Peter: A Lesson in Leadership

No disciple ever so boldly confesses the Lordship of Christ, and no one denies that so boldly as Peter is a constant conundrum.

No one is so crazed and blessed is Peter and no one else is called Satan yet harder things to say to Peter than he ever said that was part of making anyone ask more questions or was praised as often as Peter yet no true follower of Jesus denied him more blatantly or received partial rebuke from the Lord then yes, Peter John MacArthur calls this most visible disciple, a contradiction in human flesh yet. By studying Peter you see how the Lord turns handicaps into strengths and transforms spiritual babies into focused Christians who make an impact on the world.

You don't get more practical than that. Do you the Masters men. That's the title of John's current study on grace to you now with the lesson here is John MacArthur. Matthew chapter 10 we have a happy privilege today of looking at the chapter, which details for us. The sending of the 12 apostles, the first in the list is none other than Simon who is called Peter, but first before we look specifically at Peter some general introductory thoughts that might help us to understand the passage in its context. These 12 introduced to us in the first part of chapter 10 are the foundation of the church Ephesians 220. It says that the foundation of the church. The prophets and the apostles. They are the foundation with Christ being the chief cornerstone.

They were chosen. It says in verse one that he called him 12 disciple. They were sent it says in verse two that they are apostles, sent once they started out as learners and they became sent ones after their training was over they receive divine revelation.

They were the ones responsible for writing most of the New Testament. They were the ones who were given the mysteries of the new covenant. They were the ones to whom it was promised that God would bring through his spirit all things to their remembrance.

Whatever Jesus had said they were the ones who received the revelation they were the ones you wrote it down so that the early church went met together studied. According to acts to the apostles doctrine. They were not only the ones who were the foundation in terms of leadership and authority, but they were the source of revelation and they were the framers of the theology they were given to the church Ephesians is to perfect the saints for the work of the ministry that the body might be buildup. They were given to build the body, but it wasn't only what they said that was important was what they were. They were the first set of examples. The first patterns for people to look to see virtue. They are calling this is an important title the holy apostles. I believe that is a term which indicates the virtue of their life and so they receive revelation having received it, they taught it, having taught it. They codified it as it were, they framed it into a system of truth and theology. It then became the substance which the church taught and from which it learned. They also set the pattern of godly holy virtuous life and all of their authority was confirmed by miracle gifts. It says in second Corinthians 12 that they had the signs of an apostle, which were signs and wonders, and mighty deeds.

God confirm them with miraculous powers, so they were the foundation and its essential I think for us to see how the Lord works with them and how he disciples them and how he trains them.

How he sends them as a pattern for this that we are called to do, discipling others and sending them to reach the world. There were four phases in the training of the 12. First he called them to himself by way of conversion find that in John one by way of believing in him as far as they could believe as far as they understood and after they were called to him to be disciples to express their faith. There was a second call in which he called them away from their livings away from their normal concourse to follow him every day in a permanent relationship.

We call them if you willing to full-time training and now in chapter 10 we come to 1/3 phase where he sends them out as interns. This is not their final sending. This is phase 3 they go out to get their feet wet. They been instructed for maybe as long as 18 months. They don't have a another period of many months of training but before that begins he sends them out. He wants them to experience some things he wants them to hit the wall a few times, he wants them to fail as well as succeed and they go out and they come back and they go out.

They come back and interacts with them in this teaching internship and then finally the fourth phase comes in acts one, when the spirit of God is sent after the ascension and they then are sent into the whole world to disciple the nation, so we meet them in phase 3. Here in chapter 10. This is their first opportunity to go out on their own. They go to buy two and he stays very close to watch and see how they fare and then to teach them off of the experience there about the hat they have been trained now they are to be sent give them exudes the which means power or authority or the right and in that divine authority. He gave them they could do two things they could cast out the vile, evil, wretched, unclean demons, and they could heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. That was the gift of miracles which Paul calls a gift of miracles is the gift of doing this or power and if you look at the Gospels, its power against the demons so I gave him the gift of miracles. He gave them the gift of healing, and they went out healing and casting out demons and this was a confirmation of their message.

The main thing they did was preach going on a verse six go it says to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and as you go, preach, saying, the kingdom of heaven is it in their primary task was to preach but if they came along and preached why would people want to believe them. On what basis would people hear their message. The impact came when they did these marvelous works of casting out demons showing they had power over the kingdom of darkness and then healing showing they had power over disease and so they went preaching and while they were preaching. They were healing and they were casting out demons is an affirmation that they were indeed representatives of God as Nicodemus had said. When Jesus appeared Nicodemus that we know that thou art a teacher come from God for no man can do the things you do, except God be with now.

Thirdly, we come to their identity, their identity. Who are these 12 who are sent. Having been trained and given this tremendous authority. Let's meet the verse to the first assignment was called Peter and Andrew his brother James the son of Zebedee and John his brother Philip and Bartholomew another name for Bartholomew is Nathaniel Thomas and Matthew the tax collector James the son of Alpheus and Libya's, whose surname was Thaddeus Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed that frankly folks are just ordinary men. The only one who may have had some special wealth was Matthew, and he gained it by being an extortionist in working for Rome. None of them that we know that any particular academic background.

They aren't good.

The resident PhD's of Galilee. As far as we know, none of them have any social status, not necessarily the highfalutin types just common people.

