WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.899 To those chosen living as exiles, dispersed abroad 00:00:03.899 --> 00:00:08.699 in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 00:00:08.839 --> 00:00:12.099 chosen according to the foreknowledge of God 00:00:12.099 --> 00:00:14.919 the Father, through the sanctifying work of the 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:18.920 Spirit, to be obedient and to be sprinkled with 00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:22.899 the blood of Jesus Christ, may grace and peace 00:00:22.899 --> 00:00:29.160 be multiplied to you. This is God's Word. So 00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:31.320 as we jump into this kind of 12 -week series 00:00:31.320 --> 00:00:35.380 here on 1 Peter, obviously we begin with the 00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:38.119 question, where to begin? And I, for one, say 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:41.140 we begin at the beginning. So let's do that. 00:00:42.100 --> 00:00:45.340 This week and next week, we're going to be really 00:00:45.340 --> 00:00:48.500 setting up our time in 1 Peter by dwelling on 00:00:48.500 --> 00:00:52.000 this greeting section, this verse 1 and 2. And 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:53.740 where does that greeting section begin? Well, 00:00:53.780 --> 00:00:57.219 it begins with Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:01.939 And there are few characters in the Bible that 00:01:01.939 --> 00:01:05.420 give more hope to the flawed, the foolish, and 00:01:05.420 --> 00:01:10.040 the faithless as Peter does. Amen? He's zealous. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.400 He loves Jesus, but sometimes he speaks before 00:01:13.400 --> 00:01:19.060 he thinks. Anyone out there? Yeah? The dude has 00:01:19.060 --> 00:01:23.159 major impulse control issues. Like, he just goes, 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:26.489 right? Sometimes he's all in, and then he's all 00:01:26.489 --> 00:01:29.849 out, and then he's all in again, right? Peter's 00:01:29.849 --> 00:01:33.370 life is not a story of impressive faith, but 00:01:33.370 --> 00:01:37.489 it's really a story of amazing grace. Peter was 00:01:37.489 --> 00:01:41.250 not born a smooth, polished rock, but he was 00:01:41.250 --> 00:01:44.969 made into one by the relentless, redeeming love 00:01:44.969 --> 00:01:50.329 of God. And that's the power of the gospel for 00:01:50.329 --> 00:01:53.290 us. It means, or it meets us in our failures 00:01:53.290 --> 00:01:55.609 and it reshapes us. How many of you guys have 00:01:55.609 --> 00:01:58.750 been reshaped by the gospel? The gospel has changed 00:01:58.750 --> 00:02:01.629 you. You're not the person you used to be. Maybe 00:02:01.629 --> 00:02:04.250 for some of you, the rough edges have been worn 00:02:04.250 --> 00:02:08.389 off a little bit. Amen? Hallelujah? Wives? Husbands? 00:02:08.569 --> 00:02:13.389 Yeah. It meets us there in our failures. It reshapes 00:02:13.389 --> 00:02:15.789 us. But it not only reshapes us, it reshapes 00:02:15.789 --> 00:02:19.870 us for faithful endurance. And that's one of 00:02:19.870 --> 00:02:21.469 the themes that we're going to see as we look 00:02:21.469 --> 00:02:24.509 at the book of 1 Peter is faithful endurance 00:02:24.509 --> 00:02:27.710 is a part of the faith. It's not a bug. It's 00:02:27.710 --> 00:02:33.689 a feature. And the letters, 1 and 2 Peter, we'll 00:02:33.689 --> 00:02:35.270 do a little background here, but they're what's 00:02:35.270 --> 00:02:37.370 called circular letters. Now, a circular letter 00:02:37.370 --> 00:02:39.849 would be sent out to a region of churches. You 00:02:39.849 --> 00:02:41.550 heard the list of them there at the beginning. 00:02:41.750 --> 00:02:44.189 A region of churches, and one church would read 00:02:44.189 --> 00:02:47.229 it aloud in their weekly gathering, and then 00:02:47.229 --> 00:02:49.050 they would wrap it up, and they would send it 00:02:49.050 --> 00:02:51.449 off with a church member or a courier on down 00:02:51.449 --> 00:02:54.000 the road to the next church. And maybe before 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:55.840 they sent it on its way, they'd get a church 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.979 member or a scribe to come in and help them copy 00:02:58.979 --> 00:03:01.479 that letter so they had a copy before they sent 00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:04.060 that copy, the original copy, on down the road. 00:03:04.539 --> 00:03:06.919 And so 1 and 2 Peter are just that. They're to 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:10.180 be circulated among the churches in a region. 00:03:11.020 --> 00:03:13.560 for their benefit. And the churches particularly 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:15.639 that are listed, that Peter lists at the beginning, 00:03:15.819 --> 00:03:18.360 well, these are likely ones that he had a hand 00:03:18.360 --> 00:03:20.620 in establishing. He helped plant these churches. 00:03:20.680 --> 00:03:23.199 Peter was like a church planting pastor going 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:25.860 out and helping establish churches in areas. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:27.699 So usually it would happen where they'd preach 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:29.879 the gospel, right? People would get saved or 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:31.759 they would meet some people and they would start 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:33.939 to meet together in a house and then they would 00:03:33.939 --> 00:03:35.860 gather more and more people and sometimes they'd 00:03:35.860 --> 00:03:38.560 move from a house to like a theater or to a place 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:41.919 that they could rent. very similar to what we're 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:44.020 doing here today, meeting in a building as the 00:03:44.020 --> 00:03:47.020 church. And so Peter also would establish these 00:03:47.020 --> 00:03:49.520 churches, and the ones listed here in this region 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.819 are likely ones that he had a hand in birthing. 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:57.000 He loved them, he cared deeply for them. Now 00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:00.219 this letter, 1 Peter and 2 Peter, are both written 00:04:00.219 --> 00:04:05.939 from Rome in around the 60s AD or so. And it's 00:04:05.939 --> 00:04:08.620 only a couple of years before Peter is ultimately 00:04:08.620 --> 00:04:11.400 put to death for his faith. Peter is going to 00:04:11.400 --> 00:04:15.360 ultimately follow the Lord to his death by crucifixion, 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:18.339 although Peter is going to request that he is 00:04:18.339 --> 00:04:21.779 crucified upside down as a sign of his unworthiness 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:24.959 to die in the same way that his Lord and Savior 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:29.329 died. If you've been following this whole Pope 00:04:29.329 --> 00:04:32.050 thing, the Catholic Church that's going on with 00:04:32.050 --> 00:04:34.649 the death of the Pope and the transition, you'll 00:04:34.649 --> 00:04:35.850 probably have noticed, if you've seen in the 00:04:35.850 --> 00:04:38.709 images, a lot of people wearing gowns and stuff 00:04:38.709 --> 00:04:40.269 that have an upside -down cross. Well, that's 00:04:40.269 --> 00:04:44.490 Peter's cross. That's Peter's cross, and according 00:04:44.490 --> 00:04:47.269 to the Catholic tradition, the Pope is in a long 00:04:47.269 --> 00:04:49.449 succession of people all the way back to Peter. 