A Pebble, a Boulder & a Solid Foundation - Part A

Jesus taught the importance of building our lives on solid foundation.

He talked about two men who built homes in Matthew chapter 71 built on the sand said in the other built on the rock look good. They both had great curb appeal. The difference was what's underneath foundation Jesus put it this the rains dissented what came the winds blew and beat on that house and it fell in great was its fall. That was the house that didn't have a foundation as opposed to the one that did have a foundation if you want to maintain your spiritual health. It's important to be rooted in God's word connect with Skip HiTec today as it kicks off a series called rock solid and shares how you can build a spiritual foundation that can't be shaken but before we begin, we want to let you know about a resource that shows you how you can live in the peace of Jesus and free from your worries. So how is your stress level on a scale of 1 to 10 stress that the robber of peace and joy Skip HiTec with appointed observation.

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So let's join Skip my dad with the builder of California value that a building is only as good as the foundation when he would build homes for people he would give them up. This kind of carpenter describe the tile of these categories of those satellites or this kind of sink, but never on the list of options was a foundation optional there's a house with the foundation middle because it is much with and without foundation was never optional.

It is the most important part of the building. Our Lord Jesus taught the importance of building our lives on solid foundation.

He talked about to men who built homes in Matthew chapter 71. Built on the sand. Jesus said in the other built on the rock. Both look good. They both had great curb appeal. The difference was what's underneath foundation Jesus put it this way, the rains dissented, the floods came the winds blew and beat on that house and it fell in great was its fall. That was the house that didn't have a foundation as opposed to the one that did have a foundation we begin we launch into a study on first and second Peter today we call it rocksolid. It was written by a man whose name means rock. Peter Simon Peter a.k.a. Rocky's column.

Jesus gave them that name is will see he was one of the earliest followers of Jesus. To sum up Peter's life. Peter was a pebble who put his trust in a bolder and taught others how to build on a solid foundation. I've always felt it beneficial that whenever you study the life of Christ, you should study also the life follower of Christ because you are no how a person did it. Paul said follow me as I follow the Lord. I think it's helpful to look at the lives of men such as Peter to find out what to do and what not to do so were going to examine his background and his calling and the changes that took place in his life so with your Bible open. Let's look at first Peter chapter 1 and let's take today all of verse one Peter and apostle of Jesus Christ to the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia using that verse I want to look at with you who he was, what he became and what he wrote. Who was he well his name is given as ancient letters always escape the first name Peter that I was not his original name.

Members originally Simon with his or her birth name assignment 50 times the four Gospels refer to him as Simon.

Interestingly, the name Simon means one who hears which I always thought was an odd name for him because, yeah, he heard everything Jesus said, but he didn't always listen to as we have noted several times but that's who he was. That was his original name Simon most people know of Peter inaccurately incorrectly. For some, Peter has become more than really what he should become his become the first pope for most people. Peter is simply the victim of bad jokes. All of the stupid lame jokes about two guys. He died and went to heaven and there was Peter at the gate talent in this rotunda.

Let's look at the real Peter let's meet Peter, who was a first of all, Peter was a fisherman. He was born in a town called Bethsaida on the Lakeside of Galilee, and he moved later to Capernaum, where Jesus was as a fisherman. That being his occupation. He had a brother named Andrew and his dad was named Jonah or Jonas or John depending on what translation you have is Hebrew name was Shimon Bardo not Simon son of Jonah. Even Jesus referred to him as such. We know that Peter was married, he had a wife. He had a mother-in-law who lived with them. According to Mark chapter 1 and his wife is also mentioned not only in Mark chapter 1, but in first Corinthians chapter 9 so Peter was married had a wife married to his wife.

Obviously, any other mother-in-law now. If you are making Peter out to be the first pope.

This is an interesting factor can have to deal with the first pope was married.

He was also a leader among the 12 every time there's a list in the New Testament of the earliest followers of Christ, the names of them and there's four less by the way, Matthew Mark Luke and the book of acts. The names are not always in the same order, with one exception. Peter is always listed as number one on the list, so evidently he was the leader of the 12 and he is the leader in the book of acts. The first 12 chapters of the book of acts Peter is the dominant figure. He's the one who starts things. He's the one who initiates thing. He was the leader of the pack leader of the 12 followers of Christ. There is more written about Peter and the four Gospels than any of the other followers of Christ. In fact, the only other person that is written more about in the four Gospels is Jesus Christ himself, but for Peter was ever leader before anything was ever written about him. He was first and foremost a disciple.

