Second Chances: Peter

Peter was a disciple of Jesus, but even then he was often blinded from the truth Jesus taught.

Jesus washing Peter's feet

Jesus washing Peter’s feet

Simon was a fisherman when Jesus called him and his brothers to be “fishers of men.”  Jesus changed his name to Peter, to mean the rock.

We know Simon Peter was married, because Jesus healed his mother-in-law.  Peter recognized him as the Son of God.

While Jesus was walking on water Peter asked to come out and meet him.  He walked on the water until he took his eyes off of Jesus and begin to sink, but Jesus reached out and grabbed him.

At the last supper Peter insisted that Jesus not wash his feet and later that he was not only his feet but his hands and head.  Jesus reminded him that washing the feet was good enough.  Later that evening, Peter insisted he would never leave Jesus.

When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was able to walk on water

When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus he was able to walk on water

 

Jesus tells him that he will deny him three times before the “cock crows twice.”  Peter does just that.

Peter could be a hothead because when Jesus was arrested he cut off the ear of a soldier {which Jesus healed}.

After Jesus is resurrected, he ask Peter three times “loves thou me”.   Peter says, “Lord, you know I love you” to which Jesus tells him to “feed his sheep.”

Peter goes on to share the gospel of Jesus in the years after the ascension.  He is considered the first Pope of the Catholic Church.

Jesus tells Peter that at his death he would “glorify God.”  Peter is thought to have been crucified upside down because he “did not feel worthy to die the same way as his Lord.”

 

So what lessons can we learn from Peter?

  1. Jesus cannot only change us, but also our name

    Jesus asked Peter "Lovest Thou Me"

    Jesus asked Peter “Lovest Thou Me”

  2. We often learn from our mistakes
  3. God uses our circumstances as a training ground
  4. When we take our eyes off Jesus we begin to sink
  5. Jesus is waiting to reach out and keep us from sinking
  6. We do not always understand what the Lord is doing until later
  7. You can’t follow Jesus without God’s help
  8. When I follow well is when I’ll lead. Jesus can’t allow us to lead others until we can follow him.
  9. We can’t be in it for ourselves
  10. Our path isn’t always smooth, but often rocky and uphill
  11. Jesus tests us to see if we really love Him and trust Him
  12. If we focus on the wrong thing we will get lost

How are you like Peter?

 

For others in the Second Chances series:

Old Testament: JonahJob,  SamsonRahabDavid and BathshebaMosesJoseph, and  Jacob

New Testament: Zacchaeus, Woman Caught in Adultery, The Prodigal Son

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