By: Dale Weckbacher
Matthew 16:18
And I tell
you, you are Peter, and on this rock[a] I will build my
church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail
against it.
(ESV)
Prior to 911, the most horrific attack on U.S. soil was the
attack on Pearl Harbor. (1) The USS Arizona sits at the bottom of Pearl
Harbor serving as a memorial to that vicious attack and the tragic loss of life
that ensued. At the capitol complex in
Phoenix Arizona the anchor from the battleship with the states name sits as a
memorial as well. (2)
Anchors serve an important role for ships as they are the
only way for the ship to remain still in the constantly moving ocean
currents. As a fisherman, Peter would
have been familiar with the need for one to anchor their boat to a firm rock
when fishing. He therefore would have
understood the meaning of Jesus words in Matthew 16:18 and interpreted them to
mean the anchoring of the church upon a solid foundation but what is this rock
Jesus refers to?
While some argue that the rock is Peter based upon Jesus
changing of his name to Peter or Cepha translated rock from the Greek. (3) Others argue Jesus refers to the truth
declared by Peter which does constitute a solid foundation upon which to build
one’s life. However, James 2:19 reminds
us that even the demons believe and shudder at this truth, yet they do not have
a firm foundation or experience salvation, sentencing them for destruction
(Revelation 20:7-10). Therefore, the most
likely rock referred to by Jesus is himself for He is the spotless lamb of God
that would die, and rise again taking away the sins of humanity and giving us a
right standing with God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Everyone anchors their life to some rock or belief
system. Even atheism or a lack of belief
in God constitutes a negative religious belief system that God does not exist. While a majority in the United States may not
go to the extreme of anchoring their lives to a lack of belief in God, they do
anchor their lives to things like careers, education, children,
government/politics, or pleasure. While
these things may not be inherently bad, they are not solid rocks upon which to
anchor one’s life but are in a constant state of change. Careers come and go based upon the economy
and technological changes. Education can
become outdated with the discovery of new knowledge and technologies. Children grow up and leave the nest and often
do not follow the advice we as parents provide.
Governments and the political landscape seems to change minute by
minute. Pleasure may give happiness for
a moment but does not give a lasting deep joy.
The only solid rock upon which to anchor one’s life is Jesus
Christ and a belief in his death burial and resurrection (Romans 10:9-10). As a reward for anchoring our lives to this
solid rock we receive eternal life (John 3:16).
The question we all must pause and ask ourselves at this moment is, what
rock is our ship of life anchored to?
If it is not the rock of Jesus Christ, I invite you to
anchor to that rock now by praying with me,
Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know
that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse
me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).
I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now
declare you Lord of my life.
You have not anchored your life to the only rock that does
not shift or change. I now encourage you
to share this posting with others that need to anchor their lives to this solid
rock. I also encourage you to find a
church teaching the Bible and begin studying the Bible yourself to find out
more about the solid rock your life is anchored to. We also must regularly meet with others
living lives anchored to the same rock as us for strength through the stormy
seas of life that come to us all
While the cross now the symbolizes Christianity, that has
not always the case for early Christians equated the cross with suffering and
death. Instead the early church used the
symbol of an anchor as a reminder of the savior they had decided to anchor
their lives to. (4) The next time you see an anchor or a picture
of an anchor, let it serve as a reminder of the need to anchor our lives to
Jesus Christ and the truth of the Gospel.
1. History.com. Pearl Harbor. www.history.com.
[Online] History.com. [Cited: October 22, 2017.]
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/pearl-harbor.
2. roadsideamerica.com.
Phoenix, Arizona: USS Arizona Anchor and Mast. www.roadsideamerica.com. [Online]
Roadsideamerica.com. [Cited: October 22, 2017.]
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/11973.
3. Bible Hub.
Matthew 16:18. biblehub.com. [Online] Bible Hub. [Cited: October 22,
2017.] http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/16-18.htm.
4. Wilson, Dr. Ralph
F. Anchor as an Early Christian Symbol. www.jesuswalk.com. [Online]
Jesus Walk. [Cited: October 22, 2017.]
http://www.jesuswalk.com/christian-symbols/anchor.htm.
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