The term disciple appears to hundred and 45 times in the Gospels, referring to those 12 early followers of Christ disciples of Christ in order disciple us technically means a student, a pupil, a learner somebody was a teacher or mentor and almost all rabbis had disciples people would follow them around. Take notes. Listen to what they had to say apply it to their lives. But when Jesus describes discipleship.

Anybody would follow him listen how he narrowly describes this is Luke chapter 9 verse 23 if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me know how many people do you know the do that anyone desires to come after me, he must deny himself and to stop with that we live in America. How many people do you know that live with self-denial. We live in an entitlement culture we live in a culture of personal rights. It's my right to do this. Denying yourself is foreign door. Think take up your cross man that sounds painful, take up your cross daily. That sounds fanatical. That's why I ask you how many people do you know that are really disciples of Christ. That's what we must all begin and ask ourselves in my truly a disciple.

That's where we begin because we will never experience the thrill of God working through us until we have the experience of God working in us is true followers of Christ that lifelong processors were discipleship is it's a lifelong process of conformity to an alien will is will is well, not my will, but there's more things we know about Peter and these are these are all reasons that we actually love Peter. He was impulsive. He was impetuous. He was strong-willed, yet he was the guy who when Jesus said I'm going to Jerusalem and the going to kill me, said it's not gonna happen to you, Lord. He was the guy who in the garden of Gethsemane when they came to arrest Jesus drew his sword and cut off the ear of a guy named Malthus the servant of the high priest, can I suggest you that he wasn't aiming for the year that he was just a bad aim.

He was reacting to what was happening. He was trying to cut his head off and being a fisherman rather than a swordsman.

He missed and got near we also know that Peter was self-confident.

John chapter 13, he said, I will lay down my life for your sake, and even if all are made to stumble this night.

Not me. It was also prideful. Peter was the guys that look, Lord, we have left everything to follow you. And when Jesus tried to wash his disciples feet. It was Peter said you're not going to wash my acting like super holy and spiritual is just pride. We know that Peter struggled, he struggled with legalism. He struggled with high hypocrisy. Read Galatians to some other time. Not right now and you'll discover the kind of legalism that he struggled with in all of these are reasons that we relate to Peter so much is written about them so many conversations work. He is talking to the Lord and so many mistakes in he is just so human that we all relate to him. Also, Peter was very tenderhearted at the Transfiguration of Jesus, Peter suggested, let's go three tabernacles one for you, Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah's a lot of ways look at that, but I look at that is him wanting to honor them all tenderhearted Jesus spoke more to Peter than to any of the other disciples the least recorded in Scripture no wiser important because all of those lessons that Peter learned from Jesus will be written about in first Peter chapter 1234 within a look at also. In second Peter all the lessons you learn from Christ our seen in these books. Peter died around 6768 A.D. and most of you know that he died upside down.

We talked about that before the Peter died in Rome and they crucified him, and he felt like he was unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord Jesus. So they took and turn the cross upside down and that's how he died. Most of you know that a lot of you know that what you probably don't know is tradition also says his wife died the same way at the same time.

One thing about Peter and about his death his Peter lived, knowing that he wouldn't die until he was an old man, you know that member after the resurrection. When Jesus came to Peter and restored him and he said no Peter when you were younger you got dressed and he went wherever you wanted to go but when you are old.

Others will take you where you do not want to go and John said Jesus was there predicting his death. So Jesus tells Peter you're gonna die when you're an old man. That's why in acts chapter 12 when Peter is imprisoned chain between two Roman guards in the Bible says Herod had just killed James with the sword and the next morning he was in a kill Peter with the sword and accepted 12 we find Peter in prison get this sleeping between two Roman guards, disaster?

How do you sleep at night when you know the deck stated in the chapter had easy he knew the next morning he wasn't and have his head chopped off. Erin could do and say what he wants. But Jesus gave me a promise that Anna dies an old man.

Good night now that his trust in the promise of Christ as Peter. That's who he was.

Let's look at what he became notices as Peter and apostle of Jesus Christ. He wasn't always an apostle, he became an apostle. Let's sort of look at the changes in Peter's life in three stages. First of all, there was a name change. Second, there is a status change. Third, there was a heart change for some others. A name change. By the way, it's not uncommon in the Bible for the Lord to change the name of one of his own all the way back to the time of Abraham that was in his original name Moses originally Abram God changes his name to Abraham because that's what he would become. He would become the father of a multitude of many nations. So God gave him the name before that actually happened. Jesus also like to change names. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Jesus changes their name to the sons of what thunder why the sons of thunder because it was James and John who suggested nuclear proliferation for the city of Samaria that denied entry of Christ is… Newcomb all. So Jesus affectionately calls them sons of thunder, not sons of Zebedee anymore sons of thunder to come thunder voice.

