THE ROCK THAT WILL NOT ROLL
Isa. 28:16
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Father Michael, of St. Mary’s Church said, “I was on a plane last week from Edinburgh to London, when we ran into some very severe weather which resulted in turbulence. As it got worse, the passengers became more and more alarmed, and even the airline stewards began to look concerned.
2. Finally one of them noticed that I had ‘Reverend’ in front of my name on the passenger list, so she approached me, and said, “Sir, this is really frightening. Do you suppose you could, I don’t know…….do something religious?” “So I took up a collection,” retold Father Michael with a grin.
B. AN AMAZING PIECE OF STONE
1. July 21, 2021, Christian Widener, a PhD in mechanical engineering and formerly a professor at the South Dakota School of Mines, published his findings on the location of the Jewish Temple.
2. After a deep examination of the Temple Mount and historical records, he said the location of the Holy of Holies lays in plain sight. The entire Temple Mount was paved to match the level of the original bedrock in the Dome of the Spirits, a small alcove 280 feet NW of the Dome of the Rock.
3. The ancient, pocked pavement inside it IS the original bedrock that the Temple sat on! This same rock lines up with the Eastern Gate. Someday the Jewish Temple may be rebuilt on that ancient stone! [https://www.godreports.com/2021/ 07/researcher-finds-true-location-of-jewish-temple-hiding-in-plain-sight/]
4. But God spoke of another stone, a greater Stone, through the prophet Isaiah; “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone...for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be shaken” (Isa. 28:16, NIV, NIRV).
5. That’s the Stone we’re looking at today – “The Rock that Will Not Roll.” If you’re a rock-hunter (“rockhounding”), this one Rock you’ll want to acquire!
I. FALSE ROCKS & THE TRUE ROCK
A. FALSE THINGS THE WORLD DEPENDS ON
1. A “ROCK” is defined/ thought of, as something solid, immovable, something you can build on, something unchanging. We’re always looking for something solid.
2. Only a few things in life are thought to be unshakable, so solid that they cannot fail. Things like...
a. The U.S. Government
b. Human Justice
c. International Banks & Corporations
d. Family ties
3. Yet history shows that all of these have failed. Many empires have come and gone. They failed to produce what they promised. Or they collapsed or were overrun by wars. Even families sometimes fall apart.
4. When we see that all the other “rocks” HAVE ROLLED (moved), that’s when we begin to appreciate how Jesus Christ is the Rock that WILL NOT ROLL! (Amen?)
B. KING DAVID’S DISCOVERED GOD AS HIS ROCK
1. David discovered the Living God would be his “rock;” he called God his “rock” 18 times in Psalms. He said, “The Lord is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer...in him will I trust: he is my shield...my high tower, and my refuge, my Savior....The Lord lives; and blessed be my Rock; and exalted be the God of the Rock of my salvation” 2 Samuel 22:2-3,47.
2. In his constantly shifting world, David came to rely on God’s faithfulness. In one crisis after another, when David prayed for help, God come through over & over. God saved David from his enemies, from sickness, and from death.
3. In one dark hour, when all David’s men gave up in despair, the Bible says, “But David encouraged himself in the Lord!” David took his eyes off his circumstances and put them on the Lord. There’s times that only God can save us!
4. David reminded himself of all the things God had done for him; he recalled God’s faithful character; he remembered all the promises God had made him. And he knew that God would certainly keep His promises, for God is a promise-keeper! God says, He will never change His mind.
5. NOBODY BIGGER(ILLUS.)
a. An old country preacher was challenged by an atheist. The atheist said, “Why do you Christians have faith in an invisible God? What makes you think He will help you?”
b. The old preacher replied: “Well, son, it says in the beginning of my Bible that God was in charge when time
started up. Then I flips over to the end of my Bible and reads that God will be in charge when time runs down.
c. So I figure that between the beginning and the end there’s nobody big enough to whoop ‘em.”
II. JESUS IS GOD’S ROCK FOR US
A. THIS ROCK IS A SURE FOUNDATION
1. Jesus told His disciples, “...on this ROCK (the ROCK of His identity as the Messiah) I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it” Mt. 16:15-18.
2. God said about Christ, “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone...for a sure foundation; the one who relies on it will never be shaken” (Isa. 28:16, NIV, NIRV). Why? Because THIS ROCK IS STABLE. Heb: 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” It’s a ROCK WE CAN STAND ON! David said, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a ROCK, and established my goings” Ps. 40:2.
B. THE ROCK YOU’RE TO BUILD YOUR LIFE ON
1. Jesus said in Matt. 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the Rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew...yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the Rock.”