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:52.899 So Peter laid his hands on someone and on down 00:04:52.899 --> 00:04:55.660 to the current pope, and therefore he's in the 00:04:55.660 --> 00:04:57.240 line of Peter, and that's why you would see the 00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:58.720 upside down. Some people are saying, oh, it's 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.019 witchcraft, it's evil. No, it's the upside down 00:05:01.019 --> 00:05:03.740 cross. It's Peter's cross. He died on the upside 00:05:03.740 --> 00:05:08.660 down cross. But we're going to backtrack a little 00:05:08.660 --> 00:05:11.250 bit, and we're going to... today spend our time 00:05:11.250 --> 00:05:15.290 digging into the life and the past of Peter as 00:05:15.290 --> 00:05:17.470 he walked with Jesus. And we're hopefully gonna 00:05:17.470 --> 00:05:21.189 see a few scenes from his life and how they impacted 00:05:21.189 --> 00:05:22.990 the letter that he would ultimately send at the 00:05:22.990 --> 00:05:26.069 end of his life that we call 1 Peter. Some of 00:05:26.069 --> 00:05:30.250 the events, the scenes of his life will ultimately 00:05:30.250 --> 00:05:32.550 become an encouragement for the brothers and 00:05:32.550 --> 00:05:35.009 sisters. So if you're taking notes, the first 00:05:35.009 --> 00:05:37.209 thing I'll have you write down is from sinking 00:05:37.209 --> 00:05:42.019 to standing. From sinking to standing. And by 00:05:42.019 --> 00:05:43.500 the way, if you don't have the Church Center 00:05:43.500 --> 00:05:45.420 app, the Church Center app is awesome because 00:05:45.420 --> 00:05:47.920 you can find the message today and you can take 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:49.920 notes right there and save it and send it to 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:52.100 you. So I highly recommend grabbing that app. 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:54.399 It's a great resource. Also, you can sign up 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:57.060 for any upcoming events through that app. But 00:05:57.060 --> 00:06:01.899 from sinking to standing. In Matthew 14, Jesus 00:06:01.899 --> 00:06:05.180 sends his disciples in a boat on ahead of him 00:06:05.180 --> 00:06:08.370 across the Sea of Galilee. And Jesus goes up 00:06:08.370 --> 00:06:10.189 to the top of a mountain, and he's gonna spend 00:06:10.189 --> 00:06:12.790 well into the night praying on top of this mountain. 00:06:13.589 --> 00:06:16.029 Well, the disciples, they get out onto the water 00:06:16.029 --> 00:06:18.689 on this boat, and one of those crazy Galilean 00:06:18.689 --> 00:06:21.889 storms hits. And there's wind, and there's waves, 00:06:22.110 --> 00:06:24.529 and the boat is battered and tossed about. And 00:06:24.529 --> 00:06:26.509 right in the middle of all of this that's going 00:06:26.509 --> 00:06:29.470 on, in the middle of the night, the disciples, 00:06:29.529 --> 00:06:32.529 they catch sight of a figure. And this figure 00:06:32.529 --> 00:06:37.370 is walking on the water out to them. And a couple 00:06:37.370 --> 00:06:39.449 of disciples, man, they scream as probably most 00:06:39.449 --> 00:06:42.170 of us, right? It's a ghost, oh my gosh, right? 00:06:43.410 --> 00:06:45.389 Scaredy pants, right? Some of them dribble a 00:06:45.389 --> 00:06:49.750 little bit in their shorts, you know. It's a 00:06:49.750 --> 00:06:52.870 ghost. What is this? And it turns out that this 00:06:52.870 --> 00:06:57.430 figure is who? Jesus. Jesus is out for a stroll 00:06:57.430 --> 00:07:00.050 on the waters late at night in the middle of 00:07:00.050 --> 00:07:02.550 a storm. And Jesus says to the disciples, hey, 00:07:02.689 --> 00:07:07.509 be of courage or act like men. It's me, y 'all. 00:07:08.889 --> 00:07:12.850 Don't be afraid. And here into this scene, in 00:07:12.850 --> 00:07:15.990 this turmoil, in this scary moment, enters Peter, 00:07:16.189 --> 00:07:17.910 right? He's on the boat with the other disciples. 00:07:18.230 --> 00:07:20.310 But unlike the other disciples who are screaming, 00:07:20.430 --> 00:07:22.870 it's a ghost, here's Peter. And remember, he's 00:07:22.870 --> 00:07:25.990 that out front bold guy, right? Not always thinking 00:07:25.990 --> 00:07:29.970 before he's acting, but zealous. And he says 00:07:29.970 --> 00:07:33.170 to Jesus, if it's you, Jesus, Command me to come 00:07:33.170 --> 00:07:35.689 out and let me do a little prance on the water 00:07:35.689 --> 00:07:38.269 with you. Let me get out there with you and have 00:07:38.269 --> 00:07:41.509 a good time, right? And what does Jesus say to 00:07:41.509 --> 00:07:45.029 Peter? Well, Jesus says, come on. Get on out 00:07:45.029 --> 00:07:49.430 here. Let's go. Do a little up on the toe business 00:07:49.430 --> 00:07:52.829 out here on the water. And it says that climbing 00:07:52.829 --> 00:07:55.269 out of the boat, Peter started walking on the 00:07:55.269 --> 00:07:59.730 water and came toward Jesus. He's doing it. He's 00:07:59.730 --> 00:08:02.709 out on the water. He's walking like Jesus is 00:08:02.709 --> 00:08:06.170 walking on the water. But verse 30 says, but 00:08:06.170 --> 00:08:09.370 when he saw the strength of the wind, he was 00:08:09.370 --> 00:08:12.910 afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried out, 00:08:12.970 --> 00:08:18.550 Lord, save me. Now, you have to give it to him, 00:08:18.569 --> 00:08:22.769 right? I haven't encountered too many ghosts 00:08:22.769 --> 00:08:26.410 in my life. But I wonder if Peter ever stopped 00:08:26.410 --> 00:08:29.209 to think that maybe the ghost would also invite 00:08:29.209 --> 00:08:31.870 him out onto the water, just like Jesus did. 00:08:31.970 --> 00:08:33.909 You know, he starts by, if it's you, invite me 00:08:33.909 --> 00:08:35.950 out. But I'm thinking, I think the ghost might 00:08:35.950 --> 00:08:39.710 say, come on out too, right? Different results, 00:08:39.990 --> 00:08:44.169 but nonetheless. But he gets out, and he actually 00:08:44.169 --> 00:08:47.649 walks on the water. And Jesus said, come. And 00:08:47.649 --> 00:08:51.370 he said, I believe. And look, I'm out here on 00:08:51.370 --> 00:08:54.080 the water. But then he takes his eyes. off of 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:56.820 Jesus. And bad things happen when we take our 00:08:56.820 --> 00:09:02.000 eyes off of Jesus. Peter is a disciple of Jesus. 00:09:02.259 --> 00:09:04.840 And disciples don't just listen to the words 00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:07.639 of their master. They imitate their life and 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:12.000 faith. And once Jesus tells Peter, come, walking 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:15.419 on water is as simple as trusting the one who's 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:18.740 performed countless miracles before. Just trusting 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:22.080 in his strength, trusting in his power. But then 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:24.759 Peter, Gets his eyes off of Jesus and he sees 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:27.559 the strength of the wind and looks at the situation 00:09:27.559 --> 00:09:30.299 he's gotten into rather than the power of God 00:09:30.299 --> 00:09:35.000 to sustain him through it. Have you ever experienced 00:09:35.000 --> 00:09:38.000 that? Where you step out in faith and obedience, 00:09:38.399 --> 00:09:41.320 you're like, all right, Lord, I'm gonna do it. 00:09:41.870 --> 00:09:44.509 I'm gonna follow you. I'm gonna do this for you. 00:09:44.669 --> 00:09:47.389 But before long, some big, bad, scary thing comes. 