Peter The Apostle
- Set decorated with netting – fishing equipment, rope
- Starts off with Peter sitting and mending nets – the sound of surf and sea gulls in the background
INTRODUCTION
Greetings. Please excuse me as I finish these last few knots. Seems that no matter how many times I fixed these nets, they always need mending again. If you’re a fisherman – one thing is certain – if you go fishing your nets are going to need mending – even if you don’t catch anything. All it really takes is a piece of drift wood or a rock on the bottom. If it isn’t attended to the whole thing unravels. And when you do catch fish – the strain on the net sometimes tears holes and of course it needs repairing. I guess in a way these old nets are a kind of metaphor for life – it just unravels unless someone knows how to tie up the loose ends.
Well it’s actually been a long time since I’ve had to do this. Even though it’s a tedious task, I actually kind of miss it. I miss all of it. The early mornings, the sour muscles, the smell of the ocean, and the fishy smell of the water-logged boards in the boat, the sound of the birds calling overhead. It’s what was familiar to me – more than that it was my very life. I know it might sound strange to some of you but the smell of fish and the rise and fall of a heavy rocking sea felt good to me – it was my comfort zone. It was a fisherman’s life. Yes it was a hard life – but it was a good life as well. It was all I’d ever known. That is until I met Jesus – he changed my life - he changed my future – he changed everything about me. But that’s what he does, isn’t it? Once you really meet him – you can not stay the same.
FAMILY BACKGROUND
Now as you already know, my name is Peter – well actually my name is Simon Bar Jona, which in your language means Simon, Son of John. People know me by many names: Cephas – which means rock or stone. Simon Peter, which is a combination of my Hebrew name and the Greek translation of my name. I was born in the fishing village of Bethsaida. The land of Palestine was then divided into three provinces, Judea, Samaria and Galilee. Judea whose capitol was Jerusalem lay furthest south, Samaria next to it, or in the middle and Galilee in the north. As I’m sure that you are award - the major feature of the northern province of Galilee of course is the Sea of Galilee. Fed from the north by the river Jordan, the Sea of Galilee is about 15 miles long and about 8 miles broad. On the northeastern shore of the Sea, not from Capernaum, stood Bethsaida – positioned right where the Jordan flows into the Sea. The Bethsaida means, Fisherman’s City. Though in truth it was more of a village than a city. My father Jona was a fisherman in this village as was his father before him. Fishing was all my brother Andrew and I had ever known. From the time when we were small my father would take us with him, teaching us what would become our livelihood. I was born about 15 years before Jesus was born. In fact I was the oldest among the chosen 12. A fact that I and they were well aware of. Besides chiding me from time to time over the issue of my age – they commonly looked to me for guidance and leadership when Jesus was not around. I have always been a person who takes charge when others might normally hesitate or drawback – I am a risk taker – my Heavenly Father has created me that way. This may have caused some of you to think of me as impetuous and impulsive. A label which I perhaps deserve. But nonetheless I became chief among the apostles.
I grew up among common hard working people. I lived a commoner’s life and had a commoner’s education. We didn’t have schools or books as you now have readily available to you – Nor did we even have professional teachers. Our parents and our grandparents were our primary guides and instructors – our education was geared towards the more necessarily elements of a tradesmen’s life. I grew up bilingual, which was common for people in our trade – the world in which I lived was both Jewish and Greek. In our home we commonly spoke Hebrew and in the marketplace, we often spoke Greek. Many people regarded fishermen as uneducated and untrained. But I was not illiterate. Every child in my village received a simple education through the village synagogue. I learned the stories and history of our people. Every Sabbath we were instructed in the Word of God and the great traditions of our people. We have a great history – filled with wonderful accounts of how God had given us our land and proved His faithfulness to us time and time again. At an early age I began to apprentice with my father. It was very common to follow your father’s profession as you grew into a young adult.
As was customary in my culture, I married during my teenage years. After I married I left my hometown of Bethsaida and moved to the fishing village of Capernaum on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, where I lived with my wife, and my mother-in-law. In those days we were living under the rule of Rome who had occupied our land and were enforcing their authority over us. Through the writings of our prophets we knew that someday one called the Messiah would come and set us completely free. Everyone in Israel was waiting and praying that he would come soon.
