Peter's Progress - 1 Peter 1:1
Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday June 21, 2009
Peter’s Progress
1 Peter 1:1
Apostle! Peter must have done something extraordinary to earn that high and noble title. Apostle! Men/women have to labor for years in order to become doctors/military generals/POTUS. But Peter was called an apostle very early in his relationship w/ Jesus.
… He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter… Lk. 6:12-14
From the get-go Peter is named an apostle. But here’s the rub: he had an apostolic calling w/o apostolic character/given an apostolic ministry before he had apostolic maturity. Why did Jesus give him a title he hadn’t earned and call him to a task he wasn’t fitted for?
The Lord has done this before: When Abram was 99 years old and had only one son, Ishmael, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham – father of many nations. …(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. Romans 4:17-18
He bore the name/walked in the promise of that name before it became a reality in his life. Even as Abraham grew into his name, so Peter. Even as these men grew into the potential of their lives, so us – called as saints/called to serve.
As we are set to begin 1 Peter, I want to take an overall look at the author, a man we all know in bits and pieces. I want us to see Peter’s life from a bird’s-eye point of view. Knowing where a man is coming from will help us understand what he’s getting to – knowing his life/written – knowing where he is/saying
I walked into the rest stop bathroom and had barely sat down when I heard a voice from the other stall saying, "Hi, how are you?" Now, I'm not the type to start a conversation in restrooms, at a rest stop no less. But I answered, somewhat embarrassed, "Doing just fine." And the other guy says, "So what are you up to?" What kind of question is that?! I'm thinking this is too bizarre, so I say, "Oh, I'm like you, just traveling." At this point I'm just trying to get out of there as fast as I can when I hear another question: "Can I come over to your place for awhile?" Okay, this question is just plain wacky, but I figured I should be polite, answer him, and end the conversation. So I say, "Well, I have company, so today is a bad day for me." Then...I hear the guy say nervously: "Listen, I'll have to call you back, there's an idiot in the next stall who keeps answering my questions. Bye!" John Marshall CC Pastor
This book can be read and studied w/ profit if you don’t know Peter’s personal history/the time he spent w/ Jesus/the wealth of experience he had w/ the Lord. But when you know his life, and then read his words, they take on even deeper meaning and significance. I want us to look at the life of Peter and Peter’s progress in the things of God in three distinct phases.
The revelations to Peter
* The holiness of Jesus Lk. 5:1-8 (unworthiness of self)
Nicodemus had pretty much the same idea: No one can do these things unless God is with him.
* The power of Jesus Mt. 14:25-29
At the revelation of Jesus’ holiness, Peter asked Jesus to depart from him and at the revelation of His power, Peter wanted to go to Him. The holiness/power of God are nothing to fear if you know the love of God.
* The love of Jesus John 13:34 washing feet
* The identity of Jesus Mt. 16:16; Jn. 6:68
* The essence of Jesus Mt. 17:1-8
With these revelations, God is pressing in to Peter’s consciousness and soul. God is shaping and forming an instrument that He might use – one that is in alignment w/ His heart and purpose. Peter was becoming what he was called. What the Lord was showing to/doing in Peter was creating apostolic maturity/ministry. So w/ you. You are called ‘saint’/you are called ‘servant.’
The relapses of Peter
Even as there was progress, there was regress. Even as he took 2 steps forward, he took 1 step back. While God was pressing into Peter, drawing him forward, there were other pressures/dynamics at work - the world/flesh/devil were pushing him backward, keeping him where he had always been. Even as Jesus was teaching him spiritual things, Peter was easily influenced by natural things – he allowed the presence of other pressures to crowd out Christ.
* The pressure of danger Mt. 14:30-31
* The pressure of desire Mt. 16:21-23
* The pressure of distinction Mt. 17:3-4
* The pressure of desperation Jn. 18:10
* The pressure of denial Mt. 26:69
Faith/hope/thinking/emotions/will/love overwhelmed
Paul in Gal. 5:16 The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh… Peter could say a hearty AMEN to this. Jesus had called him to apostolic character/ministry, and so many things were setting themselves against this, overwhelming him, keeping Peter from what Jesus had called him to be/do. So w/ you – saint and servant.
The redemption of Peter
* His name is repeated Mk. 16:7 He has apostolic title.
If the angel had only mentioned the disciples, Peter would have wondered if he were included in that #.
* His calling is renewed Jn. 21:15ff. He has apostolic calling.
* His maturity is revealed Acts 2 He as apostolic maturity.
* His ministry is released Acts 2 He has apostolic ministry.
The Holy Spirit worked in Peter’s life to bring him to the place God wanted him to be. Phil. 1:6. Peter, after remaining for a long time in the Middle East, made his way across Asia Minor and finally came to Rome where he wrote these two books and was martyred under Nero in 64 AD. The Vatican is built over and around his grave.
Even as God was pressing into Peter’s life to mold and shape him, so was the world/flesh/ devil pressed in to undo the work of God. Peter’s life is a testimony to the triumph of the work of God to bring a person to the place where they love God more than life itself.
Phil. 1:6 God desires to begin a good work in you. But first you must receive the good work He has done for you.
