Peter Empowered

Peter’s Story (week 3)

investigating the life of Apostle Peter

Emphasis on story; feel like narrative. Connect dots, draw you into story, but incorporate words of scripture.

1st wk: Peter called to fish 4men despite lowly state… FFW to denial around the fire.

All called, we all fail.

Jesus crucifix, pathway to forg’ss…

Lst wk: Peter After Res; restored & forgiven, renewed enc. w/ X

Called anew—feed lambs, shepherd sheep

Today, we look at >>

Peter Empowered

“JESUS is the KING of the WORLD!” Daniel 7:14

Peter now finds himself rejuvenated despite his master’s absence.

Just a few days ago, Peter James & John watch as their teacher—master, friend, savior, & Lord—rode up up up on the clouds; taken up to rule with God.

“And Jesus is still alive! Just like Daniel said:

Daniel 7:14 “[The Son of Man] has authority, glory and sovereign power… His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

“Our Messiah sits next to Father God as judge and ruler!”

He gave Peter and the rest of His followers one command—to wait. Acts 1:4

Acts 1:4 “Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.”

Waiting doesn’t seem like a flattering or noble thing to do. In fact, it doesn’t feel productive at all!

You wonder, HOW could this be helpful? Could I be more fruitful, productive, evocative?!

Long pause

Even if it’s a little uncomfortable; we’re often called to wait.

It’s something that Christ asks of us regularly—a reminder that OUR time schedule is not the same as His; and that we need to depend on, hope on, wait on, HIM.

It reveals in our hearts our dependence on ourself; on our own power, charisma, talent, & blessings.

When we wait, we grow uncomfortable because we’re not in control. He is.

Jesus told them all to linger in Jerusalem where He would send them a gift, a special act of grace, a power from on high:

“Perhaps this is a blessing of the Holy Spirit that the baptizer spoke about,” the disciples thought.

“Perhaps it’s wisdom to gain of honor or influence? Maybe a vision or prophecy? A strategy for what’s next!?"

Jesus had already given them His Spirit:

John 20:22 “And with that, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

They weren’t quite sure what to think! But they knew that they had to WAIT.

Not long ago, Jesus restored Peter and gave him the command to care for the most basic needs of the weakest followers…

And to corral, to lead, and instruct those that were yearning for more; growing steadily in the grace & knowledge of the King, Jesus.

“But now, without Jesus here on earth,” Peter wonders, “how could I ever be up for the task?”

Peter didn’t know and, for once, Peter didn’t ask questions. He didn’t falter; he didn’t rush to a conclusion.

He prayed and he trusted and he waited on Christ.

It had been about 7 weeks since the cross. Ten LONG days since Jesus was taken up.

The feast of Pentecost was underway and Jerusalem was still abuzz with farmers & farriers, sellers of olive oil & oats, potters and priests, tailors & tanners.

They all converged on Jerusalem to celebrate the God’s giving of a bountiful blessing—the harvest; a collective crop that preserved and sustained them.

But the motley company that gathered in someone’s upper room had but one purpose:

The Disciples were in Jerusalem to wait & pray for Jesus’ gift. Acts 2:1-4

Acts 2:1 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.”

120 followers. Lives touched by God’s hand; Christ’s Spirit-imbued power—

souls convinced & transformed by Jesus’ victory over death; compelled to worship and serve Him—

All gathered in one heart & with one mind directed toward God’s domain; seeking His will.

They were there when it happened. A most amazing thing:

Acts 2:2–4 “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven & filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated & came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit & began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

The sound of a rushing wind flowed into their ears; then filled their hearts until it overflowed—out through their vocal cords… as they let loose a chorus of good news.

Each voice carried the sounds & intonations of a different tongue; a personalized message. Acts 2:7-8

The crowd was terrified, awestruck:

Acts 2:7–8 “Utterly amazed! They asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?”

God had used some lowly, yet trustworthy disciples to communicate the most precious truth:

Acts 2:21 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [Jesus] will be saved.’”

Any doubt or insecurity Peter had held flew out the window. He stood to address the gathering:

Acts 2:32–33,36 “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear… God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord & Messiah.”

Peter, no longer suffering from foot-in-mouth, boldly proclaimed truth.

With expert precision—not trained, but inspired—he dissected & disseminated wholly disparate data in the Hebrew Bible.

He connected the Torah with Psalms and the prophets. Lacing together intricate points & explaining in crisp detail what he himself had only recently begun to understood.

He was connecting truth points; facts found buried, ignored, or disregarded in the Old Testament. A Messianic mosaic.

And

Peter’s words, joined together with the immutable power of the Spirit of God, wooed the hearts of the people: Acts 2:37-38.

Jesus is king of the world. His death & resurrection gives him the right to rule over all creation—an all-powerful king.

Our sins are purchased by his shed blood—a greater sacrifice.

He judges them & also excuses them when we repent and confess it publicly in baptism—a gracious gift.

Acts 2:37-38 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Through that Same Spirit, Peter Carried out Jesus’ Ministry:

This same Peter who we saw: rejected by the Rabbis, failing to fish, squirming in fear, acting selfishly, denying His master, & not trusting the resurrection account…

Peter commanded Christ's authority over disobedience (Acts 5). He spoke Christ’s same authority over sickness (Acts 3).

That same Peter lead & administrated a fledgling family of faith-filled followers with wisdom; defying the institutional opposers and risking his life for the truth (Acts 4).

And Peter and the others were enoucraged and empowered in their obedience:

Acts 4:31 “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”

This morning, this same transformation is available for each of you, too.

That same Spirit is still available for us today and He still operates in the same ways. >>

God Empowers us for Change

The First Miracle that God Performs in us is salvation .

A heart transformation. A cleaning out.

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

God’s Spirit enters our lives when we first confess that we can’t do life on our own anymore—

choices we’ve made for ourselves, own plans ultimately fall flat w/o Jesus—

& God cleanses us from all of our sins. He forgets them; drowns in the ocean of grace

See that moment of humility should begin to take hold in every area of your life.

The second process is relinquishing control to Christ. Galatians 2:20

So we can say, like Apostle Paul:

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Even this family, time, & finances he’s given me are all to be stewarded in a way that honors HIM.

AP: life is now lived FOR CHRIST.

So we ask for God’s help to lay down sinful desires.

We do our part: avoid tempt’n spots; we take TIME to be w/ other Xians & to devote time to read Bible & talking to Jesus.

The third step is being used by him in mighty ways >>

We're Transformed to Make a Difference

1 John 2:3 “We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.”

What does God demand that we do in the world around us?

Lead our families well

Be a voice in politics or governance—not be silent

Like Christ, to lay down our lives for others

Humbly sacrifice on behalf of those he’s given us to steward—hearts of our family and others.

and in doing so showing them the pathway to truth.

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Prayer focus:

Committal?

Altar time?

Salvation call?

Peter lays it all down. (for next week)

Story of Peter’s martyrdom.

John clearly knows about it:

John 21:18–19 “Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!””