DIG for Sunday the 15th of November…..Peter is not the rock that the Lord built His church upon…..Matthew 16 v 18

There are quite a few verses misunderstood in the Word of God (and that’s an understatement) and Matthew 16 v 18 is one of them.

Peter is indeed the Greek word for rock, and many people interpret this verse saying that Peter is the rock that the Lord would build His church upon; this is quite a prominent doctrine in one particular denomination.

However that is not what Jesus meant by this verse.

In the verses before we read that Pater has recognised that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16 v 16).

This is a huge truth, a truth that should be dominant in the church, as dominant as a huge cliff rising out of the landscape would be.

Peter is of course an important person but alongside Jesus and Who He was he is really quite insignificant; maybe we could say he would be quite a small pebble in relation to the huge slab of rock that would be the truth of Jesus.

Indeed verse 18 gives us a wonderful picture that actually sets out this comparison.

The Greek Word for rock in Peter’s name means a pebble, a small rock on a pathway while the word for rock that the church would be built upon means a mass of connected rock, a huge slab of rock, a solid rock rising up through the earth.

Peter is not the rock that the church would be built upon, even though his ministry was valuable and very important.

The rock that the church would be built upon was the truth of Who Jesus was.

Jesus and the truth of Who He was and what He did is the corned stone, the foundational stone of the church (1 Corinthians 3 v 10 and 11).

The truth of Jesus and Who He was is also what we build our faith upon, in the same way as the church was built upon it. Our faith is in Jesus and not in any man.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for Jesus, thank you that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God”.

Matthew 16 v 18…..And 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

DIG for Saturday the 12th of September…..follow me, what Jesus wants from His disciples…..Matthew 4 v 19 and John 21 v 19

Reading the end of John this evening where Jesus said follow me to Peter reminded me that Jesus had said this before.

Indeed these were the first words that Jesus said to Peter (or Simon as he was then) back at the start of His ministry (Matthew 4 v 19).

There are no unnecessary words in the Bible and it must be important that the first, and almost last words Jesus said to Peter were, “follow me”.

The first thing we can see from this is that the life of Peter would now revolve around Jesus, while Jesus was alive on earth and also once He had ascended into Heaven.

The picture for us is that our life should revolve around Jesus, as disciples we should follow Him.

In order to follow someone, we need to know them, and we know about Jesus from the Word of God and from being in relationship with Him. To follow means to be like, to aspire to, to admire and respect.

Again in order to do this we need to know Jesus, and again this is found in His Word and in relationship.

The first and last thing that Jesus said to Peter is what He is saying to you tonight, “follow me”; “Make me central in your life and aspire to be like me”, is really what He said to Peter and what He is saying to you.

Even as a born again believer who has trusted in Jesus as Lord and Saviour, He is still saying this to us tonight.

Salvation (our ticket into Heaven in this context) is not the be all and end all of the Christian life; the Christian life is about learning more about Jesus in order to renew our minds and see transformation in our lives.

I want to change and become more like Jesus, what about you?

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that I can renew my mind through your Word and see transformation in my life”.

Matthew 4 v 19…..And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men

 

John 21 v 19…..This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me

DIG for Wednesday the 29th of July…..what a transformation…..Acts 2 v 14

Peter is one of the more “popular” apostles and has had a lot written about him in the past.

His manners and behaviours have been dissected and discussed however I think the most important thing about him is read at the beginning of the Book of Acts.

Peter had been among the disciples that ran and hid after the death of Jesus, but here in Acts 2 we see a changed man.

We see him standing and speaking in power and authority (Acts 2 v 14 to 36).

We see thousands saved after his message (Acts 2 v 38 to 41).

We see Peter healing a lame man at the temple by speaking out more words of power and authority (Acts 3 v 1 to 9).

Peter had met the risen Saviour and that obviously had an effect on him, but we do not see him operating in power and authority until after another event.

We see Peter operating in power and authority after his baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2 v 1 to 4).

The same is true for us; we can operate in the same power and authority as we can have the same baptism; we simply need to ask for it.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from conversion (this is clear from Scripture, see Acts 8 v 14 to 17) and has nothing to do with water baptism.

It is freely available to every believer because of our position in Christ and is not dependant upon good religious performance or being a “clean vessel”.

Have you had the baptism of the Holy Spirit yet?

If not ask for it; ask a fellow believer who has been baptised to lay hands on you and agree for this baptism and then start yielding that power and authority.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and thank you for the power and authority this yields”.

Acts 2 v 14…..But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words

DIG for Tuesday the 23rd of September…..we all make mistakes, yet we can all be used…..Mark 14 v 72

Peter was one of the original disciples and went on to become a wonderful Apostle.

He did an amazing work for the Lord, leading the early church and writing two epistles for the New Testament.

Yet he made a number of horrendous mistakes and errors in his life and walk with the Lord.

He denied Jesus three times prior to His crucifixion (Mark 14 v 66 to 72).

He scattered, along with the rest of the disciples, as Jesus was being arrested, not able or willing to offer Him help or support.

This was after he struck off the ear of one of the people who came to arrest Jesus, an act that Jesus clearly did not approve of (John 18 v 10 and 11).

At one point Jesus even rebuked Peter for being under the influence of satan (Mark 8 v 32 and 33).

Peter did not love Jesus as much as Jesus loved him (note the different Greek meanings for love in John 21 v 15 to 17).

So, Peter was not the perfect disciple.

Yet, the Lord used him in a mighty way.

Peter is an example for us that we do not need to be perfect in actions before we can be used by the Lord.

The Lord has a plan and purpose for each one of us and we do not need to be perfect to put that into place.

We need to be willing and have the right attitude.

Like Peter we all make mistakes, yet like Peter we can all be used by the Lord in the work of His Kingdom.

We are all of worth and value no matter what mistakes we have made.

“Repent” of these mistakes i.e. change your mind and direction and move forwards in whatever the Lord has planned for you.

Speak this out today…..Thank you Lord that you have a plan and purpose for my life”.

Mark 14 v 72…..And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crew twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept