One of the most widely read French fabulists, not fabulous in terms of flair or style, the
word fabulist I just learned last week, the word fabulist means a person who writes or
tells fables.
One of the most widely read French fabulists of the 17th century named Jean de la Fontaine
said, we often meet our destiny on the road we take to avoid it.
We often meet our destiny on the road we take to avoid it.
Of all the apostles of our Lord, none seems to be better known than Simon Peter.
He is conspicuous in the New Testament, in the Gospel narratives, in the first 10 chapters
of the Acts of the Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter is on almost every page.
And in his own epistolaries of first and second Peter, he has been prominent in church history
and remains to this day among the most fascinating of the band of 12 who surrounded Jesus during
his earthly ministry.
But we must not allow our familiarity with Peter to obviate anything in the nature of
a detailed reference of the Lord Jesus dealing with how he called Peter.
My prayer for us this morning, Lily Grove and those of us who are watching online, my
prayer for us this morning is that we not become so preoccupied with the life and the
calling of one Simon Peter that we miss the one who called him and his method of calling
each of us.
The meeting between Jesus and Peter is marked by a divine intensity.
Jesus is depicted as looking directly at Peter.
The word for look in the text is the heiress active participle imblepo, the Greek word
imblepo, which means to absolutely discern clearly with one glance.
It is the same understanding gaze as John the Baptist directed at Jesus.
Just as John the Baptist knew by supernatural means the character and destiny of Jesus,
so also Jesus just had to look at Peter and he knew his character and destiny.
After one good look at Simon, miraculously told this man being led to him what he would
become.
Thus in a double way Jesus tells Peter who he is and who he will become in a display
of divine omniscience.
The asignation of the new name Peter to the old man Simon is not a prediction but rather
a declaration.
Simon does not have something in him that Jesus wants to bring out, but because of grace
there's something he's lacking that Jesus wants to put in.
The focus is less on what this name change means for Peter than on Jesus who knows thoroughly
and not only sees into us but he calls us and he makes us what we are not yet.
The concept of a name in the ancient world was not merely a label but the character
of a person and the giving of a new name was an assertion of the authority of the giver.
Peter appears in all the gospels as anything but what his name means.
He's impulsive, he's volatile, and he's unreliable.
He had an impetuous character and his impetuousity often led him to making wrong choices.
But when Jesus renamed him from Simon to Peter by saying you shall be called it is the future
tense passive voice indicative mood.
Simon is who you are now but Peter is who you will become in the future.
And don't judge people by what they are now because once God gets his hand on somebody
I wish I had one or two believers here.
Don't look at me for what I am right now.
I am in the process of becoming.
The German philosopher Immanuel Kant one of the central enlightenment thinkers of the
late 18th century gives a definition of personality which posits that we have the union and the
welding of intellect, emotion, and volition.
That word volition means your will.
To discover how Simon Peter and by extension every one of us here this morning can outlive
our lives.
Let us discover the essential truth concerning Peter and Jesus calling of him through these
three aspects of his personality.
Jesus said you will be Simon.
You will be Peter.
Simon that's who you are now but you will be Peter.
Simon is who you are today.
Simon is your personality right now.
Simon is your character right now.
Simon is your mistakes, your blemishes, your past right now but you will be called Peter.
Petra movable stone.
You will be.
That has something to do with Simon and your and my intellect.
I want to call Peter this morning a fisherman philosopher.
This fisherman philosopher Simon Peter was a man of intellectual capacity as he seemed
quite simply in the fact that the record says that Peter asked more questions than all of
the other disciples combined.
In John chapter six when Jesus started talking about eating his flesh and drinking his blood
and the crowd started walking away so fast that Jesus turned to them and said will you
also go away.
It was Simon Peter who raised the question to whom shall we go.
You have the words of eternal life.
When they were wrestling with forgiveness how many times should I forgive my brother
who sins against me.
