Upon This Rock

Introduction

Have you ever shopped at IKEA? Show of hands. You’ve been into the never-ending misery maze that is IKEA. The only difference with that maze at the end, there’s not the prize of cheese, there’s meatballs and a bill. Okay, you’ve been to IKEA. Have you ever bought something at IKEA and had to bring it home and put it together? Alright, pretty good number there. All right. Now here’s the real test. When you went to IKEA, bought that item and brought it home and had to put it together, when you finished, were you like me and there were some leftover parts? Yeah. What did you do with those leftover parts? You’re like me, you just put them in the bottom drawer because they’re probably not that important. They’re just kind of the safety elements of it, so no big deal.

But have you ever done something like that that required assembly? Put it together, realize when you thought you were through that there were parts left over, but these were very important parts. And so you couldn’t just put them in the bottom drawer and ignore them. You had to start over and rebuild that thing, making sure you use those very important parts. That’s happened to me before.

That when it comes to this building, this thing, this church, that the foundation is the most important part of that structure. It cannot be left out. It cannot be minimized because, as we’re seeing in this first quarter of our theme year, Christ is that cornerstone. He is that foundation. And it cannot be built without him. Turn with me, if you will, to the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16. We’ll look at familiar text and use that as our lesson this morning, when Jesus responds to Peter and says, Upon this rock, upon this rock, I will build my church. We’re going to see this morning that that rock is the foundation, of which he is the cornerstone. Look with me at this familiar text again. Jesus has come into Caesarea Philippi and asked his disciples, what do people think of me?

Who do they say that I am? And he gets varying responses, but he presses his disciples for what do you what do you say? Because as we’ve observed before, he wasn’t grooming reporters, he was preparing witnesses. Who do you say that I am? And not surprisingly, Peter’s hand goes up in the air, and Peter says this, verse 16 of Matthew 16, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus applauds Peter and says, Blessed are you, Simon Barjonah, for flesh and blood is not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against him. I will build my church upon this rock.

What rock was Jesus referring? Was there a rock in Caesarea Philippi that he was standing on or pointing to and said, here’s where, here’s the location. In Caesarea Philippi, upon this rock I’m going to build my church. Or was he, as some claim, pointing to Peter, and say, Peter, you’re the rock on which I’m going to build this church. Or was he saying what would agree with the rest of the New Testament, really of all of Scripture, that I’m going to build this church upon what you just said. That the rock is the fact that I am the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And so let’s talk about this rock, this foundation. The Apostle Paul would say to the Corinthians, for no other foundation, no other foundation can anyone lay except Jesus Christ.

Peter would say, Coming to him, speaking of Christ, coming to him as to a living stone. So I want us to talk about what does it really practically mean when we say Christ is the cornerstone? Christ is the rock. Christ is our foundation. What does that mean? Well, it certainly means that he is the basis for something. Something is to be built upon him, and he’s not just the basis of something. He is everything. That’s what Jesus, that’s what all of Scripture is saying, that Jesus is everything upon which we are to build our lives. Foundation, cornerstone, rock, all of this implies that He is the basis. And that’s established when we think of Old Testament prophecy. Remember what Jesus would say to his disciples in Luke chapter 24 about himself and Old Testament prophecy.

He would say this to them in Luke chapter 24. Look beginning in verse 44. Luke 24, 44, he said to them, these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures. Jesus said that Old Testament was about me. And so we could ask the trivia question, and I would warn you if this was a Bible class, so as not to embarrass yourself that maybe it’s a little bit of a trick question, but not really. And we would ask, who’s the main character of the Old Testament? Someone might raise their hand and say, Well, it’s Abraham.

Someone else said, No, Moses. How about David? Jesus, Scripture reveals to us that the main character of the Old Testament is the Christ. It was all about him. He’s everything. He’s the seed of woman who would crush the head of the serpent, Satan. He’s the seed of Abraham, through whom all nations of the earth would be blessed. He is Emmanuel, God with us.

