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What hinders your walk with Christ? Anger that gets out of control? Fear or worry? Lust or Lying? Depression, Apathy? Ungodly desires? Upon this Rock – I will build my church. Jesus of course said this about Peter, arguably one of the most imperfectly flawed characters of the bible, certainly of the original 12. As we discussed how to deliver the “candy cane” sermon as a family one of the ideas that came to mind was to get a big Rock. Bring this thing in, set it down with a "thud", and say the lines, “Upon this Rock I will build my church...” to impress upon you the hardness of a rock, and therefore the reasoning for a “hard” candy being used. But my thought as I envisioned that was, of course that Jesus wasn't talking about a Rock. He was talking about one of the original 12 biblical kooks – That was Peter. So what do we know about Peter? Fortunately, probably on purpose we arguably know more about Peter than we do almost any other biblical personality. Born with the given name Simon, pronounced Shimon – is translated in hebrew sources say means “Listener”. Simon was anything but a listener. We all know that Jesus re-named Shimon and he named him “Peter” (Cephas). Now the timing Jesus used to do this is of interest to me. We know that John tells us that this name change was immediate. As far as we can tell the first thing - literally the first thing - Jesus did was size him up and say, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which translated means Peter). Jhn 1:42 Although Peter perhaps didn't know it's significance until much later in Christ's ministry. From Day 1 we can see that Jesus appropriated the new name meaning ROCK. Think about it, you meet a guy and the first thing he says to you is (paraphrased), “I know you're name is 'listener', I'm gonna call you 'Rock'.” (example our friend Jason son Bob, I'll call you Pyro) I have to think after seeing the personality of Peter which scripture would guide us to believe is more harsh than collegial, abrasive than diplomatic, more impetuous than thoughtful....I think Peter was a little more ROCK, than Listener. I have to think that Peter about this time was thinking (somewhat selfishly I might add) “I'm gonna like this guy. My parents called me “listener” but I am definitely more 'Rock'". It also interesting to note what Jesus didn't seem to say at this early juncture of his ministry. Contextually it would seem to fit for Jesus to say... “Listener...you are now Rock and Upon this Rock I will build my church. ”. No, as far as we can tell God would have us understand that Peter went for three years with Jesus having this, (perhaps selfish) impression that he was now the “Rock”. Without realizing the true significance -the unselfish significance - to Jesus assigning him the name “Rock”. And the unselfish significance of course is that it is upon the man “ROCK” (Peter) that Christ would build HIS church. Why did Jesus wait so long to tell Peter THIS part of the name change?
I propose to you that Jesus understood that Peter neede to more fully understand that, while he may gravitate to the Name Peter out of his disposition and feeling about himself...Jesus perhaps understood that Peter more needed to understand that it was HIM (Jesus) that would give him the features of a Rock that He needed. That in and of himself, outside of Christs teaching Peter was more of a Rock Head than he was a Rock.. Peter throughly demonstrates to us during the course of three years with Jesus the propensity for greatness (often quickly followed by Jesus with “God revealed this...”) and at the same time unbelievable, unadulterated foolishness. Could it be that this back and forth of great acts, foolish acts, great acts, foolish acts...was the process that Peter needed to go through to get to a point where in God's appointed time, Jesus could say “Upon this Rock, I will build my Church.” He needed the time, the relationship with Christ so that Peter's internal response would not be one of Pride and self-righteousness, but in fact one that understands..."this guy has seen me at my best and at my worst and can still use me as the 'Rock' to build his church?" Indeed Peter's foolishness doesn't stop there he would go on to...immediately following in the passsage...Let's READ it. Matthew 16:21-23.GET BEHIND ME SATAN. Talk about a schizophrenic paradox that Peter has to deal with. Whoa...I'm the Rock, I'm a stumbling block....I'm Satan.! I mean - immediately following the “Upon this Rock" episode... Peter makes the ill fated decision to buck up to Jesus and say “Say look Jesus, you know what you're saying about this suffering and dieing thing but THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO YOU.” Foolishness.
So what do we make of this paradox? Peter's stubbornness and pride was perfectly acceptable if it was stubbornness and pride for and in what was just and right and according to Jesus' teaching. It was good so long as it was based in Christ's teaching. But the minute that Peter stepped outside of God's design or purpose and the teachings of Christ he was destined for foolishness. One great apologetic in my mind for the validity of scripture is that the bible like no other - so called holy book - highlights the unbelievable but universal foolishness of men (even - ney, particularly, the foolishness of the first advocates of the Faith) to do things on his own accord and step outside God's perfect will. What other “holy” book so clearly outlines the failings as well as the strengths of it's “hero's”. After being called Satan by Jesus, denying him three times, getting depressed after his death and then being over-joyed upon his resurection Peter would go on to be the Rock (again). In the second passage read in the candy cane message Peter says – “Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Here was an unabashed demonstration of Christly - stubborness, why? Let's read the passage in context: ACTS 4:1-13
Now, had Peter achieved perfection? Had all of his success, failure, success, failure, success, failure-success finally paid off with perfection? NOPE. We know later that Paul admonishes, chastises – all big words for “bawled him out”....because he was being racist. Check it out in GALATIONS 2:11-16.
Now as I understand it the Catholic church believes that Jesus was christening Peter with some sacred “title” and that title passes on from generation to generation in the form of the Papal leadership. I would disagree with that tradition. I would have to say that what we learn from this is that Peter was the first “ROCK. Flaws and all. And upon it, as we see starting in chapter one the book of ACTS and moving forward that Peter would be instrumental, the first ROCK to leverage the Holy Spirit, Scripture and Godly counsel to evangelize enmasse. Flaws and all. In this regard Peter was the first ROCK among many to come, including you and me, to have the privilege and responsibility to use his gifts, as imperfectly as he may have done that, in a way to build upon the Church of Jesus Christ. .
So what do we learn from this? Likewise, as Peter and Paul and all the others we think of as historical “saints” we too, imperfect as we may be will be used by God. Plunge ahead, guided by God's gifts of perfecting us the Holy Spirit, Gods Word and Godly Counsel, plunge ahead with everything that you are and make an impact for him. What hinders your walk with Christ? Uncontrolled Anger? Fear or worry? Lust or Lying? Depression, Apathy? Ungodly desires?Unworthy as we might be...Unskilled as we may feel. Struggling with the sins we may be struggling with...even if we struggle to decipher his word to us ...In spite of all these things...if we carefully, prayerfully work out our salvation using God's tools Holy Spirit, God's Word and Godly counsel – then the flesh will become less and the God's Spirit will become greater and greater......and in spite of our flaws just like Peter and Paul and all the others - living this process, speaking this process, and discipling this process is what is and what will build Christ's Church. In spite of ourselves. Praise be to God.