I believe it was Jesus who changed Levi's name to Matthew. And here we have Simon being changed to Peter to let me read to you the account of the name change.

This is John chapter 1, review three verses beginning in verse 40 it says in one of the two who heard John the Baptist speak, and followed him, was Andrew Simon's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, we have found the Messiah, which is translated, the Christ, and he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus looked at him. He said he will are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas, which is translated a stone.

Cephas is the Aramaic equivalent of Petross same name stone Rocky you are Simon you shall be called a rocking you shall be called Peter or Cephas. The first notice that Jesus saw him and he says he looked at him very important word means to gaze at or to look at intently upon, or to consider as you look.

It's as if Jesus was looking right through Simon Peter seeing not only who he was.

But seeing who he would become Simon, that's who you are naturally Peter.

That's what you will become supernatural Jesus saw people differently. You know that I love that Scripture, when God spoke to Samuel and he says for the Lord does not see as man sees and looks at the outward appearance, but it's God who looks at the heart Jesus side of the heart of Peter and he saw all the failures all the frailties he saw who he was, naturally, but he also saw what he would become supernatural, so he renamed Peter how to get this this is interesting. Even after the name change. We frequently see Peter referred to by his original name and often by Jesus himself, he changes his name but he calls him by the only Simon for two reasons. Reason number one.

That was his and his historical identity.

Everybody would know them is that Beth was his birth name but number two when he acts like his old self and Jesus calls him by his old name yeah he's Peter but he keeps acting like silencer Jesus will say Simon example Peter swore that he would never deny Jesus that he loved Jesus, you can count on me, Jesus, to be there to the end and he denies he is so after the resurrection. Now, having been caught in disobedience. Jesus approaches him. Mrs. Simon son of Jonah, do you love me. In Luke chapter 22. After Peter has been bragging that he is going to be faithful to Jesus and after the disciples had been arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus said, Simon. Simon flights sinful sinful old man, old man, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked for you that he might sift you like.

Here's another interesting fact in John's Gospel. He is often referred to by both name Simon Peter, not Peter, not Simon. Simon Peter, Simon Peter said that Simon Peter went there. Simon Peter did that and I think this is because John knew Peter and at the time he did know if he was sent for spirituals of the Simon Peter and so those name servers represent two sides of his character really struggle, and sometimes he listened sometimes he didn't. Sometimes he was strong as a rock. Sometimes he was as weak as saying you just struggle like all of us to. That's a name change. Then there was the status change from disciple follower learner pupil student to apostle Lord apostle mean somebody was sent out somebody was commissioned in classical Greek the word office. Apostle Apostol us speaks of an expedition or a fleet of ships that would go out and represent a kingdom mean somebody was sent out on a mission. So the disciples will become apostles. When you get to you that changes. Matthew chapter 10, Jesus called his 12 disciples to him and gave them authority. Now these are the names of the 12 apostles. So they go in one sentence from disciple to apostle.

These are the names of the 12 apostles first Simon who is called Peter. What you need to know about an apostle. As you might hear that term. Even these days in certain circles and in certain churches. The Bible will use the term apostle in two ways most frequently in a very strict sense, a very narrow sentence referring to the original 12 who follow Jesus. They were the first generation handpicked followers personally commissioned by Jesus Christ ago out there are no more of them. They died with the 12 visit the ones who saw him hurt him, follow him and were commissioned personally by as those 12 that had miraculous power. Paul the apostle say I am an apostle, because I work the works of the signs of an apostle was the apostles or those associated with the apostles who wrote the New Testament. That's why Paul says in Ephesians 2.

The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.

So in a very strict narrow sense, there are no more apostles.

There's a secondary sense.

However, in which that term is employed in refers to people like Barnabas and Paul and Silas, and Timothy Andronicus and Julia all people who were not the original followers, but are also called apostles in the New Testament because they went out as missionaries and did you know in Eastern churches. To this day. Missionaries are still call apostles sent out representatives so the stages were this convert disciple apostle and I think that the healthy progression for any Christian was Jesus who said as my father is send me so I'm sending that Skip message from the series rocksolid to Skip to share how you can keep this broadcast going strong connecting you and many others to God's word. As believers were called to encourage, teach and share Christ with one another. That's the sole purpose of this radio ministry. We want to connect you and as many people as we can to Jesus through these Bible-based messages in your partnership helps make that possible. Please consider partnering with this ministry today through a generous gift to keep these teachings coming to you and others.

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