P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We arrive at the hard sayings of Jesus today.
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
Creator God, you created me from the dust, and to dust, I shall return. As I enter into your presence would you breathe your life into me and reanimate me through your Spirit? Speak to me now.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 98:
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together
before the Lord, for he comes
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.
Psalm 98:7-9
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Matthew 16:18-20 where we read:
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Matthew 16:13-20
And we come to the hard saying of Jesus today! Jesus honors Peter today, because of who he has realized Jesus to be thanks to the Father. Jesus says Peter you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church. That is hard saying number one. Over the centuries many different interpretations have been made about what Jesus is referring to here. Does Peter have a special place above the other disciples? Is Peter the rock on which the church will stand because of something special about him or is Jesus referring to the confession he just made? I think it is a little bit of both. Peter is given a preeminent assignment in building the church. That doesn’t negate the other disciples and the amazing work they will do on behalf of the church in the decades to follow. Jesus is pointing Peter out specifically though. This doesn’t mean we should worship Peter or take it as far as that, but we should see it for what it is. God the Father revealed with clarity to Peter who Jesus is and because of Peter’s confession, he is put on mission to take that confession to the world. Jesus continues and says that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Take a moment and rest in that. Our world is crazy and oftentimes it seems like hell is winning, but Jesus says that hell will never prevail against the church. It is interesting that Jesus uses gates as the image of hell. Walls and gates were important to an ancient city. The strength of the walls and the gates mattered. Gates were fortified because they were an access point to the people inside. Jesus is saying hell has no chance against the church. Even when it doesn’t seem like it we can trust the words of Jesus. Jesus will defeat death and his followers will do the same one day. We can live in hope of that day knowing that Jesus won’t let the church fail. It is not by our strength but by the faithfulness of Jesus and the power of the Spirit. Peter is given the authority of the church, the keys, not because of any personal abilities of Peter, but because of his confession. Binding and loosing are all about what is forbidden and what is permitted. As the people of God transition from a strict adherence to the Old Testament law to one that is walking by the Spirit they will need guidance. Peter is given the authority to speak and to guide the people of God as they walk by the Spirit and seek to follow after Jesus.
Lord, give me this hope that you declared to Peter. No matter what my eyes see or the news tells me I have a hope that your church will never fail. Fill your people with the Spirit of God in this current moment to trust in you and your power above all else.
1) Where am I tempted to believe that the church will not stand against the gates of hell?
2) Where am I giving hell too much power and doubting the power of the Holy Spirit in our current world and culture?
3) What does it look like for me to sit under the authority and guidance of the church in my own life?
Our Father and our God, I come to you now to ask for revival in our nation. I pray that your Spirit would fall on your Church. Would you wake us from our slumber and free us from our love of this world? I ask that you would manifest yourself in a supernatural way in this season of time and draw all people to yourself. Come in such power and glory that we would know that this was of you and not the work of human hands. Hear the cry of my heart and respond oh Lord!
As I read the passage again slowly, I listen for anything that You would say to me in it. Help me see how to position my life in order to yield to your word.
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Matthew 16:13-20
Yielding Prayer
Lord, you are good and faithful to your people. Let me yield in obedience to you today. Let me sit under the authority and guidance of your Word in my life. You are the God who will not let the church fail and let me go out on mission letting your gospel be known. Break me of any fears and doubts that arise, because my trust is in you and in you alone.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Isaiah 41:10:
fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10
Closing Prayer
Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.