It was Simon Peter who raises the question to Jesus how many times do you expect me to
forgive.
Seven times and Jesus said seven times seventy times.
When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane and they came to betray him Simon drew his
sword and said who is it coming here to betray my Lord.
Simon was always asking the right questions because God is not intimidated by questions.
Simon wanted to know Simon was not only intellectual as a follower you will be but the Bible says
he called him.
He moves from you will be intellectually Simon to he called him because he's now emotional
Peter.
When Simon Peter first met Jesus it horrified him so much to see how holy Jesus is and how
wicked he is.
The scripture says Simon said to Jesus depart from me for I am a wicked man.
Many of us are so proud and arrogant and full of ourselves in worship that we measure ourselves
by other people.
But I want to admonish you this morning by saying to you that when you try to measure
against another person you're using the wrong ruler.
If you want to see how big you really are if you want to see how holy you really are
if you want to see how righteous you really are stand up next to Jesus.
And like Simon Peter you will have to declare depart from me oh Lord for I am a wicked man.
Before Peter made that assertion Isaiah said the same thing in Isaiah chapter six.
It was in the year and King Uzziah died.
I need one or two Bible readers here.
I saw also the Lord high and lifted up.
His train filled the temple.
The house was filled with smoke.
The doorposts moved.
The doorposts shouted inanimate dead wooden objects came up out of the floor in the presence
of the living God.
And some of you have not opened your mouth yet.
You have not said amen.
You have not clap your hands.
You have not smiled at anybody.
If wooden objects can shout in the presence of God if God woke you up this morning.
Now if you didn't come here to praise God just get up and leave right now.
But if you came here to tell God thank you for all you have already done for me.
I don't need nothing this morning.
I want to thank you for what I already have.
I already have health and strength.
I already have my right mind.
I already have food on my table.
Then Isaiah said I saw some seraphim.
Some burning ones who flew around the temple.
God's presence was so holy.
God's righteousness was so indefatigable.
God's goodness was so present that angels covered their face.
They covered their feet and with two wings they did fly.
Then he said one of them took some live coal from off the altar and touched my lips.
Because Isaiah said when I saw that beatific vision he said what Peter said when he saw
Jesus.
God's will is me.
For I am undone.
I'm a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.
The church is not for perfect people.
The church is for folk who have been forgiven.
Have I got a witness here?
The church is not for folk who are overly righteous.
The church is for folk who know that if it had not been for the Lord who is on my side.
It was Peter.
In an emotional outburst when the arresting party came to the garden to arrest Jesus.
In an emotional outburst Peter said Lord I will lay down my life for you.
Jesus said get behind me.
Because before the rooster crows.
Before the sun comes up.
You will have denied me three times.
Before morning you will act like you don't even know me.
And then when they arrested Jesus and brought him to Herod and the pilot Peter was outside
warming his hands at the wrong fire.
And a young girl saw him and said weren't you with them?
Peter said I don't know the man.
She said oh yes you look like one of them.
Peter said girl you better go on now.
I don't know who you're talking about.
She said your speech is betraying you and Peter became Simon again.
Somebody gonna get that in a minute.
Because all it takes is the right set of circumstances and Simon gonna come out of each and every
one of us in here this month.
They just got to get on your last nerve.
Somebody ought to help me preach here.
Simon might come out on your job.
Simon might come out if they mess up your order at lunch.
Simon might come out if your husband get on your nerves.
You don't know when Simon is going to pop up.
Peter started cussing and said I never met this man.
And the Bible says immediately the rooster crawled.
And one more time I don't want you to miss this.
The same look Jesus gave him when he called him was the same look Jesus gave him when
Peter betrayed him.
And when Peter looked into the pure eyes of Jesus and he recognized his betrayal in another
emotional outburst he wept bitterly.
The only folk who can help me right here in the sermon is somebody who has wept over
your past.
And some decisions you wish you hadn't made.
