Sermons on Rocks:

Conflicts, Confession, And The Cost Of Discipleship, Part 1 ( Matthew 16:1-12)

Contributed by Donald Whitchard on Aug 21, 2025

In this chapter, the Lord Jesus will yet again confront the Pharisees and Sadducees for their religious hypocrisy and Peter will confess that Jesus is the Son of God, which is the rock upon which the church will be built.

After feeding the 4,000 residents of the Decapolis, Jesus and His disciples traveled to the region of Magdala near the city of Caesarea Philippi. It is here where the Pharisees and Sadducees came together for the specific purpose of bringing down Jesus. Their mutual contempt for Him had woven ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:1-28, Mark 8:27-30, Luke 9:18-21, Luke 14:25-33

Denomination: Baptist

Simon The Stone

Contributed by Donnie Martin on Dec 14, 2002

Jesus sees not merely what we are, but what we can be. Peter was transformed from an unstable, weak, and impetuous man to a man who was rock solid for Christ.

Simon The Stone Text: John 1: 41-42 Intro: Simon Peter is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. He fills its pages with life and energy. Though he was often reckless and impetuous, he was always sincere. Simon was a man who was passionate about everything he did. Later in his ...read more

Scripture: John 1:41-42

Denomination: Baptist

New Beginnings!

Contributed by Ken Durham on Jul 13, 2005

Sometimes we just have to let everything go, have everything stripped away, put everything behind us and start again with the only sure foundation the Rock Jesus

NEW BEGINNINGS Scripture Reading: Luke 5: 36-38 1: Introduction: When was the last time you sat down and took stock of your life. Perhaps the beginning of the year? I wonder how many of those New Year resolutions you can even remember making ~ let alone kept! It may seem strange to think of ...read more

Scripture: Luke 5:36-38

Faith, Filth And The Human Heart

Contributed by Craig Condon on Apr 14, 2015

The marginal people storm into the church, insisting that the church should live up to the pattern offered by Jesus. They rock the boat, and in so doing they force the church to remember its reason for being.

There is a story of a group of the very pious who are waiting in heaven for judgment. As they are waiting and complaining about the wait, they begin to see some of the “sinners” they knew on earth coming into the waiting room: a corrupt politician, an itinerant woman who had been ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 15:10-28

Denomination: Anglican

Spiritual Blessings

Contributed by Monte Brown on Oct 10, 2012

Life is like a ship sailing across the waters of life, sometimes the water is calm, sometimes the water is choppy, sometimes the water is filled with debris, and sometimes the water has hidden rocks.

Introduction Life is like a ship sailing across the waters of life. • Sometimes the water is calm. • Sometimes the water is choppy. • Sometimes the water is filled with debris. • Sometimes the water has hidden rocks. This morning I would like us to examine verse 1 in ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 1:3

Denomination: Baptist

A Mountain Top Experience Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 5, 2021

Mountains force the thought of God upon you, for there is nowhere else the mind can go and be relevant. Man becomes insignificant and humanism melts into oblivion before these rocking monarchs of the earth.

Mountains have made men marvel at the majesty of God's creation all through history. Man needs the mountains, for the heights are in his head and heart. Mountains awaken in man the instinct for heaven. He knows when he looks at the mountains that he was made for a high and lofty purpose. ...read more

The Great Confession

Contributed by David Cambridge on Jul 18, 2002

What was the ’rock’ that Jesus promised to build His church upon? What does ’the gates of Hell’ mean? These are just two of the questions answered in this exegesis of Matthew 16:13-19.

The Great Confession An Exegesis Of Mathew 16:13-19 Introduction 1. After the miracle of feeding four-thousand people with seven loaves and a few little fish (Matthew 15:32-38), Jesus and His disciples came to Magdala (Matthew 16:39). a. It was in Magdala that the Pharisees and Sadducees asked ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 16:13-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God, Are You Sure Series

Contributed by Shawn Drake on Nov 24, 2002

This is the 3rd sermon in the series "Church On The Rocks". This sermon looks at who God uses and how His plans differ from ours. The sermon also looks at this with a Christmas view in mind.

