Peter

I’m not sure that’s exactly how it shook down, but it can’t be too far off!

Jesus had ascended to heaven and the disciples were left there to make sense of it all, to carry on the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. They had no idea their efforts would turn into this (look around) some 2,000 years later! -CHURCH

All the things the church has become, for better or for worse…originated with the disciples, and one key leader…Peter.

WELCOME WHITEHOUSE

The early church was founded by Jesus and then built up by His close friends. The disciples. The people He chose to do life with. Ordinary people.

Carpenters, tax collectors, traders, physicians, soldiers, fisherman. Nothing spectacular. Just a group of people who wanted nothing more than to tell everyone they could about their friend who would save the world, Jesus of Nazareth.

If any church has since strayed from that central mission, they are no longer aligned with the cause for which our Savior gave His life.

The disciples knew this, they died for that cause. They suffered to bring the news of Jesus, and one disciple in particular was relentless in his passion to expose the world to Gods only Son.

Simeon of Jonah, often called by another name, Simon Peter was raised in bilingual Galilee. He grew up in Bethsaida with his brother Andrew. Since he was Jewish, he received a normal elementary education and a trade. He probably spoke in Greek and Aramaic ( with a heavy northern accent ).

Both Peter and Andrew were involved with their father in the fishing profession. Since they lived in Capernaum I’m sure the business did fairly well. They were fishing partners with James and John…

Peter Andrew James and John would soon learn more about fishing than they could have possibly imagined.

Matthew 4:18-22 (The calling of the first disciples)

Come, follow Me, Jesus said. IMMEDIATELY they left everything behind. Now I don’t know if by immediately the Bible means that they took a few minutes, put their nets away, hugged their dad, said goodbye to their family and friends, packed some robes and sandals…

I don’t really picture them just dropping their nets, walking over the edge of the boat, into the water, up the shore like robots towards Jesus, ..

The original text doesn’t imply exactly how quick they moved, but it does say something about their mindset.

In the original language the word for “they left immediately” is used other places in scripture, it’s often been used with the meaning “To leave behind as at death”!!!! It was a mindset. They loved their families and held them close.

Peter and Andrew would return from time to time to fish back home…Peter was, after all married, so he was a family man, always keeping in touch back home. Jesus didn’t want them to forget everyone in their past.

Jesus wanted their hearts, and He got them.

As a common blue collar worker, educational opportunities were limited for Peter. The Sanhedrin according to Acts 4:12 perceived that Peter and John were uneducated, ignorant men. Peter in fact writes some of the toughest Greek in the NT to translate, so he wasn’t stupid, he just wasn’t educated like Paul.

What was it that Jesus was looking for? Really. The most powerful being to walk the face of this planet. The ultimate superhero, creation bowing in adoration and worship of this man. Every resource in the universe available at His fingertips.

He stands on a beach, watching four uneducated men cast their nets into the sea, desperately hoping for a catch, this is how they survived. Wouldn’t this look infitesimal to an almighty being? After all, He could produce a fish out of thin air. Jesus knew there was something more to fish for. Looking past fins, scales and gills, He was interested in the hearts of man. He simply said you, you, you and you…let’s roll.

They understood there was something special about this man. Why else would they leave everything???

Peter was an experienced fisherman, he knew the habits of fish. Jesus asks him to leave and do something that seems irrational. It’s not according to conventional wisdom. It goes against reason. If everything Jesus asked us to do was sensible or rational, we would not need faith to obey him.

Peter says, Jesus – because you say so, I will do it. And the rest is history of the most important kind. Jesus started by teaching Peter how to catch men and women. Souls. The rest of Peter’s life would be spent telling others about Jesus Christ. This is what Jesus taught.. Where are you at in your life with this??

After all, Peter gets plenty of recognition in the Bible and church history, yet it was Andrew that introduced him to Jesus. How could Andrew have known his obedience would forever impact the church in such a way?