00:09:47.570 --> 00:09:50.309 It shows up, and the desire and the will to obey 00:09:50.309 --> 00:09:53.830 Jesus suddenly goes out the window and is usurped 00:09:53.830 --> 00:10:01.870 by your fears. What ifs? Well, that happened 00:10:01.870 --> 00:10:04.789 to Peter. And for Peter, it was a good time to 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:09.120 cry out to the Lord, wasn't it? Well. What's 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:11.519 this story all about? While Jesus is disappointed 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.340 with Peter's inadequate faith, he says, why you 00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:17.940 have little faith? Why did you just believe? 00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:22.179 Peter has acted in a greater faith than any of 00:10:22.179 --> 00:10:25.720 the other disciples, hasn't he? And what we look 00:10:25.720 --> 00:10:29.279 at as kind of a misdirected zeal or a kind of 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:35.860 ready, shoot, aim mentality is actually helping 00:10:35.860 --> 00:10:39.500 Peter to learn what faith actually looks like. 00:10:40.740 --> 00:10:44.000 As one commentator put it, faith cannot be worked 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.419 out by formulas or emotion, but it grows through 00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:52.120 various tests as we continue to trust our Lord 00:10:52.120 --> 00:10:57.740 and he continues to teach us. Faith is not some 00:10:57.740 --> 00:11:02.039 formula or some emotion we feel, but it's something 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:06.090 that through testing is developed in us. and 00:11:06.090 --> 00:11:08.629 strengthened in us and grows. It's a muscle, 00:11:08.789 --> 00:11:12.169 right? If you work out, anyone work out? Not 00:11:12.169 --> 00:11:17.409 it, no. You work out, you get sore, you find 00:11:17.409 --> 00:11:20.509 your limits, you push your limits, right? Faith 00:11:20.509 --> 00:11:24.169 is like a muscle. And Peter would continue to 00:11:24.169 --> 00:11:26.789 grow in that faith. And at the end of his life, 00:11:26.950 --> 00:11:30.509 he would write to the believers in 1 Peter 1, 00:11:30.809 --> 00:11:33.370 beginning in verse 3, and he would write to them 00:11:33.370 --> 00:11:36.269 and say, Blessed be the God and Father of our 00:11:36.269 --> 00:11:39.289 Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy, 00:11:39.529 --> 00:11:42.840 he has given us new birth. into a living hope 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:45.279 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:48.879 the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:52.519 undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 00:11:53.259 --> 00:11:56.279 You are being guarded by God's power through 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:59.600 faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:03.759 in the last time. You rejoice in this. even though 00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:06.879 now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:10.600 grief in various trials, so that the proven character 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:14.440 of your faith, more valuable than gold, which 00:12:14.440 --> 00:12:17.879 though is perishable, is refined by fire, may 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:20.480 result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.620 of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, 00:12:23.740 --> 00:12:27.100 you love him. And though not seeing him now, 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:30.639 you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.159 joy. and glorious joy because you are receiving 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:36.399 the goal of your faith, the salvation of your 00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:41.700 souls. Just like a midnight storm hit the boat 00:12:41.700 --> 00:12:44.799 that I was in, various trials will come on you. 00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:48.519 Various trials will come on you, my friends. 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:52.000 And when I kept my eyes fixed on Jesus, when 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:54.860 I fixed my trust on Jesus, I walked on water. 00:12:55.100 --> 00:12:58.379 And if you trust and treasure Jesus, he will 00:12:58.379 --> 00:13:02.179 guard. you by God's power from the trials and 00:13:02.179 --> 00:13:05.620 afflictions. They may test you, but they will 00:13:05.620 --> 00:13:11.980 not defeat you. Peter's walk was a test, and 00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:15.240 his fear exposed the weakness in his trust in 00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:18.179 the power of who Jesus was. Peter says that the 00:13:18.179 --> 00:13:21.519 trials are so helpful. Looking back at his life, 00:13:21.580 --> 00:13:24.590 Peter, a man of great trials. The trials were 00:13:24.590 --> 00:13:27.370 so helpful because they test the proven genuineness 00:13:27.370 --> 00:13:31.049 of our faith, which is more precious than gold. 00:13:32.309 --> 00:13:36.450 I had a trial once. My wife and I stopped over 00:13:36.450 --> 00:13:38.610 in Japan on our way back from Guam after doing 00:13:38.610 --> 00:13:41.889 a ministry trip to Guam. And while we were there, 00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:43.509 my wife got it in her head that we were going 00:13:43.509 --> 00:13:47.230 to go on something called the Mishima Skywalk, 00:13:47.289 --> 00:13:51.110 which is a bridge that has an invisible bottom. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:55.759 and you're hundreds of feet in the air, all I 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:58.399 know is that we could see the tops of the trees 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:00.860 way down there, and they were big pine trees. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:04.399 Now, I'm deathly afraid of heights. If you brought 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:06.320 a ladder out here, I might make it up to the 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:09.059 second step before I started trembling, and the 00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:11.700 third step, I'd just be a puddle of sweat, right? 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:15.240 But we get out there, and I'm holding on to my 00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:20.100 little wife, and I'm shaking in my boots. She's 00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:22.299 like, just keep looking forward. Don't look down. 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:24.179 Don't look over here. Just keep looking forward. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:28.840 And we made it across, although I was trembling 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:32.159 the whole time as we walked across this bridge. 