"Built for the Road Ahead"
Pastor Albert Almore
“And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:”
Acts 4:7-8
“If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.”
Acts 4:9-10
“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.””
Acts 4:11-12
IS THIS THE SAME PETER? IS THIS THE SAME PETER FROM LUKE 22:54 WHERE IT READS,
“Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.”
Luke 22:554-55
“And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”” But he denied Him, saying, “WOMAN, I DO NOT KNOW HIM.””
Luke 22:56-57
How do you go from WOMAN, I DO NOT KNOW HIM to Acts 4:10 with him saying,
“let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.”
Acts 4:10
Peter didn’t know it at the time, but Peter was our sermon title for today. Peter was…
BUILT FOR THE ROAD AHEAD
Peter was BUILT FOR THE ROAD AHEAD and so are you.
Peter got to this place, because OVER TIME, Jesus equipped Him for this place. Peter got to this place, because Jesus dedicated His life, equipping Him for this place.
I’ve giving my life to ministry, I’m giving my life’s work to do the same. That’s why FOUNDATION #5 here at Motion Church is….
📝 FOUNDATION #5
EQUIPPING IS OUR MISSION.
"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.”
Ephesians 4:11
📝 “Their responsibility is to EQUIP GOD’S PEOPLE TO DO HIS WORK and build up the church, the body of Christ.”
Ephesians 4:12
Every time I stand before you, I’m giving you everything I got to equip you. Jeremiah 3:15 says,
“and I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall FEED YOU WITH WITH KNOWLEDGEand UNDERSTANDING.”
Jeremiah 3:15
KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING of what???
I’m here to equip you for you to have knowledge and for you to understand Who God is, who you are, and what He would have you to do.
One of the greatest things I can equip you with is permission.
PERMISSION FOR YOU TO BE YOU.
That’s what Jesus did. Day in and day out through many different teachings, through many different parables, Jesus equipped His disciples with Who God is, who they were, and what God would have them to do. Jesus gave them permission to be theirselves and to advance the Kingdom of God!
One of the single handedly greatest equipping moments of all time took place with Peter in Matthew 16:18 when Jesus declared unto Him,
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18
“Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
Matthew 16:18
And I ALSO SAY TO YOU that YOU ARE PETER…
Matthew 16:18
This moment was critical. This moment was…
📝 The equipping of IDENTITY.
📝 The moment you become DEFINED by God, you become UNDEFINED by everything and everyone else.
This moment was also…
📝 The equipping of TRUTH.
I say to you, you are Peter. I say to you not what those other things and voices say to you! I say to you, you’re valuable. I say to you there’s worth in you. I say to you there’s substance in you. Once I say to you, it no longer matters what they say to you.
To this we respond like David did in Psalms 139:14,
“I will praise You, for I AM FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
Psalms 139:14
David goes on to say in verse 15,
“MY FRAME WAS NOT HIDDEN FROM YOU when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.”
Psalms 139:15
“YOU SAW ME BEFORE I WAS BORN. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”
Psalms 139:16
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. You saw me before I was born. This is why God alone is able to equip you with identity and truth. He saw you BEFORE you were born!
📝The CALLER knows the CALLED.
The CALLER knows the CALLED, and yet He still calls.
And I also say to you that you are Peter, AND ON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.
Matthew 16:18
In this moment, we’re witnessing…
📝 The equipping of PURPOSE.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so WE CAN DO THE GOOD THINGS HE PLANNED FOR US LONG AGO.”
Ephesians 2:10
God has a GOOD THING, A PURPOSE for you to do. This was all part of His plan from long ago. How long ago??? Jeremiah 1:5 tells us. The Lord declares,
““BEFORE I formed you in the womb I knew you, BEFORE you were born I SET YOU APART; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.””
Jeremiah 1:5
How long ago you ask???
📝 Before you had a PULSE you had a PURPOSE.
