Becoming a Rock

Spoiler alert – It’s not easy

• Luke 22:31-34
• 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,[a] that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter[b] said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus[c] said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”
• Ok, so here we are. We’ve just finished our 21 day fast. If you were with us last year at this time, we were just weeks away from flattening the curve.
• If there’s anything this last year has instilled in me is this – faithfulness, endurance, patience, and character are things that are forged in the fire.
• God knows what he’s doing
• He’s a million steps ahead and we’re just picking our jaws up off the floor
• Can we have that title slide please?
• Becoming a Rock – We are going to dive into what this means shortly
• If you thought this message was on Becoming the Rock – you are in the wrong place, that’s two doors down at cross fit, sorry
• Point one: Don’t buy into the enemy’s narrative
• When I was young, probably 9 or 10 I had an awesome rock collection.
• My dad got me something called a rock tumbler – Does anyone know what a rock tumbler does?
• You would put rocks that you wanted to smooth and get rounder looking in this cylinder looking machine with grit and depending on the stage of the process a little water and you would have it tumble like a dryer and the friction would smooth the rocks out
• Why am I telling you about this? I don’t know. I just thought it was cool!
• Rocks would come out nicely shaped and weren’t jagged or rough
• Something happened during that few days process that would make a precious stone that looked rough before, and after it would look awesome!
• James 1:2-4
• 2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
• And Verse 12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him”
• Count it all joy? Are you kidding me? Did you not just see what I went through?
• The enemy wants your mind fixed on the trial – this is where the sifting begins
• Luke 22:31
• “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,[a] that he might sift you like wheat,
• Jesus is telling Peter that satan has demanded to have him so he can sift him like wheat
• What does that look like?
• In biblical times wheat was thrown on what they called a threshing floor to separate the wheat from the chaff and they would beat it, toss it and shake the wheat
• Does this sound familiar?
• Kind of like this last year?
• I found it interesting that Jesus called Peter “Simon Simon”
• Simon’s birth name in Hebrew means “Listen” and Peter means “rock” in Hebrew
• So why did Jesus call Peter “Simon” instead of Peter?
• Jesus knew that for the next few hours Peter wasn’t going to be a rock
• It’s like Jesus was saying Peter, Listen to me!
• Jesus knew that Peter was going to deny him and he was trying to say, hey, when you repent, strengthen your brothers.
• Luke 22:32
• but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
• The word “turned” is the same word used for repent which just a few weeks ago we talked about and means to “Turn around”.
• Amazing how Jesus knew that repentance was going to happen, but this is the man that Jesus said “On this rock I will build my church”
• Gives you some hope doesn’t it?
• You think that denying Jesus three times would kind of get you fired from that position right?
• You sit down for your next job interview “yeah, it says you denied Jesus the Christ 3 times? And Peter is like “Yeah that’s true”
• Thanks for coming, we will keep your application on file, – should I call you guys? No no, that’s ok Peter, we will call you.
• I for one am glad that Jesus doesn’t discount our failures as our metaphorical nails in our spiritual coffins
• Romans 5:3-5
• 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
• In this verse we get that same vibe from James – Rejoice in our sufferings?!
• Are you kidding me? I this a joke? – Hold up! Let me check my contract and get back to you God
• Point two: Sifting is good!
• Say it with me church. Sifting is good! Come on! Again! Sifting is good!
• Jesus knew that Peter needed this test, this trial to be the complete rock that Jesus was going to build his church on
• We need a paradigm shift church!
• I’ve been reading a lot of Charles Spurgeon quotes lately and there’s one that fits this sermon perfectly – “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages”
• We get so caught up in our storms that we forget that the wind and waves still bow to Jesus
• We have bought in to the narrative sold by satan that God must not like us or he’s far away when we’re going through something, and nothing is further from the truth – God is here, he’s close and he cares – but what we think God should do for us is usually far from what God knows is going to help us
• So we go through the same testing over and over until we get it
• Satan is trying to destroy us – he’s demanding to pull us apart, he’s trying to use the trials that are supposed to make us into rocks and use them to pull us from our faith
• He says – “If I can just get them so discouraged that they turn from the Lord, I have done my job”
• If I can the them to curse God instead of praise him, I’ll crush them
• I can’t help but look at Job
• Satan had a similar conversation with God and God allowed satan to inflict Job, and everyone around Job said curse God and die – horrible advice by the way
• Get some new friends if you ever hear that from someone close to you
• Job 1:20-21
• 20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
• Here’s the deal – the thing that separates the people of God from all others is that the people of God posses saving faith and rest of humanity does not
• The enemy is crafty – he tries to tell you that God isn’t all powerful, that God isn’t working in your life, that God isn’t going to help you – strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter – he tries to make it seem that Jesus isn’t your homie
• But guys – Jesus is your homie!