2. Just the existence of this Rock doesn’t do you any good, unless you build your life on it. What does that mean? To listen to the teachings of Jesus Christ and put them into practice.
3. HE’S THE ROCK THAT ACCOMPANIES US. 1 Cor. 10:4, “and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” All the time the Israelites wandered in the desert, Jesus was with them, but they weren’t always aware of it. He’s with you even if you don’t know it.
4. JESUS IS THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION, Ps. 62:2. Our salvation is founded on His life, death for us on the cross, and His resurrection! You never have to doubt it! God accepted it as all we’ll ever need.
C. HE’S THE ROCK WHICH WILL PREVAIL
1. Daniel chapter two dramatically describes the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, in which he saw a gigantic, dazzling statue made of gold, silver, bronze, and iron. These four metals represented four successive empires that would rise and extend all the way through our time, to the time of the end.
2. Daniel foresaw the destruction of ALL the world’s empires and the establishing of God’s Kingdom. “34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain & filled the whole earth Dan. 2:34-35.
3. All the kingdoms of the world will perish, but God’s kingdom, established in Jesus Christ, will ultimately rule the universe!
III. LET GOD BE THE ROCK OF YOUR LIFE!
A. GOD NEVER CHANGES HIS MIND, PURPOSE, NATURE; “For I am the LORD, I change not” Mal. 3:6.
1. A lot of people change their mind about like they change their clothes; all the time! Husbands and wives change their minds. Referees change their minds about a call in a sports game. The Courts change their minds about legal decisions.
2. But God NEVER changes His mind! He’s the one person you can always count on, that will never let you down. You can trust in Him, no matter what else. He’s the same, yesterday, today, and forever!
3. “Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” Ps. 119:89. “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” Mt. 5:18. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Mk. 13:31.
4. What confidence we can have about the future and our status with God! We stand on the unshakable promises of God!
B. GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL OUR NEEDS
Paul said, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” Phip 4:19.
1. It seems like our needs are so great; we need everything -- money for house, phone, food and clothing, gas, electricity, and a 100 other things. We wonder how we’ll pay them.
2. But God is in control. He may use a little widow-woman who only has a handful of flour and a spoon full of oil. We may share some little boy’s lunch.
3. We may be fed by a Birds (like Elijah) or dine on a fish caught in a miraculous manner, but God WILL supply our needs! God is able to make something out of nothing!
C. GOD CAUSES EVERY TRIAL TO HAVE MEANING
1. Many times it seems impossible to imagine that our trials have any purpose: things breaking down; money shortages; sickness or losses.
2. But IF God is omnipotent (as the Bible says He is), and is in all places at all times, then anything is possible. He orders the universe: from the tiniest sub-atomic particles to the movements of galaxies.
3. If He can do all that, can’t he orchestrate all the little details in your life? We just need to trust Him!
4. If you’re WEAK – He’ll strengthen you. If you FALL, He’ll pick you up. If you feel like a FAILURE, God will wash away all your mistakes and make you a success!
5. GOD’S LOVE WILL NEVER LET US GO. God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” Jer. 31:3. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Your momma or daddy may forsake you, but God will never forsake you!
D. LASTLY, GOD HAS A GREAT FUTURE FOR YOU!
1. God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jer. 29:11.
2. God is working all things together for your good. It’s like a cake. Not all the ingredients taste good by themselves, but when you put them all together and bake them in your oven, the final product will taste wonderful. So it will be with the life dedicated to God!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. There was a poor missionary in a South American country who had a missionary car – but it needed repair. The only way he could start it was to roll it down a hill, pop the clutch, and let the turning wheels start the engine. Then he could drive it as far as he wanted. But he always had to find a hill near his destination and park it on top and then walk down to place.
2. A few years later, he was going to move to a different country, so another missionary was sent to replace him. He showed the other missionary how to park the car on top of hills and then how to start it. He was proud of his ingenuity.
3. The other missionary, who knew car motors, said, “I think the problem is that this cable is not getting current through it!” In a few minutes he’d fixed the car and it started without parking on top of hills!
4. Sometimes we’re like the first missionary – allowing trouble to continue and not going to God as our Helper to solve our troubles once and for all.
5. This morning, let’s take our problems to the Lord. He really will make a difference for you!
B. THE CALL
1. How many people have had some events happen that shook your life and you want God to put the solid foundation back under you?
2. Maybe some of you are facing a trial right now and you need God! He’s here! He’s ready to come to your rescue! He says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you!” Psalm 50:15.
3. Are you here today and you're not sure if you're on your way to heaven? God wants to take care of that right now.
4. Let’s draw near to God! PRAYER.
