The Great Personalities in God's Amazing Plan-Peter

Introduction

Our last time together we studied Andrew. I stated that more of us can relate to Andrew because we have never brought 3,000 or 5,000 people to a saving knowledge of Jesus in one setting. Andrew was a great man of God because we landed on the fact that he did not bring the masses, but he was used of God to bring some big fish into the net for Jesus.

He brought Peter that we study tonight. He brought the lad with the two fish and five barley loaves and fed thousands. Phillip asked Andrew to assist bring the Greeks to hear Jesus.

I stated for me that there was an aspect of Andrew’s life I could identify greater. But, I believe we tonight can all learn some tremendous truths from the life of Peter. I admire Peter. Peter is my kind of God. I can identify with Peter.

When you think about Peter, what comes to mind?

Do you remember that Andrew, who was in the main four disciples mentioned most, Peter, James, John, and Andrew-Andrew is mentioned 12 times.

Peter is mentioned by name or subject of the verb-376 times. We tend to talk more about Peter because we know more about Peter. There is more details of Peter’s life listed in the Word of God. And, there is a message in that as well.

Let’s delve into his life.

Fishing for Jesus-Peter

John 6:67–68 NASB 95

67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

We know that Peter rose to preeminence among the disciples as He served the Lord and He became a spokesperson for the group of twelve.

How many names can you recall for Peter?

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Peter, The Apostle

There are actually four forms of his name in the NT: the Hebrew/Greek Simeon/Simon and the Aramaic/Greek Cephas/Petros. His given name was Simon bar-Jonah (Mt 16:17; cf. Jn 1:42), “Simon the son of John,” which was common Semitic nomenclature.

Matthew 16:18 “18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Peter we note was in Jesus’ inner circle.

Peter, James, & John

We know he wrote two epistles of the Bible-1 And 2 Peter

-We know that Peter was married because we know that Scripture refers to Jesus healing his mother in law.

We know he was a fisherman.

Last week we focused on Andrew from the fact that he stayed in his lane. He did not get caught up in what his brother was doing, by all measures we can assume he was very proud of his brother because nothing derogatory was recorded in the Word of God conveying any jealousy.

I almost entitled tonight, “Swinging for Jesus”.

I titled tonight fishing because Peter was a fisherman. We could say that Peter presented the bait in life. He swung for the fence. Listen dearly beloved, we quickly realize that in order to make a hit we must swing. Let’s make some applications tonight from the life of Peter.

There was several focal verse we could have picked.

Mark 8:29 “29 And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.””

Matthew 4:19 “19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.””

-background to the text starting from John 6:41.

Staying Conviction

John 6:67 “67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?””

Let me ask you a question if I may. Is staying power enough in the Christian life? You might say-yes, Peter stayed, but he was flighty at best and he was all over the map in his journey with the Lord. That would be true.

John 18:25-27 “25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” 27 Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.”

John 18:10 “10 Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.”

john 13:5-15 “5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord…”

You have heard the statement, “silence is golden.”

By the way, that is not in the Bible.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 “7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.”

Proverbs 17:28 “28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.”

Proverbs 11:12 “12 He who despises his neighbor lacks sense, But a man of understanding keeps silent.”

Silence & Stillness can equal staleness.

1 Peter 1:13 “13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Let’s discover a picture of Peter at the origin of his encounter with the Lord.

Matthew 4:18-20 “18 Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”

-Energy-Engaged

-Action

Matthew 25:14–30 NASB 95

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16 Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17 In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18 But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27 Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28 Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ 29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30 Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

In other words, we have more stated about Peter. And, the question is why? We call Peter a rock, a stone, he was rough around the edges. The Lord can work with the one who will swing or stir or fish. You can never get in any trouble when you do not act. You appear as a genius.

Jonah 4:6 “6 So the Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the plant.”

Hagar

Elijah

God does not honor vacillating.

Psalms 4:4 “4 Tremble, and do not sin; Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.”

Swinging Commitment

John 21.

With the Lord in it, we can not fail.

“You are the Christ”

“Your words hold eternal life”

I hear this all the time. I do not sing solos. I would ask the question, have you ever tried? Have you put the mic to your mouth? I do not pray in public? Have you tried to pray before 3-5 people? Do you pray with your family?

I’ve never tithed. Start with $20 and see what the Lord does?

I’ve never made hospital visits? Walk in there and talk and see what happens. I can not teach. How do you know? Have you ever led a class of even 3-5 people?

Saving Compassion

Acts 2:41 “41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.”

Acts 4:4 “4 But many of those who had heard the message believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”