Most of you are old enough and experienced enough to know there are incredible number of rocks. Tiny ones to large boulders. Some are soft and easily crushed while others will require a jackhammer to break them up. When I was growing as a child, I would go to the river and we boys would try to find some ‘smooth round river rocks’. Why? Because they were the best to skip across the water. We were playing games to see which one would skip the farthest. Lots of fun. Go try it with your children and grandchildren. They’ll love it.
Jesus told Peter that ‘on this rock I’ll build my church’. Rock symbolizes faith in many instances. He had just answered Jesus’ question acknowledging that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God. I submit that on Peter’s faith was where Jesus started. (Mt. 16.15-17) We have the brilliant comparison in the scripture about building your house on the sand or the rock. The floods will determine its strength.
In the Bible, there are numerous references to rock, and most are not addressing ‘The Rock’. The church is being built on the testimony that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah, and that Christ will build his church, not by the authority of any one person. When we look carefully at Deuteronomy 32.4, we see this about Jesus, The Rock. That his work is perfect, his ways are justice, he’s a God of faithfulness, without iniquity and that he is just and upright. What other rock would you want to stand on?