JOHN THE BAPTIST
My story starts with an encounter with a rather stern and strange character that we came to call John the Baptizer. Now this John lived in the wilderness along the banks of the Jordan River. In those days Israel had all but lost her spiritual footing. Israel was not being loyal to God and living as the nation that God intended. Her leadership had strayed and had developed a form of religion, but they had no power in their faith at all. Religion was all about what sect you belonged to and heredity, nationality and tradition, rather than loving God and obeying his commandments. At the time I had a rather thriving fishing business. My brother Andrew and I had partnered together with two other brothers named James and John – the sons of Zebedee. – Oh they were hotheaded always yelling at each other and arguing - very rough unruly chaps. But fishing has a lot of heavy lifting and these two brothers made the load a lot lighter – even though they were known as the sons of thunder.
My brother Andrew had gone out to hear this John the Baptist, as you now call him. Andrew was traveling with John to deliver fish to Jerusalem, when he first encountered him. Both of them were enamored by what this prophet had said. John the Baptist drew crowds of people wherever he went, and many thought he was the true Messiah. The Words he spoke rang true with the people, and his baptism of repentance was given to many. They would gather daily to hear him speak. He was so popular, that nervous members of the Sanhedrin sent Priests to Betharabah to interview John the Baptist and determine if he was in fact the Messiah. John could have easily claimed to be the Messiah and took advantage of his great following, yet he left no doubt in the mind of anyone that he was not the One. He claimed that he was merely, “A Voice of one calling the desert, Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.” He told people that he baptized people with water but that there was one who would follow that would baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit - One whose thongs he was not worthy to untie.
Andrew and John returned several times to hear him and they soon became devoted followers of John the Baptist. Day after day they would go and listen to Him as preached a message of repentance for forgiveness of sins. One day as Andrew and John were with John the Baptist they looked up and there was Jesus – then unknown to either of them and to anyone for that matter - walking along the banks of the Jordan River. When John the Baptist saw Jesus Christ walking, he declared “Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world!” Jesus came to John and requested that he be baptized. At first John resisted, but Jesus told him that he must be baptized in order that all righteousness be fulfilled. So John baptized him. Immediately everyone saw the Spirit come down like a dove and it rested on the shoulder of Jesus. And a voice came from heaven itself, “You are my Son whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” Andrew and John spent that afternoon with Jesus. That evening Andrew came running breathlessly back to our home to find me and he was proclaiming, “We have found the Messiah”
At first I was not impressed with the announcement. There were so many false messiahs who had come and gone – But Andrew insisted. And so the next day he took me to meet Jesus. Without even being introduced Jesus said to me, “ You are Simon Bar Jona – but from now on you will be called Cephas – which in Greek is Peter” From the very first conversation I had with him I knew there was none like him that I had ever met before. He was gentle, yet filled with power and authority. He was kind and loving and yet in a moment I knew that he spoke with an authority unlike any of the teachers of the law that we had in our nation. It wasn’t long until I realized that Andrew was right – certainly He must be our long awaited Messiah. Now I didn’t follow him at first. Not that I wouldn’t have you see – But Jesus left us at that point and was unseen for a period of 40 days. I later learned that he spent this time in the wilderness being fasting and being tempted by the devil himself.
PETER’S CALL
Now about this time John the Baptist was arrested and imprisoned. He had spoken about the immorality of Herod who had taken his brother’s wife as his own even though they were not married. He had told Herod that they needed to repent of their sins and ask for forgiveness from God. In a rage Herod had him thrown into prison. About that time Jesus came back to the region of Galilee.
