THE ROCK THAT DOESN'T ROLL

Greetings ROCK AND ROLL FANS. In the 1950's...there was a movie starring Glenn Ford called THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE. It was the story of youth and their conflicts....the setting inner city school. It was a celluloid expression of the angst of the times. The movie was not what captures the attention of the world though...it was the rimshot of the drum and the driving beat of the song ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK...sung by an aging ex-country/western/swing band with a pudgy looking man with a spit curl swirling down his forehead... BILL HAILEY...and the COMETS. In England...the Teddy Boys (hoodlums) were ripping up the seats in the theaters...thus the debate of the evils of rock and roll continued. The evil "jungle beat"...was being taken into "white America" and corrupting the morals of the world.

In the late 60's and early 70's (pre-CCM aka Contemporary Christian Music)...there was a movement called THE JESUS MOVEMENT that swept the world. As with most revivals...the cobwebs of the religious establishment were shaken off...as young people pressed into Jesus. The phenomenon of this movment (which I was a part of)...was the music. They (we) took the music of the times...and put our message to it. Larry Norman the poet lauerete of the Jesus Movement declared WOWIE ZOWIE HE SAVED MY SOUL...HE'S THE ROCK THAT DOESN'T ROLL...and why should the devil have all the good music. After all... "they nailed Him to the cross...they laid Him in the ground...but they should've known you CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN.

One group that took it to the next level was a group called PETRA. The leader was a guy named BOB HARTMAN...who would take scriputures from his Bible studies...and rock out with Biblical Principles that...for me...were points of encouragement...challenge...proclamation for the Kingdom of God. The word PETRA...means MASSIVE ROCK. Bob and the boys...wanted to take the message of hope and salvation...and crank it up with MASSIVE ROCK AND ROLL...to get the attention of people who would never, ever, set their foots into a church.

PETRA...was actually a physical location. The town lies in a basin surrounded by mountains. It is a mass of ROCK with tombs and churches carved out of the massive rock...and difficulty to get to. Petra...the rock group...were eluding not only to a rock city...or a rock beat...but something deeper than that.

They were refering to a couple of things. They were referring to the FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH...that would separate ALL "religions" from Christianity.

Foundations of a house must be built on solid ground/rock...or else...when the storms come...the foundation shifts...the house falls. There are many fallen faith houses in the world today. Here are a few verses that speak of the building process in our spiritual walk. (Thanks and a Tip O Da Hat to Derek Prince for direction)

"For we are God's fellow workers; YOU are God's field....God's BUILDING. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a WISE MASTER BUILDER...I laid a FOUNDATION...and another is BUILDING on it. BUT let each man be careful how he BUILDS UPON IT. For no man can LAY A FOUNDATION other than the one which is LAID...which is JESUS CHRIST." (I Corinthians 3:9-11)

"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and are of GOD'S HOUSEHOLD, having been BUILT upon the FOUNDATIONS of the apostles and prophets, CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF being the CORNER STONE, in whom the whole BUILDING, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being BUILT TOGETHER into a DWELLING of God in the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22)

"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace...which is able to BUILD YOU UP and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)

BACK TO THE ROCK OF AGES (A hymn about Him)

We sing of the Rock of ages...cleft for me...let me hid myself in Thee....let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed...be of sin the double cure, save from the wrath and make me pure... (Augustus M. Toplady and Thomas Hastings). The CLEFT of the ROCK...was a place that God placed Moses...as God past by...to protect Moses from being destroyed by being in the PURE PRESENCE of God. "Then moses said...I pray The , show me Thy glory. And He said I Myself will make al lMy goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the NAME OF THE LORD before you; an dI will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion. But He said, You CANNOT SEE MY FACE...for no man can see me and live. Then the Lord said, Behold, there is a PLACE BY ME, and you shall STAND there ON THE ROCK..and it will comea bout while My glory is pasing by, that I will put you in the CLEFT OF THE ROCK...and COVER you with MY HAND until I have passed by. The I will take my Hand anway an dyou shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen." (Exodus 33:18-23)

Many focus on the fact that Moses could not look into the direct presence of God...but I see the concern of God for Moses and provision for a place of protection. It's like we cannot survive direct contact with full force generated electricity in our homes. We must step it down by means of a TRANSFORMER. Our transformer is JESUS...the cleft...the rock.

