Back in the 60's ... a man named Laurence J. Peter ... visited several corporations ... and studied some of their management styles ... and characteristics.
As a result, ... he came up with a maxim ... which was later named after him ... called ... "The Peter Principle." (Pause)
I was an Executive Vice President in the banking field for 32 years.
So, ... it's nice to know ... that some of my financial experience ... can transfer ... to the pulpit.
Well ... The Peter Principle ... roughly states:
When A person is hired by a company ... and they are doing very well in their position;
Someone will notice his or her competence ... and they are promoted to a higher level of responsibility.
They again perform well ... and they are elevated another notch ... within the organization.
This occurs again and again.
Eventually ... the individual is promoted to a position ... that they do poorly at ... or cannot handle.
That is ... They are promoted to a point ... where they are less competent ... or in many cases ... incompetent.
And They remain in that position ... for their remaining tenure ... with the company.
And sadly, ... they lose their value ... or in many cases ... have no value ... or even worse ... a negative value ... to the company. (Long Pause)
The World too ... evaluates people ... based on a kind of ... Peter Principle:
People are often regarded as valuable ... based upon ... good looks, ... intelligence, ... personality, ... wealth, ... or on things that they do ... or accomplish.
Yet sooner or later ... we will all reach a point in our lives ... when we are no longer useful ... or no longer have value ... at least ... by those standards.
By contrast, ... when it comes to the value of individuals ... God has a different posture ... than that ... of the world.
God looks less ... at what the world considers valuable.
Why? .... for He knows what lies within them ... he knows ... each person's inner worth.
God told the prophet Samuel ...this spiritual truth: Hear God's Word: BIBLE "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man, looks at the outward appearance, ... but the LORD ... looks ... (Slow) At the heart." END (1 Samuel 16:7)
The world focuses on the ... outward.
God focuses on ... what? ... The heart: ... the potential ... which lies within.
In our Gospel text ... we are introduced ... to a man named ... Simon.
Now, ... I want you to see Simon ... the way the world saw Simon.
This man was useful to the community:
He was a skilled fisherman
He knew boats ... He knew nets.
He knew fish ... He knew the sea'
He was a man's ... man.
Confident ... Likable ... Outspoken ... Highly Opinionated.
Among his circle of companions ... he would have been ... a leader.
Now in our text .... we are told that Andrew ... previously a disciple of John the Baptist ... brings his brother Simon ... to this Nazarene ... named Jesus.
Andrew does not even have time to introduce his brother.
When... Jesus immediately states: ... "You are Simon ... son of John" (John 1:42)
It is as if Jesus were saying: ... (Slow) I know ...you ... I know ... (Slow) who you are.
I know ... you are a skilled fisherman, ... a man's man, ... a leader among your peers.
Then Jesus tells this man ... "You shall now be called Cephas" (John 1:42)
Jesus not only knew who Simon was, ... Jesus also knew ... who Simon ... could be.
Jesus knew ... the potential within... and Jesus gave Simon ... a new name.
A name ... that reflected .... what Jesus saw in this man ... now to be known as ... Cephas ... Peter. (Pause)
It is ... noteworthy.
That routinely ... when God ... wants to do something special in person's life, .... he gives them ... a new name.
1. Abram became Abraham (Genesis 17:5)
2. Jacob was renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28)
3. In the New Testament, Simon becomes Peter. (John 1:42)
4. Saul ... becomes Paul (Acts 13:9)
There is a song) 4t is often used at baptisms ...that seems so appropriate ... for this new birth ... in Christ.
I will change your name
You shall no longer be called
Wounded, outcast, lonely or afraid
I will change your name
Your new name shall be
Confidence, joyfulness, overcoming one
Faithfulness, friend of God
One who seeks My face
Beloved ... The Scriptures promise ... that we shall have a new value ... a new identity... in essence ... a new name.
For we are a what?
We are ... A new creation ... Praise God ... a new creation ...in Christ Jesus.