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.259 The thing about the bridge that's interesting 00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:41.259 is... What was keeping me up as I walked over 00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:45.480 that bridge was not my bravery. As I walked across 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:49.139 the bridge, what was keeping me up was not, you 00:14:49.139 --> 00:14:52.259 know, my courage, was it? What was keeping me 00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:55.620 up was the strength of the bridge. That's what 00:14:55.620 --> 00:14:58.690 was keeping me up. It had nothing to do with 00:14:58.690 --> 00:15:01.590 how courageous I was as I walked across it or 00:15:01.590 --> 00:15:05.250 how little courage that I had. It was the strength 00:15:05.250 --> 00:15:06.830 of the bridge that would determine whether I 00:15:06.830 --> 00:15:08.470 would get from here to there without falling 00:15:08.470 --> 00:15:11.830 to the bottom of the forest floor. Praise God 00:15:11.830 --> 00:15:13.230 I'm not on that bridge right now. I'm having 00:15:13.230 --> 00:15:17.929 like triggers right now. The stage is kind of 00:15:17.929 --> 00:15:25.690 high. But Peter cries out to Jesus, Lord, save 00:15:25.690 --> 00:15:30.929 me, and is lifted up. And Peter tells his churches 00:15:30.929 --> 00:15:33.809 later on to cling to Christ, who is our living 00:15:33.809 --> 00:15:37.389 hope, through the resurrection, and we too will 00:15:37.389 --> 00:15:39.830 be lifted up with Christ when Christ is revealed. 00:15:41.450 --> 00:15:43.370 A couple of things to think about in relation 00:15:43.370 --> 00:15:45.950 to this story. The first one is short prayers 00:15:45.950 --> 00:15:49.970 work when you're sinking. Short prayers work. 00:15:50.029 --> 00:15:52.450 Sometimes the most effective prayers that I've 00:15:52.450 --> 00:15:54.190 ever had, the most intimate moments I've had 00:15:54.190 --> 00:15:58.230 with the Lord is when I said, help! And I knew 00:15:58.230 --> 00:16:00.289 where I was directing that to, and he did too. 00:16:01.789 --> 00:16:04.509 And he helped. He brought comfort. He gave me 00:16:04.509 --> 00:16:06.750 peace. He at least gave me perspective to understand 00:16:06.750 --> 00:16:08.809 what I was going through and how it might be 00:16:08.809 --> 00:16:10.870 for my good. Or he helped me to endure to the 00:16:10.870 --> 00:16:13.350 end without giving up. Whatever it is, help was 00:16:13.350 --> 00:16:15.769 a pretty good prayer. And sometimes we think, 00:16:15.809 --> 00:16:18.320 oh, I don't. pray very well. Can you say help? 00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:21.580 Can you say, Lord, save me? Because sometimes 00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:26.220 that's the best prayer there is. In trials, don't 00:16:26.220 --> 00:16:29.980 fixate on your fear, but remember the voice of 00:16:29.980 --> 00:16:33.279 the one who calls you to come. Remember his power 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:37.539 and his knowledge and his presence. But more 00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:40.580 than that, go a step further. This is something 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:42.539 that we oftentimes seek when we're in the middle 00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:43.879 of it, when we're in the middle of suffering. 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:48.539 We oftentimes seek comfort. Lord, comfort me. 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:51.539 Peter and the disciples were in the middle of 00:16:51.539 --> 00:16:54.440 it, on the boat, in the middle of a storm, raging 00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:57.100 all around them. And what did Peter say? He didn't 00:16:57.100 --> 00:16:59.080 say, Lord, tell me it'll be all okay and give 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:01.580 me a pillow and something that I'm gonna suck 00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:03.159 my thumb over here in the corner and it's all 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:06.559 gonna be okay. Pet me and tell me I'll be fine, 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:08.180 Lord. He didn't say that, did he? What did he 00:17:08.180 --> 00:17:10.700 say? He said, command me and I'll come out to 00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:13.799 you. He said, tell me what I'm supposed to do 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:17.319 in this storm. Tell me how I can obey in this 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:20.180 storm. Show me how I can be faithful in this 00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:23.140 storm. Tell me what to do. Don't just look for 00:17:23.140 --> 00:17:26.339 comfort. Look for his command and then obey it. 00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:32.700 The gospel, the good news of Jesus gives you 00:17:32.700 --> 00:17:35.529 an anchor in the storm. Because your identity 00:17:35.529 --> 00:17:38.150 is not secured by your bravery or your courage, 00:17:38.329 --> 00:17:44.430 but by the one who can walk on water. You think 00:17:44.430 --> 00:17:46.210 about that bridge, it wasn't my bravery that 00:17:46.210 --> 00:17:48.130 kept me from falling to the forest floor, was 00:17:48.130 --> 00:17:51.990 it? It was the strength of the bridge. And I 00:17:51.990 --> 00:17:54.170 logically knew that it would hold me even if 00:17:54.170 --> 00:17:56.710 my insides all wanted out of me at the moment. 00:18:00.829 --> 00:18:03.410 The gospel points us to the bridge that is Jesus. 00:18:04.269 --> 00:18:08.849 He is why I will not fail. Not my own courage 00:18:08.849 --> 00:18:13.670 or bravery. He is why I will not fail. Number 00:18:13.670 --> 00:18:17.029 two, from sword to submission. Here's another 00:18:17.029 --> 00:18:20.369 story from Peter's life that helps to kind of 00:18:20.369 --> 00:18:23.589 inform who he was and who he became, ultimately 00:18:23.589 --> 00:18:28.660 writing 1 Peter. In Matthew chapter 16, as Jesus 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:31.160 and his disciples are preparing to make the final 00:18:31.160 --> 00:18:34.160 journey to Jerusalem before he's arrested and 00:18:34.160 --> 00:18:36.740 crucified, Jesus kind of lets his guys, his boys 00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:39.460 in on a secret. Here's the secret. When we get 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:43.019 there, I'm gonna suffer. I'm going to be killed. 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.279 And yeah, on the third day, I'm also gonna rise 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:49.180 from the dead. He lets the guys know. This is 00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:51.640 what's coming. He lets the disciples know, here's 00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:54.720 why we're heading to Jerusalem. And Peter, always 00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:58.140 ready, right? Jumps right in and says, oh no, 00:18:58.279 --> 00:19:04.480 this will not happen to you. I got your back, 00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:07.839 Jesus. I'll never let that happen to you. And 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:09.460 you guys know what Jesus' response is? Any of 00:19:09.460 --> 00:19:16.309 you remember? Get behind me, Satan. Or another 00:19:16.309 --> 00:19:19.569 way, like, get out of the way, Satan. You are 00:19:19.569 --> 00:19:22.069 a hindrance to me because you're not thinking 00:19:22.069 --> 00:19:26.490 about God's concerns but human concerns. And 00:19:26.490 --> 00:19:30.029 so I'm thinking, maybe it's just me, but the 00:19:30.029 --> 00:19:34.130 day that Jesus calls you Satan is probably a 00:19:34.130 --> 00:19:39.230 pretty memorable day, right? Maybe it's a day 00:19:39.230 --> 00:19:42.250 for learning and growing and changing, right? 