Go Tell Peter

Go Tell Peter

Simon Peter- A fisherman, a strong burly man. A man of strong opinion, and quicker to act than to listen. More than once his actions as well as his quick speech has gotten him into trouble. He is quick to speak his mind but sometimes he has not thought out what he should say before speaking.

He was brought up to continue his father's business as a fisherman on the lake of Galilee. He and his brother Andrew were partners with Zebedee's sons, John and James, who had "hired servants," which implies a high social status and culture. Peter lived first at Bethesda, then in Capernaum, in a house either his own or his mother-in-law's, large enough to receive Christ and his fellow apostles and some of the multitude who thronged about Him. In his statement, "leaving all to follow Christ," he implies he made a large sacrifice.

His first introduction to Jesus is in Matt 4:18-20
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

Peter made a decision that day to follow Jesus that changed the rest of his life.
Peter was present at many of the great miracles that Jesus performed and was a recipient of at least three. The filling of his boat with fish after they had not been able to catch any, the healing of Peter'’s mother in law and finding the coin in the mouth of a fish that they needed to pay taxes.

He became one of the inner circle that Jesus would take with Him when He needed to get away. He was on the Mount of Transfiguration, at the raising of Jarius daughter, and the garden of Gethsemane. He was the only disciple to walk on water with Jesus.

Peter had the great ability to say the right thing at the right time.
John 6:67-69 67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matt 16:13-17 13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

He also had the knack for saying and doing the wrong thing at the wrong time
Jesus had to rebuke him and called him Satan when he tried to stop Jesus from talking about His eminent death
He was abrupt in his question to Jesus about who had touched Him.
He did not want Jesus to wash his feet.

He developed a devotion to Jesus and a fierce loyalty to Him.
In the Garden of Gethesemene he drew out his sword and cut off the ear of the high priests servant.
There is closeness between Peter and Jesus and a clear indication of how much Jesus cared about Peter.

Peter was dedicated to Jesus
He was willing to fight for Him
He said he was willing to die for Him

But something happened in the life of Peter that turned his world upside down.
His friend, teacher, leader, instructor, was taken to court and falsely accused, those who should have been defending him were the ones bringing charges against Him.

Peter waits for the sign that Jesus is going to reveal himself as the conquering Messiah, but it never occurs. Peter watches him beaten, spit upon, he watches them strip him of His clothes, he watches as they mock Him and call Him King of the Jews. Peter feels the inevitable slipping up on him. They are going to kill Him and he is not going to do anything about it. He is not going to call angels from heaven.

In that moment Peter loses his faith, everything he has trusted in falls apart and with it goes his bravery and his promise that he would never deny his Lord. He becomes afraid to even let a servant girl know that he was associated with Jesus and does everything in his power to disassociate himself from Jesus. Mathew records the sordid details

Matt 26:69-27:1 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Everything is lost, Peter has denied his Lord when He needed him most

The guilt and condemnation that must have overwhelmed him the feeling of total hopelessness that invaded Peter's heart must have been immense.

What do you do when you have denied what you know to be right? How do you go back and undo what has been done?

But while Peter is dealing with the guilt of having denied Jesus, what He does not know is that Jesus knew he would fail during this time and He has already forgiven him.
What Peter thought was Jesus greatest defeat was actually His greatest victory. Because now mercy had been released and there is forgiveness for sins.

As Jesus prepared to leave the tomb, He pulled on of the angels to the side and said "I want to give you some instructions, when the women come to anoint my body and find me gone instruct them to tell my disciples that I am risen. Oh, one more thing, tell them to tell Peter as well".

What Jesus was doing in singling Peter out was to make sure that he got the message that everything was all right. Jesus could not have said it louder if he had been screaming. "Peter I have forgiven you!"

Never again did Peter deny Jesus in fact He became one of the most outspoken preachers of his day. History says that when they decided to crucify Peter he asked to be hung upside down because he was not worthy to die as his savior did.

No matter what you have done or how much you feel you have denied Jesus, He is still calling, saying let them know that I am alive and I love them.