Our family enjoys doing the Herald Sun quiz during dinner. It feels really good when you get the answer right – but even better when no one else knows the answer and you get that smirk on your face and proudly say – I know the answer. I wonder if Peter, today, had that same sense of pride when he answers correctly the quiz Jesus gives to him which others had answered incorrectly. The quiz: Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
So then Jesus puts the quiz to his own disciples: He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! It’s such an important question and brings so much hope to us all in these uncertain times. And Jesus shows us just how important that question is when he explains to Peter what his answer actually means: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
What rock is Jesus referring to? Some believe that the Rock is Peter because his name – Petros – means “rock” in Greek. But the rock is his confession of faith – that Jesus Christ is the Messiah – the Son of the living God. Jesus had earlier told a parable of a wise and foolish builder. The difference was not what they had built but the foundation on which they built. The foolish builder built on sand – the wise builder built on a rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against those houses. The house built on sand collapsed. But the house built on the rock did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.
What comforting assurance Jesus’ message to Peter brings to us today as our churches here in Victoria continue to have their public gatherings banned. Jesus reminds us today that his church is built on a solid foundation that not even the gates of hell can defeat it. As I have reminded you throughout this lockdown that our church buildings have been closed but the church continues to remain open – because YOU are the church of God. And that’s what Paul refers to in our 2nd reading today when he says: I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
On several occasions Paul talks about the body of Christ being made up by the children of God and not bricks and mortar.
In fact he says that God has built his temple in us. He says: Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? Jesus even warned against a trust in the physical structure of the worship building over against the foundation upon which it is built: One day, as Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” Jesus replied: Do you see all these great buildings?” “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” And then, towards his death when he knew that the disciples would be challenged by not seeing his physical body, he tells them: “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” The Pharisees replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple Jesus had spoken of was his body. And now YOU are the body of Christ that Jesus himself has built.
These are really challenging times for the church here in Victoria. Our church buildings have been had their access removed from us. We cannot gather together to receive the body and blood of Christ in Holy Communion. But what cannot be taken away from us; What cannot be destroyed or even shaken – is the foundation upon which our faith stands. And that is Jesus Christ our Lord. And so the question that Jesus put to his disciples is put to us today. Who do you say I am? Jesus is not John the Baptist. No John himself said that – the one coming after me I am not even worthy to tie up his shoe laces. He is not Elijah or one of the prophets – no – none of them died for our sins. Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. And not even the gates of hell, let alone Covid 19 or any Government lockdown can prevail against him.
The parable of the 2 builders – the wise and the foolish – can be seen in Peter’s example a couple weeks ago when he wanted to walk on the water along with Jesus. When he focused on Jesus he was able to walk on the water because Jesus was his foundation, not the water. Just like the wise builder who built his house on the rock. And even though the wind and the waves hit upon him, he was secure. But when he took his eyes of Jesus, the water became his foundation and he began to sink. Just like the foolish builder whose foundation was the sand.
At present the wind and the waves of Covid 19 – stage 4 restrictions – and a state of disaster are pounding against the church. The temptation is to look away from Jesus and begin to panic and fear. But Jesus reassures us today that his church is built upon the rock and not even the gates of hell can prevail against it. And as St Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians when reminding the Israelites that God was with them in their wilderness journey – a journey that lasted a lot longer than the 5 months journey we’ve been on: They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. And that rock continues to accompany us today.
So let us continue to keep our faith firmly set on the rock that is Christ. Let us continue to keep our focus on Jesus Christ who has promised to be with us always. And when you are tempted to look away and allow the world to tell you otherwise – answer that question put by Jesus Christ to you today and everyday: Who do you say that I am? And if you truly believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son – that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah – then not even the gates of hell can prevail.
They can shut our church buildings – they can even stop us from gathering around the table of the Lord – but no one – not even the gates of hell – can destroy the faith that is built upon the rock. And as Paul said to the Romans as Peter confessed today: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Grant this Lord, to us all. Amen.
