Bible Character Studies: Peter. Pt. 5 Christ is the Rock & Peter a pebble.
Good Morning to each of you this! I am praying these lessons on Peter will show us that God can use each one of us as vessels to spread the good news!
Let's pick up where we left off in the last post with regard to Peter's confession of faith.
Mathew 16:17-20 And 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. 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. 19 And 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. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Jesus responded to Peters triumphant expression of faith and it is noteworthy to see what our Lord said. Christ is going to point out an important truth that has rich meaning for you and me.
The Father in heaven glorifies His Son.
Peter's beautiful declaration of faith did not come through flesh and blood. That is, this discovery did not come through Peter's own efforts to understand the Lord's teaching nor did it come from studying books.
Where did this profound truth originate? "My Father" the Father of Jesus Christ who resides in heaven and dwells in eternity, He is the One who revealed this truth. This is a preview of the future ministry of the Spirit of God when He would speak through the Apostles when the church was born in Acts 2.
I think a right way to view Peter's sublime confession of faith revealed by the Father in heaven is that the Father chose to glorify His Son, Jesus Christ at that point in time. He used Peter as the means to verbally convey this truth about Christ being God manifest in the flesh.
Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22 each record the voice of the Father from heaven saying that He is well pleased in His Son, when Jesus was baptized. It is also like the voice of the Father at the transfiguration of Christ saying "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him!" (Matthew 17:5)
Peter is a small pebble and Christ the Solid Rock.
Matthew 16:18-19 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. 19 And 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
Jesus makes a prophetic statement about Peter and the church. He tells Peter that Christ will build His church upon this rock. Peter's name here is from a word that means a small piece of rock whereas the word "rock" means a massive section of rock.
It is as if Christ points to Peter and says you are this small piece of rock, Peter and you are not sufficiently strong for me to build my church upon. Then, Christ speaks to Himself and says I will build my church on this massive rock, referring to Himself.
There are nearly 60 verses referring to God as our rock and the following texts will serve as examples that confirm exactly what Christ meant when He called Peter a little piece of rock and Himself a mass of rock.
Our God is a Rock
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Deuteronomy 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
2 Samuel 23:1-3 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
Psalm 18:30-31 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Peter would be given the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
This is a preview of future authority that Peter would have at the birth of the church. The keys symbolize authority and the best example of Peter using the keys was when he was at the home of Simon the Tanner at Joppa. A Roman centurion named Cornelius sent for Peter to come and share the gospel with his family. (Acts 10)
At the same time the messengers were on the way to Joppa Peter was on the rooftop and he had a vision. He was told three times to rise up and kill and eat unclean animals. Peter said that he had never defiled himself by eating unclean things. The Lord responded and said what God has cleansed, do not call unclean.
You see, Cornelius and all his household were Gentiles and the Jewish people generally refrained from interacting with Gentiles.
Peter did go and preach the gospel of Christ and the Spirit of God fell on them just as He fell upon the Jews at Pentecost. Thus, the keys to the kingdom of heaven were used to open the door of salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews.
Points to Ponder....
Let's pick up where we left off in the last post with regard to Peter's confession of faith.
Mathew 16:17-20 And 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. 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. 19 And 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. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Jesus responded to Peters triumphant expression of faith and it is noteworthy to see what our Lord said. Christ is going to point out an important truth that has rich meaning for you and me.
The Father in heaven glorifies His Son.
Peter's beautiful declaration of faith did not come through flesh and blood. That is, this discovery did not come through Peter's own efforts to understand the Lord's teaching nor did it come from studying books.
Where did this profound truth originate? "My Father" the Father of Jesus Christ who resides in heaven and dwells in eternity, He is the One who revealed this truth. This is a preview of the future ministry of the Spirit of God when He would speak through the Apostles when the church was born in Acts 2.
I think a right way to view Peter's sublime confession of faith revealed by the Father in heaven is that the Father chose to glorify His Son, Jesus Christ at that point in time. He used Peter as the means to verbally convey this truth about Christ being God manifest in the flesh.
Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22 each record the voice of the Father from heaven saying that He is well pleased in His Son, when Jesus was baptized. It is also like the voice of the Father at the transfiguration of Christ saying "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him!" (Matthew 17:5)
Peter is a small pebble and Christ the Solid Rock.
Matthew 16:18-19 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. 19 And 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
Jesus makes a prophetic statement about Peter and the church. He tells Peter that Christ will build His church upon this rock. Peter's name here is from a word that means a small piece of rock whereas the word "rock" means a massive section of rock.
It is as if Christ points to Peter and says you are this small piece of rock, Peter and you are not sufficiently strong for me to build my church upon. Then, Christ speaks to Himself and says I will build my church on this massive rock, referring to Himself.
There are nearly 60 verses referring to God as our rock and the following texts will serve as examples that confirm exactly what Christ meant when He called Peter a little piece of rock and Himself a mass of rock.
Our God is a Rock
Deuteronomy 32:3-4 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. 4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Deuteronomy 32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
2 Samuel 23:1-3 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
Psalm 18:30-31 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Peter would be given the keys to the kingdom of heaven.
This is a preview of future authority that Peter would have at the birth of the church. The keys symbolize authority and the best example of Peter using the keys was when he was at the home of Simon the Tanner at Joppa. A Roman centurion named Cornelius sent for Peter to come and share the gospel with his family. (Acts 10)
At the same time the messengers were on the way to Joppa Peter was on the rooftop and he had a vision. He was told three times to rise up and kill and eat unclean animals. Peter said that he had never defiled himself by eating unclean things. The Lord responded and said what God has cleansed, do not call unclean.
You see, Cornelius and all his household were Gentiles and the Jewish people generally refrained from interacting with Gentiles.
Peter did go and preach the gospel of Christ and the Spirit of God fell on them just as He fell upon the Jews at Pentecost. Thus, the keys to the kingdom of heaven were used to open the door of salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews.
Points to Ponder....
- Our Lord knows that even when we are used by God to do something good we have a tendency to become proud.
- Jesus makes sure to teach the disciples and us that Peter's confession of faith had nothing to to with Peter or his efforts.
- Peter was given that insight from the Father in heaven.
- The Father chose to glorify His Son Jesus Christ and He used Peter's mouth to accomplish this.
- Like Peter we may find that the Lord will bless us with an understanding of His truth that He allows us to share with others.
- Like Peter, we must remember that Christ receives all the glory.
- Like Peter, all who serve Christ's church in some capacity will be the little pebbles because God our massive Rock receives the glory.
- Like Peter, we will be given opportunities to serve Him. Will we be ready?
Once again I am amazed at the beauty of God the Father seeking to honor His Son, Jesus Christ. The Son emptied Himself out and put His deity aside in order to be born as a baby in the most humbling environment. He suffered great physical torture and pain and endured the wrath of the Father poured out in Himself, instead of pouring out on us.
Jesus did all of this for the joy that was set in front of Him because of sinners being born again into a right relationship with God.
Jesus did all of this for the joy that was set in front of Him because of sinners being born again into a right relationship with God.
I pray that God will make us to be profoundly impacted by His Word such that we will feel like we are going to burst wide open if we can't tell someone else. I pray that no matter where He uses us, or how He uses us, that we will all serve with glad hearts and humble joy.
Bob
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