"Rocks" God Use To Help His People Hang On
Matt. 16:13-19
INTRO: Rocks or stones are really neat. They have so much history in them. They are strong. They can be beautiful. They are plentiful. They are helpful. We use them for decoration and in building. They are both beautiful and durable.
I want to talk for a time today about "Rocks" that God uses to help His People hang on in life. These are of course not physical rocks that I look at, but, spiritual ones. They are like real rocks also strong, durable, bountiful, and beautiful. Let us read from Matthew 16 beginning at verse 13.
Matt. 16:13-19 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Rocks of Realization (Perception)
When asked by Jesus, who He was, Peter responded that He was the Christ[Messiah].
God places something inside us and uses the Holy Spirit to show us that He is the Christ.
Do you realize who Jesus is today?
Rocks of Request (Prayer)
When we realize who He is, the next step is for us to call upon Him
Rocks of Reputation (Power)
God told Moses when asked who he could tell the Hebrews who sent him, "I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
God had a reputation - He was known. He had the Power.
He has the power today. We can trust and rest assured that He is there for us.
How important is it that we know His reputation? There was a man Thomas Jonathan Jackson who was forever immortalized by General Barnard Bee in the First Battle of Mannasas by proclaiming, "Look, men, there is Jackson standing like a stone wall!"
God is more of a "Stonewall" than Jackson. He is our Rock and Fortress
Psalm 18:1-3 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.
2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.3
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
When we look to Him, he becomes our…
Rock of Redemption (Promise)
We can look to Him, the One who will save us from eternal torment and give us Eternal Life.
He continues as our…
Rock of Resource (Provision)
Upon this rock…
I will give unto thee…
He is our Rock of Resource - He will help us along the way
As the good old hymn tells us…"Only trust Him, He will save you…"
We also have a…
Rock of Reason (Purpose)
He has a job for all of us
He has a purpose for our lives in our serving Him
He has become our…
Rock of Restoration (Payment)
He has become our Rock of Restoration to the Lord. He made the payment.
1 Jn. 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
And because we know Him and trust Him and He has restored us, we can have him as our…
Rock of Reverence (Praise)
1 Peter 1:6-9 6Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:8
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.We can rejoice and praise Him because He is our Rock.
Psalm 18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
We can rejoice because He loves us.
We can rejoice because our names are written in heaven.
Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 050204am