Character Changes Through Encounters With God Series

Encounter with God Series

Part 4

Encounter Changes our Character

For a video version o this sermon visit https://youtu.be/L6RdiwW-bnU

Good morning. We are digging into the aspect of Encounters with God. In the first message on this series, we saw that there are four biblical perspectives on God encounters that we need to remember

1. If we are not watchful, we might miss the encounter with God altogether

2. It is entirely up to us to have the encounter. As the first party is always present and always ready

3. God encounters are for everyone. It does not depend on your qualifications or level of spirituality

4. God encounters are not a one time affair, we need to seek and have it periodically

In the second part of the series, we saw that God encounters are intensely personal. So it does not matter whether you are part of a mega church or a small congregation, when you have an encounter, it always one on one with the maker. We also saw that every encounter brings in changes in us. An encounter will change us. We put these changes in three categories of Vision, Character, and Relationships. This is described as the three imperatives in my book Not-So-With-YOU (https://www.menorahleadership.com/not-so-with-you_book/)

In the third part of the series, we saw how encounter with God changes our vision and gets it aligned to the vision God has for us. We saw how God orchestrates the circumstances around us in such a manner that His vision is fulfilled for us.

This is the fourth part of the series and this time we are going to look at the changes in Character that an encounter with God will bring in us. For this we are going to primarily look at the transformation of Peter through the Bible.

Peter’s first encounter with Jesus is described in John 1:40-42. One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” (which is translated, A Stone (John 1:40-42, NKJV). It is his brother Andrew who brings him to Jesus, and the introduction is interesting. We have found the Messiah. One of the things we will notice is that Jesus know who Peter is , because he immediately calls him by his name, Simon, and then changes his name to Cephas or Peter (a rock).

We don’t know much about Peter at this time but as we proceed further into the Gospels, we can very well understand Peter’s initial character. Bossy, Proud, Impulsive, Self-reliant, outspoken, blunt, unstable, insecure at times… we can go on with the list.

Let us see what and how the continuous encounters with Jesus changes Peter’s Character. Theologians say that After the first encounter with Jesus, Simon and other disciples were with Him at Cana of Galilee in John 2:2, where they witnessed the first miracle and believed, as the Bible says (John 2:11). The disciples were also at Judea with Jesus and were even baptizing other disciples (John 4:3). So they were already traveling with Him. But Peter has a specific encounter with Jesus in Luke Chapter 5. The first part of the incident reminds me about Leslie’s Church that I used to go earlier, where the sermon was followed by samosa and tea. At BBF also the tradition continues. (may be that is why the Lord brought me to BBF). Every sermon is followed by snacks and if there are some celebrity birthdays like what happened a couple of weeks ago, we also get a sumptuous lunch. Basically, food follows the sermon. The story in Luke Ch 5 has a similar ring to it. The only difference is that it is not prepared food, but raw ingredients for food that is the subject of this story. Jesus decides to ‘borrow” Simon’s boat for a delivering a sermon, and Jesus knows that once the sermon is over, the people need food , just like the BBF congregation. So like some of us send John out to Amma’s for food after the sermon, Jesus does the same with Simon. Jesus asks Simon to “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch (Luke 5:4, NKJV).” Now study Simon’s reaction to this command. But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net (Luke 5:5).” This is not an implicit and immediate obedience. Peter sounds a bit offended. Peter has seen Jesus do miracles and do preaching, and he knew that Jesus was good at that. But this is fishing. It was Peter’s profession. What could a carpenter know about fishing? What will you feel like if someone who is completely unrelated with your profession tries to tell you how to do your job? As a fisherman, Peter knew what fish come out at night and not during day time. So it is natural if he is a bit offended by Jesus’s ask. So his agreement to do what Jesus asked him to do was a reluctant one. It is a because-you-say-so obedience. It is a if-you-say-so obedience. Sounds familiar? When the Lord asks us to do something and we think we know better, even if we obey, it is most of times, like “Lord I know better, but because-you-say-so, I will do it”. It is like showing a little concession to the Lord’s advice. But the good thing about Peter’s story is that he finally obeys, and results are magical. The results make Peter realise his mistake, his self-reliance on his knowledge about his profession, his self-reliance on his talent. This is Peter’s first recorded confession. When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord! (Luke 5:8, NKJV).” Peter’s character shifts from being self-reliant to God reliant in this encounter. And that is when Jesus commissions him as a full-time disciple. “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men (Luke 5:10, NKJV).” And then along with James and John, Peter leaves his profession and follows Jesus full time. From the because-you-say-so obedience to full obedience.