Peter Speaks
Various accounts from the gospels about Holy Week
EASTER – April 16, 2017
You are welcome to use this first person narrative. It was a joy to write and a joy to share. I was just finishing a series on Peter but it could be used anytime but especially around Good Friday/Easter.
Enter and make sure doors are closed
We have to be careful. I am not really sure who I can trust these days. I’ve just come from the tomb and it is empty! I’m afraid that they will think that we’ve taken the body and they will be coming for us next and so here I am confused and scared. It has been a tumultuous week and one that I will never forget.
My name is Peter and as I sit here in this locked room with other followers of Jesus let me tell you all that has happened to me this past week.
It all started a week ago, well no, it really started about three years ago. My family are fishermen. My brother Andrew and I worked in the family business. Things were going pretty well. We had joined forces with James and John and we had a nice little fishing business.
Andrew came to me one day and said he had found the promised chosen one. I went to see and was captivated with Jesus. Jesus asked me once to take him out in my boat so he could teach from the water as the crowd listened on land. Then he wanted to go fishing, during the day??? Hey whatever Jesus wanted I was going to give him. He ended up being the one that gave in the most bounteous catch that we had ever witnessed. After that he called us away from our fishing and we have been following him ever since. He said he would make us fishers of men.
We had some crazy times out on the water with Jesus. One time he was so tired he was out in the front of the boat. I mean he was out! A storm came up and we were getting tossed all over the place. I was afraid we were going to get tossed out or the boat would break apart. We woke up Jesus and he commanded the wind and the waves to stop. We didn’t know what to think!
That isn’t the best one though. He sent us on ahead of him once across the Sea of Galilee and the winds came up and the waves were pretty impressive. We were struggling to get to our destination. All of a sudden Jesus was coming to us. He wasn’t in a boat however. He was walking on the water. We thought he was a ghost but he called out to us to not be afraid. I asked if it was him could I come out to him and he told me to come. I didn’t even think twice, I just got out of the boat and for a couple of steps I too walked on water. But then I got distracted and began to sink.
Do you ever get distracted? I mean as long as I was focused on Jesus I felt a peace but when I looked away at the stuff around me it was chaotic. I don’t mean just on the water, but that was scary, I started to sink but once again I cried out to him and he rescued me.
You know over the next three years I would see things that I never thought possible. People would flock to see Jesus. He always seemed to stay so patient with them. They all wanted something from the teacher and he was always willing to listen and give them what they stood in need of.
We have a lot of sick people. People that can’t walk see and hear. People with leprosy, a skin disease. There are some people around here that are crazy. They hear voices and they can’t seem to control themselves. They are possessed with evil spirits.
We tend to stay away from all of these people. They make me feel uncomfortable. What about you? I sometimes feel guilty that I’m okay and they aren’t. I wonder what they did or what someone in their family did for them to deserve the affliction that they have. Some I’m sure have had accidents growing up where they become crippled or blind.
As much as these people repulsed me Jesus seemed to be drawn to them. He never turned away from them in disgust. I was always told that they were unclean and that I should stay away. But Jesus, that never seem to bother him in fact he seemed to be drawn to them.
He would heal these people! I have never witnessed anything like this. People would do anything to get to Jesus. Some guys even tore open a roof and lowered their friend in front of Jesus. He was paralyzed and Jesus told him his sins were forgiven Oh boy! That created quite a buzz in the room. The Pharisees standing there you could tell didn’t like what Jesus had to say. It was like he knew what they were thinking because he backed up his claim by telling this guy to get up and walk and he did. I would watch Jesus heal all kinds of people. I would witness him bring back sight, hearing and sanity. I also watched him bring hope and peace to so many. He would tell them that they were forgiven and they to go and sin no more.
He spoke with such authority. I had never witnessed anyone with such command of the scriptures. The Pharisees and teachers of the law seemed to be threatened by him. To be honest Jesus seemed to be irritated with them too. I don’t know why they couldn’t listen to Jesus. Then again, I guess I had my share of moments when I didn’t listen to well either.
Jesus had given me my name. He told me that it was no long Simon but Peter. He told me he was going to build his church on me. I was honored and I thought up to the task. I mean once and a while I stuck my foot in my mouth but most of the time I think I was okay.
