"Peter, Feed My Sheep” (1of 21)

(1) He is known for his impulsiveness.

It is always a good policy that, before we do something, we stop and think about what we are preparing to do. Why? Because the decisions we make come with consequences.

But Peter is the kind of fellow that did things, and generally suffered the consequences later.

He is known for his impulsiveness. But also-

(2) He is known for having a large ego.

Remember when the Lord asked Peter three times, “Lovest thou me?” Peter was loaded for bear in his response to that question. He was so full of himself, he said, “…Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.” (Matthew 26:33)

The Lord Jesus did not share the confidence Peter had in himself. Peter assured the perfect Son of God, who had never made a mistake, that He had just made His first mistake. That is, He was wrong about him denying him.

He said, “…though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee…” (Matthew 26:35)

Peter is the kind of man, that if he could be bought for what he was worth, then sold for what he THOUGHT he was worth, someone could have made a fortune on him.

Someone said, "Some folks are like the rooster who thought the sun rose every morning just to hear him crow."

He is known for his IMPULSIVENESS and HIS LARGE EGO, but also-

(3) He is known for denying the Lord Jesus three times.

Yes, not one time, not two times, but this man who declared he would never deny the Lord Jesus, denied Him three times.

With these credentials, you would wonder if the Lord could use a man like this.

Peter is like a lot of us, he had more going against him it seems, than he had going for him. But Peter must have had a great love for the Lord, because God used him in a great way.

In fact, it was to Peter the Lord said, “Feed my sheep!”

In 1 & 2 Peter, he does just that. That is why we call this series, “Peter, Feed My Sheep.”

Let’s look at some of the things he talked to God’s sheep about. First:

I. HE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT SALVATION

Before he talked to them about salvation, he wanted to establish who he was.

In the introduction in verses 1 & 2, he makes the claim that he is an "Apostle of Jesus Christ".

IS THIS SIGNIFICANT?

Illus: Yes, because the Catholic church claims that Peter is the first Pope of the Roman Catholic church. But notice, he makes no reference to the claim that he was the Pope of the Catholic Church.

If anyone should know if he was the first Pope, he would have known! Besides, Peter could not have been the first Pope because Peter had a wife.

HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HE HAD A WIFE? The Bible says he did!

Look at Matthew 8:14, “And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.”

Peter made no mention to support the claim of the Catholic church. He simply said that he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

For them to claim that he was the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church is just wishful thinking on their part.

But after he tells us WHO HE IS, he tells us two things about the people he is addressing.

1. They were strangers

2. They were scattered

Look at verses 1-2, we read, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the STRANGERS SCATTERED throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

But now he begins to carry out the Lord’s command to feed the Lord’s sheep.

HE TALKS TO THEM ABOUT THEIR SALVATION.

Look at 1 Peter 1:3, we read, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Notice, in verse 3, he talks to them about a “LIVELY HOPE”.

WHAT IS A LIVELY HOPE?

The reason he can talk to them about a “LIVELY HOPE”, is because Jesus, who came, died, was buried and was raised to life again, made this promise in John 14:19: “…Because I live, ye shall live also.”

Before His death, Jesus told the crowds that he must die, and be raised to life again, but they simply did not believe He could do such a thing.

The reason we have a “LIVELY HOPE” is because we have a “LIVING SAVIOR!” The Lord’s resurrection is proof that He is who He said He was.