On Christ the Solid Rock I stand! (Song at the end!)

 


Last night six of us from our Discovery Bible Group went to watch "The Chosen" Season 4, episodes 1-3 at the theater. The place was completely empty which gave us a great opportunity to interact during the movie. It was SO AWESOME. Not to spoil it for anyone, there are some challenging scenes especially at the end of episode 3 that I won't discuss unless you have seen it. BUT, My favorite scene of the night was Caesarea Philippi! This is the historic place where Simon declares Jesus "The Messiah, the Son of the Living God." (Matthew 16:13-20, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-20) The picture above is present-day Caesarea Philippi. I was there in 2022. The massive rock pictured is the backdrop to the entire story. 

One of the big questions about interpreting this event in scripture is so interesting. Did Jesus tell Peter that he would build the church on HIM or was Jesus saying he would build the church upon himself, pointing to himself as being "this rock."Or was Jesus talking about what Peter said, saying that the church would be built on Peter's profession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. The Catholics take it to literally mean that the Church was built upon the person and leadership of Peter. I am unsure, but I do NOT view Peter as my rock, nor do I view the Pope as my authority in life. I view only the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ, as my rock, my salvation, and my authority of all things in life. 

Today as I was reading Isaiah 17 and 18, the term "rock" appears again. 

Isaiah is writing about his vision of the destruction of Damascus. 

"Then at last the people will look to their Creator and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will no longer look to their idols for help or worship what their own hands have made. They will never again bow down to their Asherah poles or worship at the pagan shrines they have built. Their largest cities will be like a deserted forest, like the land the Hivites and Amorites abandoned when the Israelites came here long ago. It will be utterly desolate. Why? Because you have turned from the God who can save you. You have forgotten the Rock that can hide you." (Isaiah 17:7-10)

Ancient Israel and Judah had rejected God, the rock of their salvation. The people in Jesus' time had rejected the Rock of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. The results were the same, devastation! Today, we often look towards man, money, and power as the answer to all our life's problems. But, Jesus Christ is the answer to all of life's tragedies, life's joys, life's sorrows, and life's questions. Rely ONLY upon him and he will never fail you. 

"Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have - Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:10,11)

This thought of Jesus as my Rock reminded me of this old hymn:



My hope
My hope is built on nothing lessThan Jesus' blood and righteousnessI dare not trust the sweetest frameBut wholly lean on Jesus' name
On Christ the solid rock I standAll other ground is sinking sandAll other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely faceI'll rest on His unchanging graceIn every high and stormy dayMy anchor holds within the veil
On Christ the solid rock I standAll other ground is sinking sandAll other ground is sinking sand
His oath, His covenant, His bloodSupport me in the whelming floodWhen all around my soul gives wayHe then is all my hope and stay
On Christ the solid rock I standAll other ground is sinking sandAll other ground is sinking sand
When He shall come with trumpet soundOh, may I then in Him be foundDressed in His righteousness aloneFaultless to stand before the throne
On Christ the solid rock I standAll other ground is sinking sandAll other ground is sinking sand

AMEN!


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