August 1, 2025 – Built on The Rock
Matthew 16:16-18
Sermon: 2300 The Church Triumphant, Part 1
Pray Over This
“Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.’”
Matthew 16:16-18
Ponder This
Jesus is the architect of the Church and the foundation of the Church. When Jesus said, “on this rock I will build my church” (v. 18), He was making a play on words. The Greek word for Peter there is petros, but He doesn’t use the word petros again. He uses another word. It reads, “You are Petros, and on this petra, I will build my church.” What’s the difference between petros and petra? One word means a rock, like a boulder. Another word means a rock like a rock stratum, a ledge, a foundation, a massive rock. Jesus says, “Peter, you’re a piece of the rock. You’re a boulder, but I am the foundation, and on this foundation stone I will build my church.” The foundation stone on which the Church is built is Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16).
“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord. Simon Peter was a sinner like you and me. The Church is built on the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the solid rock. He is the One who is building the Church. The Church will be completed, and we have beneath us the sure foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- Have you made Jesus the foundation of your life? What is different about your life when you make Him the foundation?
- What might we try to substitute as the foundation of our lives instead of Christ? Why will substitutes always fail?
Practice This
Talk to a mentor or trusted Christian friend and ask how that person has made Christ the foundation of his or her life.
For more from Love Worth Finding and Pastor Adrian Rogers, please visit www.lwf.org.
You can also listen to Adrian Rogers at OnePlace.com.
