Peter-My Kind of Failure (Part A)

When Jesus said who do you say that I am Peter said some of the living God. Everybody else is quoting somebody else. Peter stepped up and got it read these things about this man I see what I have been the silent one in the bunch.

What I have spoken up when I realize this if I how what I have realized this. Why would I have gotten it and all the Pharisees missed this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Genesis. Please stay with us after today's message more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Matthew chapter 14 as he begins his message Peter my kind of failure. Matthew's gospel chapter 14 study is entitled Peter my kind of failure as we are examining God's successful failures in a series of messages on characters from both old and New Testament men and women alike text is Matthew's gospel chapter 14 versus 30 and 31 and there we read, but when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, Lord, save me and immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, you little faith, why did you doubt. Of course this is that section of Scripture were Jesus spooked the disciples in the boat walking on the sea, in the midst of a storm in the dark. They thought it was a spirit coming to take him to see all but it was Jesus Christ and of course the so much that belongs to this, but this section out texts captures for us a moment of failure life of a believer, something that is relevant to all of us. We all can identify with this my outline. I like to talk about briefly in intro. Of course then the man Peter is deep failures is becoming an unlettered dynamo. In contrast to Paul a Leonard dynamo and then the conclusion one will see if there's anything else. This man has to say to us through his life by the hand of the Holy Spirit. Peter is anything but boring. His character and he has several names in the New Testament we know him as Simon. You know the Jews pronounce Simon Shimon and we know him as Peter Scripture also records that his name is Cephas who get to all of those of time permits.

Most of you may know already, but when you add up the amount of times the name of Paul shows up in the New Testament. I have pally of Saul of Tarsus you've called plural, plural, and plural.

That is, it's about 186 times there about.

But when you do Peter's name I find those who tally lists.

I think they made a mistake in their tallies. They come up with about 168 there about and that is factoring in Cephas and factoring in Peter and plural of Peter, of course another plural. Sorry the possessive apostrophe, but they don't factor in Simon and when you do that my record or my tally comes up to almost the same amount of times. As Paul and is very significant to the story to the man and to all that he means to us because for me, especially in in studying the Scripture to give a presentation you know for certain things fly out at you, you who teach the children and the children's ministry. You know this to be the case. Also, things come out that you would've missed if you were just doing it. A reading for yourself, but more than any other mortal in the New Testament. I could not imagine my New Testament. Without this man Peter. That's how powerful I think he is.

We meet him in the beginning in the early stages of the gospel.

Walking with Christ. Paul we get to know later we are indebted to God for both of these men and so many other figures within the New Testament and old alike for sure, but I'm saying all this to say that I think Peter stands out in a way that maybe we missed and were not mindful of that as we go through it. I think we realize you know this is one of those unsung heroes superheroes I should say because he is a hero. I also see him as a superhero of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament preserved for us. And if you've known sin and if you've known sorrow. If you've known failure and bitterness and grief for the bitterness of grief.

Then you can identify with Simon Peter. If you also no repentance. The joy of forgiveness and great grace. You can identify with Peter. It is the side thing on him.

For example, when Jesus was talking about forgiveness as Peter said, Lord, how often should I forgive my my brother seven times.

Peter thought he was making a profound statement I would've said something like two times that he even says seven to me is significant. It tells us something about his heart. His outlook on himself and in others, and how he interacted with them. I think Christianity seems drawn to a guilt complex. Many Christians have a guilt thing going on instead of continuance of grace, guilt complex, grace continued, which would be which would be for you. The Christian will you make your decisions based on guilt when you review it will give theology be saved by guilt or will it be saved by grace and Peter. Peter forces us to speak. Grace to think grace is known as the disciple who failed his Lord who isn't bothered by how many great men of God when it comes to a character study on Peter are quick to beat up on him and call him a coward. I don't see him as a coward. Once, not once, Thomas. I don't see Thomas is a doubter.

Not once.

I don't I don't approach it that way.

Now I'm not saying that the sand better than the other men are not at all, but I am sharing with you what I go through and in my own preparation time when I read comment after comment how they felt this man Peter was a coward or help.

Thomas doubted I think the missing the bigger picture.

The human experience in the life of Christ at the time these things were going on computers. All also considered to be a big blundering fisherman and I think that this too is a shallow portrayal of the man. I think that when Jesus picked this Peter any pick that Thomas knew just what he was doing and that the church may have missed it in her commentaries over the centuries, or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is what it does to me once I come in touch with certain insights from the Scripture by the Holy Spirit. I think one thing that supports what I'm saying about Peter, is this every time a list of the apostles shows up without exception.

