and strong, he is the foundation of our faith and he is the sustainer. When we confess Christ like Peter did, it is not a point of pride but divine favour from God.

The Greek word used for build has various implications as follows; to restore, to found, to establish, edify, promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, blessedness, to grow in wisdom and piety.
It is my prayer that for the rest of this year, we will allow the Lord to build us into that kind of structure that he wants us to be. In the end he will take
us home to a better place not built by human hands. Are you standing on a solid foundation? Is Christ your corner stone? Can you stand against the waves and strategies of the devil? Are you proud of who you are and your achievements in life? All that you are and what you have is by divine favour?
May God bless you.

The Very Rev. Canon Dr. Rebecca Nyegenye
PROVOST

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