I remember that day so well, Andrew and I were fishing - actually we had been fishing all night and we hadn’t caught a single thing. That’s the way goes sometimes when you are a fisherman. IT was morning and we had pulled our nets in and were washing the seaweed and debris from the nets when suddenly I heard a commotion. I looked up and there was Jesus with a great crowd of people following him. He was speaking as he walked and the people were pressing around him in such a way it looked as if they would overrun him. As he arrived at the place where we were He climbed into one of our boats and asked if we could push out a little into the water. And from there he taught the people. After he had finished teaching he said to me - “Simon Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Now I know that He was a wise prophet of God but I was a seasoned fisherman. This was now daylight and the sun was high – there was no way we were going to catch anything now – particularly after fishing all night and not catching a single thing – I told him so but also said, by way of accommodating him that I would do as he wished. You would not believe how many fish we caught that day – many have called it a fish story – but it was all that we could do not to swamp the boats. I was overwhelmed – I didn’t know how to respond. I fell to my knees and cried, “Away from me Lord for I am a sinful man!” He had every right to judge me for my sin – yet instead he stretched out his hand and said, “Do not be afraid Simon. Follow me and from now on I will make you a fisher of men.” I knew in a moment what I must do. I left my nets followed him. I became one of his disciples. James and John and Andrew all did the same. We all made the decision to follow.
BEGGINNING DAYS
Those beginning days were filled with miracle after miracle – our little band of disciples soon grew to 12 in number – but James and John and myself were always the closest three to Jesus. Jesus was recognized everywhere as a powerful and gifted teacher and healer. He cast a demon out from a man under the roof of a synagogue. He even entered my own home and healed my mother-in-law who was suffering with a deadly fever. He healed a man with leprosy, enabled a paralytic to walk and made a man’s withered hand healthy again. I saw him even raise a young girl from death itself. Everywhere he went people were awestruck by the healing power of God that was emanating through Jesus. Everywhere he went there were crowds who wanted to hear him. But while he was embraced by some, he infuriated others because of the authority by which he spoke. On one occasion after he had caused a paralytic to walk he said to the man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Some of the Scribe who were watching exclaimed, “Who is this man to speak in such a way to forgive another man’s sins? Only God can do that.” So Jesus began to clash with the religious authorities.
STORM AT SEA
The tide had already begun to turn against Him. Jesus decided to journey to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to get a needed rest. We climbed into a boat and began our journey. As he slept in the bow of the boat with his head resting on a cushion, the rest of us began rowing across. Soon a storm came up that was a fierce as any that I had experienced on these waters. Now I was no unseasoned mariner, but this was unlike any storm I had ever experienced. All of knew that our very lives were in danger – this was the middle of the night. If the boat swamped at this hour there was no chance of our rescue. And incredulously Jesus was still sleeping in the bow of the boat. Desperately we cried out, “Master don’t you care if we drown?” At that point Jesus arose and spoke the waves themselves, “Quiet! Be Still!” Miraculously, the wind instantly died down and the water was completely calm. Then he turned to us as we sat astonished in the boat and said, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” We thought to ourselves, “Who is this that even the wind and the waves obey Him?” - You don’t really learn who Christ is on a calm day on dray land. It is the storms of life in which provide our real learning experiences. Later we all learned that it’s in the face of pain and anxiety and the fear of difficult moments that we come to understand how great and powerful He truly is. Jesus never made a promise that we will not face storms in this life- but he demonstrated to me that he will always be there with me in the midst of it. He will be there for you as well.
WALKING ON WATER
On another occasion the danger confronting Jesus was continuing to escalate. The Pharisees were openly orchestrating a campaign against him. His unorthodox attitude towards the Jewish law infuriated them. As crowds grew increasingly larger wherever Jesus appeared, it was impossible for him to move quietly and inconspicuously. On this day Jesus had just fed well over 5000 people miraculously with a 5 small loaves of bread and two salted fish. The crowd grew so ecstatic over this event that they were going to try to force him to become king. They were wide-eyed and frothing at the mouth thinking they could use him to provide miracles for them as well as use his power to free them from the rule of Rome.
