Peter: Faithful to Fishing

ILLUST - Know where you are going

Einstein on train from Princeton, conductor asks for ticket, he can’t find it. “Don’t worry, Dr. Einstein, I know who you are, I’m sure you bought a ticket. Conductor moves on, looks back, and Einstein is on knees, frantically looking. “We know who you are, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry about it, you don’t need a ticket.”

“I, too, know who I am, young man, what I do not know is where I am going!”

I keep a compass on my desk...

Peter is about to learn where he is going.

He’s about to discover a great fishing spot

Jesus is gone

Peter is prepared - for what?

FIRST, He knows Scripture: Acts 1:21-22

Acts 1:21–22 NASB95

“Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

Peter takes charge - Matthias is selected

Now...The Helper that Jesus promised to send - where is He, or it, or.....

READ: Acts 2:1-41 excerpts

ASIDE: Tongues = languages, new revelation in order to share the Gospel

Peter - Once Again, Fishing

Effectively!

Now fishing for men, for souls; and there are a lot of them in Jerusalem on Pentecost

PETER - TAKES A STAND

He knows the truth

Stands on the Word, the OT, Prophet Joel

REM: Where else would we go? You have the Words of eternal life!

This occurence is the fulfillment of that prophecy

And Peter knows it

Brash, Bold - “WE ARE NOT DRUNK!”

Effective witnessing means not being passive

Peter is not passive

He fights, but now it’s with the WORD

Not a sword

Not something he spouts off about, based on his own thoughts

No, he uses the WORD

PROCLAIMS JESUS

His name, THE name

His friend, the Savior of the world

Acts 4:12 NASB95

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

He preaches to a crowd who says they know who God is

They do not back down from saying God exists

They just need to make it personal

They need to know Jesus (not just “about” God)

PETER - CASTS THE NET

The simple, straightforward Gospel

Acts 2:38 NASB95

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Repent - change direction, leads to

Forgiveness

Baptism

Holy Spirit

This is a PROMISE - Certain

To anyone who will believe, anyone who repents based on the promise

This is a promise claimed by 3000 that day

SUMMARY: Peter - Fishing, Following, Falling, Fishing

Point 1 - No matter where Peter started, what he went through, he decided to follow Jesus, and Jesus used him

He figured out which direction he should be going, where he should be going

No matter where you started, maybe you are just starting now, no matter what you’ve been through or what you will go through, you can decide to follow Jesus, and He WILL use you

He wants to use you, to grow the Kingdom

Get prepared, stay prepared

Get busy, stay busy

Go big, bold

Lots of people around us who say they know who God is

They do not back down from saying God exists

They just need to make it personal

They need to know Jesus (not just “about” God)

Point 2 - Have you claimed that promise?

Figure out which direction you should be going, where you should be going

Repent - today

Need to be baptized? - outward demonstration, follows trusting Jesus as Savior

Forgiveness - the sweetness of forgiveness

Romans 10:13 NASB95

for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

THAT’S A PROMISE!

To the saved:

How many people would you like to know get saved, know Jesus, because YOU introduced them?

To those seeking, needing a new direction

Ask for directions

What would keep you from placing your trust in Jesus today?

THE GOSPEL

It never gets old

It’s the core of God’s Word

Trust it, accept it, share it, live it