Peter: Fishman to Fisher of Men
After a busy day yesterday, today was pretty uneventful. We had some morning cloud cover so I worked for quite a while outside. My new challenge after conquering weeds in the garden space, was dealing with the rabbit droppings in my grass. The little varmints are killing portions of my grass and I wasn’t sure why until I looked close enough to see the problem. I guess my grass is more attractive than my neighbors for some reason.
This afternoon, I was able to head to the pool during the sun break in our mostly cloudy day. I do feel like my rehab in the water is going better and that I am getting stronger. I return to therapy next week and part of he evaluation will be to measure the effect of the muscle stimulator that I have been using on my right leg for the past eight weeks.
The Fort Collins Coloradoan did a follow up on my West Nile story along with the current decision of the Board of Health to spray for mosquitoes in our area. http://www.coloradoan.com/
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:18,19
I have been reading through the Gospel of Matthew and have taken note of the number of times Peter is mentioned. Peter the tempestuous fisherman who seemed to be the “unofficial” spokesman for the disciples or at least the one willing to speak up. I’m sure the other disciples had things to say, but they either didn’t have chance or Peter’s “sound bites” were too good to pass up being recorded in scripture. The again, if Mark wrote the first gospel and received his information from Peter that would make sense as well.
Some of Jesus’ early miracles took place at Peter’s house. (Matthew 8:14-17) Peter walked on the water with Jesus. (Matthew 14:28,29) Peter confesses Christ as the Son of the Living God. (Matthew 16:16) Peter takes Jesus aside to rebuke Him after He foretold of his death and resurrection. (Matthew 16:22) Peter speaks up on the Mount of Transfiguration and suggests that three tents be erected to memorialize what is happening. (Matthew 17:4) Peter on Jesus’ instructions goes to the lake and pulls out a fish to pay the temple tax. (Matthew 17:24-27) Peter asks Jesus how long he needs to forgive an offending brother. (Matthew 18:1) Peter declares that the disciples have left everything and followed Jesus. (Matthew 19:21) Peter tells the Lord at the last supper that he would not “fall away” even if all others did. (Matthew 26:33) Peter denies know Jesus three times during His trial. (Matthew 26:69-75)
The other gospels tell of Peter being one of the first to the tomb when Jesus was raised from the dead. (John 20:3,4) During the final passover, Peter at first refused to let Jesus wash his feet and then asked for a bath. (John 13:6-9) Jesus personally restores Peter after He is risen. (John 21:15-19) After the Lord predicts the type of death Peter will eventually experience, Peter looks at John and asks, “Lord what about him?” (John 21:20-22)
In the Book of Acts Peter stands up and “chairs” the meeting where a new disciple is chosen to replace Judas. (Acts 1:15,16) Peter preaches on the Day of Pentecost. Five thousand are saved. (Acts 2:14-21) Peter preaches the gospel to the gentiles, who receive the Holy Spirit as they did at Pentecost. (Acts 10:44,45)
Peter writes to letters to Jewish Christians suffering for their faith. He encourages them in the Christian life as they face hardships and reassures them of the coming of the Lord. (1 Peter and 2 Peter)
This list if not an exhaustive list of all the references to Peter in the New Testament. But just in reading some of these “highlights” you can see that Peter “go it right” at times and at other times, “missed it by a mile.” But what we see is that in being as bold as he was Peter experienced things the other disciples did not. The times of failure and yet remaining as part of the “inner” three with James and John prepared him to make an impact on the world and the early church.
One last observation. John’s gospel records that when Jesus first called Peter, his name was Simon. (John 1:42) Jesus said you will be known as “Cephas” (Peter) The name means stone. Jesus sees in us what others do not. Jesus changes in us what others do see. Peter experienced the miraculous. He was a fisherman that became a fisher of men. He was tempestuous personality that became “rock solid” for Jesus.