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Peter

The Final Step of Peter’s Journey

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What Does it Mean to Let Jesus IN?

Over the past several weeks we’ve been going through the journey of Peter getting to know Jesus and the development of their relationship. This week we’ll discuss the final step of that process.

Have you noticed how all the previous messages have included words starting with the letters IN.

  • INtroduction
  • INvitation
  • INstruction
  • INterruption
  • Re-INstallation

This week we’ll look at INdwelling.

This journey began with Peter’s INtroduction to Jesus. All relationships begin here. Introduction is the act of introducing two people. We need to be introduced to Jesus as well as introduce others to Him.

The next step on the journey was Jesus INvitation to Peter to join Him in His journey. Invitation is what happens after being introduced. Peter needed an invitation from Jesus. One we’re introduced, Jesus invites us all to join Him.

As Peter is following Jesus, he gets INstruction from Him. This is when someone is showing and telling you how to do something. Instruction is the next level of learning. The Bible is full of God’s instructions for how we should live our lives.

Then what happens too often in everything we do is INterruption. This is where Peter let the things of the world interrupt his relationship with Jesus and he denied Him three times. Don’t let the world interrupt your relationship with Jesus. But if it does…

Jesus will forgive you and allow reINstallion.

This part of the journey is one of the hardest. After we mess up, why would anyone want anything to do with us, especially Jesus? This is probably the most important thing in this journey. This forgiveness we receive from Jesus is the reason He gave Himself up to be hung on a cross.

Don’t let this act of love go to waste.

This brings us to the final step of Peter’s discipleship journey – the INdwelling of Jesus. Indwelling is to inhabit or possess a person. This is what Jesus wants. He wants to inhabit and possess us fully. When this happens, we’ve come to a level in our relationship with Him that involves Him in everything we do.

The act of letting Jesus IN isn’t the same for everyone. But it’s up to us to take the journey.

To Whom Would We Go?

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Peter Has Foot-in-Mouth Disease

We all have experienced cases of foot-in-mouth disease, but it seems that Peter has a severe case.

There are several instances of Peter talking (or acting) before thinking.

There was the time when Peter, James and John are with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration.

While Jesus was praying, “the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor… Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)” (Luke 9:28-33)

Then there was the time when the disciples went ahead in the boat and saw Jesus walking on the water.

“When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:22-31)

And don’t forget the time when the disciples are eating their last meal with Jesus, and He tells them that they will all deny him before the night is over.

 “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:

“‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” (Matthew 26:31-35) And we talked about Peter’s denial last week.

Peter was Peter and even with his mistakes he would continually come back and ask for forgiveness.

And then Jesus was crucified before he had a chance. This left Peter broken and lost so he went back to what he knew…fishing.

After Jesus’ crucifixion and appearances His followers were left not knowing what to do. Then while they were fishing on the Sea of Galilee this happened.

Several of the disciple were fishing and not having any luck when a man on the beach asks if they’ve caught any fish. They replied that they hadn’t.

Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

Then one of the disciples said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he jumped into the water, and headed to shore. When the others got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. (John21:1-14)

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these.”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep. (John21:15-17)

I find it interesting that Jesus asked this question of Peter three times. This is the same number of times Peter denied knowing Him.

In John 6:22-70, Jesus is telling the people the commitment it was going to take to be one of His followers and people began to leave. Then His disciples were complaining, and Jesus ask the Twelve, “Are you going to leave?”

And Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go?

You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”

This is really what it all comes down to. No matter how many times we mess up or what we do, Jesus will forgive us because…

To whom else could we go?

What Does Living with Boldness Look Like?

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How We Do it is Just as Important as Doing it

Being bold can be perceived as being pushy and overbearing…like being a bully. I think this is why many of us are scared to say what we think. In reality, these two things are quite different. A bully is someone who seeks to intimidate or coerce someone else into their way of thinking.

Boldness is not the same as being a bully.

Boldness is not hesitating or being afraid when facing our fears. It’s about being clear about what we believe and being willing to stand up for those beliefs.

What we believe individually is different. This is where the whole thing can get kind of tricky.

Pastor Lisa shared a story of being in a doctor’s office waiting room last week. When she went in, there was already a woman sitting there, so Lisa sat down with a chair between them. Then another woman came in and sat in the chair next to Lisa on the other side.

This wasn’t a problem, but Lisa thought it odd that she sat down next to her when there were other empty chairs.

Then Lisa got a magazine and lady number three asked Lisa to get one for her too. So, Lisa picked one out, hoping it was one she would like. Then the lady started talking about what she was going to have for lunch.

Later Pastor Lisa was talking with her daughter about her interaction with the lady in the waiting room. Her daughter said, “I’m never like that. I just don’t talk to other people in the waiting room. I’m just not that bold.”

This got her thinking about Peter’s increasing boldness that we’ve been seeing as we move forward into the first part of Acts. (Acts 1-4)

At the end of each year, Lisa picks a word to focus on for the upcoming year. This topic of boldness reminded her of her word for last year…moxie. Moxie is having a courageous spirit and determination. Or as Lisa explained it…

Moxie is boldness with a little bit of sass.

I found it interesting that Moxy is the name of our dog. I think boldness with a little bit of sass describes her to a tee. This is exactly why she is named Moxy. Sometimes, in her aggressiveness to get to a varmint, she will tear bark from trees or metal siding from trailers. This is taking boldness a little too far.

Some people are naturally shy, and this makes boldness hard for them. But boldness is about facing our fears. Remember that we can change if we choose to.

Boldness is a choice.

Let’s look at Peter’s boldness and how he got to where he is in in Acts.

Remember back in Luke 22:49-50 when Peter in his boldness cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. This sounds a little like our dog.

Then shortly after that, in his fear he went the other way and lost his boldness in Luke 22:54-62 when he denied Jesus three times.

This brings us to Peter’s increasing boldness in the first part of Acts. In chapter 3 verses 5-10 Peter and John heal a man in front of the temple. Then in verses 11-24 they are boldly speaking in front of a crowd in the temple. In chapter 4 verses 1-22 they are brought before the council. Next, Peter prays for courage in verses 23-31. We may be bold and do and say things before thinking like Peter did when he cut off the servant’s ear. Or maybe we’re shy and scared to speak up about what we believe like Peter when he denied Jesus. Either way…like Peter, with the Holy Spirt, we can be bold and speak the Biblical truth.

Live in boldness with a little bit of moxie!