Apostle Peter was a man used by God in a powerful way, but also a person who made mistakes.
Peter was a fisherman. Once when he had fished all night without catching anything, Jesus told them to cast their nets in deep water. When they did, they caught so many fish that their nets almost broke. Peter was afraid and understood that he was a sinner. Jesus then told him not to be afraid, and that he would send them out to fish for people. They then left everything and followed Jesus.
(Mat 4:18–22, Mark 1:16–20, Luk 5:1–11).
Peter was the disciple who had faith to walk on the water when he saw Jesus coming to them walking on the water, see Jesus Walks on Water.
Later there was a time when many of Jesus' followers turned back and no longer walked with him, see Jesus the Bread of Life. The main reason was that Jesus explained to them who he really is, and what it means to follow Jesus. Jesus then asked the twelve if they were to leave him too. It was Peter who then answered Jesus: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God".
(John 6:66–69).
On another occasion when Jesus asked the disciples who they said he was, Peter replied that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God (Mat 16:15–16, Mark 8:29,
Luk 9:20). Christ is a Greek word meaning "the anointed one". It has the same meaning as the Hebrew word Messiah. It's a title. Jesus then answered Peter that he was blessed because God the Father had revealed this for him (Mat 16:17).
Peter had spoken under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day rise from the dead (Mat 16:21, Mark 8:31–32a, Luk 9:22). Peter then took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, saying that this would never happen to him, and tried to talk him out of it (Mat 16:22, Mark 8:32b). It was probably a sort of spiritual pride that Peter had at the time that caused him to rebuke Jesus. Because Peter didn't like it, he thought that it couldn't be from God the Father, but it was.
(1 Pet 5:5b–6). Jesus then answered Peter: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." (Mat 16:23, Mark 8:33, Isaiah 55:8). This opposition of Peter was the work of the enemy, and Peter cooperated with it when he rebuked Jesus. When Peter called Jesus Christ (Messiah), he talked a revelation from God the Father, inspired by the Holy Spirit. But when Peter in the next moment rebuked Jesus, it came from the flesh, from the old nature that we still have, even as born again Christians, see The Book of Peter. See this further explained at time 26:00–37:03
in Mark 8:11-33 – Coming to See.
Satan often comes and offers an alternative path than the path that is God's will. That means some kind of compromise. When Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted, Satan offered him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, without Jesus having to suffer and die on the cross. All Jesus had to do was fall down and worship Satan. Jesus rejected it with the words: "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve". (Mat 4:1, 8–10,
Luk 4:1, 5–8, Deu (5 Mos) 6:13). Satan offered Jesus an alternative path, different from the path given by God the Father. One problem with a compromise is that it comes back and bites you in some way, see Balaam and Balak. In a similar way, God can lead us to enter hardship in order to become more mature Christians, see the Seven elements in The Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus also said: "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"
(Mat 16:25–26, Mark 8:35–37, Luk 9:24–25). Jesus talks about making our lives the most important thing to us. That is self life and isn't how Jesus wants us to live.
(1 Cor 1:18).
If someone wants to follow Jesus, he should instead do the following (Mat 16:24, Mark 8:34), see also 3) Blessed are the meek in The Sermon on the Mount:
- Deny yourself:
We should have more of God's mind and not act like Peter did when
he rebuked Jesus, because he thought he knew better than Jesus.
Peter didn't think of the things of God, but on the things of men,
what he thought best (James 4:13–15), see time 14:38–23:37 in
Luke 5 (Part 1) • A Lesson, a Leper and Jesus proves He is God.
Denying yourself isn't the same as self-denial. We practice self-denial when,
for a good purpose we occasionally give up things or activities, see for example Fasting. But we deny ourselves when we surrender ourselves to Christ
and resolve to obey his will and make it our aim to please him
(2 Cor 5:9), and live for him (2 Cor 5:15). - Take up his cross:
Before the Romans crucified someone, that person had to carry his cross (actually the crossbeam) to the place of crucifixion. It was a parade of sorts and a way to humiliate that person. It was also part of the dying process. What Jesus means here is that this is the final surrender. Jesus said: "Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." (Luk 14:27).
