Peter - The Big Fisherman Part 2 Series

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS SERIES

15 – THE BIG FISHERMAN PETER

PART 2

This morning, we’re continuing with our sermon series entitled CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

And what we’ve been doing over the last several weeks, and months, is we’ve been talking about the fact that no matter…

--who you are

--what you’ve done

--where you’ve been

You can have CLOSE ENCOUNTERS with God

And we’ve been learning this GLORIOUS TRUTH by looking at the lives of the greats like…

--Adam

--Abraham

--Joseph

--Moses

--David

--Daniel

And many others

And we’re going to finish this portion of the sermon series next week by looking at the CLOSE ENCOUNTERS of Isaiah the mighty prophet in light of World Missions Sunday

But today, we’re going to finish looking at the life of Peter

Last week, we began looking at THE BIG FISHERMAN, and with that in mind, let’s read…

• Luke 22:31-34 ( KJV ) 31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

INTRODUCTION

Last week, we began looking at the life of THE BIG FISHERMAN, PETER

And of all the people that have had CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, it is perhaps Peter that encourages me the most

Because if there’s anyone in the Bible that I can identify with personally, it is THE BIG FISHERMAN PETER

With all his…

--failings

--fumblings

--mistakes

--mis-speaks

I can identify with him the most!

And last week, we talked about Peter’s CONVERSION

How that he was brought to the Lord by his brother Andrew

And we also mentioned that on September 14th, Friend Day, we ought to be “Andrews” and go out and bring people and invite people to Friend Day!

And then, we also talked about Peter’s COURAGE

How he…

--cut the ear off the high priest’s servant

--walked on the water and that it’s time for some of you to get out of the boat

--how he was bold enough to be the first “gentile” evangelist after the vision he had on the top of the house in Acts 10

And then, we finished up last week talking about Peter’s CONFESSION

And how he boldly proclaimed…

Matthew 16:16-19 ( KJV ) 16…Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

And then, in John 6, when everyone was forsaking Jesus, he said…

John 6:67-68 ( KJV ) 67Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

What a man, PETER

And the greatest thing we learned about Peter is the fact with all his…

--fumbling

--bumbling

--mistakes

--making bold statements that he didn’t back up

--putting his foot in his mouth

And yet, with all of these, the fact that he…

--walk on the water

--preached and 3,000 to 5,000 are saved and baptized instantly

--just walk by and his shadow bring healing and miracle

--have CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

Really lets me know that SO CAN I!!!

And so, this morning, we come to the second part of Peter’s life

We’ve already talked about his…

--conversion

--courage

--confession

But the next thing I want us to look at today is PETER’S…

1. CRASH

And it’s found in our text this morning…

Luke 22:31-34 ( KJV ) 31And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. 33And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. 34And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

Jesus said to Peter that Satan desires to have YOU – and that word in the Greek is plural, which could read – SATAN DESIRES TO HAVE EVERYONE OF YOU! Not just Peter