• He’s calls you friend and true friends don’t leave
• In fact, Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us on our behalf
• Romans 8:34
• 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
• When it says the prayers of a righteous man avails much – dude, it’s Jesus! Don’t you think his prayers are as powerful as it gets?!
• Now, back to rocks
• Now when you put rocks in a tumbler to smooth them out and round them – you have to make sure the correct amount of grit to rock ratio is perfect
• Too little rocks and grit and the rocks will be violently tossed around and can be bruised and chipped and can be hard on your motor and belt
• Now if there’s too much rocks and grit, there’s no friction and you are just spun around
• Why am I saying all the stuff about a rock tumbler?
• Because God wants you to know that all the things you go through, all the trials, all the struggles – he’s making the ratio perfect so that we become precious stones
• The only variables that’s up for change is Jesus and our pride – we can add Jesus so we aren’t violently bruised and chipped, or we take our pride out of the tumbler for the perfect ratio
• So this sifting can do one of two things – destroy your faith, or destroy the things you aren’t meant to hold on to in your heart, things that keep you from walking out the calling on your life
• I just want to highlight King David
• God gave him a calling and that calling was to be the next king of Israel between the ages of 10-15 years old
• David didn’t start reigning as king until he was 30 years old, and that was just the tribe of Judah who acknowledged him as King, it wasn’t until 8 years later that all of Israel came under his rule
• Just look at the sifting that occurred – satan had 15-20 years to break this man’s faith, but in each circumstance David embraced the sifting and become stronger in the Lord because of it
• First, God allowed him to be tested with a bear, then a lion, then a giant, then King Saul himself wanted to kill him and tried on multiple occasions to discredit him and kill him
• I can confidently tell you that God was allowing these things to happen to David so he could be tested and approved as the next king of Israel
• God wasn’t just going to hand of his people to another Saul
• So do you see the resemblance of Peter and Saul?
• They both had a pride issue and Jesus knew exactly what needed to happen to Peter
• Satan was chomping at the bit to destroy Peter – satan is like “so this is the guy who is supposed to take over leading the church?” Highly unlikely – I see his arrogance, his pride, it was the same thing that Saul had and I destroyed that pathetic excuse for a king.”
• So satan brings this up with God and like – “yeah, do you boo boo”
• But Jesus, man Jesus knew this Rock, he knew Peter would need this testing for him to become the Rock that he would build his church on
• While sifting Peter and trying to shake him loose from his faith, what satan actually did was to shake him loose of his pride and self-reliance
• Luke 22:33
• 33 Peter[b] said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”
• But here’s the thing – the dude wasn’t ready
• He had this bold, but pride filled response
• He was trying to say the right thing, I think we all can get caught up in that from time to time
• We want to be bold, we want to have it all together
• We want to tell Jesus, yes! I’m all in! I’m ready! Put me in coach!
• And Jesus is like, nope, you got some things to change
• Pastor Christian just preached in the last chapter how these guys were just arguing over who was the greatest, and Peter being super full of himself is like “guys, hold my wine” This is what the greatest says
• And Jesus is like “Nope, Don’t like that”
• Point Three: Becoming a rock isn’t pretty
• There’s nothing less glamourous then being perfected
• I kind of chuckle at something my mom used to say to me when she would be getting ready in the mornings, it was something my grandma would say to her – beauty is pain
• I’m not saying that it’s biblical, but it’s pretty close to the truth
• There’s this painful process of ripping your flesh out of your temple that just hurts
• For Jesus to become more in my life, I have to become less and that’s not a pretty sight – there’s tantrums, there’s tears, there’s cursing, there’s times when you straight up act like a 3 year old
• God but is so gentle, he’s like “If you would just listen, this would be over soon”
• But what about me!? And my feelings? And my wants?!
