I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church;
~Matthew 16:18
~Matthew 16:18
Rocks
in Israel were (and still are) plentiful and have been used for all
kinds of things that have been replaced in our modern times with other
materials, so I think we do not understand the importance of this
promise Jesus was making. It takes the right kind of rock to be used as a
foundation of a building, one that will not break under the weight of
all the other rocks that will be placed on it. It can have flaws but not
ones that will compromise its purpose under pressure. That was the kind
of rock that Peter was. That was the kind of people on which
Christianity was built as Jesus promised.
In places, like here in America were Christianity is a well established religion and there is freedom of religion, we have very few foundational rocks. Most of us have never and will never be tested under the kind of pressure that the early Christians suffered or even Christians still do in some other countries. We sit comfortably in places of worship openly, perhaps a bit too cozy, for a foundational rock is always under pressure.
Another
use for rocks in the time Jesus walked with men, many of them fishermen
same as Peter, was an anchor. Do you know that the Bible has no record
of Jesus ever referring to an anchor? (I confess that sometimes I am
more fascinated by what Jesus did not say than what He did.) Here He is
in the company of fishermen and He did not say that Peter will be the
anchor on which the believers will hold steadfast in times of turbulent
seas. Think about it! Is this not what the Western Christian church has become, people trying to anchor Christianity while the turbulence escalates?
Are we to hold steadfast? Yes, we are to hold steadfast in our belief, faith, and love for the Lord, but that does not really build the church. One could be a very devout believer and stay at home, however I also believe that if one has a close relationship with my Lord that He would not be asking the person to stay at home.
How about the church pew? Would it be enough to please my Lord to just show up in a church pew on Sunday or better yet have some task to do in the church? So many Christians believe this that the church has not taught them how to be Peter, the rock on which to build the church...other than just politely inviting people to church. I am trying to imagine a meek Peter politely asking someone to come worship with him after He witnessed Jesus die and be alive asking him to feed His sheep right before his eyes! Yeah, that just does not work for me.
Peter was a passionate man, fearful at times when not with Jesus but once He realized Jesus would always be with him, he as even more fearless in building the church than when he tried to protect Jesus from being taken from him by the Roman soldiers! Peter had an invincible spirit...as long as Jesus was with him and he was with Jesus.
So, which are you, the rock at the bottom of a turbulent sea holding steadfast or the rock on which Jesus is building His church even under pressure that could break other rocks?
In places, like here in America were Christianity is a well established religion and there is freedom of religion, we have very few foundational rocks. Most of us have never and will never be tested under the kind of pressure that the early Christians suffered or even Christians still do in some other countries. We sit comfortably in places of worship openly, perhaps a bit too cozy, for a foundational rock is always under pressure.
Are we to hold steadfast? Yes, we are to hold steadfast in our belief, faith, and love for the Lord, but that does not really build the church. One could be a very devout believer and stay at home, however I also believe that if one has a close relationship with my Lord that He would not be asking the person to stay at home.
How about the church pew? Would it be enough to please my Lord to just show up in a church pew on Sunday or better yet have some task to do in the church? So many Christians believe this that the church has not taught them how to be Peter, the rock on which to build the church...other than just politely inviting people to church. I am trying to imagine a meek Peter politely asking someone to come worship with him after He witnessed Jesus die and be alive asking him to feed His sheep right before his eyes! Yeah, that just does not work for me.
Peter was a passionate man, fearful at times when not with Jesus but once He realized Jesus would always be with him, he as even more fearless in building the church than when he tried to protect Jesus from being taken from him by the Roman soldiers! Peter had an invincible spirit...as long as Jesus was with him and he was with Jesus.
So, which are you, the rock at the bottom of a turbulent sea holding steadfast or the rock on which Jesus is building His church even under pressure that could break other rocks?
~
My Lord, thank you for the freedom we have to worship you, but help us
who love You be foundational rocks on which to build the church for You
rather than just anchors. ~
