Sermon Study · Study Guide
Solid As a Rock
August 30, 2026 · Austin Axen
The Big Idea
To have a faith that is solid as a rock, know who Jesus is, know who Jesus says you are, and know what you stand on.
Remember Sunday’s message
Sermon reminders
Know Who Jesus Is
Jesus first asked what people were saying about him, then made it personal: "But who do you say that I am?" Austin said it is not the strength of our faith that saves us but the strength of its object, Jesus.
Know Who I Am
Jesus called Peter blessed, named his birth family, and gave him a new name that means rock. Everyone who believes in Jesus is given a new family in God and a new identity, defined by what Jesus says and not by what the world says.
Know What I Stand On
Jesus is building a church that the gates of hell cannot overcome. Nothing can separate his people from God's love, so they have an indestructible future.
Wednesday’s conversation
Reflect & discuss
Read Matthew 16:13–20 together in the ESV.
What people say
Jesus asked, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" and Austin wondered what the people in a Hollywood coffee shop or a Berkeley ice cream line would say. In the places you spend your week, what do you hear people say about Jesus, and which answer is hardest for you to respond to?
Your own answer
Jesus asked, "But who do you say that I am?" and Austin said what saves us is "the strength of the object of your faith," not how strong our faith feels. What one word would you give as your answer today, and when has knowing who Jesus is held you steady while your own faith felt weak?
Named by Jesus
Jesus called him "Simon Bar-Jonah," his birth name, and then gave him a new name, Peter, and Austin said, "We have to let what Jesus says about us define us." Where do you most feel the pull of what other people or your past say about you, and what does Jesus say about you that you most need to believe this week?
Nothing can separate
Jesus promised that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," and Austin said no pain, trial, loss or fear can separate us from God's love. Where in your life right now do you most need that promise, and what would standing on it look like before next Wednesday?
Carry it into the week
Next Steps
From the sermon
- Go home and think about your foundation: if you set a marble on it, would it sit still or roll?
- Take time to research who Jesus is, what he has done, and the evidence for the resurrection.
- Discover for yourself which one Jesus is: a liar, a lunatic, or Lord.
Application
Before next Wednesday, tell one person, in a sentence or two, who Jesus is to you and why.
My notes
Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV Bible, © 2001 by Crossway. Text Edition: 2025. Used by permission. Permissions. Prepared for this small group from the August 30, 2026 sermon; questions and applications are editorial study material.
Sermon Study · Independent small-group resource · locsermonstudy.com