Living Hope

Intro

Welcome Everyone!! I’m thrilled to be back with you tonight!

I know that this week has been hectic for everyone, getting back to school, practices, and just a normal routine.

One of the main goals that I have always had for our ministry is that we are moving toward a destination. This year is no different. This semester, we are going to dig into the life and teaching of the Apostle Peter. The “Rock” of the church.

Peter’s Background

Peter was one of the first two disciples that Jesus called. He and his Brother ,Andrew, were the fisherman that jesus told to “Follow” Him, and he would make them fishers of men.

As He followed Jesus, He became a part of the “Inner Circle”. Basically Jesus’ closest and most trusted friends.

Peter’s life was a roller coaster ride, to say the least. We have seen Him at the Highest of Peaks, Walking on Water, Watching Jesus calm storms, and even seeing Him Glow with the Power of Heaven.

And we’ve seen him at the lowest of Valleys, Denying Jesus, hiding in the shadows, and allowing Himself to be succumb to peer pressure.

Body

You see, even though Peter was Jesus’ right hand man, He still made mistakes. He failed on multiple occasions. but that Brings us to our Central Idea tonight,

Jesus uses Broken people to share Hope to a Broken world!

I relate to Peter. Why? Because Peter desperately wanted to follow Jesus, but He would sometimes let stuff from His past creep in and distract Him.

Though there are numerous examples, tonight let’s consider what happened at the Church at Antioch in the book of Galatians

Galatians 2:11–14 ESV

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

The Culture of the day, even within the Church, could be very exclusive. Many believed that you had to have been of Jewish decent to be a Christian. And while Peter had