HOW SOLID IS THE ROCK WE'RE BUILT UPON?
MF Blume
September 6, 2015
Matthew 16:16-18 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) 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.
Jesus used the term CHURCH according to the NKJV. The actual word in Greek is EKKLESIA.
• It literally means CALLED OUT.
• The CALLED OUT.
• It is better translated as CONGREGATION or ASSEMBLY.
• If you had that SEPTUAGINT version of the Old
Testament, which is the GREEK Old Testament the apostles used in their
day, you would see that EKKLESIA is also used everywhere in the Old
Testament.
• Here are some instances.
Deuteronomy 4:10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the
LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people
together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to
fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they
may teach their children.
Deuteronomy 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of
stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according
to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the
midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
Judges 21:8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of
Israel that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came
none to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.
Notice they are GATHERED TOGETHER.
• They are ASSEMBLED.
• To make an assembly you have to CALL PEOPLE OUT from the crowd.
• That is what CHURCH is supposed to mean in the Bible.
God called out an ASSEMBLY of People called Israel.
Acts 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness
with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our
fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
Recall three thousand JEWS were in the church on the day of Pentecost.
5,000 more a few days later.
And Gentiles finally came over three years later!
So, the church is not something different from what God was doing with Israel.
• It IS WHAT GOD WAS DOING WITH ISRAEL.
That’s why we read that Israel in the Exodus was called THE CHURCH.
When the Pope was kicked out of England in the 1530’s, Henry VIII became supreme leader of Church of England.
• Later King James was leader, and had the Bible
translated into English and his third edict was they HAD TO USE CHURCH
when they translated EKKLESIA.
• Why?
• Because he was LORD over the CHURCH of England, but not the EKKLESIA OF GOD.
• And by reading CHURCH in the bible, they’d think of HIS rulership over them.
• And that led to some other problems that arose until today.
• We are not concerned over any MAN ruling the
congregation of God, but the word CHURCH used in the Bible started
making people think first there was ISRAEL, and the God started
something NEW called the CHURCH.
• So, we have the false idea that God’s work with ISRAEL is distinct from the CHURCH.
• But that is not the case.
• ISRAEL WAS THE CHURCH in the Old Testament
because it really means CALLED OUT ones or the congregation or assembly.
And when Jesus said He’d build his CHURCH on the rock, he meant
HIS ASSEMBLY, who already was ISRAEL, would be PUT ON THE ROCK.
Look at the rock:
Ephesians 2:13-22 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he
is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;
for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
(16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (17) And came and
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were
nigh. (18) For through him we both have access by one
Spirit unto the Father. (19) Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of
the household of God; (20) And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
(22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit.
When Jesus came, He established apostles to go along with the Old
Testament Prophets who wrote the books of the Prophets, and it all
focused on HIM THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.
1 Peter 2:4-8 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed
indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (5) Ye
also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ. (6) Wherefore also it is contained in the
scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious:
and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (7)
Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be
disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made
the head of the corner, (8) And a stone of stumbling, and a
rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being
disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Matthew 7:24-25 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of
mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock: (25) And the rain descended, and the
floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell
not: for it was founded upon a rock.
His words and the apostles and prophets together make the ROCK.
And I want t show you just WHY the storms cannot hurt the CHURCH ON THE ROCK.
Hebrews 10:1-3 For the law having a shadow of good things to
come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those
sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers
thereunto perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased
to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had
no more conscience of sins. (3) But in those sacrifices
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
Sacrifices were for SIN.
• But they were weak.
• Sins were still an issue later.
• They had to be offered every year.
• Like their effects wore out.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
They could not take away sins.
Hebrews 10:5-7 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me: (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast
had no pleasure. (7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume
of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (PSALM 40)
So, Jesus came to do what those sacrifice couldn’t.
• TAKE AWAY SINS.
Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
That will He came to do would sanctify us forever AND NOT JUST ONCE EVERY YEAR.
Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and
offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Those priests were always at work, signified by standing, because their offerings would never cease.
But the writer, Likely Paul, noticed something.