My life now belongs to Jesus. Everything I have belongs to God. We speak of dying to self: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20).
We offer ourselves as living sacrifices, but it's God the Holy Spirit who makes the changes within us (Rom 12:1, Phil 3:7–8). It's voluntary action of our
part; we aren't forced to do that, to stop being self-centered, to die to self.
We must not learn to love ourselves in order to love others, to care about other people (Phil 2:3–4). - Follow Jesus:
We should follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Jesus was rejected many times.
The disciples rejoiced when they were later punished by following Jesus, see
Fear of Man. Jesus challenges us.
(Mat 26:32, Mark 14:28). Peter answered Jesus that even if all the other disciples should fall away, he would never (Mat 26:33, 35, Mark 14:29, 31, Luk 22:33,
John 13:37). Jesus told Peter that he would deny Jesus three times that night before the rooster crowed twice (Mat 26:34, Mark 14:30, Luk 22:34, John 13:38).
(Mat 26:51–54, Mark 14:47–48, Luk 22:49–50, John 18:10–11). Jesus healed him (Luk 22:51). This shows the compassion that Jesus has for man. All the disciples then left him and fled (Mat 26:55–56, Mark 14:49–50, Luk 22:52–53, John 18:8, 12–14). This is believed to have occurred sometime between midnight and 2:30 am.
This isn't a good way to follow Jesus from a distance and be influenced by one's enemies. His character and faith were now tested: When confronted about being a follower of Jesus, he denied it three times. He even invoked a curse on himself and began to swear. Peter compromised his knowledge and connection to Jesus.
(Mat 26:69–74, Mark 14:66–72a, Luk 22:54–60, John 18:15–18, 25–27).
This was very serious because Jesus had said that whoever denies him before men will Jesus deny before God the Father who is in Heaven (Mat 10:33, Luk 12:9).
Mark 14:72b, Luk 22:61–62). It was at that moment that repentance took place.
See this explained at time 25:27–31:24 in Mark 14:53-72 – Jesus Tried and Denied.
This is an example of brokenness from pride. People who aren't broken from pride always try to justify themselves when they have done something wrong. They either excuse themselves by trying to convince themselves and others that they had valid reasons to do wrong, or that it was someone else's fault that caused them to do the wrong. It's pride and is the opposite of brokenness from pride.
1) Blessed are the poor in spirit in The Sermon on the Mount. God may allow us to enter situations where we experience some kind of loss or hardship, so that he can later use us for his purpose.
This was the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he rose from the dead. (John 21:1–14).
(1 Pet 5:10). Forgiveness and restoration are part of God's character, see God's Attributes. We don't have to wonder if God will forgive us when we come to him, see also The Unforgivable Sin. But we must confront our failures, we must repent when we do wrong. Jesus restored Peter through threefold questions (John 21:15–17).
A question for every time Peter denied him. Jesus confronted Peter with his failures. The love to Jesus is crucial (2 Cor 5:14). Peter followed Jesus wherever
he went (John 21:18–19). He shouldn't compare himself with other people
(John 21:20–21). God has different plans for different people (John 21:22–23).
self-attitude that says: "I can do this in my own power;" to the attitude:
"I can do this through Christ but in myself I can do nothing." Without having that attitude there should be no leadership, see The Book of Timothy. Some people who desire leadership and who haven't been broken from pride aren't ready for leadership. The reason is to prevent people from harming the herd. We must be receptive to what God wants us to do.
Miracles of Jesus. There is hope for such persons, God has the power to heal and restore even such persons: "He (God) heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3). See also Hope in Faith, Hope, and Agape Love.
The Gift of Tongues, Peter was used in a great way by God, see The book of Acts.