But he’s also the high priest who would grant us access to God, and not just the high priest, he’s the offering, the lamb that would be slain. And he’s the temple and the veil of the temple, the flesh through whom and through which we gain access to God. And he’s Joshua. And Isaac. Moses. Joseph. He’s everything. And so when Jesus says upon this rock, the confession that you’ve made, that I am the Christ, the Son of the Living God, that’s a pawn which I will build my church. Never forget he is everything. And never forget, although it’s easy to get sidetracked, that in our evangelism and in our outreach, he is everything. That we are trying and asking and compelling and begging people to be converted, not to our church, but to Christ.

The foundation upon which that church is built. Look at this example in Acts chapter 11. Notice what Paul did in Antioch, and this should be our template in reaching out to others. I want you to notice, I think the very intentional emphasis. Acts chapter 11, beginning in verse 19. Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but to the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of them believed and turned to the Lord. Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch.

And we had, when he came, he had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all with purpose of heart that they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of Holy Spirit and faith, and a great many people were added to the Lord. You notice the emphasis there of Barnabas and those who preceded him in preaching the gospel, they preached Jesus Christ. Why? Because he’s everything.

He’s the basis of everything. He, as we sometimes sing, he is my everything, he is my all. But then Jesus said, this everything said, that upon this rock, upon what you just said, Peter, I’m going to build my church. Again, what does that mean? What does it mean? I’ll build my church on basically myself. Well, first of all, it means that he would build it. It’s his.

For you. We understand that language not to mean that Jesus was going to go and actually with hammer and nail and saw and build some place, but that through his death, burial, and resurrection, we would gain access to that place. I go to prepare a place for you. Similar language when Jesus said there in Matthew chapter 16, I’ll build my church. Because remember, the church is people, it’s an assembly of God’s people. And so, in the sense that Christ would redeem us, he would build us upon the foundation, the cornerstone of himself, that we would be a part of that thing that he built. He is its foundation. It is his.

If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Forever, inseparably tying our love for Christ and our obedience to Christ. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. Thought question of the day. Of those two components, loving Christ or keeping his commandments. Of those two components, which do you struggle with the most?

Be honest. I’m not asking for a show of hands. But which do you struggle with more? Keeping his commandments? Or loving him, it might surprise us that our greatest struggle is in loving him. Now remember that in that context where Jesus originally spoke these words, if you love me, you will keep my word.

Are they obedient? But Jesus challenged them in challenging us, the most devoted followers today, do you love him? Do you keep his word? And so what it means for us to be built upon that rock, to have him as not just the foundation, the cornerstone of the church, but the foundation and the cornerstone of my very being.

1. Get to Know Him Better

It begins with me loving him. If I want to be a part of that which Jesus promised to build, it demands that I love him. Well, what does it mean to love him? What does that look like? And maybe more importantly, more practically for us this morning, how do I do that? If Jesus would challenge the original apostles to love him, then I’m not beneath that challenge myself. And what can I do to love him? Here’s some maybe some practical points in how we can grow in our love for Christ. Number one, get to know him better. Get to know him better. Experience has taught us that rule, hasn’t it? Have you ever met somebody and your first impression was, I don’t like this guy. But maybe as you got to know them a little bit better, you thought, wow, was I wrong?

This guy’s a gym. Or maybe you first initially liked somebody, but maybe you just needed a little dose of them because when you’re around them more, he doesn’re just like, wow. I bet his mom doesn’t even like him. The more you know somebody, the more you are exposed to their true character. And you’ll either grow in your like or distaste for that individual. And we are confident the more you know Christ, the more you’ll love him. And so when the preacher gets up, as he often does, and rails on the subject of Bible study and Bible reading and making the scriptures a daily part of your life, he’s not just doing that because it’s a job requirement. He understands what we all understand is trying to emphasize to you that you need to know Jesus.