In Psalm 110, we read this:
Psalms 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit
thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
The Messiah would SIT DOWN.
And RULE:
Psalms 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
But although kings rule and He is a king, we also read:
Psalms 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
And Zechariah said this:
Zechariah 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he
shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he
shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be
between them both.
Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the
sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the
throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
This priest SAT DOWN when all the others still stood.
• And He’s also KING!
So Paul wrote:
Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
His seating had to do with seeing his enemies come under his feet.
So,
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
As opposed to:
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come,
and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices
which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto
perfect.
I am talking about the ROCK NOW.
Then He says the Holy Ghost witnesses of this perfect sacrifice since He inspired Jeremiah to write something powerful.
Hebrews 10:15-17 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:
for after that he had said before, (16) This is the
covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I
will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write
them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no
more.
That is Jeremiah 31:31.
When the Holy Ghost said THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES would be remembered
NO MORE, when the NEW COVENANT comes, that means something:
Hebrews 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
THERE IS REMISSION OF SINS!
All those sacrifices that were offered year after year COULD NOT REMIT SINS.
• For 1500 years!
• HIS SINGLE OFFERING REMITS SINS!
• His single offering was the WILL of God who was never pleased with sacrifices.
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
HE TOOK AWAY SINS!
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and
saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Hebrews 10:19-22 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is
to say, his flesh; (21) And having an high priest over the
house of God; (22) Let us draw near with a true heart in
full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
It will WASH AWAY ALL THE CONDEMNATION FROM YOUR CONSCIENCE!
If that BLOOD can make you totally free of sin that condemns you, so
much that it enables you fit to go into the MOST HOLY PLACE IN
EXISTENCE, where God DWELLS, then IT IS SUCH A ROCK that no
condemnation can BEAT YOUR HOUSE DOWN!
He sat in the MOST HOLY PLACE, BECAUSE any WORK necessary to remit sins was DONE.
• And He’s sitting right in there WHERE YOU CAN NOW HAVE BOLDNESS TO GO.
• He sat in the place where the holiest presence
is because that is where you need to go, and HIS SEATING that proves no
work needs to be done is there to encourage you TO COME ON IN!
When you throw away that pesky condemnation because now you KNOW THE
TRUTH and the TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE, THAT is entering the holiest!
• You’re in the PLACE you should be!
So if the devil comes to with thoughts of condemnation, you let him know this:
“It’s not my goodness I stand upon, for my goodness is
nothing compared to the 1500 years of sacrifices that could not move
God to remit sins. If my goodness is a grain of sand compared to
THAT, and that could not please God, I will never look at my
goodness. But all those sacrifices that were offered were, in
turn, a grain of sand compared to CHRIST’S SINGLE SACRIFICE that
moved God to CHANGE COVENANTS, REMIT SINS for anybody all over the
whole world and not just Israel. So, devil, I’m not even
looking at how good I AM, you fool! I am standing on the ROCK
Jesus Christ, and the prophets and apostles who pointed me to HIS BLOOD
and cross. So, your stormy winds and smashing waves and crashing
FLOODS can’t harm me! My house is on the sand that my flesh
was made from, as though my fleshly goodness is my focus.
It’s on the ROCK Jesus Christ!”
And because that ROCK is His work that is not just for ISRAEL, but the
whole WORLD, the CHURCH is JEW AND GENTILE TOGETHER on the FOUNDATION!
And now you know why we read this:
Ephesians 2:13-22 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he
is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle
wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances;
for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
(16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the
cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (17) And came and
preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were
nigh. (18) For through him we both have access by one
Spirit unto the Father. (19) Now therefore ye are no more
strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of
the household of God; (20) And are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the
chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly
framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
(22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit.
1 Peter 2:(6) Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture,
Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he
that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
You will not be confounded when the devil comes to you with condemnation IF YOU BELIEVE ON THE ROCK!
• Believing on the rock is STANDING ON THE ROCK!
• You’re not built on the rock if you are looking to YOUR goodness.
• God is BUILDING YOU ONTO THE ROCK!