Peter, from Galilee to Glory
God has chosen to reveal Jesus to us in many ways in the Bible. From both Old and New Testaments Jesus is revealed to us. We can see him all the way through. Today, let’s see how we can see Jesus’ impact on the life of one of his most prominent followers in the Bible: Simon Peter.
On the north shore of the sea of Galilee, about 100 miles north of Jerusalem lies the ruins of Capernaum. Peter was from here. Perhaps he was born here. We don’t know much about his childhood. His father’s name was John, or as the KJV puts it: Jonah. Simon Bar Jonah, Simon the son of John was a fisherman. Jesus nicknamed him Peter or rock and it stuck. That’s why the Cotton Patch version calls him "Rocky Johnson." That’s actually cleverly correct. Biblical Archaeological Review magazine ran an article some time ago that said they think they might have uncovered Peter’s house there in Capernaum. They discovered the foundation of a ruin from about 58 B.C. that was close to a synagogue ruin in town from the same period. This town was on an important trade route and had a thriving fishing industry in the days of Jesus.
Early in the gospel accounts we read about Jesus walking along those shores calling disciples to follow him. Peter, James and John were among the first to answer the call.
We’ve seen Peter in the gospels. He’s pretty rough. He’s quick to speak his mind, even when it gets him into trouble. Peter is the one who spoke up first when Jesus asked the 12, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter confessed – “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus blessed him and promised to give the keys of the kingdom to his disciples on this occasion.
At another time, in John 6, after Jesus had feed the 5000 and when they came to him to get him to do it again, he said such difficult things about eating his flesh and drinking his blood that the multitudes began to leave him. Jesus turned to the 12 and asked, “Will you leave me too?” It was Peter again who spoke up, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and have come to know that you are the holy one of God.”
Many times during his ministry Jesus would take Peter, James and John with him and allow no one else to come. He took them with him to the Mount of Transfiguration. When Jesus was transfigured before them and Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, Peter piped up: “Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Then a cloud came down and God spoke and said: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, Listen to him.” Or in the old KJV “Hear ye him!”
On the night Jesus was betrayed, he told the disciples as they went to the Mount of Olives together, “All of you will fall away on account of me, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.” Peter said, “Lord, even if all fall away, I will not!” Jesus turned to Peter and told him, “Truly I say to you, this night before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times!” Peter, who should have known better by now, said, “Lord! Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!”
But he did. Just like Jesus said he would. And he remembered Jesus’ words and it nearly killed him.
After Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, John’s gospel in chapter 21 tells how Jesus appeared to the disciples on the shore of Galilee while they were fishing. Perhaps they were near Capernaum. That’s where their boats and nets were when they left them. Peter instigated this fishing trip and after an all nighter, they were headed in to dock without a single fish. Jesus saw them from the shore as they were a ways out and he called to them and asked, “Have you caught any fish?” “No!” they answered. “Throw your nets on the right side of the boat and you’ll find some!” At this point, I imagine at least some of them were a little suspicious. They threw the nets out on the right side and 153 large fish jumped into the nets!” They couldn’t even haul them into the boat!
John says to Peter, “It’s him! It’s the Lord!” Peter grabs his garment, throws it on and then throws himself into the sea and swims to shore about 100 yards. The rest come behind him dragging the net full of fish. It must have been early morning and they joined Jesus there for breakfast.
After breakfast Jesus says to Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (These fish, these other disciples, or what? We don’t know.) But Peter says, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus says, “Feed my sheep.”
Again, Jesus says, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter says, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” So Jesus says again, “Tend my sheep.”
A third time Jesus says to Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Well, Peter starts feeling disturbed because Jesus keeps asking this. He says, “Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you!” Jesus says again, “Feed my sheep.”
Three denials, three questions, three affirmations from Peter, confessions that he loves Jesus, and three assignments to feed the sheep of the Lord. I think Jesus was recommissioning Peter to his place as a minister of the gospel.
Then, Jesus tells Peter how he will die for the glory of God and says, “Follow me.” As they go, Peter… you’ve got to love this guy. He looks over his shoulder and sees John and says to Jesus, “What about him?”
Jesus basically tells Peter that it is none of his business what happens to this disciple. Peter needs to pay attention to Peter’s responsibility and keep his eyes on Jesus. Jesus says, “You follow me!”
In the gospels Peter grows to see Jesus more and more fully. Even though he falls, he gets up and continues to follow Jesus. I wonder… how did Peter see Jesus at first? What was it in Jesus, and what was it in Peter that made him decide to leave those nets and launch out into the unknown with this wonder working Rabbi, this carpenter’s son from Nazareth? Think of the risks. Think of the changes. I can see it for a day or week, maybe. But Peter’s life never was the same again. He never could go back.
Think about how Peter’s understanding and relationship with Jesus grew over the three years he spent with him. How did Peter see Jesus just before Jesus ascended to heaven?