He asked us who we thought he was and I was the only one to respond that he was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He told me that I was right! I knew it! We had talked about it but now I knew it. He was the one the Jews had been waiting for and he was coming to establish his kingdom!!!
That is why it was so awesome a week ago. Jesus had decided that it was time to come back to Jerusalem. I wasn’t so sure that was a good idea. Jesus had been talking about being arrested and put to death. In fact I told him that wouldn’t happen and he reminded me that it wasn’t mine to decide. He called me Satan! That hurt but I think I deserved it. I was getting a little forward. After all, he is the teacher not me.
Well, he had some of the disciples go get him a colt that hadn’t ever been ridden. Just like Jesus to just tell them to go and get it and one that had never been ridden at that. Jesus have you ever been on a donkey? They have a mind of their own but again Jesus knew and we put some blankets on the donkey and he got on it and road into Jerusalem.
Word had gotten out and people were coming to see him into the city. I was excited at all the people coming out. These people were coming to get behind Jesus. Just to make sure they knew who he was I yelled out, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Everyone around started yelling and making quite a commotion. Their Messiah was here. They waved palm branches and threw their cloaks down before him. It was all coming together or so it seemed. The Chief Priests were there again and they did not like what was going on.
The next day Jesus decided to go to the temple. I wasn’t prepared for what happened next. We had been there briefly the day before and Jesus seemed to be troubled when he left. Well when we got there it didn’t take long to figure out what was on his agenda. He walked in with a very stern and determined look on his face and walked up to one of the venders selling animals for sacrifice. They always overcharge everyone. Jesus flipped over his table and his money went flying. Jesus didn’t stop there. He went after another table and then another. He was screaming at them to GET OUT!!! The temple was supposed to be a house of prayer but they had made it into a den of thieves. Not exactly the way to get people to fall in behind you but Jesus wasn’t the most orthodox guy.
I wondered if Jesus had overstepped his boundries? Is this how you get people to follow you? Was it safe for us to stay in the city? At least we would stay here and celebrate the Passover together.
We gathered together in an upper room for the Passover meal. We were reclined around the table and Jesus spoke up. He took the bread and blessed it and he broke off a piece of it. We did the same. He held it up and said this is my body take and eat of it. And then he took the cup of wine and held it up and blessed it and said this is my blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins and he passed it around for us to drink from.
Jesus was somber and serious during this. I had no way of knowing that this would be the last time that we would eat with him. Judas had gotten upset and left during out meal. Jesus was talking about his death again. He had been doing this lately and it was unnerving to me.
Jesus then turned to me and he told me that I would fall away from him. Me, Peter, the one he was going to build his future kingdom on. The rest of them might but I never would. He told me that I would disown him three times before morning, before the rooster crowed. This was crazy talk! I felt so close to Jesus I told him that I would die with him before I ever disowned him. The others echoed the same commitment to Jesus.
Jesus was very troubled and he wanted to go pray. He would often spend time in prayer with his father when his heart was troubled. He asked us to come with him to Gethsemane. When we got there he asked us to keep watch while he went on by himself to pray I had never seen him so troubled.
I was so embarrassed when he came back and woke us all up. Every one of us had fallen asleep. We had all just declared our allegiance to him and so quickly we failed. Have you ever had an experience like that? You are right in step with the Lord and the next you can’t even seem to follow a simple request from him. He wants so badly for you to follow but for whatever reason you just can’t seem to do it. It happened to me way too often.
Jesus went back to pray and we fell asleep again. When Jesus came back and woke us up Jesus looked horrible but before I could say anything there was some commotion and here came Judas with a dispatch of the temple guard. I heard Jesus say, “Here comes my betrayer.”
We watched as Judas walked up to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek and then all of a sudden the temple guards grabbed onto Jesus and seized him. NO NO NO, this was not happening, I took out my sword and stuck one of the guards in the head and was getting ready to swing again when Jesus yelled to stop!!! He reached down and touched the guard that I had struck and healed him. Time seemed to stop and when it resumed we all scattered while they took Jesus into custody.