2. Think Deeply About Him and Your Commitment

It’s Peter who would say to his audiences just as well he would say to us. Though you haven’t seen him, you love him. Why do I love him? Because I know him. Read the scripture, study the scriptures for this purpose to know Jesus Christ. When you open your Bible for your daily Bible reading, say this little brief, simple prayer. Teach me about you. Because the more you know him, I’m convinced the more you’ll love him. So know him better. And then, secondly, and connected to the first thing, think deeply about him and your commitment to him in this busy, noisy, distracting world. It is essential that God’s children find some place and some time for quiet meditation. To just think. To think about Jesus. What he’s done for me and what I’m willing to do for him.

3. Truly Connect to Him Through Worship

This is the challenge that Jesus would give his would-be followers when he said, you better count the cost. Whether you’re building a tower or going to war or setting out to plow a field, you better count the cost. And double down on your commitment to me. This is the principle that James would teach us in James chapter 1 when he talked about us being hearers of the word, but he said also to receive with meekness the implanted word. That word will only be received and planted in our hearts through contemplating. Think about Jesus. And think about your commitment to him. The third thing to love Jesus more, to build your life upon him more, truly connect to him through worship. My understanding of worship, according to Scripture, covers at least three things.

First of all, there’s just the outward praise of God. We’re here to praise God because He is so worthy of that praise. Secondarily, there is the mutual benefit that we get of being together, assembling together, stirring one another, the Hebrew writer would say, to love and good works. But then there’s a third benefit. And that’s a personal benefit. That through worship. I am connecting to my Lord. While he read for us in 1 Corinthians chapter 11, I want to take you back there. The apostle Paul chastising them for their failure in worship. Specifically in the Lord’s Supper. But notice this to me, odd statement that he makes. Because they were failing to connect to Christ through worship, failing to connect to him, discerning and understanding his body, his blood, his death through the Lord’s Supper.

4. Surround Yourself With Others Who Share That Love

He said this has happened. 1 Corinthians 11, verse 30, for this reason many are weak and sick. And many sleep. Which is a euphemism for dead. Some of you are dead spiritually, others are weak spiritually, are sick spiritually. Why? Because worship is not having its intended effect. You’re not growing in him. You’re not connecting to him in worship. And so I want to challenge all of us to view worship in that way. That this is an opportunity for me to get closer. Closer to God and to Jesus Christ. Another way in which you can grow in your love, to truly build yourself upon Jesus Christ, is to surround yourself with others who share that love and that devotion to Christ. I know we get this. But the more you’re around people who share some kind of similar interest, the more apt you are to grow.

If your mind is properly aligned to begin with, that you will grow in that way.

Find people who share that love.

5. Keep His Commandment

And so see your not just your worship, but your social interactions as an opportunity for me to grow in my love for Christ. To truly make him the foundation of my everything. And then lastly, if you want to grow in loving him, which is essential to building your life upon him, then keep his commandment. Those are connected, Jesus said. You love me, you’ll keep my commandments. And while you’re right, I know what you’re thinking. Well, wait a minute, the love has got to come first. And it should. But marriage counselors for centuries have been counseling couples who are struggling in their love for one another to keep their commitment to one another. To still do those things that are rightfully demanded by husband and wife. And use that as a means to grow or to rekindle that love.

So if you’re struggling and loving Christ, do what he commands. And if nothing else, you’ll see the reasoning behind that. Why did he want me to do this? Why did he demand that I abstain from this? And if you’ll, back to our second point, if you’ll think deeply about the things that you’re doing, then you can’t help but think deeply about him. And grow in your love for him. Upon this rock, I will build my church. Are you built upon that rock? Is he your foundation? Your cornerstone. Is he your everything?

Conclusion

I challenge you to grow in your commitment, to grow in your obedience, and to grow in your love for Christ, who is our everything. Do you need to begin that walk with Christ? Do you need to accept him as your Savior this morning? You do that by coming to him in obedience to the gospel. Would you hear that word? Obey it, repent of your sins, confess your faith this morning, and be added to that church through baptism. Can we help you in any way this morning to build your life upon him? Then show your love for him by coming as together we stand and as we sing.