Peter's Leadership Development (TT) #4

CONTRASTS IN PETER’S LIFE

A. Confession of Christ versus The Denial

(Matt 16:13-20 (Mark 8:27-30; Luke 9:18-21)

Peter jumps out from the apostles and proclaims Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus emphasizes his name is Peter, the little rock, and on the Rock (Jesus) the church would be build. God revealed this to Peter – Peter was firing on all cylinders at that moment.

1. What does Peter proclaim?

2. What did Jesus mean when He said, “On this rock I will build My church?” That on the name and meaning of Christ, the Son of the Living God, that is the foundation of the church.

3. How strong was Peter’s faith when he spoke in John 6:60-69? Disciples were deserting Jesus and Jesus asked the apostles whether they wanted to go, too. Peter responded by where would they go, for Jesus had the words of eternal life – because Jesus was the Holy One of God, the true Messiah.

Compare to the Denial Mark 14:27-31, 66-72 (Matthew 26:31-35, 58, 69-75; Luke 22:31-38, 54-62; John 13:36-38, 18:15-18, 25-27)

Peter was adamant that he would stand with Jesus until the end. In Luke, Satan asks to sift him as wheat (work him over good). Jesus prayed his faith would not fail. Jesus did say in all three that Peter would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed. Then in all four gospels, we read the actual betrayal of Peter – the Galilean accent gave him away. Probably the last one to confront Peter was there when Peter cut off the guy’s ear. Plus several of others with this guy. The first two confrontations were by servant girls. His reaction after the rooster crowed was one of bitter remorse. Now Satan got an opportunity to really tempt him and Peter failed the test. The contrast between stating Jesus was the Messiah to denying knowing Jesus is stark. Fear, Satan’s buffeting, confusion, no Holy Spirit, lack of courage and boldness were all a part of the contrast. He essentially was on his own, though there was one other disciple with him (John 18). It is difficult to stand on your own. It is much easier when you have a supporting cast around you. How many of us would have done the same thing? All four gospels share this story. It was probably a turning point in Peter’s life and spiritual journey. He realized he could not do this on his own. My guess – he felt he was okay because he was in the inner circle and his impulsiveness gave him false security. “I can handle this – look, I am saying it, so I must have the conviction inside.” Points to how much do we as believers need to hold on to the Holy Spirit and yield to Him. Spiritual leaders must stay in a right relationship with God and be constantly yielding to the Holy Spirit.

4. Why was Peter adamant that he would not deny Jesus?

5. Why would Satan request to sift Peter as wheat?

6. How can a person confess Jesus like Peter did, and then at another time, emphatically deny knowing the same person?

7. What must spiritual leaders do to protect from one moment being so positive and confessing Jesus, and another moment be so negative in denying Jesus?

B. Naturally Impulsive versus Tender-hearted and Affectionate

Matthew 14:22-23; 16:21-28; 17:1-13 (Mark 5:2-13; Luke 9:28-36)

(14:22-23) Jesus comes out to the boat and the apostles think they are seeing a ghost. Jesus assures them that it is He. Peter then perhaps impulsively says if it is Jesus, tell him to come. He gets out of the boat and starts walking toward Jesus. He sees where he is at and the weather conditions, and begins to sink, when Jesus picks him up. He has little faith, according to Jesus, because Peter doubted. Yet no one else was willing to get out of the boat. Most were probably not risk takers. Peter did walk on water. His problem – he took his eyes off Jesus and put them on the surroundings and faltered. “You of little faith, keep looking and trusting Me,” says Jesus. He then later (in chapter 16) in the timeline indicates Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Right after that Jesus predicts His death.

(16:21-28) Jesus says He will soon suffer and die, then rise on the third day. Peter pulled Jesus aside and rebuked Him. No way was Jesus going to die that way – we got a revolution to meet up with – Peter was adamant. Jesus sharply hit the point – Satan was deceiving Peter, trying to direct Jesus from His purpose. Shortly before, Peter confessed Jesus was the Messiah, then allowed Satan to tempt him into saying, “You can’t complete your purpose or mission.” If you are going to follow Jesus, you have to put Jesus first and be obedient to His ways and leading. It is the thoughts of God, not Satan, that need to control us. Keep God’s things and ways in mind. His ways are definitely not the ways we naturally look at things.

(17:1-13) All three accounts have Peter (with James and John) experiencing the Transfiguration, and it was Peter who spoke, asking if they should put up three shelters for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. When they heard God’s voice, they were greatly fearful. Jesus reassured them, and told them to tell no one of this until after the resurrection. Peter blurted out what he did because they were so frightened – he had to say something. His impulsiveness, and probably when nervous, he talked. He really didn’t know what he said. This occurred six days after rebuking Peter and allowing Satan to sift him, and a short time after confessing Jesus as the Messiah.