Jesus instructed us to get into a boat and row to the opposite side – to Bethsaida. He simply said he would meet us on the opposite shore. It was already dusk when we started out. A deep silence fell upon us as we rowed. All that could be heard was the howling wind and the labored breath and groans as we labored onward. Sometime after 3 in the morning one of us became aware of a presence on the water with us. It wasn’t easy to see at first, because of the mist that had settled over the water. The superstitions of my people held that the spirits of the dead roamed over wide-open regions like deserts and oceans. Growing up as a fisherman I heard my share of fishermen meeting ghosts while they were on the water during the night hours. But this was no ghost – I was the one who recognized that it was Jesus himself. He was walking on the water coming towards us. Without really thinking it through – I said to him, “Master if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus told me to step out of the boat. I didn’t hesitate for moment. I stepped out and started walking towards him. At first all was well, but then as I realized what I was doing and my eyes fell to the waves beneath my feet – I doubted – and I tried to go back towards the boat. I wanted to move forward towards Jesus, but at the same time I wanted to move backwards towards the boat. Instantly I began to sink and I cried out, “Lord save me!” And he helped me back up into the boat.
Now I know how so many of you have judged me because of my inability to stay above the waves of that night. But let me remind you of this: At least I had the courage to get out of the boat. How many of you would have done that much? I learned a lesson that day - a lesson that I needed to be taught a few more times before I understood completely.- You can’t keep your gaze on the encouraging face of Jesus if you are also staring petrified at the frothing water at your own feet. You simply can not go in two directions at the same time. Jesus said, “No one can serve masters” One of the hardest lessons for us to learn is to grasp the fact that God can be trusted. Faith is understanding that if you are willing to step out of the security of your boat – you are not going to drown. You see doubt is not really a struggle with intellect – doubt is really grounded in people trying to go in two directions at the same time. Wanting to hold on to the security of their own reason –and yet also wanting to reach out and grasp the hand of him who can help you walk on top of the waves.
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
It wasn’t long after that stormy night at sea that Jesus led us away from the Sea of Galilee – We slowly made our way to the region of Caesarea Philippi. Caesarea Philippi lies at the foot of MT. Harmon, the highest mountain in Israel and the source of the Jordan River. This place was as pagan as any place in the land. In fact devout Jews would not even enter the city – only the region surrounding it. This was the farthest north Jesus ever traveled. It was the safest he could be from the political hotbed that was stirring against him around Galilee. As we sat one evening he asked us, “Who do people say I am?” We gave as straightforward answers as we could. “Some say you possess the reincarnated spirit of John the Baptist. Some say you are the prophet. Others say you are Elijah. That’s what we are hearing.” Then Jesus dropped the bomb: “OK that’s what the crowds are saying. Now what I really want to know is - what the 12 of you are thinking. Who do You say I am?” At first there was an awkward silence while we exchanged nervous glances. Then I spoke up and simply said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus smiled and said, “Blessed are you, Simon, son Jona, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in Heaven. And I now tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”– He emphatically told us that my words were true – hat he would build his church upon the proper confession of who he is. But then he did a very strange thing – He told us not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. Jesus understood that we did not really understand what being the Messiah really meant. From that moment on he began to explain to us that He had to go to Jer. and suffer many things and that he must be killed and on the third day he would rise again. I immediately took him to the side and rebuked him, “No!” I said – “It must never happen like that!” Jesus jaw flinched – my lack of insight angered him. Jesus snapped back, “Get behind me Satan for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests but man’s.” No man besides Jesus would ever be able to say such a thing to me without a fight.
I didn’t know – I didn’t understand what was involved in accomplishing His mission here on earth. Like so many other times in my life, I acted without really understanding what was going on around me. I had said what I thought was in his best interest. Little did I know at that time that not only was the cross necessary for Christ but it is necessary for every one of his followers. Jesus then turned and said to us, “If anyone wishes to come after me – he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” Even as our hearts quaked within us when he said this we still knew so little of what his words actually meant. When you speak of the cross in your culture, you take it so lightly – but the specter of the cross struck terror into our souls. Jesus was saying to us, “If you follow me, you had better be ready to be crucified.” To be a Christian is to understand that our faith often demands a high cost from us. And this cost should not be paid by just a few brave Christians who travel to far away lands but by everyone of us who claim his name. Following him has cost in terms of our time, our priorities, our care for others, our money and in all circumstances in our life. For too many in the modern church, their faith has cost them too little. And as a result the devil’s will is still being propagated by those who are unwilling to carry the cross.
