Lessons from Peter, part 3

John 21:7-8: “Then he jumped into the water.  …So the other disciples stayed in the boat and dragged in the net full of fish.”

I found another interesting example from Peter.  One that many of us are not often willing to do.  (and it might hurt for a moment, but bear with me)  He jumped in…went after Jesus…and left the others there with work to do.

Jesus had told them to let down the net on the right side, and it was so full they couldn’t drag it up into the boat.  Peter finds out Jesus is over on the shore and he literally leaves them there with this problem.  How would you feel about that if you were the other disciples?

We’ve seen another story like that before.  In Luke 10: 39, Martha was upset because she worried about all that had to be done while her sister was sitting down in front of Jesus, listening to what He was saying.   Martha went to Jesus and asked if it didn’t bother Him that Mary had left her to do all the work by herself.  She even told Jesus to tell Mary to come help her!  ha!  Jesus replied that she was worried and upset about many things, but that only one thing was necessary.  He said that Mary had chosen what was best, and told her that it would not be taken away from her.

Peter also understood what was best.  Jesus!

Let me point out something interesting.  When the disciples finally made it to shore with Jesus and Peter, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it.  (vs. 9)  Jesus already had what they needed right there on the shore.

Jesus told them to get their fish, too, and Simon went back and helped them get them, but it was after he spent time with Jesus.  And the fish they brought were just extra.  Jesus had already provided.

Wow!  Peter and Mary sure had it right.

Our lesson:  All the busy-work truly isn’t always necessary, and certainly isn’t best.  (Jesus said so Himself).  Being with Jesus is best.  Spending time with Him and listening to Him is what we need.  He will provide.  Once we’ve spent time with Him, we will be more equipped to handle whatever work He has for us, and we’ll have the wisdom to let go of whatever work we no longer need to be part of.

Jumping,

jamie

For the previous 2 blogs, see below:

Lessons from Peter, part 1

Lessons from Peter, part 2

 

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Lessons from Peter, part 2

Jn. 21:7:  “When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.”

When it came to Jesus, Peter was not afraid to jump!

Only once in the Scriptures do we find Simon afraid and turning his back on Jesus.  All other times, he went for it!

In Luke 5, Jesus got into Peter’s boat and was teaching the people on the shore.  After He taught, Jesus told Peter to let down his net, and it came up so full of fish that it began to rip.  Another boat came to help and the 2 boats were so full that they began to sink…it was madness.

Jesus then asked Peter to come with him to be a “fisher of men.”  Peter left everything to follow Jesus.

Another time, the disciples were alone on their boat.  There was a bit of rough wind on the sea, and Jesus comes walking by on the water.  Peter gets out of the boat, at the Lord’s command, and walks toward Him.

On the morning when Mary Magdalene came to Peter and the other disciple to tell them that the stone had been rolled away from Jesus’ tomb, he and Peter both ran to the tomb.  Peter may have been outrun, but the other disciple didn’t go in.  He just stood outside of the tomb and looked in.  But not Peter.  Peter went all the way inside.

And then later, before the scene I described in my last blog.  Peter had decided to go fishing.  He was on the boat and someone asked from the shore, “Friends, have you caught anything?”  When they said no, the man on the shore told them to let down their nets on the right side of the boat.  Well, wouldn’t you know it…  the net was so full they couldn’t even drag it in.

Jesus’ favorite disciple told Peter, “It’s the Lord!”  And out jumped Peter!

Why wait for the boat?

Today’s lesson from Peter:  When it comes to God, don’t hesitate…Jump…Leap…Run…Go for it!

Final lesson here,

jamie

Lessons from Peter, part 1

Jn. 21:21:  ‘When Peter saw that disciple, he asked Jesus, “Lord what about him?”‘

I found a beautiful, deep lesson in some interaction between Jesus and Peter this morning.  And then I found this, and I had to laugh!

Jesus had literally just commissioned Peter to take care of His church.  He had just set Peter apart.  They had just had this beautiful, special moment, where Jesus told Peter to “Feed His sheep.”  It was an individual calling.  A singular, specific commission just for Peter.  A memorable moment.  It couldn’t have been more personal.

