Heroes: Simon Peter

Speaker: Colin Boyd

Notes

Peter was an ordinary man and was with Jesus from the beginning. Matt 4:18, Matt 10:2

He was an impetuous man and this could be a fault, until brought into service. Matt 14:28, Matt 16:16

Peter received rebuke from Jesus but continued to devote himself to him. Matt 16:20-23. Point made about still being able to devote ourselves to the man Jesus while struggling with the mighty vastness of Father God. Jesus will deal with us with grace while we learn our own present limitations.

Matt 17:1 Peter tried to run ahead with "good ideas" that were not what Jesus needed to be done at that time, and Peter was learning, as we must, how to accept this. Jesus saw not only the man that Peter was at that moment, but also saw the man he was becoming, just as God sees us.

Matt 18:21 Peter learned to consult Jesus on matters that were regarded as already known and learned. We need to learn to dare to question even in those areas where we were brought up to see how we and our families did things as "normal". Matt 26:31 Peter learned to question his very self and all that he thought he was. He found difficulty in forgiving himself.

John 21:15 Jesus restored Peter and showed him that his love was enough and it did not have to surpass the love of the other disciples. He was given his tasks.

Rest of Peter's career - his impetuosity was at last harnessed at Pentecost and he leapt in again powered by the Holy Spirit and the Church came roaring into life. He dared to deal with gentiles, then back-tracked and had to be confronted by Paul, but in the end he went to Rome, the centre of gentile power, and died willingly for Jesus.

Application

Is there anything, any action or ideas, that you were brought up to see as normal and right, but you have had to question since becoming a Christian?

Have you ever discounted yourself because you are so "ordinary" and assumed that others will always do things better? Does God actually talk to "ordinary" people or are his words always passed down to you by the more gifted people?

At the end of the sermon I claimed that Peter "loved as Jesus had loved". How did Jesus show his love to us and how can we do likewise?

Posted: 31 May 2009