Upon this Rock I will build my Church

In this exhortation, the speaker discusses the meaning of the word "rock" in reference to the church. Some believe it refers to Peter and his successors, but the speaker argues that Peter's mortality contradicts this interpretation. Others suggest the rock represents Peter's confession that Jesus is the Son of God, but the speaker disagrees. Instead, they propose that the rock symbolizes God himself, emphasizing his stability, constancy, and power. The speaker concludes that Peter is a fragment of the rock, as he originated from it, and the church is built on Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The church is also founded on believers as living stones. Welcome to our weekly exhortation. Thank you for joining me. Thank you for your time. My name is Guy Laniota, Servant of God, Servant of Jesus Christ. After confessing to Jesus His Divine Sonship, Jesus answered to Peter, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. What does the word rock in this passage mean? What does this rock designate? In Israel, given the miracles and signs Jesus did, and the authority with which Jesus taught and cast out evil spirits, Jews constantly wondered about His identity. Several times, Jesus repeated in front of everyone that He is the King of the Jews. He has gone on to find out what His disciples say He is. To the question of Jesus to His disciples, Beth, whom say ye that I am, Simon Peter confessed to Jesus His Divine Sonship. In his turn, Jesus answered, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. What does the word rock mean? What does this rock designate? Talking to Peter, the Lord Jesus says, 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. Matthew chapter 16 verse 18, certain strains of Christianity believe that Peter is a rock and that the church is founded on Peter and those who succeeded him. This means, according to their doctrine, the church is built upon the person of Peter and all his successors. But is this true? The Bible reminds us of the frailty of man. In Isaiah chapter 40 verse 6 to 7, we read that, All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, because the breath of the Lord blows upon it. Sorry, the people are grass, hallelujah. You know, every human being is a grass, and all its grace is similar to the flower of the field. It perishes as quickly as the grass withers, or the flower withers. Jesus says, Not only was this foundation to be infallible, but it was also to be eternal, and the gates of death would not overcome it. Dear friend, do you think this passage in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 can really apply to Peter? It's hard to believe, because Peter was a mortal like you and me, and the power of death prevailed against him. The life of Peter ceased to exist already. I mean, Peter is no longer alive. Certainly, he will one day rise with all the other believers, but for now, he is dead and buried. The glorious church of Christ, against which death has no power, built upon a man who is deceased? Hard to believe. Another point of view suggests that it is rather the confession of Peter which is the rock. The rock would then refer to Matthew chapter 16 verse 16, where Peter confessed, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Can we really say that the rock designates the declaration that the pillar made? Not really. Finally, others think that Jesus was referring to himself when he spoke of the rock. But, if it is Christ the rock, how can we explain it? First, this passage is about the foundation of the church. In fact, when we observe a rock, something is obvious. A rock is stable. It is solid. It is strong. It is immutable. Hallelujah. In our material world, it is probably the object that best represents eternity. A rock seems unalterable. It is today what it was yesterday or what it will be tomorrow. That's what a rock is. And this is the image that emerges from the word rock. You see why it is totally appropriate to apply it to God? God is the rock. The faithfulness of the Lord, His constancy, His power, His uncorruptibility. Furthermore, in the Old Testament, the rock is used to designate God and the prophet Isaiah, King David, the psalmist, called God by the term rock. Psalm chapter 18 verse 2, 2 Samuel chapter 22 verse 2 to 3, Isaiah chapter 26 verse 4. All these divine qualities have their reflection in the word rock. Thus, the psalmist can say of God that He is His rock and His fortress, His high tower in whom He can take shelter when dangers await Him. Praise the Lord. Friend, to conclude this, I would like to say that the question to be answered was who is the rock or what is the foundation of Christ's church? You give the healing and grace our hearts always hunger for, oh our hearts always hunger for. As I mentioned it above, the rock is a representation of Christ. So if Peter was not that rock, what connection is there between the word Peter and rock in Matthew chapter 16 verse 18? There is no doubt that by saying you are Peter, Jesus was addressing Peter directly. And there must therefore be a connection between the apostle Peter and the rock. As a matter of fact, the link is that the apostle Peter is not the rock but he is part of that rock because he originated from the rock. He is a fragment of stone born from the rock and having divine characteristics. You know, there is an interesting verse in Deuteronomy that actually talks about a rock originating from another rock. God is described there as a rock that gives birth to children. In Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 18 it is written, you neglected the rock who begot you, you forgot the God who fathered you. See this verse is quite fascinating. Please listen to all these phrases, the rock that fathered you, the rock that gave you birth, the rock that gave birth to you. In this metaphor, God is compared to a father or a mother who birthed her children, that is the Israelite. You know the Israelite are the son and daughters of the rock who is God. They were born from that rock. We could paraphrase Matthew chapter 16 verse 18 this way, you are Peter, a fragment of a rock and on the rock from which you came, I will build my church. I will say it again, you are Peter, a fragment of rock and on the rock from which you came, I will build my church. In other words, Peter originated from Jesus who is the rock. Is Peter not a son of Christ? He is. And so, the church is here compared to a building founded in Jesus Christ, the chief cornerstone. The fact that Peter is mortal, we cannot say that he is the rock. As a result, the church cannot be built on the foundation of any man. However, being living stones, the church is also founded on the apostle and prophet, you and me, 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 5. Praise the Lord. We are at the end of this message. I really appreciate your listening royalty. If God wills it, I will see you again next week. Abundant blessing.