JESUS THROUGH THE EYES OF PETER
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: DEER SEASON HUMOR
1. A preacher, a lawyer, and a doctor went hunting together. They all shot the same deer at the same time. So when they went to tag it, they couldn't decide who could claim it, since all three had shot at the same time.
2. As they were discussing it, a game warden came along and they explained the situation. They asked, "Can you tell us who shot the deer?" The game warden leaned over the deer and quickly responded, "That's easy. The preacher shot it."
3. The men were incredulous, "How can you tell?" And the game warden responded, "Because it went in one ear and out the other."
B. THESIS & TITLE
1. We all see things differently. I see things you don’t see. You see things that I don’t see. We each have our own perspective of life.
2. QUESTION– WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO MEET JESUS? THE BIBLE GIVES US AN INSIGHT, BY EXPOSING US TO THOSE WHO KNEW JESUS BEST. ONE OF THOSE WAS PETER.
3. What made Peter different from other men, so that people fell dead before him, or that his shadow healed the sick, or that 1,000s were saved when he preached? It was his intimate exposure to Jesus!
4. This is important because it shows that as Peter walked with Jesus, he grew spiritually. Are you and I growing? Are we making progress? Are we conforming to the image of Jesus and are we changing people’s lives around us?
5. The title of today’s message is “Jesus through the Eyes of Peter.”
I. PETER’S BROTHER
1. Jesus entered Peter’s life through his brother Andrew who was a follower of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was the first prophet to prophesy to Israel in 400 years. He wore a garment of camel’s hair with a wide leather belt, and ate locusts and wild honey. When John saw Jesus pass by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (Jn. 1:36) Andrew overheard him and followed Jesus home and visited with Him.
2. Then Andrew went and got Peter, telling him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). The word "found" is “eurakamen,” from which we get our word “Eureka!” as of a wonderful discovery. Andrew had long sought and now found the Messiah!
3. John 1:41-42 says, “And he brought [Peter] to Jesus. Jesus looked at him [with prophetic vision] and said, “You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Rock).
4. Andrew a). Never wrote an Epistle; b). Never founded a Church; c). But was the instrumental to bring Peter to Christ. Praise God!
II. PETER’S HOUSE & MOTHER-IN-LAW
1. Next, Jesus came to Peter’s house. I’m glad that Jesus makes “house calls.” He wants to come to your house. Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with “a great fever” (Luke 4:38;KJV).
2. The NIV describes it as a “high” fever, probably over 103 degrees. This indicates she had a dangerous bacteria or virus racking her body, from which she might have died.
3. Mark says that Jesus took her by the hand and lifted her up (1:31). Jesus healed her. Jesus didn’t have to touch her; many times He just spoke and people were healed. But Jesus frequently touched people. He wants to touch you and me.
4. Peter’s house was a private residence. However, when the news of her healing got around town, people started coming from everywhere to get healed.
5. In fact, the Bible says that “the whole town gathered at the door,” and Jesus healed them. His ministry was multiplied because of “touch.”
III. PETER’S BOATS & NETS
A. JESUS IN PETER’S BOAT
1. One morning Jesus asked to use Peter’s boat to preach out of, because the crowd was getting too big that it crowded around Him. After He taught a while, Jesus asked Peter to launch out into deep water and let down his nets to catch some fish. Now, Peter and his fellow workers had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. They knew that early morning was the best time to catch fish, so trying mid-day would be useless. But Peter, having respect for Christ, did what He asked.
2. Luke 5:6-11 says, “6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat...and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 ...Jesus said... “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left
everything and followed him.
B. WHY THIS MIRACLE AFFECTED PETER SO MUCH
1. Peter had seen other miracles, but they didn't affect him like this. This miracle was:
a. Was in his calling/trade.
b. Was in his boat.
c. Occurred with his nets!
d. After all his efforts and experience showed it couldn't happen.
2. "THIS IS GOD!" As he gazed into Jesus’ eyes, he knew he was in the presence of the Holy One of Israel! Suddenly Peter felt unworthy.
3. Jesus’ called Peter to ministry, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed Him.” LK. 5:10-11. Peter decided to leave his job & become a full-time disciple of Jesus.
IV. PETER’S FISHING ROD Mt. 17:24
1. In Capernaum, Peter was visited by collectors of the temple tax. They asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, He does,” he replied. Matt. 17:24-25. Before he could ask Jesus about it, the Lord already knew of the request (omniscience) and told Peter to take his fishing rod down to the lake and go fishing. “Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.” (17:27).
