Hymn: The Solid Rock, By: Edward Mote - 1834

Chorus: On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand (what does this mean?)

Last part of First Verse: I dare not trust the sweetest frame (Webster's: plan),

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. (the rock is His name?)

So, I stand on the rock of Christ. leaning on Jesus’ name: To understand this I must first consider the way in which I know Christ. Do I only know Him after the flesh, in my brain picturing Him physically, or in my spirit by His Spirit - as the Word of God?

2 Cor 5:16 . ..Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. (then how do we know Him?)

Matt 1:21 ...You shall call His name JESUS , for He will save...

James 1:21 ...Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save...

John 8:12 Jesus spoke saying, "I am the light ...

Ps 119:130 The entrance of Your words gives light;

1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life...

John 6:63 (Jesus) The words that I speak to you are...life.

1 Cor 1:30 Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us...righteousness...

Ps 119:172 ...All Your commandments are righteousness.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the...truth...

John 17:17 (Jesus to the Father) ...Your word is truth.

I stand on Christ the Rock, the Word, leaning on Jesus’ name: So what is His name?

Rev 19:13 He (Jesus) was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven : the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

Christ is God’s word revealed by His Spirit and living in our hearts. This is our rock.

The last verse of the Hymn is:

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless (sinless) to stand before the throne. (Let’s make this our prayer too.)

The Church, built on the rock of the revealed knowledge of Christ

Matt 16:15-18 He (Jesus) said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

16 Simon Peter answered and said,"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh

and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

18 And I also say to you that you are Peter (Petros), and on this rock (Petra) I will

build My church, and the gates of Hades (Hell) shall not prevail against it”.

According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words: Petra (on which the Church is to be built) denotes "a mass of rock," as distinct from Petros (the name of Peter) which means "a detached stone or boulder," or a stone that might be thrown or easily moved.

What’s the Rock on which the Church is to be built if it isn’t Peter-it’s Jesus Christ Himself

Acts 4:10-12 …The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…This is the stone which was

rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone…There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Rev 19:13 …And His name is called The Word of God.

1 Cor 10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual

Rock (Petra) that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

The Rock on which each Christian is to be built is not just Christ but Christ revealed in us:

Mat 16:16-18 "You are the Christ”…“flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,

but My Father who is in heaven…on this rock I will build My church” (the rock is the knowledge of who Jesus is, as personally revealed in us by God)

Matt 11:25 Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father…that You have hidden these things (the knowledge of Me) from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes (your children’s’ spirits which can receive revelation)

Gal 1:15-16 But when it pleased God…to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him;

Col 1:26 The mystery (of the fullness of Christ) which has been hidden from ages… but now has been revealed to His saints (who allow Him to make them holy)

1 Cor 2:9-10 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of

man the things (God Himself, by His words) which God has prepared for those who love Him." But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit…”

Matt 7:24 (Jesus)…Whoever hears (in his heart) these sayings of Mine and does them I will liken him to a wise man who built his house (his life) on the rock (Me)