I wish I had one or two more witnesses here.
If you could go back and undo some stuff in your life you would undo it this morning
because it was the biggest mistake you ever made and for that reason you wept bitterly.
Right now I need some people who messed up since you've been saved.
I'm not talking about the way back there when you were in the world.
I'm not talking about when you were on the streets.
I'm talking about since you've been in church.
You have disappointed God in so many ways.
Well let me raise my hand first.
And I need one or two more other witnesses who can help me testify that if God had called
me in that moment I would be ashamed in the day of judgment.
But mercy, grace, goodness, he looked beyond my foolishness.
He looked at Jesus and Jesus looked at him and he wept.
Because Jesus had already told it.
One desires to have you that he may sift you like wheat.
But he says Peter I've already prayed for you.
Not that your flesh but that your faith fail not.
Brothers and sisters I'm testifying now my flesh has failed.
But my faith looks up to thee the Lamb of Calvary.
He called him.
You will be called.
Finally you are Peter.
Intellect, emotion, let's move finally to volition.
Look at the prophetic progression.
You will be.
He called him.
You are.
Peter was a man of tremendous willpower because it took willpower to do what Peter did.
The Bible says he left all to follow Jesus.
Peter had a lucrative fishing business.
He was a professional fisherman.
He made his livelihood with his brother Andrew fishing.
Peter was a skilled professional adept fisherman.
But in one instant he volitionally by strife of his will left it all to follow Jesus.
Not only that it was Peter when there was a storm on the sea of Galilee.
And it was four o'clock in the morning and Jesus came walking on the water.
The disciples were terrified with fear because the water was taking their little vessel.
It was Peter who said, Lord, if that's you, be it me to come walk on the water.
Jesus said, come on.
Now he didn't walk along.
He didn't walk far.
But when was the last time you walked on water?
There's some boat people in here this morning.
Some boat people in here this morning talking about you ain't got no business out there
on the water trying to walk on.
You ain't nobody ever walked on the water.
Well, I'm gonna walk on it today.
That's what Peter said to them because Peter said, it's safer on the water with Jesus than
inside the boat without it.
And if you are willing to take a risk this morning, if you are willing to get out of
your comfort zone this morning and come walk on the water, watch Jesus hold you up.
He didn't walk long, but he walked.
He didn't walk far, but he walked.
It was Peter when they came to arrest Jesus who took out his knife.
Yeah, you need some church folk who ain't scared.
Peter said, now I didn't know it was gonna be this kind of situation.
He takes out his knife and cuts off not just a soldier's ear, but the ear of the soldier
of the high priest.
Because Peter said, ain't nobody gonna break off in here like that.
No, it's about to be a situation.
If y'all think you're gonna arrest Jesus, it's gonna be some consequences and repercussion.
Jesus said, Pete, put up your sword because the man that lives by the sword shall die
by the sword.
It's not about cussing nobody out.
It's not about cutting nobody up.
If you just stay with God and let the Lord fight your battle, the folk who thought you'd
never make it, gonna have to watch you going up because he prepares a table before you
in the very presence of your enemies and anoints your head with oil so that your cup
is just running over.
I need somebody here this morning whose cup is running over to help me testify that you
didn't have to pull nobody down.
You didn't have to undermine nobody to get a position.
You didn't have to stab nobody in the back to get a head.
You just put your head down and trust it in the living God because when you can't stand
life, fall on your knees and God will see you through.
Is there anybody here?
I said is there anybody here?
Had somebody try to stop your forward progress but God just became the wind beneath your
wing.
I'm through.
I'm finished.
I'm gonna be out your way in a minute.
But this last word and I'm through.
All geologists, all geologists agree that all it takes to make a rock is pressure and time.
All it takes to make a rock is pressure and time.
If you give Peter enough time and don't criticize him cutting nobody, don't criticize him cussing
in the garden.
Don't criticize him sinking when he walked on the water.