The Upper Room
I soon learned how little I actually knew about Jesus. Following our arrival in Jerusalem on that day that you know call Palm Sunday, He had arranged for us to meet in an upper room. It was late March, the cold of winter still lingered but the fresh golden ears of barley were just starting to show in the Judean fields. On the night of the Passover we were to meet in an upstairs banquet room of a private home. John and I had made all the preparations. As we entered the room and then reclined at the table my friends and I had begun a rather heated debate on who the greatest in Jesus kingdom would be. It was evident to us that Jesus was disquieted over our bickering. He suddenly rose from the table and filled a basin with water. Then he did what only a slave would normally do – he proceeded to wash our feet. Here the irony was lost on no one – here the honored rabbi – the beloved teacher – the Son of God was washing the feet of his disciples. When he knelt to wash my feet – I recoiled. I could not bear the thought of Jesus stooping to wash my soiled feet. I insisted, “Never shall you wash my fee!” Jesus answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me Peter.” Then I blurted out, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” But I learned a lesson - I learned that night long ago – that greatness in the kingdom of God does not come through achievement power or fame – Greatness comes through loving others in way that no human could ever conceive is normal – greatness comes as we are willing to stoop to touch the dirt in another’s life and help wash it away.
GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE
Soon after the betrayer had left the room and we also left to go to the Garden of Gethsemane. As we walked along the way Jesus said that we would all fall away. With steel in my voice I shot back at him, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not. Even if I have to die with You. I will not deny You!” And it was not only I who said this – each of the other disciples echoed their allegiance. Jesus looked directly at me and said, “Peter, I say to you that this very night before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times”
When we arrived at the garden Jesus asked me and James and John to withdraw and pray with him. I must admit that I had a difficult time staying awake as the Master prayed. Jesus rebuked us several times because of our unfaithfulness in prayer. But my stomach was full and my heart was so confused. So I slept when I should have been watching. Suddenly I was aroused by what sounded to be a marching army. I looked up and found that we were surrounded by smoking torches and Roman guards and there in the midst of them was the betrayer himself. He walked over to Jesus and kissed him on the cheek as a signal of his treachery. They began to move towards Jesus and I dare not let them come near! - I immediately jumped up and pulled a short sword out and struck the man who was closest to me. It was indeed his lucky night I was aiming for his head but caught only his ear and separated it from his body. Much to my disdain, the Master instantly healed him. If only I had been in prayer – I might not have been so impetuous to strike another.
PETER’S DENIAL
Jesus was instantly arrested and out of fear for our lives the rest of ran. Panting like flushed deer we narrowly made our escape. We watched intently as the line of flickering torches snaked its way back across the Kidron Valley toward the high walls of Jerusalem. Jesus was a now a prisoner of the Sanhedrin. I followed the party from a distance – staying as close as I dared I stayed in the shadows as they drew near the high priest’s house in the Hasmonean palace on the west hill facing the temple. The guard at the gate granted entrance into the courtyard – You cannot imagine how my heart beat with fear within my chest. Just being near Jesus at this point was tantamount to placing my head in a hangman’s noose. Yet I was determined to pursue as close as I dared.
I nervously warmed myself by a charcoal fire – the rowdy soldiers surrounded me celebrating their arrest of Jesus. – I drew my cloak about me, praying that I would not be recognized. Twice I was asked if I was follower of Jesus – I brusquely denied knowing him both times. Finally I was confronted by a woman who was a relative to the servant whose ear I had severed. She had recognized a Galilean accent in my voice. Seized by panic, I began to curse and insist, “I do not know this man you are talking about!” At that very moment – the crow of the rooster was heard throughout the entire courtyard. And I remembered how Jesus had told me that I would deny him 3 times before the roster crowed twice. At the moment also Jesus turned and looked directly at me. How could I have done it? How could I have been so unfaithful as to deny him after he had done so much for me? I ran and ran and I wept and I wept. I knew I had betrayed his trust and had denied everything I claimed to believe. I was overcome with guilt and the anguish - I felt that I was no different than Judas. I had denied him –I had deserted him. I had betrayed his love.