His name is first every time in the list changes but every time the order that is in the list every time Peter is first, not by mistake. Precise does work of God is a lesson in that alone. I think that there is a lesson in the fact that the first apostle to see Jesus risen was this man Simon Peter. Yes, his character was such that he always struck when the iron was hot sometimes was too hot or too cold, but he was quick to swing quick tempered person not enough a negative way, but he was always quick to act in well is let me put it this way if Peter was a policeman and you are running from. It would go something like this bang halt.

Thanks. Quick on the trigger. We all at times we all a little bit too fast to judge someone else.

You get the feeling whenever the Lord spoke to Peter spoke to the group of of apostles of disciples that Peter was right up front and that Peter was really the one being spoken to and everything that had Peter bounced off and hit everyone else also. For example, the night that the Lord was betrayed there in the garden of Gethsemane, Matthew and Mark write this I'm reading from Mark's account Mark chapter 14 verse 37 of the disciples of three, Peter James and John that inner circle had gone from father into the garden deeper into the garden with Jesus to pray and they all fell asleep. The three disciples then Jesus came and found them sleeping and said to Peter, Simon, are you sleeping could you not watch for one hour. What about the other two speaks of Peter's leadership is speaks of his charisma how he impacted his environment without even trying. Makes me sad. I'd like a little bit of that. I like a dose of Peter please in me as a man of action beyond the rest, he always went further than everyone else when it was time to act. Peter went a little bit farther than the rest of the apostles turn with me to John's Gospel chapter 20 and their beginning in verse one we read now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalena went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciples, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb so they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. Then he that is John, the other disciple, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in verse six then Simon Peter came out a breath about following him went into the tomb and he saw the linen cloths lying there in the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also and he saw and believed. See John ran up to the tomb did know what to do after that is very looks inside Peter catches up it goes inside the tomb.

Then John follows Peter, Manny was all of his life. Man of action thereon, Galilee is out text is capturing for us in the storm.

When they all realized it was Jesus. The others were in all Peter Matthew 14 verse 28, Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. Everyone else is like who is not a ghost were not going to diet the Lord baiters like Lord if it's really you asked me to come out come out to you. It doesn't say it does. It didn't happen this way.

Matthew Rice and Peter answered him and said, but that's not what happened.

What is what happened, but that's not what was said when this was going down as we would say Peter just blurts out past everybody, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water, regardless of what happened after that. No one else stepped out of the boat, not on those waves even if the waves weren't there. No one else was willing to step out at another time at Caesarea Philippi, while the others quoted others is a Jesus said who do men say that I am the all began to say, well some sage on the but some say your Jeremiah some so you realize in Jesus and who do you say that I Matthew 1616. It's recorded for us again. The narrative Simon Peter answered and said, but that's not what was spoken when Jesus said who do you say that I am Peter said you are the Christ, son of the living God. Everybody else quoting somebody else. Peter stepped up and got it.

I read these things about this man I see what I have been the silent one in the bunch. What I have spoken up what I am realize this if I how what I have realized this. Why would I have gotten it in all the Pharisees missed it. I think that we find out in Luke chapter 5 will get there in a minute.

But one cannot, in the presence of God cannot be in the presence of God and not since the great weight and darkness of the fallen nature. You cannot be in the presence of God, and know you're in the presence of God and not since your own sin and the darkness that sin speaks of see the world like to say sin is just arrow Christian gnosis. It's much deeper it's damning in the gospel of Luke. After Andrew had brought Peter to Jesus and Jesus. It said you are Cephas, the rock will get to that momentarily.

On another occasion Jesus had preached in he had told them to fraud their net lease and we've caught no fish is pointless but will do it anyway and they throw it out to get more fish than they could pull in Peter realized he was in the presence of not just greatness but God's greatness before all the others could really grasp it and articulated Peter articulated it in speech and action Luke 58 when Simon Soddy fell down at Jesus knees, saying, depart from me, for I am a sinful man all Lord he fell down in front of everyone like this was Jesus and and and Peter somewhere at night by themselves right in front of his friends and his coworkers and strangers, he falls down is unashamed.

That's how the man was. This is a great man is not again by accident.

The Lord chose him specifically. This is the need of all humanity. It's personal. It was personal for Peter. It was like no one else existed at that moment, depart from me, I'm a sinful man. Everybody was blocked out gospel tells man where he can have his needs met in Christ Jesus. But it is personal, cannot inherit salvation, not in the sense that you get it from your parents. Years later, not too many years later just a couple when everybody else was departing Jesus same Peter said, depart from me, I'm a sinful man when Jesus said, are you two going to leave again. There's Jesus talking to the group. Peter steps up and answered him. John chapter 6 is verse John chapter 6 verse 6869 Lord, to whom shall we go.