Don't criticize him saying he was gonna do one thing and did something else.
If you give Peter enough time, he will go from Simon weeping in the dark of night after
his bitter betrayal to the writer of these words.
Let it be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy
have begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fated not away reserved in heaven
for you who are kept by the power of God through faith under salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time.
All it takes to make a rock is pressure and time.
All it takes to make a Christian is pressure.
And time.
You gonna help me close this, won't you?
The scripture said it is good for me that I had been afflicted.
Pressure and time.
The scripture says we know that all things work together for good.
Pressure and time.
The bible says we are pressed on every side yet not in despair.
Pressure and time.
Persecuted but not forsaken.
Cast down but not destroyed.
Pressure and time.
I need a witness this morning who's been under some pressure.
You've been squeezed in some situation and it looked like you couldn't move because you
were pressed.
You were under pressure but then God gave you some time.
You came to work under pressure.
You came to church under pressure.
You went to lunch under pressure.
You sat down and laughed with friends under pressure.
You looked like things were going well but inside you were under pressure.
But here you are this morning after enough time has passed.
You've looked back over your life and you can testify this morning through it all.
Through it all.
I've learned to trust in Jesus.
I've learned to trust in God.
I wish I had a witness here who's been under some pressure in your life.
If your enemies have put you under pressure, God specializes.
If your health has you under pressure, God is a doctor.
If your problems have you under pressure, God is a bridge over troubled water.
If your family has you under pressure, Jesus is a friend who sticks closer to you.
Then your own brother.
If life has you under pressure, he will make a way out of no way.
You gonna help me close this, won't you?
The old folk in my church at home used to sing it like this.
Trials dark on every hand.
And we cannot understand all the ways God will lead us to that blessed promised land.
He'll guide us with his eye and we will follow till we die.
We will understand it better.
Buy and buy, buy and buy.
When the morning comes, buy and buy.
When the saints of God are gathered home, we'll tell the story.
We'll tell the story.
I said we'll tell the story.
I'm not gonna wait until I get home.
I'm gonna start telling the story right now.
He's a way maker.
He's a problem solver.
He's a burdened barrow.
He's a friend in trouble.
He's a heavy load sharer.
Is there a witness here this morning that God will see you through?
If you are under pressure, give God some time.
Watch what God does.
If you give him enough time in the fullness of time, a baby was born in Bethlehem.
If you give God enough time, a baby was born in Bethlehem.
If you give God enough time, some wise men will come from the east with gold, frankincense
and myrrh.
Give God enough time, that baby will grow to become a man.
He will heal the sick, give sight to the blind, make the lame walk, make the dumb to speak.
Give God enough time, he'll go to a cross and die on a Friday.
And it looks like the pressure is more than God himself could handle.
Give God enough time, he stayed there all night Friday.
But that's not enough time.
He stayed there all day Saturday.
But that's still not enough time.
He stayed there all night Friday night.
But that's still not enough time.
Sunday morning, Jesus came out of the grave.
Whoever you are this morning, if you're under pressure, it's not enough time to give up.
God will show up.
God will come to your rescue.
Won't He do it?
Why don't you look at somebody?
You don't know what they're going through.
You don't know what kind of pressure they're under.
You don't know what their situation calls for.
Why don't you tell somebody?
Come on, use your preaching voice.
Come on, help me preach to them.
Tell your neighbor this morning, be not dismayed.
Whatever.
Be tired.
God will.
God will take care of you.
God will open a door for you.
God will turn it around for you.
God will.
Won't He do it?
If you're not ashamed to testify, say, yeah, yeah, I'm no evil.
Yes, He will.
I've watched God do it.
I've seen the lightning flash.
I've heard the thunder roll.
I've felt sin breakers dash.
Tried to conquer my soul.
But I have the voice of Jesus telling me, still fight on.
He promised.
Have I got a witness?
He promised.
I know He's our own.