Make sure you check the end to see how this sermon should be delivered. It is a dramatical presentation.
Hello, fellow brothers and sisters in our Lord Christ Jesus,
My name is Simon. You probably know me better as Peter. No doubt you know the stories of our Lord and Savior. I’m here today to tell you my account of this man named Jesus.
I guess I should give my good brother Andrew the credit for me finding the Messiah. He came and told me of Jesus, and so we went to see him. Several days later we had just spent the night fishing without catching so much as one fish. The crowds began to gather around our master and so we got in the boat and pushed away from shore a bit. Then Jesus wanted us to attempt to fish again. We were really tired, from the previous fruitless night, but our Lord came through. We hauled in so many fish the boat began to sink. It was there and then, that our Lord asked me to follow him. He said that he would make us fishers of men. I did not know the full meaning of that until just recently.
That’s how my life was changed forever. But wait, there’s so much more to this story. As we began following our Lord from town to town and city to city, we began to understand, who this man was. He began to teach and to perform miracles. I’m not just talking any simple miracle mind you. People who were blind could now see. People, who were lame, began to dance for joy because our Lord had healed them. There were twelve of us in all that witnessed these miracles on a daily basis.
I remember one time in particular when Jairus, the synagogue ruler came to us. Others came and told him that his daughter was dead. Jesus told the man, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” James, John, and myself, accompanied Jesus to his house. The people were all in tears, because of the girl’s death. Jesus told them that she was merely sleeping. But they just laughed at him. But, do you know what? Jesus was right. The girl rose and ate with us that evening.
One time I remember when we were with our Lord and he was teaching us, he asked me a question. Something within me knew the answer. He asked me who the Son of Man was? I told him, “You are the Christ, Son of the living God.” It was then, that they began calling me Peter, the “ROCK” on which he would build his church. That is why I am before you, here today, to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Once, when we were in the boat, we saw something coming toward us in the mist. We we’re terrified, until he spoke. I asked him to bid me to come, and he did. I tell you the truth, as I stand here today, that by faith I walked on the waves. However, a thought came, only a brief thought. I began to sink, but Jesus rescued me.
I was beginning to see that this truly was God come to us in human flesh. Jesus was still human too did you know that? I remember how he reacted when we found out of John the Baptists beheading. Our Lord was so troubled. He cried, and mourned over the loss of John. He even withdrew in solitude from all of us. And yet, when the crowds followed him, he still had compassion on them and healed their sick. He even fed them from nothing but a few fish and some bread.
I guess the moment that I truly knew that he was the Son of God, was when we went up on the mountain. I saw with my own two eyes, Jesus’ face shining bright as the sun. Then we saw, Moses and Elijah standing there with him. At that very moment I heard a voice, so powerful and yet comforting. I remember it as if it were yesterday. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
That’s when it all began. The Lord began preparing us for his death. But, we never understood what he meant. I remember that night in the upper room, when he told us again of his death. I meant it so much that I would die for him. He told me that I would fall away, but I knew that I wouldn’t. When that traitor Judas came into the garden to arrest him, I tried to stop him. I drew my sword and cut off the right ear of Malchus. Jesus stopped me, and so they took him. I followed them at a distance. I was outside warming by the fire, when that very first question pierced my soul. “You are not one of his disciples, are you?” I denied it. Then the second time as well. The third man challenged me saying I saw you in the garden. Something within me was different. I felt ashamed. I felt fear for my own life. So, I must confess before you here today brothers, that three times I denied knowing our Lord. I heard a rooster crow, and then I remembered our Lord’s words. I was torn in two that day. I wandered around aimlessly for what seemed like an eternity. Searching for meaning, searching for anything that would give me a hope.
Then I heard that Pilate was going to release a prisoner, as is his custom during the Passover. I ran as fast as I could to the Palace. A large crowd had already gathered outside. Pilate came out and said that he would release a prisoner, as was the custom. He asked them if he should release Jesus? The crowd screamed for Barrabas. I began to yell for Jesus to be released. I was one of few in the crowd that day that yelled for them to release our Lord. The more Pilate told them of Jesus’ innocence the more the crowd screamed for Barrabas.
Pilate had Jesus flogged, and placed a crown of thorns on his head. He brought him out before the crowd again to try to set him free. He looked horrible. There was blood running down his face. His back was the worst. His flogging was horrible. It had ripped chunks of flesh from his body. Parts of his body were hanging out of the gaping holes. The crowds screamed even more, “Crucify him, Crucify him”.
I watched from the crowd as they forced him up to Golgotha. They laid him on the cross beam and then took the spikes and drove them through his wrists. They hoisted him up onto the cross, and then drove a final spike through his feet. He looked so weak. I thought that he might try to fight them, but he did not. I stood and I watched as he hung there on that cross. With each passing moment he grew weaker, as he pushed up to fill his lungs with air. I knew that his time was ending. I heard him comment to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise”. I wondered what that man had said, but from a distance I could not hear. I was later told that he wanted Jesus to remember him when he entered into his kingdom.
Then from the sixth hour to about the ninth hour, darkness came over the land. The sun quit shining. We we’re all amazed at this. Then we heard our Lord as he cried out, “Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani?” Which means “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Then he cried out again, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Then he died.
Friends I tell you this story today, because I have a question to ask you. It’s the same question I asked myself, after our Lord’s death. What shall I do with Jesus Christ? So I pose the same question to you today friends. What are you going to do with Jesus Christ? Are you willing today to be crucified with Christ? I once turned away. I witnessed first hand the Son of God dying for you and for me on that cross. If you desire to join with our Lord in this unity, then you come today, and you place your all on this cross. When you drive this nail, you are participants in his death. But through, this one man’s death, we have life. Won’t you come and spend time with our Lord.
To correctly do this sermon you need a few things.
1. A robe or clothing of the style that Peter might have worn.
2. An ability to remember in general this sermon (adjust as needed)
3. The desire to impact your congregation with a different style of sermon.
4. A wooden cross (two by fours work good, or if larger church use several crosses from two by sixes)
5. Hammer(s) and nails (appropriate to the size church)
6. Small slips of paper and pencils (appropriate again to church size)
Before you call your people forward, demonstrate by writing on a piece of paper whatever it is that you want to nail to the cross. Then take the nail, and the hammer and drive it into the cross. Pre-drive a hole, so you can put the nail in and then drive it automatically. Be very deliberate in driving the nail. With each blow the congregation can almost feel it. This has been one of the most powerful illustrations that I have ever used. You can also accompany it with other sermons as well.