2. IMAGINE PETER GOING TO FISH FOR MONEY
a. Imagine Peter walking down toward the lake. He runs into an old friend, "Where are you going Peter?" "Ah, nowhere really."
b. Friend, "Yeah but you're carrying a fishing pole. What are you planning on catching? What kind of bait do you have?" Peter, "I didn't bring any bait."
c. Friend, "What? How can you catch a fish without any bait? What kind of fish are you trying to catch?" Peter, "I don't know! You wouldn't believe me if I told you; the Master, Jesus, sent me to catch our taxes!"
d. "What? We've both been fishing all of our lives, and our fathers before us, yet I've never heard of anyone catching taxes. No wonder you were sneaking along! Next time I need some taxes, I’ll ask you to catch me some! Ha Ha! See you later Peter!"
3. Christ could have commanded a BAG of money to be in the fish’s mouth, as easily as one coin. This teaches us that GOD is our source and He WILL provide for us!
V. PETER’S SWORD John 18:10
1. On the night Jesus was arrested by the Chief Priests, He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, right outside Jerusalem. The chief priests sent a large company of Temple Guards to arrest Jesus. They were being led by Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Malchus, an official of the High Priest, was in charge.
2. When Malchus stepped forward to arrest Jesus, Peter stepped forward and swung a sword at him. Malchus’ right ear fell to the ground. (Peter had intended to cut off his head but wasn’t a good shot and only cut off his ear.)
3. I’ve often wanted to preach this as “The Man Who Had Three Ears,” because I believe that in the darkness & confusion, Malchus’ ear, which was cut off, still lay on the ground. Jesus didn’t pick it up, He just created a new ear on the man.
4. How many of you know that JESUS DOESN’T NEED ANYBODY TO PROTECT HIM! Jesus said to them, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Mt. 26:53. Jesus was the incarnate Word. He could’ve spoken one word and destroyed them all!
5. The Lord told Peter to put away his sword and the early Church never picked it up again.
VI. LASTLY JESUS CONQUERED PETER’S HEART!
A. PETER FELL FROM HIS APOSTOLIC POSITION
1. After Peter denied the Lord 3 times and Jesus had died & risen, but Peter was still not yet restored to his place, he said, “I’m going to go fish” (Jn. 21:3). He and four others fished all day but caught nothing. A man on the shore shouted they should fish on the other side of their ship. When they did, they caught so many fish that they couldn’t pull them in. They instantly knew who was on the shore – the resurrected Christ!
2. They went to the shore and after eating, Jesus 3X asked Peter if he loved Him. He said ‘yes’, but with the Greek word for human love, not perfect love. Jesus reinstated Peter into his apostolic office. Peter’s heart was broken, but it would never stray again.
B. PETER EXPERIENCED MERCY & FORGIVENESS
1. BACK TO PLACE OF FIRST-LOVE. The Lord Jesus wants to know, “Do you really love Me?” The Church of Ephesus, which was a great church, was told by the Lord, 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first” Rev. 2:4-5.
2. PETER’S FINAL SURRENDER was told about in John 21:18. Jesus told Peter, paraphrased, ‘You used to live for yourself Peter, but now no longer. You will die here and start living for Me.’ Peter did live for God and in his old age was crucified upside down.
3. But this was the place Peter experienced God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness. He was restored. Maybe some of you need mercy, forgiveness, & restoration. Let’s PRAY for this as the men come to distribute the Lord’s Supper.
CONCLUSION
A. THE GREATNESS OF JESUS
1. After all is said and done, Jesus stands alone! No one else is like Him. Jesus is in a class all by Himself.
2. When Jesus was a 12-year-old boy, He was questioned by the doctors of the Law. They were amazed at his understand-ing. One probably asked, “Son, how old are You?” “Well,” He says,
a. “On My mother’s side, I’m 12-years-old, but on My Father’s side, I’m from everlasting to everlasting.” You see, He was both God and man.
b. Now, on His mother’s side, He got thirsty; on His Father’s side, He said, “I am the water of life.”
c. On His mother’s side, He got hungry; on His Father’s side, He took a little lad’s lunch and fed 5,000.
d. On His mother’s side, He was homeless, and didn’t have a place to lay His head; on His Father’s side, He owned the cattle on a thousand hills.
e. On His mother’s side, He wept at the grave of Lazarus; on His Father’s side, He said, “Lazarus, come forth,” and raised him from the dead. [Jerry Vines]. He was God in human form.
3. No one ever spoke like Jesus Christ, did the things He did, or made the claims He made. He was born of a Virgin. No other world teacher ever claimed to be God. HE NOT ONLY CLAIMED IT, BUT PROVED IT!
B. THE CALL
1. Distribute the LORD’S SUPPER.
2. Receive Mercy, forgiveness, restoration.
