03/12/23
Psalms 18:2,3
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield[a] and the horn[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.
I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.”
GOD is my ROCK.
When I think about rocks, my mind goes to Portugal and the rock of Gibraltar.
Characteristics of that rock
· Sturdy, strong…able to withstand the elements
· Easy to locate from miles away
· Immoveable
· Protective - shields
· Formable
Psalm 62:6 states, “He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved.”
2 Samuel 22:2-3 “He said: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent people you save me.”
The writer paints a vivid description or simile of GOD as a Rock:
· Our GOD is our Rock, solid, immoveable, and impenetrable.
· GOD is our fortress, surrounding us with safety and citizenship.
· GOD is our deliverer from our enemies and harmful circumstances.
· GOD is our refuge, where we shall be free from hurts and threats.
· GOD is our shield from the dangers of Satan.
· GOD is our salvation to cleanse us and clear the pathway for a healthy relationship with HIM.
· GOD is our stronghold and our Savior … GOD is our rock!
Why GOD is referred to as a rock.
· In Ex 17:6, "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So, Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
· GOD became their provider and commanded Moses to strike the rock to render forth water.
GOD is our rock! We rejoice today because of who Jesus is…He is our Rock.
Paul connected the event in the desert with the life of Christ in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4:
· “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.”
When Paul refers to the LORD as my “Rock,” he is referring to the time in the desert and how GOD provided the nourishment the people needed.
· Jesus is the source of the life giving, smitten, spiritual Rock of Exodus 17:6”, who gives us life, refreshment, & renewal in a dry and barren world!
· In Matthew 16:16-18 in response to Jesus’ question of “Who do you say, I am?” it states Peter’s response as 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[b] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[c] will not overcome it.
The Rock is the confession that Jesus is the Messiah or the Christ, the Son of GOD.
· Some believe that Jesus was referring to Peter as the Rock, but I believe the Bible is teaching us the value of Jesus’ church that is built on the confession that Jesus is the Christ.
Peter also had something to say about Jesus being the ROCK.
· In 1 Peter 2:8 And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.”
Peter writes that the Rock makes people fall because they didn’t obey GOD’s Word. GOD’s chosen people were ignorant of the chosen One whereas Peter chose to acknowledge the Christ as the ROCK.
Paul added
· Romans 9:32 “Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path.”
What is the great rock in their path. It is Christ.
What shall we do to avoid repeating history? We need to realize and accept Jesus as the Rock
· Jesus is The Rock: strong, protective, visible, immoveable, and resilient. All are attributes of Jesus the Christ. Jesus Christ is the epitome of the ROCK.
o The great apostle Paul stated “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross!" Philippians 2:8
o Jesus stated in John 8:29, “For I do always those things that please Him.”
These two passages is a revelation of a Rock/complete devotion to GOD.
When I think about total devotion, I think of a time when we were financially down while working on the farm. The women didn’t have time to fix the large brunch. So, everyone pitched in to buy some fried chicken. Unfortunately, there was not enough chicken to go around…so, my Grandma told everyone to get a plenty. It ended up that she didn’t get anything to eat that day. To me, she exemplified a total devotion to the family. She was a Rock for the family. She took care of the family first…
As proud I am of what my Grandma exemplified, I realize that Jesus serves as our what a solid Rock is.
· The Apostle Paul declared, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (I Peter 2:21).
· John the beloved apostle states it well, “whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did." (I John 2:6).
Jesus taught how to relate to others & survive in this spiritual war.
· Help the sick, poor or disadvantaged
· Fulfill our purpose by seeking GOD through the word
· Embrace and live spiritual values
Love GOD, our neighbors and ourselves.
· Submit to GOD and HIS way of life.
· Teach the truth, the Gospel of Christ.
Is Jesus your Rock?
He wants to be…and He invites us in so He can be our Rock for eternity.
Finally, let us not undervalue that we need to be a Rock for Christ.
· In 2 Timothy 1:12 it states “That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.”
· Also, in Galatians 6:9 it states, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
We are to be a rock!
Are YOU a Rock for GOD?
· Do you pray regularly?
· Do you study GOD’s word regularly?
· Do you attend church regularly?
· Do you live a life of holiness of Christian values?
· Do you share and act on your faith in Christ?
Are you a Rock, a pebble, or a want-a-bee?
If not, you need to repent and accept Jesus as your personal Savior. He will be your personal Rock who shall lead you and save you.
Accept Jesus today!
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