Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

THE CHURCH BUILT UPON PETER

1. The "divine" succession of the Popes:
2. Peter "the rock" upon which Christ built His church: Matt. 16:18
3. The Pope, the "chief Shepherd" of the faithful:

1. Christ, and Christ alone, is the Rock upon which the church of the living God is built:
   1. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus." - 1 Cor. 3:11
   2. "Ascribe ye greatness unto our God, He is the Rock." - Deut. 32:3, 4
   3. Some professed Christians esteem our Rock lightly - Deut. 32:15-18
2. David declares, "The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust . . . my tower, and my refuge, my Saviour": 2 Sam. 22:3, 4
   1. He could speak from experience because he was a man of war, and also because Saul sought to destroy him.
   2. That is true also of the church of God; Satan has sought to destroy it, but in vain - Matt. 16:18, 19
3. We have our Lord's own testimony:
   1. He is the chief cornerstone, rejected by the builders - Matt. 21:42
   2. His words find confirmation in Ps. 118:2, "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."
4. The apostles confirm our Lord's testimony:
   1. Paul refers us to this stone - 1 Cor. 3:11, 12; 10:4
   2. Peter, too, speaks about the chief cornerstone - 1 Pet. 2:9- 11
   3. The Bible, as a unit, speaks of Christ as the Rock of the ages upon whom alone the church of the living God rests its hope.

1. Peter was not the first Pope at all:
   1. Titles claimed by the Popes are forbidden by our Lord - Matt. 23:8-12; 2 Thess. 2:6-8
   2. Authority claimed by the Popes was rejected by Peter - 1 Pet. 5:1-4
   3. James, and not Peter, presided at the first General Conference - Acts 15:13-19
2. Plain Bible warnings against building upon human beings:
   1. Said the Psalmist, "Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity." Ps. 62:9
   2. The prophet Jeremiah utters the same strong words against placing our trust in man - Jer. 17:5, 6
   3. When it comes to real need, there is no help in man - Ps. 146:3, 4
3. Making men the foundation of religious systems has been the curse of the ages:
   1. Moses and the Jews! The Jews rejected the Son of God, claiming that Moses was their guide - John 8:33-44; 9:28
   2. Buddha and Buddhism is still another example of the curse of man's trusting in flesh.
   3. The world is full of "isms" which enslave it because men will blindly follow them - Jer. 3:12-14
4. Peter's defects, exposed by Paul, should be conclusive evidence against the claims of Rome:
   1. He did not stand the test at our Lord's trial - Mark 14:66
   2. Even after the Pentecostal experience, Peter showed some real weakness - Gal. 2:11-14