Impulsiveness

1. Why did Peter get out of the boat (Matthew 14:22-33)?

2. Why did none of the other apostles get out?

3. How do you relate to Peter, or even the other apostles, in times of faith development?

4. What caused Peter to rebuke Jesus (Matthew 16:22-23)?

5. Knowing that Satan was deceiving Peter, what precautions do we as spiritual leaders need to take to prevent deception in our lives?

6. Why did Peter speak up during the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13)?

7. What impact did hearing God’s voice have on Peter?

Compare to Tenderheartedness and Affectionate

Matthew 26:75; John 13:9, 21:15-17

(verse 15) Simon (not Peter – back to basics) do you agape me more than these other disciples seated here – Yes Lord, you know I phileo you. Then be grazing my little baby lambs (feed the young believers). Peter is done boasting – he can only phileo (have affection for) Jesus.

(v. 16) Simon, do you agape me? I phileo you. Shepherd the sheep then.

(v. 17) (Jesus takes the step to be on the level of Peter’s love, and this is where Peter was grieved, for the Lord had to come to his level to communicate what affection there was in his heart, but Jesus did, and did not change His directive.) Simon, do you phileo me? Lord, you know all things, you know I phileo you. Then be grazing my sheep. Sheep need to be fed, too. Jesus meet Peter where he was at, beginning with the basics (Simon). Jesus told Peter he was in charge of feeding/developing the young believers and shepherding and feeding the older believers.

8. What was Peter’s heart when he wept after hearing the rooster crow? Remorse, broken, shamed, embarrassed, felt like he lost his ministry and best friend.

9. Why would Peter have said to wash his whole body when he understood that, without the washing, he would have no relationship with Jesus?

(John 13:9)

He longed for that intimate relationship with Jesus and didn’t want to lose what he had.

10. How broken-hearted was Peter when Jesus asked him three times to feed His sheep and lambs?

C. Presumptuous at Times versus Timid and Cowardly

1. In Matthew 16:22, Peter rebuked Jesus for foretelling His death.

John 13:8 has Peter telling Jesus that Jesus can’t wash his feet, and Peter cuts off Malchus’ ear in John 18:10. When Peter did these bold things, whom was he trusting? Himself, to a point, but also there had to be some faith involved because of his relationship with Jesus.

2. With his impulsiveness, could Peter have made presumptions and acted with boldness and courage?

Compare to Timid and Cowardly

3. Peter denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:65-72) and, walking on the water, he sank (Mathew 14:30) Obviously, he acted as if he had no faith in Jesus at those moments. How could he have so quickly fallen in his faith? Not being controlled by the Spirit, letting his circumstances influence him, and not keep trusting Jesus to get him through those times.

4. What causes you and me to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and then suddenly we are not controlled by the Spirit?

D. Self-sacrificing versus Self-seeking

1. In Mark 1:18, Peter immediately left the fishing nets when Jesus called, but in Matthew 19:27, Peter said, “He and the apostles left everything to follow Jesus, what will there be for them?” How difficult is it for you to continually trust Jesus for all the needs in your life, not asking anything in return?

2. How do we, as spiritual leaders, show our people that we have given everything to Jesus and He can do whatever He so desires with us?

3. Are there any areas of your life that need to be given to God, that you have been unwilling to surrender?

E. Gifted with Spiritual Insight versus Slow to Comprehend Deeper

Spiritual Truths

Peter told Jesus (John 6:68) He is the Words of Eternal Life, but then could not understand the parable in Matthew 15:15-16.

1. What was Peter’s problem here? Spiritual growth, having time to truly understand who Jesus was, and what Jesus truly was to do on earth.

2. How much of a role does the Holy Spirit play in helping us understand scripture?

3. Why is it so important for believers to spend time in scripture for our faith to develop?

F. Before the Holy Spirit Came Upon Peter versus After the Holy Spirit Came

1. What difference did the Holy Spirit make in Peter’s life? Gave him confidence, boldness, strength, encouragement, guidance, spiritual power.

2. With the ways Peter preached and dealt with the people the ways he did in Acts, could that have happened in the Gospels?

3. What is the difference between a Christian who is allowing the Holy Spirit to control him or her, versus a Christian who doesn’t yield to the Holy Spirit? Quenching the Spirit, listening to God’s direction and living out His will, being morally pure, being a good ambassador, representative of Christ, fruit of the Spirit compared to a lack of fruit.

4. What steps or activities do you do to pursue being controlled by the Holy Spirit?

5. How would you explain the Holy Spirit’s role in a Christian’s life?