Then, Peter turned and sees Jesus’ ‘favorite disciple’ following them, and Peter asked, “Lord what about him?”  Jesus’ answer is just wow:  “What is it to you?”

Peter’s concern is so like ours.  Here he is having this amazing moment with Jesus, literally being commissioned for ministry, by the physical Lord, and He’s looking at someone else, asking, “But what about them?”  “Why does their calling looking different than mine?”

It made me laugh out loud and yet made me feel so much relief.  It’s human nature.  He asked that directly to the face of the Lord.  But take note: what was Jesus answer?

Jesus replied, “What is it to you?”  Can we see that Jesus doesn’t want us concerning ourselves with this?  We know that Jesus had a specific calling on Peter’s life.  A job Peter was created to do.  It couldn’t have been done by another.  Not the way Peter did it.  Peter was made for his purpose.

We, likewise, were made for ours.  Yes, it’s human nature that look to others and ask, “but what about them?”  But what is it to us?  God is calling us to our purpose.  He is calling them to theirs.  It’s time to remember that it’s not a competition or a fight.  We all have our own job to do, as we work to the same end.

Our job:  focus on our relationship with Christ, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as we do the job He has given us each to do.  Meanwhile, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, as we support them while they are doing their best to do the same.

Thanks for the laugh, Lord,

jamie

Lessons from Peter, part 2

Lessons from Peter, part 3

Walk on the water!

Mt. 14:28:  “Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

Peter sees Jesus walking on the water and his reaction is to ask Jesus to tell him to come to him.  He wanted to walk on the water with Jesus.  Jesus says, “Yes, come.”

Peter went over the side of the boat and actually walked on water!  He walked on the water to toward Jesus!

 

When was the last time you saw Jesus doing something amazing right in front of you?  Was it at a revival service?  Down at the altar when the Holy Ghost was moving?  Was it in a hospital room?  Did you ask Him to let you join in?  Peter was the only disciple that asked Jesus to let Him walk on the water…and He got to!!  I’m assuming all the others were just watching from the boat.

The next time we see Jesus walking by doing something miraculous, we don’t need to sit in our pew watching as others join Him.  We need to ask Him to tell us to come to Him.  I believe He will say come!

Let’s jump in,

jamie

Resisting til the end

Pr. 7:12:  “At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner.”

This is why Peter told us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.”

Just as this crafty woman, dressed as a harlot, was lurking at every corner, and sometimes even in the open square; so the devil seeks us out.  He lurks around the corner, trying to devour us with his enticements.

It may be a seductive woman or man, or it could be any number of things that are tempting to us as individuals.  We all have something that allures us.

Peter says, “Resist him.”  Steadfast in our faith, we have the power to resist.

Spoiler alert!!  I’ve read the end of the book.  The devil does not win.  So resist him, standing strong in your faith that God has already won the victory!

Rejoicing!

jamie

They will realize you’ve been with Jesus

Pr. 25:11:  “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

In Acts chapter 4, after healing a lame man, Peter and John had been arrested for preaching about Jesus and His resurrection.  The next day they were brought before the rulers and asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”  vs. 8:  “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit said to them…”

vs. 13:  “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled.  And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

The words Peter fitly spoke, through the power of the Holy Spirit, were like apples of gold in settings of silver.  It was even more of a testimony to the rulers that he and John were uneducated and untrained.  Because of this, and the words that had been spoken, they marveled.  “And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

We don’t have to be Pastors, Bishops, certified teachers, or even seminary students to speak of Jesus and His resurrection.  John 15 tells us to abide in Him.  Simply being with Jesus gives us what we need to do His work.

When we spend time in God’s presence, we are not only being fed His wisdom, but also strengthened, equipped, and more confident in Him and who we are in Him.  When questioned, Peter didn’t have to pull out his credentials in order to be heard or set free.  He who had been with Jesus, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit did the work.

Vs. 14 says, that after this and “seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”  God took care of everything.  Peter and John simply did what they were called to do and the Lord did the rest.  The rulers could say nothing against it.

The lesson for us:  Spend time with Jesus

Learning from the Master,

jamie