The Old is ... gone ... the new has ... come.
Well ... in our text ... Simon is literally given ... a new name ... Peter.
You might say ...: "Well ... That's nice.
Simon was useful to his community .... and Now he was going to be useful .... to Jesus."
But there is a problem ... A major problem ... with that concept ... of being ... useful ... of being valuable.
If usefulness .... is the basis upon which we evaluate a person's worth, ... then ... once a person stops being quote ... "useful" ... then they stop being ... valuable.
In essence ...They become the fulfillment ... of the Peter Principle.
You move up the ladder ... you move through life ...until you reach a point ... that you are no longer quote ... useful.
You become ... in the eyes of the world ... a failure ... or even worse ... a burden.
If you had you been watching Peter during his time with Jesus.
He would have been the embodiment ... of failure ... the embodiment of ... the Peter Principle.
When Jesus asked Peter, James, and John ... to join him in prayer in the garden of Gethsemane ....
Shortly before he was betrayed, ... what did Peter and the others ... end up doing?
They fell asleep.
Not once, ... not twice, ... but three times.
Peter fell asleep three times.
He failed.
Then, when Jesus was taken into custody.
Peter had the opportunity ... to boldly declare Jesus as his master ... his Lord ... the Messiah.
Instead, ... he denied Christ ... not once ... not twice but ... 3 times, ... the last time cursing ... as he made his denial.
He failed.
Then after the resurrection, .... perhaps from shame that he had failed Jesus, ... he went back to fishing, ... possibly with the intention ... never to return.
He failed.
Yet ... 30 days' latter ... we find Peter preaching one of the most powerful sermons ever given .... convicting over 3,000 .... to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness ... of their sins.
I will change your name.
Your new name shall be
confidence, joyfulness overcoming one.
And ... Later ... we see Peter in temple courts, ... after healing a lame man, ... again proclaiming the death, ... burial and resurrection ... of Jesus Christ.
As a result of these activities, ... He was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin.
The Sanhedrin's intention was to flog, ... imprison, ... and perhaps even execute Peter ... for his actions.
Yet Peter with confidence .... boldly responds to them, ... Hear God's Word: BIBLE "Do what you will with me, "(I) must obey God ... rather than men!" END (Acts 5:29)
Beloved ... are you experiencing that that joyfulness that confidence ... in your life?
Are you ignited?
You can be ... and ... you should be.
Something .... Something apparently happened to Peter.
Yet what?
What changed Peter .... what energized him, ... what ignited him, .... What power turned him loose?
So, the question is ... How do you tap into ... this power?
Some believe ... in order to accomplish that ... you just need more ... quote ...... "head knowledge."
Just study the Bible more, ... attend Church more, ... maybe go to a Seminary or Bible college.
Now, ... we know that God has caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
And that we are called to ... hear, ... read, ... mark, ... learn, ...and inwardly digest the Scriptures.
Yet ... Did head knowledge ... cause this dramatic change in Peter?
If anybody had ... "head knowledge" ... it was Peter and the other disciples ... that walked with Jesus.
They spent 3 years ... at the feet of Jesus.
And Jesus' doctrine was ... pure.
Yet after all this knowledge .... Peter still denied Jesus, ... he and the other apostles still hid in fear ... of the authorities.
Beloved ... Peter did not need more head knowledge ... and it seems that he did not receive more head knowledge ... for he went back ... to fishing.
Peter's problem ... was not a head knowledge problem ... It was a problem ... that many Christians share today.
Peter's character up to this point ... seemed to be... "I can do all things".
This was a man's man, ... a leader amongst his friends.
A decisive, ... bold, ...... and imposing personality.
If he could not do it ... well .... It just couldn't be done.
That was the kind of man Peter was.
When Jesus said that he was going to be betrayed, arrested, and crucified.
Peter proclaimed to all the disciples gathered. BIBLE "Even though they all fall away, ... I will not." END (Matthew 26:33)
Peter had an I problem!