• Jesus is just saying this “I care about you so much, that I’m willing to tell you that some of those feelings and wants don’t line up with mine, and for me to be the center, we need to address them”
• In every situation sifting can occur – Marital problems, health problems, relationship problems, family problems, child problems, church problems – not that our church has any – lol
• There’s a song by Tauren Wells that’s called God’s Not Done
• I would like to read it to you
• Standing in your ruins feels a lot like the end
• So used to losing, you’re afraid to try again
• Right now all you see are ashes
• Where there was a flame
• Truth is that you’re not forgotten
• ‘Cause Grace knows your name
•  
• God’s not done with you
• Even with your broken heart and your wounds and your scars
• God’s not done with you
• Even when you’re lost and it’s hard and you’re falling apart
• God’s not done with you
• It’s not over, it’s only begun
• So don’t hide, don’t run
• ‘Cause God’s not done with
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
•  
• There’s a light you don’t notice
• Until you’re standing in the dark
• And there’s a strength that’s growing
• Inside your shattered heart
• Woah-oh-oh-oh
•  
• God’s not done with you
• Even with your broken heart and your wounds and your scars
• God’s not done with you
• Even when you’re lost and it’s hard and you’re falling apart
• God’s not done with you
• It’s not over, it’s only begun
• So don’t hide, don’t run
• ‘Cause God’s not done with
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
• He’s not done with
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
•  
• He’s got a plan, this is part of it
• He’s gonna finish what He started
• He’s got a plan, this is part of it
• He’s gonna finish what He started
•  
• He’s not done
• God’s not done writing your story
• No, He’s not done
• God’s not done with you
• God’s not done with you
•  
• God’s not done with you
• Even when you’re lost and it’s hard and you’re falling apart
• God’s not done with you
• It’s not over, it’s only begun
• So don’t hide, don’t run
• ‘Cause God’s not done with
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou (You, You)
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou (You)
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
• You-ou-ou-ou-ou
•  
• You, You
• No, He’s not done
• God’s not done with you
• What I love about this song is that it speaks the truth about God’s heart for his children – He’s not done with you
• Don’t let the enemy destroy you, God’s not a God who allows bad things to happen to his children just because he likes to see us sifted, he don’t take pleasure in that
• He takes pleasure in us growing, not suffering
• But if this is suffering, let me suffer so it destroys the flesh that is so deeply rooted in my life
• Let me burn for you Jesus!
• Let’s take a look at what this produced in Peter
• 1 Peter 1:3-7
• 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• Wait what? Is this the same Peter?
• It is, but it’s not! It’s Peter who has been through the fire and sifted and tested!
• This is a mature Peter who is still strong and bold, but doesn’t have the pride and haughtiness
• Here’s Peter again a few chapters later
• 1Peter 5:6-11
• 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
• This is what becoming a rock should look like
• It’s being sober-minded – basically not drunk on your own abilities or even the opposite – not comparing yourself and thinking you have nothing to offer God
• Don’t let the enemy in, be watchful – the devil is still prowling around and he’s hungry for someone who he can beat, and terrorize and control
• There might be a few of you who are like “Do I have to be a rock?”
• Is being a rock a calling?
• 1 Corinthians 12:28
• 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
• It’s not “first rocks, then prophets and third teachers”
• Ephesians 4:11-14
• 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers,[b] 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[c] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
• Rocks don’t get tossed to and fro
• Rocks are secure in their faith
• Rocks don’t get eaten by lions
• Rocks don’t get soft, but they do get polished
• Rocks are relied on
• Rocks pierce giants skulls
• Rocks build and are built on
• Rocks aren’t afraid of serpents
• Rocks aren’t afraid of the future because they know who’s they are
• Rocks can always be made more beautiful
• Rocks know that God is not done with them
• It all comes down to what you want to be
• Do you want to be a rock that God can use and polish and bring glory to God
• Or do you want to be a chew toy for satan?
• Sifting is going to come, most of you already are looking at your past and seeing times you were sifted that you didn’t realize you were being sifted
• God isn’t out to destroy you, but he is out to destroy your flesh!
• And he will use the situations and trials and circumstances that are hard, that are painful, that cause wounds to shape you
• Michael will you come a play?
• God is wanting to do something today in our hearts – he wants to set fire to false truths, he wants to rebuke, he wants to comfort, he wants to encourage, he wants to build trust with his people
• Call up pastors