Through the Eyes of Peter

Through The Eyes of Peter

I want to relate to you this morning a message on the resurrection of Jesus as seen through the eyes of Peter, an Apostles of Jesus. I sometimes fear when we hear or read these apostles’ messages; we sometimes look at them as if they are wearing terry cloth bathrobes. In other words, they don’t seem real to us. We have a hard time relating to them and the emotions they may be experiencing as they live the event(s) in the scriptures we are reading. I hope as we share this as a first-hand account, the resurrection of our Lord will come to life.

We had been traveling for several days, making stops along the way so Jesus could teach and preach to everyone he meets. It was getting close to the Passover, and we were getting close to Jerusalem. We were hoping we could eat the Feast in Jerusalem, and now we were close to the city. I do not remember which one of us asked, but one of us did ask, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He sent me and one of the other disciples (Thomas, I think) into the city, and it was just as he had told us. He told us to go into the city and find a man carrying a water jar and following him. We followed him to a house, and we asked the owner just as Jesus had told us to do, ‘The teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He showed us an upstairs guest room, furnished and ready for us to use. It was in this room we prepared for the Feast.

That evening as we were around the table, Jesus looked at us, and He reminded us of something He had told us only a few days before, ‘you know the Son of Man is going to be handed over to be crucified here in just a short time. It is coming quicker than you think.’ He had said these things before, but before, we did not pay much attention to it. This time it was different. He seemed a little more focused on what He was saying, as if He knew this was going to happen shortly. I remember a couple of us were a little outraged by this statement, and we wished He would not talk like that. It seemed so final. We were convinced we were close to when He declared Himself as the king of Israel, and everything would change. Jesus then did something else as we were eating. He got real quiet for a minute or two, and He almost seemed to have a tear in His eye. Finally, He looked up with the kind smile He always had and, looking at each one of us, or so it seemed, said, “Tonight, one of you will betray me.” I do not know what it was, but you know, I think we had all thought about it, thinking we could move this whole thing along a little and get some action out of Him. But, we each went around the table and asked, ‘is it me.’ Jesus was always direct with us, and He told us, ‘the one who has dipped his hand in the bowl with me is the one.’

[Judas leaned over to Jesus and said something and then left quickly. We assumed Judas was going to get something more for the evening. I could not hear what he had said, John who was closer, told us later Judas asked if he was the one, and Jesus just looked at him and gave a half-smile and said, ‘yes, do what you must do.’ Matthew told me later Judas was upset over the woman who had wasted the expensive perfume pouring it on Jesus’ feet, and when he said it could be sold and the money given to the poor was lying, Judas had been stealing from us for some time now. Matthew also told us Judas had already made a deal with the chief priest to betray Jesus, and they had paid him thirty silver coins.]

We continued with our meal, trying to put some of the earlier comments behind us and move on with the Feast. Jesus stood up, gathered us around Him and took some of the bread and broke a piece off, and gave us each a portion, and just as we were about to eat, He said, ‘eat this, this is my body.’ Then He picked up one of the cups from the table and filled it and started to pass it around, and when He did, he said, ‘Drink, this is my blood of the new covenant, it’s poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I won’t drink it again until I drink it again with you in my Father’s kingdom’. I’ve got to tell you we were pretty much shaken, we didn’t understand what He was talking about, we sang a song, and Jesus said, “I need a place to pray, let’s go to the Mount of Olives, it’s a quiet place there.”

As we walked, He talked with us as He did so many times as we traveled, always taking advantage of the opportunity to teach us. It seemed like it was a night of surprises. He stopped and turned and looked at us, then He told us, “Tonight, you will all fall away on account of me, then He told us,” ‘The prophet said I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” I guess I wasn’t very humble, I looked at Him, and I told Him, “the others might, but I’ll never fall away, never.” He quietly looked at me, smiled, and shook His head. Before the rooster crows tonight, you will disown me not once but three times.” I just looked as He walked away and said, “even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” The others all said the same.

It was about this time we got to Gethsemane, and as we walked to the Garden, He looked at us and said, “wait here while I go and pray.” Almost as an afterthought, He turned to the brothers and me and said, “you three walk with me for a while.” We walked a bit longer, and then He motioned for us to sit down. He asked us to wait for Him. Matthew later wrote when He prayed. He asked His Father/God for this cup to be taken away from Him. He returned to us. We had fallen asleep. He shook us awake and asked, “couldn’t you keep watch with me for at least an hour?” Then He looked right at me and said, “Peter, guard yourself, watch, pray, so you don’t fall into temptation. I know your spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” He went away again to pray some more, asking that the cup before Him would pass from Him. He came back again and found us asleep. He didn’t wake us this time. When He came back the third time, He said, “why are you still sleeping? The time has come, get up I hear them coming for me, and with a look of determination, He said let us go, He was almost excited.”

As we got into a small clearing, we saw a small mob headed our way, and Judas led the mob. Jesus looked at him and said, “hello Judas, I know why you are here, do what you came to do.” With that, the mob rushed Him. I drew my sword and swung. I was trying to hit Judas but clipped the ear of one of the servants with him. Amid all the chaos, Jesus bent down and picked up the servant’s ear and put it back on the servant’s head. Jesus spoke to the crowd and tried to maintain some form of peace. I didn’t hear what he said. I had already started to retreat. Matthew later said Jesus told them they were fulfilling prophecies. As I looked around, the others had run to the woods as well. When I was sure they weren’t going to follow me, I started to follow from a distance.

I wasn’t able to get into where the Sanhedrin had taken Him, so I sat in the courtyard and tried to stay unnoticed, but this girl kept looking at me and finally came up to me and said, “You were with Jesus, weren’t you?” I denied it and told her I didn’t know Him. Still, another came up and asked me the same question. Again I told her “no.” Finally, another one came up to me and started to say to people I was with Him. I got furious, and those days as a fisherman came to the surface, and I said, “I don’t know the…, I don’t know Him.” I was so angry and scared I could not stop swearing. Then the rooster crowed, and I remembered what He had told me. I finally got a hold of myself and ran out, and as I realized what I had done, I just cried for hours.

I didn’t stay around after that. I know the guards drug Jesus before Pilate. He was beaten almost to the point of death. Those Roman guards knew their business. I ran out and found a place where no one could see me, I thought. Later, John told me he saw me face down, crying and begging God to forgive me. I found out later they forced Jesus to carry the cross member of His cross to the place of execution. He was so beaten down and so exhausted they finally forced another man to carry it for Him. (Someone said they thought Jesus knew Him.)

They nailed his hands and feet to the cross. When they hosted him up, the cross dropped into place, almost ripping him from the cross. If it hadn’t been for the ropes holding him to the cross, he would’ve fallen off. The soldiers took His clothes and gambled for who would take them home. The chief priests and the teachers continued to mock him. They would say, “He saved others, but He can’t save Himself.” At one point, He screamed out. They thought He was calling for Elijah, the rescuer of pious men. John, who was close by, heard Him say, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Guard at the Tomb

62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

The Resurrection

28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

Luke later recorded the words of Jesus as he traveled with two men on the way to Emmaus. In verse 27 of chapter 24, Luke said, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all of the Scriptures concerning Himself.”

Way back in Genesis, God promised He would send one who would defeat not just the punishment of sin but would defeat Satan himself.