I ... can do this!
I ... am stronger!
I ... will not fall away!
Well after Jesus arrest ... after Peter denied him three times ... after Peter ... (Slow) fell away.
(Slow) He finally came to the realization ... "I ... cannot do this!"
When you allow Christ into your life ... When you Allow the Holy Spirit ... to enter your very being ... As Peter did... at Pentecost.
Then your true value ... Your true worth is ... revealed.
The change in Peter happened when he stopped believing: .... "I can do all things" ... and started to understand that:
Hear God's Word BIBLE "I can do all things through Christ ... who strengthens me." END (Philippians 4:13).
Beloved ... We ... You and I ... can do all things... through Christ ... who ... strengthens us.
What kind of strength are you talking about ... you ask?
Well thank you for asking.
Illustration time!
(Pick up a glove) ... If said to this glove, ..."Glove, pick up that Bible," ... could the glove, ... do it?
The glove has the shape of a hand, ... It has a thumb ... and 4 fingers.
But could the glove ... pick up that Bible?
So, ... I say again to the glove, ... "I apologize, Mr. Glove, ... I have not told you ... how to pick up that Bible.
Put your thumb on top of the Bible, ... and your 4 fingers underneath it, ... squeeze tight, ... and then lift.
Now ... Mr. Glove ... pick it up."
Will anything happen? ... No ... of course not!
Why? ... Because the glove has no strength ... it is powerless.
The glove is empty .... It has no life ... in it.
The glove cannot do anything ... it can do no thing ...until ... (hands on heart) Until ... I put my hand inside it.
(Put hand in glove) The moment I place my hand inside, ... the glove becomes ......as strong ... as my hand.
One I do ... Everything that is possible ... for my hand .... becomes possible ... for the ... glove.
If the glove could speak, ... it might say: ... "I can do all things ... through the hand ... which strengthens me."
REPEAT (Long Pause)
Beloved ... In a way ...You and I are like ... a glove; ... and Christ is our strength.
He strengthens us.
And the Scriptures promise: I can do what? "I can do all things ... all things ... through Christ ......who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)
Beloved... There is nothing of eternal importance ... that we cannot do ... if we allow His strength ... to flow through us.
There is no limit to what God can do in your life in my life ... or in the life ... of His church, ...if we allow him to ... empower us.
As this world tries to pull you away from God.
As Satan and your flesh tempts you ...with the things ... of the world.
Stand in the strength ... of the Christ.
(Slow Down) Peter changed when he yielded his will ... to the will ... of Jesus.
Peter changes when he allowed his very being ... to be molded ... by .... the Master's hand. (Long Pause)
Beloved ... you can ... we can ... do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Jesus sees the potential ... the worth within each of us.
We are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
The old is gone ... the new has come.
Paul's words to the believers in Corinth have been the heart ... that Lee and I have always had for the Epiphany Family:
BIBLE 4 I give thanks to my God always for you ... because of the grace of God that was given you ... in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him ... in all speech ... and all knowledge-- 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you-- 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, ... as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end. END (1 Corinthians 1:4-7)
I pray you see not only the worth of your own soul ... but to be filled with God's grace and Love ... and to see the worth of the souls ... that God places in your life each ... and every day.
Love gives us the capacity ... to see others through God's eyes.
Love gives us the desire ...to shower unexpected love ... and unexpected grace ... on others.
Beloved you are ... Hear me on this ... You are a new creation in Christ Jesus.
Your heart has been changed ... It has been transformed.
A heart that is filled to the very Brim ... with His Love ...and with His Grace.
A heart that seeks ... to do His will ... a heart that continually ... seeks His Face.
I will change your name
Your new name shall be
Confidence, joyfulness, overcoming one
Faithfulness, friend of God
One who seeks My face
Beloved We can ... We can ... do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Amen!
I received much insight from a Sermon by Jeff Strite Titled "The Peter Principle" and I commend it to you.
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