By Charles Fleming
As Christians we all have pivotal issues and periods that shape our lives. The apostle Peter was no different. Let's take a look at three of those areas: his calling, when he recognized Jesus as the Messiah, when he denied him and when Christ forgave him.
After Peter and other fishermen had fished all night and caught nothing, Jesus told them to try again (Luke 5:1-11). They launched out again and caught the catch of a lifetime.
Peter fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man."
Fortunately, the story does not end there. Our gracious Lord does not turn away at the first sign of resistance or lack of faith from Peter. His love for us is too relentless for that to happen.
And, happily, Peter's acceptance is not so shallow that he can resist Jesus' further invitation. Peter gives up his fishing career and follows Jesus (verse 11). What can we learn from this pivotal moment in Peter's life?
Peter's struggle is our struggle. We accept Jesus, but not unconditionally. We have areas in our lives where we place signs that say, "Keep out, Lord." These are areas where we do not want to change. Maybe they are addictions or bad habits. Or maybe they are so painful that rather than confront them we refuse to admit that we even have a problem. Or, maybe we lack faith.
Like Peter, when this happens we must recognize our failure and accept our Lord's continued calls to follow him. Failure to do this leads to lives that may be filled with religious activity, but with little of the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Peter was at a pivotal moment in his life. Would he grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior? Or, would he have a spiritually powerless form of religion?
Churches also face such challenges. A church is a collection of individuals. And so the quality of spiritual life in a fellowship is a reflection of the decisions made by the members.
As we take stock of where we are as a fellowship we can ask what was the fruit of our previous teachings. For example, did our decision to separate the message of Jesus from the messenger (preaching the good news about the soon-coming kingdom, but not making the person of Christ the central feature) lead to intimate, life-changing encounters with Jesus?
Or did we end up with an approach to religion that was filled with much reverential activity, but little one-on-one experiences with Jesus?
Most of us were driven by a sincere commitment to please God. Lives that were--and still are--enriched by taking the Scriptures seriously and by practicing self-discipline. But we lacked the reality of an intimate walk with our Savior.
We are now finding what Peter found a long time ago. Falling at Jesus' knees and calling him "Lord" are only meaningful when accompanied by an acceptance of his power and right to transform us.
Like Peter we need to change from inviting Jesus out of our lives to surrendering to him as the only one in whose name we can have "the forgiveness of our sins" (Acts 2:38).
Another pivotal moment in Peter's life occurred when Jesus asked his disciples who they thought he was (Matthew 16:13-23). In verse 13 Peter acknowledged that he had accepted Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus said that such insight could only come by inspiration by the Father.
Jesus goes on to explain to his disciples the climax of his earthly ministry--his death and resurrection. Without his crucifixion and resurrection there would be no salvation. Nothing could be more important. But Peter did not see it that way. He demands that Jesus forget such an idea. " `Never, Lord!' he said. `This shall never happen to you!' " (verse 22).
Jesus' reaction is even stronger than Peter's. "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not mind the things of God, but the things of men" (verse 23).
First, it is possible to be so right in some areas that it could only be the result of inspiration. Yet, at the same time, it is possible to be wrong on some fundamental issues. Peter accepted who Jesus was, but failed to grasp the heart and core of Jesus' ministry--his self-sacrifice.
In effect, we see that it is possible to be a servant of God and still make significant errors. The merciful Lord does not disown us because of our mistakes. In Matthew 17:1 Jesus invites Peter to be one of only three to witness his transfiguration.
In our fellowship we can look back on decades of erroneous teaching. But, we can also look back on decades of God's involvement in our lives.
God healed us. He answered our prayers. He intervened on our behalf. This despite the fact that some of our teachings were stumbling blocks that prevented some people from seeing the gospel of grace in its purity. That shows just how merciful God is. He is willing to use us in spite of ourselves.
Peter was the not the only servant of God to fail to understand the extent to which God is willing to sacrifice himself.
He did not stay that way, however. Later he wrote: "To this end you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.... He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness" (1 Peter 2:21, 24).
Like many others, we too, sold God's grace short. We believed in grace, but in an inadequate version of grace. Thanks be to God that the season of our misunderstanding is over. As happened with Peter, our Lord has led us through a season of correction and we now stand chastened, but ready to proclaim the wonders of God's relentless love and grace.
The final incident is found in John 21:1-19. Jesus has been crucified, buried and resurrected. From Peter's point of view, part of the horror of that event is that he had denied his Lord three times. Peter, devastated, has returned to his fishing trade. Is his spiritual life going to end where it began? Will Jesus' influence soon be a forgotten memory?
Not with our Lord and his all-encompassing love.
Again the disciples have no success in catching fish. Again Jesus commands them to try again. Again the nets are filled to bursting. It's like we are back at the events of Luke 5.
We can identify with this. At times our lives seem to be controlled by a giant video recorder that repeatedly goes back to the rewind mode. We fight the same battles over and over. And the Lord is always there to show us the way.
This time Jesus restores and empowers Peter with a simple question, asked three different ways. Do you love me?
Each time the formerly impulsive, self-confident Peter has one answer. Lord, you know that I love you. And each time Jesus has one comment. Take care of my flock.
The only appropriate response to a God of love is to love him in return. Often the only evidence we can offer is not our performance but to ask God to look at our hearts. We are human, and our actions fall far short of our heartfelt desires to do right.
Peter had learned that. He offered no evidence from his past, nor did he make promises. He merely relied on the Lord who loved him to look at his heart. "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Once Jesus saw that Peter rested his case in him, he gave him his commission.
The same Jesus who repeatedly held Peter to that one question has shown similar persistence in correcting our errors. In effect we have been asked, Do you love me more than your traditions?
We were wrong in some fundamental areas. But, in spite of that, God was with us then and is with us now.
We need to accept what Peter had to accept, that Jesus is not just someone we bow down to and call Lord. We must give ourselves to him so he can take the sinful people we are and transform us.
Peter had to accept that an inspired knowledge of some truths about Christ is not enough, unless it includes a total acceptance of his self-sacrifice as the only source of righteousness in our lives.
Peter had to accept that all of his abilities--from his strong will to his courage to his impetuousness--would never be enough to make him right with God, or to serve God's people. He had to come to see that his sufficiency rested only in Christ's love for him.
Peter had to accept that all he had to give in return was his love for Christ.
We--corporately and individually --face that same simple question Jesus asked Peter. Do we love him?
Say, Yes, Lord. And let him do for you what he did for Peter.
Jesus led Peter through different levels of acceptance to a profound surrender. Even though some of those levels were inadequate, Jesus never abandoned him. He was with Peter all the way.
That same Jesus has been--and is--with us. His invitation could be summed up by Peter's last written words: "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."
Charles Fleming is regional director for the Caribbean and Spanish areas. He lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
March 18, 1997, WN, page 4
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