Post by Micheal on Apr 20, 2008 18:05:51 GMT -6
Today I would like to take a look at one of my favorite Bible characters, Peter (AKA Simon, Simon Peter, Cephas). There are several facts we can find about Peter just from reading the four gospels. And a few more from reading the book of Acts and 1&2 Peter.
First of all, Peter was fiercely loyal to Christ...most of the time. When 108 out of the 120 disciples deserted Jesus, Jesus asked the Twelve if they were going to desert him too. Peter spoke up and said "Lord, to whom would we go? No one else has the Words of Life."(a)Later on, when Christ was being arrested, Peter cut off the ear of one of the people trying to arrest Jesus.(b)
Another thing we know is that Peter trusted Jesus completely. When Jesus walked on the water, and all of the others thought that they were seeing a ghost, Peter figured out who He was. He literally gets out of the boat and starts walking on the water toward Christ.(c) And earlier, when Jesus started his ministry, Peter left everything and followed Him, just because Jesus said so.(d)
One of the things we know about Peter, that makes me relate to him, is that he knew that he wasn't perfect. One day as they were fishing, Jesus asked Peter to take him, in his boat, out onto the water to preach. Once Peter realized who Jesus was, he asked Christ to leave Him for "I'm too much of a sinner to be around you."(e) Later on, during the walking on water thing, Peter got scared and started to sink. He immediately called out to Christ to save him. (He knew intuitively that Christ would save Him.) And later on when he had denied that he even knew Jesus, Peter immediately felt guilty.(f)
These are just three of the aspects of Peter that I relate to. And the things that make me thankful that God uses sinners, not religious people.
(a) John 6:66-68
(b) John 18:10
(c) Matthew 14:22-36
(d) Matthew 4:20
(e) Luke 5:8
(f) Luke 22:54-65
First of all, Peter was fiercely loyal to Christ...most of the time. When 108 out of the 120 disciples deserted Jesus, Jesus asked the Twelve if they were going to desert him too. Peter spoke up and said "Lord, to whom would we go? No one else has the Words of Life."(a)Later on, when Christ was being arrested, Peter cut off the ear of one of the people trying to arrest Jesus.(b)
Another thing we know is that Peter trusted Jesus completely. When Jesus walked on the water, and all of the others thought that they were seeing a ghost, Peter figured out who He was. He literally gets out of the boat and starts walking on the water toward Christ.(c) And earlier, when Jesus started his ministry, Peter left everything and followed Him, just because Jesus said so.(d)
One of the things we know about Peter, that makes me relate to him, is that he knew that he wasn't perfect. One day as they were fishing, Jesus asked Peter to take him, in his boat, out onto the water to preach. Once Peter realized who Jesus was, he asked Christ to leave Him for "I'm too much of a sinner to be around you."(e) Later on, during the walking on water thing, Peter got scared and started to sink. He immediately called out to Christ to save him. (He knew intuitively that Christ would save Him.) And later on when he had denied that he even knew Jesus, Peter immediately felt guilty.(f)
These are just three of the aspects of Peter that I relate to. And the things that make me thankful that God uses sinners, not religious people.
(a) John 6:66-68
(b) John 18:10
(c) Matthew 14:22-36
(d) Matthew 4:20
(e) Luke 5:8
(f) Luke 22:54-65