You Rock! - Matthew 16 Peter you are the rock.

“You Rock!”

“Sir, we would see Jesus”

August 24, 2008

Romans 12: 1-8

Matthew 16: 13-20

Baptism of Emily Ward

Starting of the School year, teachers teach

Jesus asks the students the definitive question:

1.  We must decide “who is Jesus for my life?”

15        Emphasis – who do you say that I am?    We each must answer this question for ourselves. 

The teacher grades.

2.  You Rock!

Peter to the GK Petros or Rock

            “You are Rock, and on this rock I will build my church.”

Not foundational stone wherein Peter would be a cornerstone and chief building rock.  Not a cornerstone rock, but a rock.  As we confess, we claim a piece of the rock and add to the pile of rocks.  As we believe and confess in Jesus Christ personally, then we are  in the solid rock of faith. 

Petros and Petra are masculine and feminine terms. 

Peter, “you are petros, and on this petra I will build my Church.”  Jesus incorporates all of us into Rock faith when we personally confess Christ as Lord and Savior. 

Verse 17

As Peter is the Rock, Jesus is the builder of the church.  Thus, Peter does not compete with Jesus.  Jesus is the constructor of the new community of faith.  Jesus was, is and will be an active presence in the building up of the body of believers called the church.

Jesus introduces a new idea to the students.  Synagogue to Church

3.  The church will always be guided by Jesus.

Definition:

The church is the called out people of God who testify to Jesus and Jesus knows them.

The church will not be destroyed by the enemy, the evil one – “overcome or prevail”

Although the church is under attack by the powers of evil, she will never be vanquished, because it is founded on the rock.

Jesus, as teacher, claims the rabbinic tradition.

4.  Once we choose Jesus, the keys of the faith are in our hands.  We are to teach the faith.

Vs. 19 bound on earth or bound in heaven –

            Peter is not the doorkeeper of heaven like the brunt of so many jokes and cartoons.  No.  Peter’s role as holder of the keys is fulfilled on earth as chief teacher of the church.  So=- we are Peter, the rock – the teachers of the faith.  In Jesus day, the keeper of the keys is one of the most important responsibilities.  Teachers have the most important responsibility.

            We are teachers.  Our teaching is based on the knowledge and truth of Jesus Christ.

            The language of binding and loosing is rabbinic terminology for authoritative teaching.  The rabbi interprets the Torah and applies it to particular cases, declaring what is permitted and what is not permitted.

            Jesus taught as one with authority and gave the disciples and US the authority to teach the faith. 

You rock!