I AM PETRAFIED

Bob Hartman...and his band Petra...based the band and his/their lives on Matthew 16:13-18...and everyone who "claims" to a Christian...a follower of Jesus...more than just a religious zealot...MUST filter their faith through this passage. Everyone MUST answer this simple question that was posed to Peter...and has reverberated down to June 19 2007...and will echo until He returns.

QUESTION (Matthew 16:13) "Who do people say that the Son of man is?" Jesus asking Peter for the pulse of the populous. ANSWER: (Matthew 16:14) Some say John the Baptist,; and others Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah or one of the propehts."

Now the question is reposed...to Peter...but the question is for YOU.

"And He said to them...but WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?" Be careful. Don't come up with a flesh and blood answer like the previous polling. Let's see what Peter came up with.

"And Simon Peter answered and said, THOU ART THE CHRIST...THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD." (Matthew 16:16)

Good answer Peter...I believe you qualify to go to the bonus round.

"And Jesus answered and said to Him, blessed are you Simaon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you but My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 16:17). NOTE: Revelation is never based on your on smarts...it is from the Father (Read I Corinthians chapter 2)

NOW...comes to where Bob Hartman and the boys...get their inspiration for the ROCK group.

"And I also say to you that you are PETER (petros) [small stone...piece of the rock] and UPON THIS ROCK (petra) [massive rock]...I will BUILD my church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it."
(Matthew 16:18) Verses 19 speak of the KEYS (authority) OF THE KINGDOM...for binding and loosing heavnly things to earth.

NOTE: The church was not BUILT on peter/petros/little stone...but in CONTRAST...the church is built on the God given revelation about the PETRA...the MASSIVE ROCK...that JESUS IS THE CHRIST...THE ANOINTED ONE...WITH HIS ANOINTING. It is not built on your abilities...your goodness...your holiness...your anything. It is all about JESUS.

When Jesus was going away to prepare a place for us...Thomas wanted to know where he was going...and how they could KNOW the way. Jesus made it very clear that ALL ROADS MAY LEAD TO ROME...but NOT all roads lead to the FATHER.

"Jesus said to him, I am THE way (not A way)...THE truth (not A truth), and THE life (not A life)...NO ONE (nada, zilch, zero, zip) comes to the Father but THROUGH ME (not through keeping 60% of the 10 commandments...not through attending church...not through doing good works through various social, political, fraternal organizations)...not by giving up smoking, drinking, cussing, illicit sex/fornication, gluttony, murder, gossip, etc)...and not by cleaning up your act).

According to Derek Prince in his book The Spirit Filled Believer's Handbook...when we are CONFRONTED BY JESUS...and we are ASKED THE QUESTION...WHO DO YOU SAY I AM...there are four stages of this confrontation.

(1) Direct , personal confrontation of Christ (2) Direct , spiritual revelation of Christ (3) Personal acknowledgement of Christ (4) Open and Personal confession of Christ [about the D.B.R...NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS]

I would add a 5th...walking out the confession. Everyone has the question posed to them. Many have a revelation that Jesus is the Christ the living Son of God...Some may even acknowedge it...and some may verbally say it...but living it like you believe it is where I fall short so many times.

O.K....it's time for the lightning round...are you ready for your question?

WHO DO YOU SAY JESUS IS?

Love and Pertrafied Kisses
"Rodney "Aaaaaadriiiiiaaaaaaan" Boyd

P.S. The Adrian reference is to the movie ROCKy. Sorry