00:19:42.970 --> 00:19:46.470 But for Peter, nah. He's gonna need to circle 00:19:46.470 --> 00:19:48.369 the wilderness a couple more times before he 00:19:48.369 --> 00:19:51.009 learns his lesson. Why? Because fast forward 00:19:51.009 --> 00:19:52.930 till they get into the Garden of Gethsemane in 00:19:52.930 --> 00:19:55.130 Jerusalem. They're in Jerusalem where Jesus said 00:19:55.130 --> 00:19:57.609 they had to go and he was going to be, you know, 00:19:57.609 --> 00:19:59.609 he was going to suffer and he was going to be 00:19:59.609 --> 00:20:01.230 killed and he was going to raise from the dead. 00:20:01.369 --> 00:20:03.730 They're in Jerusalem in the garden. Jesus is 00:20:03.730 --> 00:20:06.349 being arrested. Judas is there. He's betraying 00:20:06.349 --> 00:20:09.349 Jesus. He's got a company of temple guards. When 00:20:09.349 --> 00:20:11.400 they show up, This would be that moment where 00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:13.880 Peter remembers the words of Jesus, remembers 00:20:13.880 --> 00:20:16.539 his rebuke, calling him Satan, and maybe Peter 00:20:16.539 --> 00:20:17.960 just goes, you know, I'm gonna sit this one out 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:21.180 and just pray for Jesus right now. But not Peter. 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:26.880 No, Peter draws his sword and cuts off the ear 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:29.299 of the high priest's servant, a guy named Malchus. 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:34.220 Cuts it off. And Jesus turns to Peter and is 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:40.859 like, put your sword away. Am I not to drink 00:20:40.859 --> 00:20:45.619 the cup the Father has given me? And in this 00:20:45.619 --> 00:20:48.259 little scene in Peter's life, Peter wants to 00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:51.799 fight his way out of the garden. He believes 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:54.940 that human might and human power will bring the 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:58.400 kingdom of God to bear. He believes the kingdom 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:04.079 and the king needs bodyguards. But Jesus models 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:07.039 for him a different way. Jesus brings the kingdom. 00:21:07.980 --> 00:21:11.460 through obedient submission to the Father, even 00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:16.000 if that means submitting to death. The kingdom 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:19.539 of God never advances by the blade of human strength, 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:24.380 but by the cup of obedient surrender. In the 00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:27.619 end, Peter learns that submission, even to suffering, 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:33.609 is the way to glory. He witnesses Jesus go through 00:21:33.609 --> 00:21:36.710 it, and only then could he understand and follow 00:21:36.710 --> 00:21:41.109 Jesus himself. The way of Jesus is the way of 00:21:41.109 --> 00:21:47.029 the cross. And decades later, Peter will write 00:21:47.029 --> 00:21:50.390 to the churches and tell them to submit yourself 00:21:50.390 --> 00:21:55.049 for the Lord's sake to every governing official, 00:21:55.289 --> 00:22:00.460 every human authority, even the bad ones. He 00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:03.700 will tell the people of God to take the posture 00:22:03.700 --> 00:22:06.940 of obedience and submission even under horrible 00:22:06.940 --> 00:22:11.140 authorities like the emperor or Caesar of Rome. 00:22:14.619 --> 00:22:17.720 Peter will remind them that when Jesus was abused 00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:22.480 and suffered, he did not insult in return. but 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.140 entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 00:22:25.220 --> 00:22:27.680 This is how they should respond to their own 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:29.980 trials and suffering. Why do I think 1 Peter 00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:33.400 is an important book for us today? I think because 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:37.500 we have moved out of a time in our lives when 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:41.900 Christianity is either acceptable or at least 00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:44.880 it's neutral. And we are moving now into a time, 00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:48.220 sociologists, Guys who look at this have all 00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:50.799 said, we are now moving into a time where we 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:55.380 are going to experience Christianity, A, as a 00:22:55.380 --> 00:23:01.119 minority, but beyond that, from a negative worldview, 00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:05.759 a negative view of Christianity. One time it 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.740 was positive. We went through a season where 00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:11.420 it was neutral. one among many, and we're going 00:23:11.420 --> 00:23:13.740 to enter into a time where it is negative. To 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:19.660 be a Christian is a bad thing. And some of you, 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:25.000 like all of us, are going to be inclined to pull 00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:28.579 the sword out and lop the ear off. And we're 00:23:28.579 --> 00:23:30.319 going to think, man, if we just go out and we 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:33.960 be a warrior, we start slicing and dicing, we 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:38.819 can bring the kingdom of God to bear. But Peter 00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:40.859 had to learn through his own experience that 00:23:40.859 --> 00:23:44.839 that wasn't the way. The way of Jesus is the 00:23:44.839 --> 00:23:47.500 way of the cross. The way of Jesus is the way 00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:51.400 of suffering. And what servant will be greater 00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:56.500 than their master? You? Then why wouldn't you 00:23:56.500 --> 00:24:02.319 expect to suffer in the same way he did? He reminds 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:05.059 the people in 1 Peter. That Jesus was abused 00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:07.200 and he suffered, but he didn't throw insults 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.900 in return. He entrusted himself to the one who 00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:14.319 judges justly. In other words, he said, he let 00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:17.160 God say, vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. It's 00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:23.680 not mine. This is how they should respond when 00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:26.299 their own trials and sufferings come, like Jesus. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:31.420 And you know, the cross at a human level, the 00:24:31.420 --> 00:24:34.579 cross is the way of shame. It's the way of pain. 00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:37.240 And it's the way that looks like defeat. It looks 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:40.819 like someone else won. When Jesus is hanging 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:44.299 on the cross, bleeding and dying, it looks like 00:24:44.299 --> 00:24:49.240 someone else won. And that means in our life, 00:24:49.259 --> 00:24:51.960 when we encounter suffering and trial, it's going 00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:53.839 to look like someone else won, and that's okay. 00:24:54.460 --> 00:25:00.660 It was okay for Jesus. Is it okay for you? It's 00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:05.279 gonna look like everyone else is winning. It's 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:07.640 gonna look like a way of shame. It's gonna look 00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:10.779 like a way of pain and a way of defeat. And Peter 00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:14.079 would write to the folks in the churches in 1 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:18.619 Peter that just like the cross, the cross was 00:25:18.619 --> 00:25:23.000 actually the way to glory. The cross was actually 00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:25.319 the way of glory, and Peter would tell the folks 00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:28.000 there in these churches in this region that the 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.519 fiery ordeals and trials that they're encountering, 00:25:30.519 --> 00:25:33.220 that they're suffering, these will all lead to 00:25:33.220 --> 00:25:39.579 your glory as well. The real rescue for sinners 00:25:39.579 --> 00:25:47.559 comes when Jesus is wounded, not Malchus. Peter's 00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:50.740 act of cutting off Malchus' ear. did not bring 00:25:50.740 --> 00:25:54.380 about the kingdom. But when Jesus was wounded, 00:25:54.559 --> 00:26:00.599 Peter says in 1 Peter 2 .24, by his wounds, you 00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:05.579 are healed. Peter's arrogance was humbled when 00:26:05.579 --> 00:26:07.799 Jesus turned to him and said, put your sword 00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:10.240 away. I mean, can you imagine being his right 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:13.059 -hand man, his trusted sidekick, and you're gonna 00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:15.380 defend him, you're gonna go, go down with him, 00:26:15.420 --> 00:26:17.579 you draw your sword and you take a whack, and 00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:21.019 then your leader looks at you and say, no. Not 00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:27.819 that. Not that way. Peter's arrogance is humbled. 00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:31.420 And Peter reminds the churches later, decades 00:26:31.420 --> 00:26:35.000 later, that they too will overcome when they 00:26:35.000 --> 00:26:38.720 humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. 00:26:40.700 --> 00:26:43.339 And so when you're wronged or oppressed, don't 00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:47.099 fight like the world. Follow Jesus' way of patient 00:26:47.099 --> 00:26:54.319 endurance and surrender. Remember also, for some 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:58.859 of us in this room, that zeal without surrender 00:26:58.859 --> 00:27:04.299 to the kingdom of God can hurt bystanders. So 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:06.980 check your tweets and your posts before you chop 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:10.259 off someone's ear in the name of Christ. Amen? 00:27:13.599 --> 00:27:16.160 Peter never forgot the night Jesus traded the 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:19.500 sword for the cup and turned apparent defeat 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:23.630 into the greatest victory. The gospel flips power 00:27:23.630 --> 00:27:26.549 upside down. The sword says, win at all costs. 00:27:26.650 --> 00:27:33.670 And Jesus says, lose to win. Lose to win. The 00:27:33.670 --> 00:27:38.670 gospel's advance is from wounds absorbed, not 00:27:38.670 --> 00:27:44.089 wounds inflicted. You might say, it's cup now, 00:27:44.349 --> 00:27:50.349 crown later. Number three. The final story we'll 00:27:50.349 --> 00:27:54.250 look at. from Peter's life that kind of informed 00:27:54.250 --> 00:27:58.009 him as the writer of 1 Peter. Number three, write 00:27:58.009 --> 00:28:00.829 down from failure to faithfulness. This is our 00:28:00.829 --> 00:28:07.049 final one. So flashback, just before Peter lops 00:28:07.049 --> 00:28:10.349 off the ear, Malchus' ear, Jesus is praying in 00:28:10.349 --> 00:28:13.769 the garden and Peter is nearby as one of his 00:28:13.769 --> 00:28:18.170 inside circle of guys. He's nearby and Jesus, 00:28:19.069 --> 00:28:21.329 He has something special to tell Peter. He wants 00:28:21.329 --> 00:28:23.529 to tell Peter something special before he goes 00:28:23.529 --> 00:28:25.690 to the cross. And here's what he tells Peter. 00:28:25.769 --> 00:28:30.650 He says, Satan wants to test you. Satan wants 00:28:30.650 --> 00:28:35.190 to test you, so he asked me for permission, and 00:28:35.190 --> 00:28:39.789 I said yes. Satan wants to test you. He asked 00:28:39.789 --> 00:28:42.269 me for permission. I said yes, but I want you 00:28:42.269 --> 00:28:45.410 to know, Peter, that I'm praying for you. Jesus 00:28:45.410 --> 00:28:48.289 is praying for Peter. I'm praying for you that 00:28:48.289 --> 00:28:51.950 your faith won't fail and when it's all said 00:28:51.950 --> 00:28:55.130 and done, that you will be strength or you will 00:28:55.130 --> 00:28:57.529 strengthen the other guys, the other disciples, 00:28:57.630 --> 00:29:00.289 because they're all gonna bail on me too. I need 00:29:00.289 --> 00:29:03.130 you to be a leader. I need you to lead them and 00:29:03.130 --> 00:29:05.950 to shepherd them in their moment or their hour 00:29:05.950 --> 00:29:11.210 of need. And Peter, being the guy he is, he says, 00:29:11.230 --> 00:29:14.549 great Lord, thank you, awesome, right? No, what 00:29:14.549 --> 00:29:17.119 does Peter say? He says, Lord, I'm ready to go 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:21.779 with you both to prison and to death. A couple 00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:24.079 things, too, that you'd probably notice. Satan 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.539 has no right here. He has to ask Jesus if he 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:30.400 can test Peter. Why? Because Jesus is Lord over 00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:33.500 spiritual powers. They all submit to him, even 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:38.539 the devil. But it also follows that the trials 00:29:38.539 --> 00:29:40.940 and testings that come to you and I as God's 00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:43.579 people are only the trials and testings that 00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:49.789 God allows. And that should humble us. That should 00:29:49.789 --> 00:29:51.789 also give us a great deal of confidence in our 00:29:51.789 --> 00:29:54.569 God to protect us and walk through it with the 00:29:54.569 --> 00:29:59.569 trials since he's there with us. But Peter's 00:29:59.569 --> 00:30:02.390 like, you know what, Jesus, I got you. You're 00:30:02.390 --> 00:30:07.829 my ride or die. I'm with you. I'm all in. And 00:30:07.829 --> 00:30:10.089 Jesus is like, that's really cute, Pete. But 00:30:10.089 --> 00:30:15.349 before the rooster crows three times, you are 00:30:15.349 --> 00:30:21.369 going to deny even knowing me. And so Peter chops 00:30:21.369 --> 00:30:25.069 off the dude's ear, right? And by the way, Jesus 00:30:25.069 --> 00:30:28.210 glues that thing back on, like pop right back 00:30:28.210 --> 00:30:30.910 on the ears. He did it in the dark too, so hopefully 00:30:30.910 --> 00:30:34.250 he got it straight. It's like, okay, that's good 00:30:34.250 --> 00:30:40.500 enough. They arrest Jesus, they take him in for 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:42.599 questioning. Peter goes to the palace where they've 00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:44.940 taken Jesus. Some servant girl is there and she 00:30:44.940 --> 00:30:46.680 sees him and they're like, hey, aren't you one 00:30:46.680 --> 00:30:49.319 of that man's disciples? You are, aren't you? 00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:52.299 And Peter's like, no, I'm not. I'm not associated 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:55.480 with him. And then next he's warming his hands 00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:57.460 by a fire and a group of servants and officials, 00:30:57.640 --> 00:30:59.440 they ask him the same question and he's like, 00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:03.599 nope, not me. And then one of the high priest's 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:06.960 servants comes and sees him and says, wait. Didn't 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:10.259 I see you with Jesus? I'm pretty sure I saw you. 00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:14.619 And you really have to be one of them because 00:31:14.619 --> 00:31:17.559 I can tell by your Galilean accent that you're 00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:21.000 not from around these parts. And here's what 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:22.980 Matthew's account says that Peter did on this 00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:26.799 third shot here. Here's what he said. Peter started 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:32.079 to curse and to swear with an oath, I don't know 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:39.089 the man. And immediately, a rooster crowed. And 00:31:39.089 --> 00:31:42.630 Peter remembered the words of Jesus. Before the 00:31:42.630 --> 00:31:44.730 rooster crows, you will deny me three times. 00:31:46.769 --> 00:31:49.990 And so Peter went outside, it says, to those 00:31:49.990 --> 00:31:53.410 dark streets of Jerusalem, and he wept bitterly. 00:31:55.190 --> 00:31:59.670 What a guy. How much is he like you and I, though? 00:32:01.450 --> 00:32:05.559 Fearful, hot. White hot with zeal, and then the 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:11.700 next moment, terrified, scared. He's in the streets. 00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:15.319 Jesus is condemned to die. Jesus is stripped 00:32:15.319 --> 00:32:18.200 and beaten. Jesus is mocked and despised. Jesus 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:20.720 is crucified, his hands and feet nailed to the 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:24.140 cross. Jesus gives up his spirit and dies. And 00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:26.599 Peter, Peter is hiding with the other disciples 00:32:26.599 --> 00:32:31.039 with nothing but memories and regret. It says 00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:34.500 that only John, is one of the 12 that witnessed 00:32:34.500 --> 00:32:38.339 the crucifixion along with his mother and some 00:32:38.339 --> 00:32:41.599 other ladies who are there. But Jesus, on the 00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:43.980 third day, he rises from the dead, and the women 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:46.420 report an empty tomb. And as soon as Peter hears 00:32:46.420 --> 00:32:48.779 about an empty tomb, which Jesus told him about 00:32:48.779 --> 00:32:51.839 before, as soon as he hears about the empty tomb, 00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:55.019 he races to see it for himself. But it says that 00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:57.019 when he got there, all he saw was the linen cloth 00:32:57.019 --> 00:33:00.000 left, and Peter went away wondering to himself 00:33:00.000 --> 00:33:06.619 what had happened. Fast forward and Peter had 00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:08.759 a couple of his disciples and they had gone back 00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:11.240 to their old way of life. They'd gone back fishing. 00:33:13.140 --> 00:33:15.940 They went out to catch one night and they got 00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:18.859 nothing. And as they're approaching the banks, 00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:20.960 they're about a football's field away, a length 00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:23.730 away from the bank. They see the silhouette of 00:33:23.730 --> 00:33:25.829 a man. They can't recognize who he is. And he 00:33:25.829 --> 00:33:28.630 says, hey, did you catch anything? And they're 00:33:28.630 --> 00:33:30.970 like, no, we caught nothing. And he's like, well, 00:33:31.009 --> 00:33:32.450 why don't you try the right side of the boat? 00:33:32.569 --> 00:33:34.029 And they're like, hey, let's go for it. One last 00:33:34.029 --> 00:33:36.250 shot. They throw the nets over and they collect 00:33:36.250 --> 00:33:37.990 so many fish they can't even get them on board. 00:33:38.450 --> 00:33:41.509 And instantly, John, the disciple John goes. 00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:44.160 That's gotta be the Lord. Like, this is a miracle. 00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:46.839 That's gotta be the Lord. And Peter, in his zeal, 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:49.140 he wraps his loincloth around him and he hops 00:33:49.140 --> 00:33:51.819 in the water, swims for about a football -length 00:33:51.819 --> 00:33:58.259 field to Jesus on the banks to be with him. Peter, 00:33:58.420 --> 00:34:00.700 who has lived with the shame of abandoning Jesus, 00:34:00.880 --> 00:34:03.359 returning to his old way of life and failing 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:06.920 to lead and shepherd his brothers, the fellow 00:34:06.920 --> 00:34:10.320 disciples, now faces Jesus face to face again. 