God doesn’t make MISTAKES but He does make MIRACLES. God doesn’t create ACCIDENTS but He does create ASSIGNMENTS.
As my wife taught us last week, You will find YOUR PURPOSE at HIS FEET. You will find YOUR PURPOSE in HIS PRESENCE.
“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, AND THE GATES OF HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL against it.”
Matthew 16:18
📝 The equipping of THE PROMISE.
Peter was equipped with a promise AND SO ARE YOU! Therefore, when the problems arise, go back to the promise. What did God say about you? What did God say about your family? What did God say about your business? What did God say about your ministry or your dream?
You’re going to go through it but THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL. You’re going to be tested to your core, but THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL. It’s going to look like you’re down for the count, but THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL. You’re going to embarrassingly fall short, butTHE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PROMISE! Luke 22:31-32 says,
“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and WHEN YOU HAVE RETURNED TO ME, strengthen your brethren.””
Luke 22:31-32
Jesus didn’t say IF you return to me. Jesus said WHEN you return to me, STRENGTHEN YOUR BROTHERS!
YOU’RE COMING BACK FROM THIS, BECAUSE OF THE PROMISE. YOU’RE GETTING BACK IN THE GAME BECAUSE OF THE PROMISE. Numbers 23:19
““God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not MAKE IT GOOD?”
Numbers 23:19
“But go, tell His disciples—AND PETER—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.””
Mark 16:7
“Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive THEM, for they do not know what they do.”..:
Luke 23:34
YOU WERE IN THE THEM THAT CHRIST PRAYED FOR. YOU WERE IN THE THEM THAT CHRIST FORGAVE.
📝 The equipping of FORGIVENESS.
“So now there is no condemnation for those who BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS.”
Romans 8:1
I’ve been bought with a price. The precious blood of Jesus Christ. I don’t belong to my past. I don’t belong to my mistakes. I don’t belong to my yesterday’s. I belong to Jesus Christ. I belong to God, ABBA, my Heavenly Father! This is how Peter went from FEAR to FAITH. He began to understand who He belonged to. Romans 8:14 says,
“For as many as are led by THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THESE ARE SONS OF GOD.”
Romans 8:14
📝 The equipping of HIS SPIRIT.
“But YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
Acts 1:8
“Then PETER, FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:”
Acts 4:8
Peter went from FEAR to FAITH because of the Holy Spirit.
“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION by whom we cry out, “ABBA, FATHER.””
Romans 8:15
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”
Romans 8:16
The Holy Spirit reminds you of who you are. The Holy Spirit reminds you that you belong to God.
I’m doing all that I can to equip you with knowledge and understanding about what’s already in you.I’m uncovering the worth that’s been covered in pain. I’m uncovering the power that’s been covered up by insecurities. I’m telling you church with everything in me….
YOU’RE BUILT FOR THE ROAD AHEAD.
You’re not being built as you go. You were built before you got here! Before you were released into this world, God calculated every test, every pain, every setback that you would encounter in life, and then built you according to those specs!
You’re not being built as you go. You were built before you got here!
God knows what’s in you because He placed it there! You were built to last. You were built to endure. You were built to overcome. You were built to strengthen your brothers. You were built to strengthen your sisters. You were built to bounce back!
You were built by your Heavenly Father, you’re one and only manufacturer. You belong to God. You were built for the road ahead!
Peter, I know you may not look like much to others. I know you took your eyes off of me two chapters ago while you were walking on the water and you began to sink. I know it was embarrassing climbing back into the boat while the others snickered at you. Matthew 16:18….
“Now I SAY TO YOU THAT YOU ARE PETER (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
Matthew 16:18
I SAY TO YOU…I SAY TO YOU…I SAY TO YOU…
HAVE YOU TAKEN HOLD OF WHAT HE’S SAID TO YOU?
“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION by whom we cry out, “ABBA, FATHER. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”
Romans 8:15-16