Peter’s Story.
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29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
Title: Peter’s Story.
Subtitle: Life lessons from Peter.
Peter was an interesting man… One whose life deserves to be dissected and the lessons learned applied to our lives.
We are going to subdivide his life into these categories this morning:
His training period as he walked with Jesus (Gospels)
Post Pentecost (Acts)
Later years (Epistles)
Early years
Peter was chosen by Jesus and there is a theme that you see develop in the gospels
Peter the shepherd - he would write about this in his letters later, but you can see a call on his life, a shaping that Jesus was trying to do because he was to feed and protect the flock of God.
With great calling comes great expectation!
Peter (and the other ten) would be asked to die for their calling.
Jesus would prophecy that Peter would be crucified just like Jesus was…
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
You were young and chose to do what you wanted but there will be a time when you will stretch your hands out and be lead where you don’t want to go… a cross!
John would be asked to live for his.
BUT Peter had a problem
He had a way of making promises he could not keep!
His instinct was to run when things got uncomfortable.
Look at what happened after Jesus was crucified…
He went fishing and influenced the others to go with him even though most were not fishermen.
SIGNIFICANCE: fishing was not a hobby but a vocation, job
They were going to be shepherds but now they were going to be fishermen
NEW VOCATION - rejection of the everything Jesus had taught them
Old and New Testaments deal with good shepherd and hirelings… Peter had the instincts of a hireling.
One who would leave the sheep to save himself.
God was trying to teach him some things.
Faithfulness
Trust
After Pentecost
Peter faced with same crowd that crucified Jesus yet rather than run and hide, he preached “this same Jesus whom you crucified is Messiah!”.
The shepherd fed the flock!
When facing the same group that was key in Jesus’ crucifixion, the Sanhedrin, he would look at them and ask them, “Is it better to obey God or man?”.
The shepherd stayed!
Was Peter fixed or did he still struggle with who he was?
Galatians 2 tells us he still struggled!
After preaching the Acts 2 message!
After all the miracles!
The law said that Jews could not eat with a gentile but the law was fulfilled and he (and others like Paul) had started preaching and teaching that all that was fulfilled.
Remember Peter’s dream
But when Jerusalem inquired, Paul left his Gentile brethren and went to sit with the Jews.
Ticked Paul off.
We fault Peter, but I think Paul the Gentile Missionary was over protective to his calling.
11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Peter struggled with who he was… his calling was way bigger than he was!
Latter years - his writing reveals his struggle
How to live faithfully in a foreign country (world)
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
HIS CALLING WAS BIGGER THAN HIS HUMANITY!
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
He would go on to talk about a people who were not a people but are now the people of God.
The gentiles he once rejected he now accepted!
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
He now wanted nothing more than to lead the GENTILE people he pastored in the city of Rome faithfully!
Conclusion: Peter was a real man with real struggles.
He wrestled with who he was as a man and who God wanted him to be.
Could this be why Jesus would ask him three times “Peter, do you love me more than these?”
“Then feed my lambs!”
Jesus new he would have to overcome many things!
Theme of 1 Peter: Be faithful in face of suffering
Theme of 2 Peter: Stand firm in truth
Greatest lesson Peter had to teach:
Stand firm in what God has called you to be despite who you are!