00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:13.639 And Jesus had already told Peter before that 00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:16.199 he was going to be the rock and he would lead 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:19.480 the church once Jesus was gone and he'd be the 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:22.599 first among equals among the disciples. But none 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:24.860 of that is going to happen if Peter is paralyzed 00:34:24.860 --> 00:34:30.000 with shame and failure. And Jesus knows that 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:32.139 and so Jesus has a little one -on -one time with 00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:35.159 Peter on the banks. It says they ate breakfast 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:38.679 together and then Jesus asked Peter, Simon, son 00:34:38.679 --> 00:34:43.630 of John, Do you love me more than these? Yes, 00:34:43.630 --> 00:34:47.170 Lord, he said to him. You know that I love you. 00:34:48.230 --> 00:34:53.130 Feed my lambs, he told him. A second time, Jesus 00:34:53.130 --> 00:34:55.869 asked him, Simon, son of John, do you love me? 00:34:56.329 --> 00:34:59.010 Yes, Lord, he said to him. You know that I love 00:34:59.010 --> 00:35:04.139 you. Shepherd my sheep, he told him. He asked 00:35:04.139 --> 00:35:07.099 him a third time, Simon, son of John, do you 00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:09.860 love me? Peter was grieved that he asked him 00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:13.059 the third time, do you love me? He said, Lord, 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:16.380 you know everything. You know that I love you. 00:35:16.559 --> 00:35:21.500 Feed my sheep, Jesus said. Three times denied. 00:35:22.699 --> 00:35:27.739 Three times restored. Three times for what purpose, 00:35:27.820 --> 00:35:30.780 though? through the loving grace of Jesus, not 00:35:30.780 --> 00:35:34.079 just restored, not just forgiven, but given the 00:35:34.079 --> 00:35:37.619 ministry of shepherding. Not just said, hey, 00:35:37.659 --> 00:35:39.699 you're good, but I'm gonna put you on the sideline, 00:35:39.719 --> 00:35:43.400 you're out, you failed too big. I got no use 00:35:43.400 --> 00:35:46.059 for you anymore in my kingdom. But he said three 00:35:46.059 --> 00:35:50.679 times, feed my sheep, shepherd my sheep, love 00:35:50.679 --> 00:35:55.940 my sheep. God's grace is bigger than your worst 00:35:55.940 --> 00:36:02.949 moments. Amen? Hallelujah? Amen? Is this a room 00:36:02.949 --> 00:36:07.469 full of saved folks? God's grace is bigger than 00:36:07.469 --> 00:36:11.539 your worst moments. failure is not the end of 00:36:11.539 --> 00:36:14.639 the story. It doesn't have to be. At the end 00:36:14.639 --> 00:36:17.980 of his life, Peter will write in 1 Peter to the 00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:20.699 elders of the churches that he's writing to the 00:36:20.699 --> 00:36:23.099 same words that Jesus spoke to him on the banks 00:36:23.099 --> 00:36:25.900 of that river, that sea, and he'll tell them 00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:30.739 to shepherd God's flock among you. not overseeing 00:36:30.739 --> 00:36:33.019 out of compulsion, but willingly as God would 00:36:33.019 --> 00:36:35.940 have you, not out of greed for money, but eagerly, 00:36:35.940 --> 00:36:39.820 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but 00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:42.239 being examples to the flock. And then he gives 00:36:42.239 --> 00:36:44.760 this promise, and he says, when the chief shepherd 00:36:44.760 --> 00:36:47.840 appears, when Jesus appears, you will receive 00:36:47.840 --> 00:36:53.320 the unfading crown of glory. Peter's restoration 00:36:53.320 --> 00:36:58.019 was to shepherd, to lead the church. to lead 00:36:58.019 --> 00:37:01.139 in a certain way, he learned one of the greatest 00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:03.960 qualities of redemptive leadership, and that 00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:08.519 is humility. Jesus earlier had told his disciples, 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:11.679 you know, the Gentiles, well, this is how they 00:37:11.679 --> 00:37:15.900 lead. They lorded over everyone. Hey, look at 00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:18.199 me. I've got power and prestige. I've got position. 00:37:18.400 --> 00:37:21.099 But not so you. If any of you wants to be greatest, 00:37:21.789 --> 00:37:24.090 You must become the servant of all. The kind 00:37:24.090 --> 00:37:26.429 of leadership, the redemptive leadership is a 00:37:26.429 --> 00:37:33.309 humble servant leader. And it took Peter running 00:37:33.309 --> 00:37:35.909 through the ringer, going through trial and testing 00:37:35.909 --> 00:37:41.289 time and time again for God to make in him, to 00:37:41.289 --> 00:37:43.969 refine in him the character that he needed in 00:37:43.969 --> 00:37:47.489 order to lead the church. To smooth out the rough 00:37:47.489 --> 00:37:50.230 edges. that would get in the way and ultimately 00:37:50.230 --> 00:37:52.849 lead to his failure. He had to go through all 00:37:52.849 --> 00:37:55.730 kinds of trial. Could you imagine being Peter 00:37:55.730 --> 00:37:58.809 on those days when Jesus was in the tomb? The 00:37:58.809 --> 00:38:01.690 agony. As soon as they brought Jesus down from 00:38:01.690 --> 00:38:03.690 the cross, it was the Sabbath. That means you 00:38:03.690 --> 00:38:05.250 couldn't even travel that far. You were locked 00:38:05.250 --> 00:38:09.610 in your house. He was probably in deep grief 00:38:09.610 --> 00:38:14.110 and mourning, but all of that was to test and 00:38:14.110 --> 00:38:17.190 prove the quality of his faith and to grow it 00:38:17.190 --> 00:38:21.050 increasingly. No matter your past, Jesus restores 00:38:21.050 --> 00:38:24.789 failures and calls them to lead with humility. 00:38:26.449 --> 00:38:29.230 Peter's greatest failure became the stage for 00:38:29.230 --> 00:38:32.409 his greatest calling. Why? Because grace restores 00:38:32.409 --> 00:38:35.750 with purpose. Jesus doesn't just forgive Peter, 00:38:35.889 --> 00:38:38.989 he restores him. And Peter learns the quality 00:38:38.989 --> 00:38:43.070 of true leadership. And so in conclusion, I'll 00:38:43.070 --> 00:38:48.530 just say this. Peter, his name means rock. But 00:38:48.530 --> 00:38:54.309 he wasn't always a smooth rock. But by golly, 00:38:54.309 --> 00:38:58.650 he was being shaped into one, wasn't he? Peter's 00:38:58.650 --> 00:39:01.889 story shows us that suffering is not a detour 00:39:01.889 --> 00:39:05.110 in the Christian life. It's part of the design. 00:39:07.449 --> 00:39:10.329 The gospel doesn't promise a life free from fire, 00:39:10.469 --> 00:39:14.969 but one where the fire refines rather than consumes. 00:39:16.710 --> 00:39:20.329 God doesn't just use strong people either. He 00:39:20.329 --> 00:39:24.389 strengthens people so that they're useful. And 00:39:24.389 --> 00:39:28.829 Peter, once broken and afraid, is now riding 00:39:28.829 --> 00:39:33.869 to churches to embolden them because of the grace 00:39:33.869 --> 00:39:37.690 that has made him steady. Will you pray with 00:39:37.690 --> 00:39:41.889 me? Father, we thank you for the illustration 00:39:41.889 --> 00:39:45.659 that we get from your word. for Peter and his 00:39:45.659 --> 00:39:48.579 life, and we thank you, Lord, for what it means, 00:39:48.699 --> 00:39:52.980 Lord, the hope and promise for us, for how you 00:39:52.980 --> 00:39:55.800 might use us and for some of us who might feel 00:39:55.800 --> 00:40:00.320 like we are beyond repair or beyond your ability 00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:03.260 to redeem and restore and refine. I pray, Lord, 00:40:03.320 --> 00:40:05.000 that you would show us even through these stories 00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:08.800 that you have a plan and purpose and you can 00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:12.320 accomplish that, but it is not going to be without 00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:15.880 trial or suffering. But it most certainly will 00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:20.159 include that to refine us, to smooth out the 00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:20.679 rough edges.