Upon This Rock

Dan Bailey

In Matthew 16:13-20, we have an account of when Jesus went to Caesarea Philippi. The Lord asked his disciples two simple questions. The first question was. "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" He received four answers to this question. All of the answers from men were in error. Jesus was not John the Baptist. Jesus was not Elijah. Jesus was not Jeremiah, nor was he one of the former prophets of Israel. Many today would probably have gone along with most of these opinions. It is easy to follow the teachings of men, but it is often much harder to follow God.

The second question that Jesus asked was, "But whom say ye that I am?" It was then that Simon Peter correctly answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." This truth has been revealed to Peter by God. Peter saw the great wonders and miracles that Jesus had performed. He correctly concluded from the evidence that Jesus was the Son of God. God reveals His Son unto us today, if we will but read the Bible and believe the evidence.

We read in John 20:30-31: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Jesus told Peter, "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" (Matthew 16:18).The rock is the great truth that Jesus is the Son of the living God. The Son of God is the very foundation of the church. We read in Isaiah 28:16: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste." We also read in 1 Corinthians 3:11 "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

My friend, the church is not built on the humanity of Luther nor on the fallibility of John Calvin or John Wesley. The church stands upon the rock of the Son of the living God. It is this "Son of God" that we are to confess before men. We read in Matthew 10:32-33: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

And again in Romans 10:9-10: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

It was at this time that Jesus promised to build his church. Jesus said, "I will build MYchurch." He did not build the churches that are established by men, organized and fashioned after their own rules and traditions, but Jesus built HIS church. It does not belong to Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Campbell, or any other man. If you are not a member of the church of Christ, become one! The Lord will add you to HIS church when you obey HIM.

Read the following verses and think about the church that was built by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

ACTS 2:47 -- "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."

ACTS 2:38 --"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

MARK 16:16 -- "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13 - For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."