I circled back and followed them being careful not to be spotted. I followed them as they took Jesus to the high priest Caiaphas. Somehow I was able to get close enough and not be detected. Different people were coming forward with all kinds of false accusations against Jesus. I wanted to blurt out that they were all false but I was scared for my safety. It was just as well, none of the charges seem to be sticking anyway.
I thought Jesus was going to get off until two stepped forward and said, “He said I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.” They asked Jesus if this was true and Jesus just sat there and wouldn’t answer them.
They Caiaphas approached Jesus and said, “Tell us if you are the Christ the Son of the Living God!” Jesus calmly looked at him and said, “Yes, it is as you say.” They tore their robes in disgust and yelled, “Blasphemer!” at Jesus and they spit on him and slapped him and insulted him.
I was trying to figure out what to do when a servant girl that had been staring at me said, “You are also with Jesus of Galilee.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” I got up to leave and got as far as the gateway and another girl said, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
“I don’t know the man!”
Then after a little while a small group approached me and said, “Surely you are with him, your accent gives you away.”
I swore to them, “I don’t know the man.”
It was right then that the rooster crowed. One of the worst sounds I had ever heard. Jesus was right, I disowned him! How could I. My Lord! I had a chance to stand tall and tell all those around me that I knew him. He is Jesus. He is the Son of God. He is my Lord. But I was scared of what might happen to me if they knew. I was and still am so ashamed. I ran and I wept. How could I deny him!?!
As if thing couldn’t get any worse they brought Jesus before Pilate. He couldn’t really find anything wrong with him. The Chief Priests tried to make him out to be an enemy of Rome. I think Pilate was going to let Jesus off with a flogging but those chief priests riled the crowd up and they wanted blood and they were calling for Jesus to be crucified.
I couldn’t believe it. The same ones that had been yelling hosanna were now yelling crucify him! Pilate gave in and he released Barabbas at the crowd’s request. A real criminal!
He handed Jesus a death sentence and the Roman torture machine was all too happy to comply. They flogged Jesus. His flesh was torn from his body. They had made a crown of thorns and put it on his head and mocked him as a king. It was so painful to watch but I was helpless. Then they made him drag his cross to Golgotha.
He kept stumbling under the weight of it and he was so weak. Many were yelling at him and the guards kept hitting him to get up. Finally they grabbed a guy out of the crowd to carry the cross because Jesus was just too exhausted.
The sound of nails and screams of agony at a crucifixion site are something that you will never forget. By now the jeers were joined with the wails of some of his faithful followers. His mother was there as well as most of the disciples. It was awful. How had we gotten here so quickly? How had things gotten so off track?
Even on the cross Jesus was still Jesus. I heard tell one of the criminals that was being crucified with him that he would be with him in paradise. In the midst of all his pain he cried out for his father to forgive them for they didn’t know what they were doing.
It got really dark almost like night, Jesus cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani, My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” And then he took a final breath and he died. The earth shook and once again we fled.
I heard that the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea had asked for Jesus’ body and that they put Jesus in his personal tomb. They put a huge stone over the entrance of the tomb and dispatched a guard to keep watch. I don’t know what they thought we were going to do; we are all so scared and confused.
It’s been three days and the women decided that they were going to go up to the tomb and that they would anoint the body. They came back and were talking about Jesus body not being there. He had risen! They said. An angel told them.
John and I took off to go see for ourselves. John was always faster and he got there ahead of me. He didn’t dare go in. The guard was gone. I went in and sure enough the body was gone. The burial garments were neatly folded where the body should have been.
John came in and he believed but I am still not sure.
And so here we sit, not knowing what to do. Will they come for us and charge us that we took the body? Where did Jesus go?
He did say that he would rise again. He called Lazarus back from death; I suppose he could do the same for himself. If it’s true and he did rise then maybe it wasn’t Rome all along he was coming to conquer. If he is alive then that means that he died for me. Even after I denied him, he still died for me and he died for you. If he has power of death then he surely has power over Satan. When Jesus said forgive them, was he talking about me too? Did Jesus die for me if he’s alive are my sins forgiven…..
Song……He’s Alive by Don Franciso
Played YouTube video of this by MatkinsMusic
Acted out the song as it played.
After song ended with Jesus victory and how our sins are forgiven.