When we enter the book of Acts we find the first half of Acts continues to tell Peter’s story. Peter takes a leading role from chapters 1-12 and his name is mentioned 72 times in those chapters. From chapter 13 through 28 it is only found once more. Paul dominates the second section of the book with his name occurring 172 times from chapters 13-28. But that’s another story for next week’s lesson.
Just look at Peter in Acts:
In chapter 1 Peter initiates the replacement of Judas.
In chapter 2 Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preaches on the first day of the church and 3000 respond and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
In chapter 3 Peter preaches after healing a lame man and 1000’s more believe.
In chapter 4 Peter and John are arrested and they face the same court that condemned Jesus to death. Peter declares the name of Jesus and says, “There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved!”
In chapter 5 Peter pronounces judgment on Annanias and Saphira as God executes them. The apostles perform such amazing miracles that people bring the sick into the streets hoping that Peter’s shadow might fall on them, vs 15.
The apostles are arrested again and told not to preach in Jesus’ name, but Peter says, “We must obey God rather than man!” vs. 29.
Chapters 6-7 introduce Stephen and Phillip. Persecution breaks out in earnest, led by Saul of Tarsus.
In chapter 8 Peter and John are called to Samaria where Phillip is preaching and the Samaritans are baptized but have not received the Holy Spirit. When Peter and John place their hands on them and pray for them, they receive the Holy Spirit. Here Peter has a confrontation with Simon the Magician over Simon’s desire to purchase the power to pass on the Holy Spirit to others.
In chapter 9 after Saul’s conversion, we read of Peter’s mission work among the Jews. He heals a paralytic in Lydda and all the residents come to the Lord. In Joppa, Peter raises Dorcas from the dead and many there turn to the Lord.
In chapter 10 Peter goes to a gentile named Cornelius to preach the gospel. Not that he wanted to, but because the Lord told him to. God had to convince Peter to go to this gentile. God sent visions and a direct message from the Holy Spirit to Peter saying: 20 "But arise, go downstairs, and accompany them without misgivings; for I have sent them Myself." Peter took 6 Jewish witnesses and when he entered the house of Cornelius and preached Jesus to a packed house of Cornelius’ family and friends, to Peter and the Jewish witnesses dismay and astonishment, the Lord baptized this bunch of gentiles in the Holy Spirit! They started speaking in tongues! So Peter commanded them to be baptized in Jesus name with water. What else could he do?
In chapter 11 Peter has to defend his actions, and this radical practice of entering a gentile’s house and even baptizing them! Unheard of! What will Peter pull next! Peter basically tells them, “Hey it wasn’t my idea! God told me to do it! And then the Lord baptized them in the Holy Spirit just like us! What was I supposed to do?”
Peter has a hard time getting over his Jewish prejudices toward the gentiles. Even later in Galatians 2:11-21 Paul confronts Peter to his face about it. In fact, in that case Peter was practicing hypocrisy and wasn’t acting in line with the truth of the gospel. I used to think, wow, once Peter received the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 he was a totally different man! This is only partly true. Being baptized by the Holy Spirit certainly empowered Peter, but he was still Peter. Still human. Still a man who followed Jesus. Even Paul once said, 1 Cor. 9:27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.
No one escapes temptation here in this life. Not you, not me, not even Peter and the apostles. In fact, Jesus himself was tempted and tested here, but without sin.
A few lessons we learn about Jesus through Peter are these:
1. Jesus calls us to come follow him before we have everything figured out.
2. Jesus keeps working with us as we stumble along and comes after us to reclaim us even when we fall hard and don’t know if we can go on.
3. Jesus puts up with less than perfect followers, and we can choose to turn away.
4. Jesus never turns away from us.
The last story about Peter in Acts is in chapter 13.
King Herod killed James, John’s brother with the sword. When he saw how this pleased the Jewish leaders he arrested Peter and was planning to kill him too.
Prayer meetings for Peter went on all over Jerusalem. The very night before Peter is to be killed God sends and angel to rescue Peter. After his rescue, Peter goes to Mary’s house (John Mark’s mother) and knocks at the door. Inside they are all praying fervently for Peter. Rhoda, the servant girl, goes to answer the door and when she hears Peter’s voice she runs back to the meeting and says, “It’s Peter! He’s at the door!” They tell her she’s crazy, but she insists, “No, it’s true! I heard his voice!” They say, “Oh, it must be his angel.” "Poor Rhoda, she’s hearing things!" Peter keeps knocking. Finally, they open the door and, Ta daaaa! It IS Peter! Peter told them how the Lord rescued him and then told them to tell James and the others. Then Acts discreetly says that he departed to another place. He probably doesn’t return to Jerusalem until the counsel in chapter 15, and then perhaps he stays only for a brief period.
Peter is very important to me. He saw Jesus and was saved. He struggled, but he remained faithful and died for the glory of God. That’s what I want. Do you?