Throughout the night Jesus was brutally treated and put on trail. He was shuffled from one place to the next until in the morning as Pilate stood him before an unruly mob and offered to exchange him for a known insurrectionist – and for a moment I thought perhaps he would be set free. They cried out for the release of Barabbas – I cried out for Jesus to be released. But the Sadducees had underhandedly planted their followers throughout the multitude there and they cried out for his crucifixion. So he was led away and nailed to a cross – and I watched him die.
THE EMPTY GRAVE
The next few days were a blurr of confusion as we hid together out of fear that the Jewish authorities would lay hands on us. No one knew what to do. The others were still looking to me for leadership and guidance – but I was so confused that I didn’t know what to say. Then very early on Sunday morning, after the Sabbath had passed, my sleep was shattered by the frightened voice of a woman – it was Mary Magdalene. At first she was so hysterical that I couldn’t understand what she was saying. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes I realized she was screaming something about the body of Jesus – she was sobbing that Jesus was not in the tomb. John and I immediately ran out of the room towards the place where we knew he had been buried. We dashed up the steep path on a hillside marked with tombs. John was a little younger than I so he arrived at the tomb first. We found the scene exactly as Mary had described it. The entrance of the tomb was open, I dashed past John trying to get my eyes to adjust to the dimness of the cave. And I saw the grave clothes. Long broad strips of linen that had draped the body of Jesus from head to foot. The wrappings had not been unwound and left on the floor – but had collapsed upon themselves as if the body had simply vanished. I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t understand.
Then on the evening of the first day of the week – we were together hiding behind locked doors for fear that they might still be looking for us – and suddenly - he appeared. He was alive – he was there. I saw him crucified – I saw them trust a spear into his side - I saw his dead body laid in the tomb – and now he was risen from the grave. I was overcome with joy – the Master was alive. But yet – I had betrayed him. I still carried the guilt and shame in my heart because of my sin.
FISHING AGAIN BY THE SEA
About week later I had convinced several of the brothers to go fishing with me. We fished all night but didn’t catch a thing – We were about 100 yards from shore as morning dawned when someone called out from asking us if we’ve caught anything. He said back to us, “Throw your nets on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” We did as the stranger said and we caught the biggest haul of the biggest fish I had caught in my life!” Knowing want this meant, John shouted out, “It is the Lord!” I immediately jumped into the water and found that Jesus already had fish on the fire and hot bread prepared. After we had eaten, He turned to me and asked, “Peter do you love me?” All the pretense of my life had been stripped away when I betrayed Jesus. I thought I was stronger than the rest – but I realized I was not as strong as I pretended to be. “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus simply said, “Tend my Lambs.” Then he asked me again a second time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?” I said with a bit more emphasis, “Yes Lord you know that I love you.” “Then Shepherd My sheep.” Then finally with his eyes fixed firmly on mine he asked a third time, “Do you love me?” Three questions for three denials. I replied, “Lord you know all things, you know that I love you.” He said, “Feed my sheep.”
And I realized what Jesus was saying to me – out of his matchless love and everlasting grace – I had expected his condemnation – I had expected he would denounce me before the others because of my failures –I had thought he might rub salt in the wound of my broken heart. But no – not Jesus. What he was providing was a path for me to move forward. He was saying, Peter I have job for you- my grace and my forgiveness to you will be the platform for you to minister to other.
TYING UP THE LOOSE ENDS
CLOSE: You see like the broken strands of my own fishing nets – Jesus needed to tie up the loose ends in my life. My sin had unraveled my life – and the only one who could mend me was Christ. He offered forgiveness not condemnation – he gave my life purpose when I was hopeless. He gave me mercy and grace when I truly deserved his judgment. What he did for me – I know that he will do for you – if you will allow him.