You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and to know that you are the Christ, the son of the living God. He repeats his confession from Caesarea Philippi. It's repeated stated twice two different occasions. He got it deep inside of Peter where we wanted to get for us stories not even half over with this man on the Sea of Galilee after the Lord had been crucified and risen again while Jesus was on the shore calling out labs. Have you caught anything. It was springtime Sea of Galilee is still cold in the springtime, while others were blinking and blowing at the realization it's the Lord, Peter went he went on a mission.

We read it. Let me read to you this way.

John chapter 21 a fact let's turn the yard. John 20 John 21 verse seven.

There we read of John writing about this he says therefore that disciple whom Jesus love said to Peter that John speaking to Peter at the remake when he realized this was Jesus on the short he says it is the Lord I'm going to read it to you the way it's written that I'm going to read it to the way I think it happened therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, it is the Lord now. When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord. He put on his garment, for he had removed it and plunged into the sea. That is how John remembered it with much more excitement than he wrote it and it's captured here in verse one of the most thrilling moments in all Bible verse histories when you see this way therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, it is the Lord now. When Simon Peter heard that splash yet it was that moment that moment where he reached for his garment and pity the man who was in the way between Peter and that garment can you see the immense intensity on his face at the realization that this was his Jesus is after the denial after the crucifixion. After he had saw him risen already catch the thrill in John's voice as he writes this. Looking back almost 60 years ago as if it were yesterday when Simon Peter heard that when Simon heard that sometimes stopped.

He reached for his garment, he plunged into the sea. In the mist of cold and swam to the Lord powerful moment, yet there were deep failures in this same man. And that's the part that connects me to him. Second, read all these wonderful things about Peter, but to read them and also understand that he had deep failures also and in the midst of the what with those failures. None of them took away in the end who he was with our Jesus at Caesarea Philippi to the north. In this realm, not Caesarea by the sea, where Paul stood and gave his confession before being taken to Rome. This is Caesarea Philippi to the north.

It is a place where pagan temples existed worship of the God Pan, the false God of course and there with this big rock in front of him in that area.

Jesus, of course, gave us those powerful words upon this rock I will build my church, but preceding that statement from the Lord. Of course, when Jesus when.

When Jesus said who do you say that I am Jesus said you are the Christ, the son of the living God and the Lord says upon this rock I will build my church.

Not long after that. In fact, shortly after that because the Scripture tells us from that time forward from the confession of Peter in the statement of Jesus. Jesus headed towards Jerusalem and began to expound to his disciples that he was going to be crucified. Peter did not care for that message.

The idea was something to be corrected and so we read in Matthew's Gospel chapter 16 verse 22 and 23 then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him nice as screaming at him, but he's correcting the teacher saying, far be it from you, Lord.

This shall not happen to you, but when he turned the Lord, that is, but he turned and said to Peter, get behind me Satan you are an offense to me, for you are not mindful of the things of God but of the things of men. And you go from being the one that when everybody is wondering and quoting others that you step forward and and you say you are the Christ, the son of the living God and the Lord says flesh and blood cannot tell you that Simon Peter but my father in heaven. He is told you that and then shortly after you go to being called the devil. I mean, it's not right, but this is how it is Lord corrected him. He received the correction. Not only does Matthew write about it, but Mark writes about it, which is significant because we believe with all the evidence forensic literary evidence to say that Mark's gospel is Peter's account Peter telling Mark Mark putting it into print. Peter tells Mark. The very story the stories I should say that he lived so yes, one of the deep failures was this rebuke in Caesarea Philippi and then there was the great denial in Jerusalem. I want to again make it very clear that my understanding of the Scripture concerning Peter's denial is that he did not deny as a coward, but he denied as a confused man. What would you have done. Would you have even continued to follow.

They all did not follow John follow because he knew people within the court Peter.

He was stranger Matthew chapter 26 verse 33 Peter answered and said to him, even if all are made to stumble because of you I will never be made, that was never courted for us would not leave me the ones I'll never fail, but whenever say that were not for Peter we would rush and make the same claim because of Peter receive less move you've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Pastor Rick is teaching from God's Word each time you tune as we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. This teaching is available free of charge at our website. Just visit cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick you can do so@crossreferenceradio.com or search for cross reference in your favorite podcast app store. That's all for today.

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