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Peter’s Progress
1 Peter 1:1
Apostle! Peter must have done something extraordinary to earn that high and noble title. Apostle! Men/women have to labor for years in order to become doctors/military generals/POTUS. But Peter was called an apostle very early in his relationship w/ Jesus.
… He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter… Lk. 6:12-14
From the get-go Peter is named an apostle. But here’s the rub: he had an apostolic calling w/o apostolic character/given an apostolic ministry before he had apostolic maturity. Why did Jesus give him a title he hadn’t earned and call him to a task he wasn’t fitted for?
The Lord has done this before: When Abram was 99 years old and had only one son, Ishmael, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham – father of many nations. …(as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. Romans 4:17-18
He bore the name/walked in the promise of that name before it became a reality in his life. Even as Abraham grew into his name, so Peter. Even as these men grew into the potential of their lives, so us – called as saints/called to serve.
As we are set to begin 1 Peter, I want to take an overall look at the author, a man we all know in bits and pieces. I want us to see Peter’s life from a bird’s-eye point of view. Knowing where a man is coming from will help us understand what he’s getting to – knowing his life/written – knowing where he is/saying
I walked into the rest stop bathroom and had barely sat down when I heard a voice from the other stall saying, "Hi, how are you?" Now, I'm not the type to start a conversation in restrooms, at a rest stop no less. But I answered, somewhat embarrassed, "Doing just fine." And the other guy says, "So what are you up to?" What kind of question is that?! I'm thinking this is too bizarre, so I say, "Oh, I'm like you, just traveling." At this point I'm just trying to get out of there as fast as I can when I hear another question: "Can I come over to your place for awhile?" Okay, this question is just plain wacky, but I figured I should be polite, answer him, and end the conversation. So I say, "Well, I have company, so today is a bad day for me." Then...I hear the guy say nervously: "Listen, I'll have to call you back, there's an idiot in the next stall who keeps answering my questions. Bye!" John Marshall CC Pastor
This book can be read and studied w/ profit if you don’t know Peter’s personal history/the time he spent w/ Jesus/the wealth of experience he had w/ the Lord. But when you know his life, and then read his words, they take on even deeper meaning and significance. I want us to look at the life of Peter and Peter’s progress in the things of God in three distinct phases.
The revelations to Peter
* The holiness of Jesus Lk. 5:1-8 (unworthiness of self)
Nicodemus had pretty much the same idea: No one can do these things unless God is with him.
* The power of Jesus Mt. 14:25-29
At the revelation of Jesus’ holiness, Peter asked Jesus to depart from him and at the revelation of His power, Peter wanted to go to Him. The holiness/power of God are nothing to fear if you know the love of God.
* The love of Jesus John 13:34 washing feet
* The identity of Jesus Mt. 16:16; Jn. 6:68
* The essence of Jesus Mt. 17:1-8
With these revelations, God is pressing in to Peter’s consciousness and soul. God is shaping and forming an instrument that He might use – one that is in alignment w/ His heart and purpose. Peter was becoming what he was called. What the Lord was showing to/doing in Peter was creating apostolic maturity/ministry. So w/ you. You are called ‘saint’/you are called ‘servant.’
The relapses of Peter
Even as there was progress, there was regress. Even as he took 2 steps forward, he took 1 step back. While God was pressing into Peter, drawing him forward, there were other pressures/dynamics at work - the world/flesh/devil were pushing him backward, keeping him where he had always been. Even as Jesus was teaching him spiritual things, Peter was easily influenced by natural things – he allowed the presence of other pressures to crowd out Christ.
* The pressure of danger Mt. 14:30-31
* The pressure of desire Mt. 16:21-23
* The pressure of distinction Mt. 17:3-4
* The pressure of desperation Jn. 18:10
* The pressure of denial Mt. 26:69
Faith/hope/thinking/emotions/will/love overwhelmed
Paul in Gal. 5:16 The flesh sets its desire against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh… Peter could say a hearty AMEN to this. Jesus had called him to apostolic character/ministry, and so many things were setting themselves against this, overwhelming him, keeping Peter from what Jesus had called him to be/do. So w/ you – saint and servant.
The redemption of Peter
* His name is repeated Mk. 16:7 He has apostolic title.
If the angel had only mentioned the disciples, Peter would have wondered if he were included in that #.
* His calling is renewed Jn. 21:15ff. He has apostolic calling.
* His maturity is revealed Acts 2 He as apostolic maturity.
* His ministry is released Acts 2 He has apostolic ministry.
The Holy Spirit worked in Peter’s life to bring him to the place God wanted him to be. Phil. 1:6. Peter, after remaining for a long time in the Middle East, made his way across Asia Minor and finally came to Rome where he wrote these two books and was martyred under Nero in 64 AD. The Vatican is built over and around his grave.
Even as God was pressing into Peter’s life to mold and shape him, so was the world/flesh/ devil pressed in to undo the work of God. Peter’s life is a testimony to the triumph of the work of God to bring a person to the place where they love God more than life itself.
Phil. 1:6 God desires to begin a good work in you. But first you must receive the good work He has done for you.
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