Musing - How did Peter the rock “build My church”?

Hebraic Musing - How did Peter the rock “build My church”?

Jesus took His apostles on a field trip to the far Northeast corner of what is now the “Holy Land”, to Caesarea Philippi, an area where many foreign gods are worshipped.  While there Jesus challenged his Apostles in Matt. 16:15-17 --  "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.”  NIV

And in verse 18 Jesus makes a statement that has been interpreted many ways:
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” 

My favorite Sunday School teacher contends that “Peter was charged by Jesus with taking the Gospel to the Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles which we can see in the book of Acts.”  Let’s find that thread in Acts.

Acts 1:8 starts with Jesus’ promise to His disciples --  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Jerusalem –  After the famous filling of the apostles with the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem in Acts 2:4 Peter is called upon to preach in v.14 – “Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you;’….   And about  3,000 were added to their number that day.”

Lydda (Western edge of Judea) – in Acts 9:32-35 – “As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda.  There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years.  ‘Aeneas,’ Peter said to him, ‘Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.’ Immediately Aeneas got up.  All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.”   

Samaria – Acts 8:14-17   “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.  When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,  because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.  Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”   

Gentiles – Peter ministered the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles who Saul was witnessing to in Acts 10:44-48.   “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.  The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.  For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.    Then Peter said,  ‘Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.’   So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.”     

The book of Acts doesn’t really end, so who is to write “the rest of the story”?

Points to ponder

What do you think Jesus meant when He said
“You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church”?

Was Peter’s charged to go to the Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles?

What is our role in building His Church?

 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,” Isa 52:7

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   March 21, 2017