Rev’d Caroline - [email protected], 01285 712467

Rev’d Vicky - 07356 234248 – [email protected] (currently on maternity leave) 

Readings for Sunday: Isaiah 51.1-6; Romans 12.1-8; Matthew 16.13-20

“You are my rock.”

I wonder how Peter felt when Jesus said those words to him at Caesarea Philippi? I can imagine a mixture of delight, wonder, fear and trepidation all arising at once. Because what does it mean when the person you’ve just acclaimed out loud as the Messiah, Son of the One True God turns that around on you and calls you a ‘rock’ – Simon son of Jonah, now evermore to be known as Petros, Peter – the one on whom Jesus’ church will be built? It’s a ‘well done’ that is coming with one enormous kicker!

Because being called a rock is something that is often reserved for God himself in the Bible. In 2 Samuel 22 we hear the words of David in song, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,”, and throughout the Psalms we hear the same refrain. Elsewhere in his journeys around Judea, Jesus tells the parable of the wise man and the foolish man – the wise man, of course, being the one who built his house on the rock. We know well, that the wise man’s rock is none other than our Lord God himself.

So – Peter? To be a rock? That feels like a big demand indeed! During his time with Jesus we might wonder what aspects of leadership Peter might have shown. What qualifications does this fisherman have to be the one on whom Jesus’ own gathered people is to be built? I wonder if his fellow apostles asked the same thing! Because Peter never stands out as the cleverest, or the most thoughtful, or the most skilled. I’m not sure he would score highly on modern measures of leadership ability.

But the thing is, that isn’t how Jesus is measuring Peter, or indeed how he measures any of us. Peter is impulsive, excited, eager as a puppy to be near Jesus and learning from him. At the same time he is self-aware, knowing his own shortcomings, and not afraid to ask for help. It is these qualities that commend him to Jesus – faithfulness, honesty, eagerness and love. These are what make Simon the Rock that he is, and will be for all those disciples of Jesus to come. It is what makes him the Rock for us, still – a touchstone of truth and honest vulnerability. Not perfect, but full of the desire to know and serve Jesus. Here is our example, and indeed the rock from which we are hewn.

Peter might not have thought he was up to the job, but Jesus knew him better. May we continue to be built on those strong foundations, led onwards by the love and grace of Jesus.

Rev’d Caroline

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