08/23/20—Highland—Meute
“Rock Church”
Romans 12: 1-8; Matthew 16: 13-20
Pearl: the solid foundation of the church consists of your profound faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
Function: To encourage the church that their growing faith and dedication to Jesus Christ will ensure that not even the powers of death will ever prevail against the church.
Have you asked or answered any tough questions lately?
- Two 50-something friends decided to introduce one of their mothers to the magic of the Internet. Their first move was to access the popular “Ask Jeeves” site, and they told her it could answer any question she had. Mom was very skeptical until one said, “It’s true, Mom. Think of something to ask it.” As she sat with her fingers poised over the keyboard, mom thought a minute, then responded, “How is Aunt Helen feeling?”
- Here is a good solid spiritual question for you: The question is based on a verse from today’s Romans 12 passage. It says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what the will of God— what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Now the question for you: “How is this process of transformation proceeding in your own life?” In other words, how is God changing your mind and renewing it and shaping it for his purposes?
We often are occupied with our own questions. Many people brought questions to Jesus during his life and ministry. Some asked in order to trap, trick, and corner him. Questioners of Jesus did not always have pure motives. They were not truly seeking or trying to learn.
- On one occasion Jesus was alone with his disciples and he began asking the questions. Wow! That is different! Jesus asking the questions! The first was about who people were saying that he was. But then he looked at them. He decided to question them. After all, he was pouring his life into them and planning to entrust the glorious message of the kingdom of God present, the Gospel, to them.
- Here was Jesus profound question to them: “Who do you say that I am?”
- I imagine that all sound stopped when Jesus asked that question! All was quiet. There was no sound of breathing. The birds likely stopped chirping. Maybe there was a breeze that all of a sudden touched everyone’s faces as the Spirit was surely moving in their midst and all heaven and earth listened for response.
- And Simon said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
- And then even Jesus stopped breathing as he gasped. He knew! He knew that Simon did not come up with that alone but God gave him the utterance. God gave him the faith. God gave him the revelation, and Jesus blessed him and revealed to him and to the others that God gave him that gift of insight.
- And right then and there, in line with the change that was happening within, Jesus looked at him and changed his name that day! He said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah…I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church…” (16:17, 18).
- Jesus changed his name that day to correlate with the change that was happening within him by the power and direct influence of the Spirit of God.
- He called him “Peter” which meant “stone” or “rock.”
- And Jesus went on to talk about the Church! He said, that upon this rock (Peter) he would build his church.
- Powerful statements that day. Both from Peter and from Jesus!
- And then comes the next blockbuster statement of Jesus about the church: “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).
- The “gates of Hades” refers to the powers of death. Jesus said that all of the combined powers of death which oppose his life force and the kingdom of God will not ever be able to prevail over his righteous reign.
- They may win some battles but the powers of death are already defeated by Jesus Christ. His gospel will always remain.
- Death will not win! Love wins!
- Jesus changed his name that day to correlate with the change that was happening within him by the power and direct influence of the Spirit of God.
- What exactly is the stuff of the church which death will not prevail against?
- It is your declaration of faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah!
- It is your dedication and determination to follow your Leader, Jesus the Christ and his way!
- Your confession of faith in Jesus Christ is the stuff that “the gates of Hades” cannot prevail against!
- There it is, friends! Faith is that powerful. It is the foundation of the church. Faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord of the heavens and the earth!
- All that oppose Christ’s way cannot win and will not win.
- It goes back to what Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished.” In that final gasp of his life, he said it! Love wins. God’s reign of love and life wins.
- The gates of Hades will not prevail against it!
- Your confession of faith in Jesus Christ is the stuff that “the gates of Hades” cannot prevail against!
So it is your willingness to be continually transformed by the renewing of your minds by Christ and his Way that you will prevail over the opposition of death! You are the church, this means you and it means me.
- It started with a “confession that Jesus is Messiah, the Son of the living God” that Simon demonstrated God was transforming him.
- But it does not stop there with that confession. A process begins in every believer that Jesus is Messiah, son of the living God, which goes on and on and on.
- That process is a continual renewing of the mind. As Paul wrote about in his letter to the church in Rome “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).
- Every follower of Christ who proclaims faith in him is in a process of renewal and transformation which never stops.
- You never arrive! And this is a very good thing.
- You should continue to grow and expand your sense of the Way of God.
- Nancy and I just lost a dear friend who would have turned 93 today. She has been worshipping with us since we launched our Mobile Church platform.
- I am telling you about her because at the age of 93 she was still very curious and interested in learning and in having her mind renewed.
- She was an avid reader. She read the Wall Street Journal from cover to cover every day. But she loved books and would always want to know what I was reading. She would tell me what she was reading as well. She would want to discuss the books with me.
- Betty is a great example of continually wanting to have her mind renewed by Christ and by the truth and by his Way.
- Today on her birthday I celebrate this dear sister who proclaimed her faith in Christ but did not stop there. She was wanting to constantly grow and mature in the way of Jesus, against which the gates of Hades never did prevail!
- Nancy and I just lost a dear friend who would have turned 93 today. She has been worshipping with us since we launched our Mobile Church platform.
God was at work on Peter and all of the disciples.
- Peter’s mind was being renewed; his spirit was being softened by God.
- To mark what was happening in Peter, Jesus altered his name, giving him an empowered name: Rock…Stone….
- Jesus meant that upon this person being transformed by God’s grace, I will build my church!
- Peter must have been a soft rock rather than a hard rock!
- He was soft enough and open enough that the Spirit could continue this very human work of transformation.
- What is the name that Christ Jesus would give to you? Through our Dakota partnerships we learn some interesting Native American names:
- Stands with a fist…he laughs…he fights…restless one…dances with wolves…wise protector…faith…justice (I met a man in Malawi by that name)…Hope…Gentle…builder…walks a mile…peacemaker?
- All good possibilities!
What name would Jesus give to you? It would be a powerful name into which you are meant to grow.
It is a name, describing you, into which you are meant to keep growing as a part of Christ’s church, against which even death will not prevail!