Sunday Morning December 1, 2002 Bel Aire Baptist Church Series: “Church On The Rocks” [#3](Christmas Message #1) GOD, ARE YOU SURE? 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Introduction: 1. Have you ever thought about how God does things? So often the way God does things does not make sense to me. I ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Denomination: Baptist

Does Your Heart Sing?

Contributed by Scott Carmer on Jan 21, 2008

The Psalmist of Ps. 40 was in deep despair when God set his feet on rock and put a new song in his heart. Can our hearts sing of the saving power of God?

Does Your Heart Sing? Psalm 40:1-11 January 20, 2008 I know that this may sound pretty odd…maybe crazy to you. As I look back on my years in ministry, I can say that some of the most profound experiences I have had have been associated with death and dying. I generally tend to lump people into ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 40:1-5

Denomination: Methodist

Who Will Fight This Philistine ? Series

Contributed by Ervin Kimrey on Aug 10, 2007

God is looking for a few good men to fight the Philistine’s of our day. Someone who will trust God, stand in the gap and throw the Rock at the enemy. Who will fight this Philistine, will you ?

WHO WILL FIGHT THIS PHILISTINE #1 God’s man Text: (1 Samual 16: 1-13) I. A MAN CHOSEN BY THE FATHER (1 Sam. 16:1&12) A. A chosen leader B. A chosen servant C. A chosen solider (in the Lord’s army) II. A MAN ANOINTED BY THE FATHER (1 Sam. 16:13 a&b) A. David’s anointing was ...read more

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Denomination: Baptist

Back, Back, Way Back

Contributed by Dan Mahan on Oct 22, 2006

A look at how Simon changed to Peter, the rock; how he changed from following Christ from a distance to stepping forward in His committment to Christ. A challenge on committment to all believers.

Back, Back, Way Back Rev. Dan Mahan “Peter was following far behind.” Luke 22:54 In Matt. 16:13-19, Jesus asked the disciples a question. “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The response varied: “Some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:54

Jesus Sat Opposite The Treasury And Saw! Series

Contributed by Bala Samson on Jun 2, 2013

During the first week of this month, I feel it is my duty to turn your eyes to God who has rocked you, comforted you and taken care of you thus far.

Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw! Mark 12:44”for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood." I have seen well educated people argue with vendors over silly things; during my train travel, I watched a middle aged ...read more

Scripture: Mark 12:41-44

Denomination: Pentecostal

The Transforming Power Of The Holy Spirit

Contributed by Patrick Usifo on Mar 19, 2018

How God changes a coward to a conqueror, a fearful man into a rock in His kingdom. Transformation is the difference between our faith and most religions of the world. As a continuous process, perfected on the day of the Lord.

More often in the church we hear testimonies of men and women saved by grace. In various ways we all joyfully testified of what God has done for us. On the other hand to speak of what God is doing in our life at any stage is hard to tell. Therefore the single, most important discerning ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

How Do You Explain The Trinity? Series

Contributed by Brian Bill on Jun 24, 2019

The foundation of the Trinity is rock solid. It will never shatter or splinter. The Trinity is not some addendum or appendage hanging precariously from the building of the Gospel. No, the Trinity is the foundation of the gospel and without the Trinity there is no Gospel.

How Do You Explain the Trinity? June 22-23, 2019 Rev. Brian Bill A couple weeks ago visitors to the Willis Tower’s Sky Deck in Chicago got a big scare when the protective layer covering the glass floor splintered into thousands of pieces. This glass sightseeing box extends from the 103rd floor ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 3:16-17

Denomination: Baptist

When End Time Events Arise Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on May 29, 2020

When catastrophe, such as a worldwide pandemic, occurs we are heightened in our end-time awareness. Our sovereign Jesus uses catastrophe to shake us from the rocking rhythm of the ordinary life.

Jesus Is Still Sovereign Matthew 24:6-8 When End Times Events Appear On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were proclaiming the Gospel in all sorts of languages they had never learnt, Peter directed everyone back to Scripture and said, “this is what was spoken”. The Scripture helps us to ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 24:6-8

Denomination: Baptist