Some of them are still utterly unknown to us. All we know is there name.

They were chosen from the common people to be the ones who would be the first line of agents of Christ to set in motion the advancement of the kingdom throughout the history of the world critical. There has been never in the history of the world. A task to equal the task. These 12 were given never most monumental incredible thing that any man was ever in the history of the world asked to do was to finish the work that Jesus began now as you look at the list are some fascinating things to learn just from the list itself. Let me tell you what it begins this way.

The first assignment is called Peter. There are four lists of these disciples in the New Testament one here in Matthew 10 one in Mark chapter 31. In Luke chapter 6, and 1X chapter 1 Matthew 10 Mark three Luke six annex one.

Ellis, there are some marvelous similarities in all four lists. Peters always first and when Judas is mentioned he's always what last that's interested. Peters always first, why was he first was he the first one chosen no John one makes it clear that he was not the first one shows look at the word there says the first, Simon is called Peter yet to understand the word there protects that's an interesting word in this context it means the foremost in rank to know him and I thought the 12 apostles.

All that equal 12 drones in the kingdom. I love the 12 apostles were all equal and authority equal in power. All told to preach all told to heal.

All told, cast out demons, you're right, they'll all sit and judge the tribes of Israel.

That's right will have Peter is the foremost aren't they all equal.

People ask is that all the time when the ask about the eldership of the church. They say will if you have elders and don't you just have one pastor and he calls all the shots. How can you have all elders me. Are they all equal to the all preach and teach and they're all equal and so forth. In every area. Yes, in terms of office.

Yes, in terms of authority.

Yes, in terms of essence.

But no, in terms of function. Peter was foremost protests to give you another place with that word is used about this.

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ came into the world to save sinners. First Timothy 115, of whom I am what chief is the same word chief you could translate a cheap. The chief of the 12 was Peter that have a leader and he was their leader, so first thing the note in the list as they had a leader in the nothing wrong with that. There are leaders among leaders in their leader was Peter to get a second thought in all four lists. There are three groups there three groups. Group 1 a ready for group 1 Peter, Andrew, James and John. Group 2 begins in verse three, Philip, Bartholomew Thomas and Matthew then comes group 3 James the son of Alpheus Libya's call Thaddeus Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot always know listen.

Each group always has the same four guys in it and never get out of their group and all three list always the same for their names may be in different order, but there always in the same group.

What is also interesting is we know a lot about those in group 1 Peter, James, John Andrew right.

We know a little more about group to Philip and Nathaniel Thomas Smith will anything about group 3. Except for Judas and what we know about him, we wouldn't care to know there's a decreasing amount of information. There's a decreasing intimacy. The first group in it is Peter James and John were the most intimate of all, so that in these groups. I think you really get an insight. The Lord was very, very close to Group 1. He was somewhat close to group to we don't know that he was close at all. The group 3 and the points of a very important factor in leadership.

You can't be intimate with everybody.

It's impossible. It's utterly impossible, our Lord, even out of the floor, drew him three and out of the three credit most of his time with whom Peter frankly had spent most of his time with Peter, because he couldn't get Peter off his back on Mars believe that Jesus walked on the road each day and when he stopped.

Peter ran into the back of I think Peter just trailed him everywhere he was forever asking questions, but there's no way in spiritual leadership that you can have intimacy with everybody. And so the Lord had the close ones and then the next group and then he gave what he could give to the third even though their function was just as important are ministry was just as wonderful. In a sense, you notice that the writers however of Scripture came out of group one group to mostly out of group 1 so you are little bit about how they function together. Now let me add another thought, each of the three groups.

The names will be mixed in the group in the different list, but always the first name is the same in every list.

Its first Peter and his group its second Philip and his group and its third James the son of Alpheus and his group and that's always the way it what that means. That means that even in the individual groups they had what leaders that's how it leadership functions. You see, you have Peter who sort of chief over everything and then under him you have the most intimate group and then you have another group and they have a leader and another group and they have a leader and everybody functions. That's the way it is among the 12 so we gain some insights into that group. When Jesus sent them out and sent them out first time in their internship 2 x 2 so they went out and there groups are for only two together now. There's interesting.

I think insights to look at the fact that they were also organized, but it was a very comfortable very natural kind of thing. I mean, Peter, James, John and Andrew were sort of all interrelated. They were brothers and they knew each other and they were the fishermen in the group so they probably very close and intimate. The next group we only know one of them was a tax collector that tells us we don't know what Philip did. We don't know what defended it. We don't know what Thomas did in Alaska we have any clue about what they did it all. So it's it's as if that original group all knew each other. They were all the initial ones called her all the key ones that the Lord wanted to use and then there was a sort of a fading away in terms of intimacy, though not Porton's in apostolic ministry. Other temperaments were also different and I just call this to your attention, Peter, for example was a man of action.

He was impulsive. He was eager icon the apostle with a fortunate mouth. Peter was always sticking his foot in it.

He was always blurting out charging ahead in a man hurry and in his group was another fellow by the name of John. All John will do is be quiet. Meditate, contemplate loving heart reclined on the breast of Jesus and end submissive and interesting in that little group for Peter and John to work together in the first 12 chapters of action of the Lord put John with Peter, which must've been a marvelous lesson for both of Peter wanted to charge all the time in St. John we get up and get going well. I'm just meditating Peter boy that's frustrating when you want to get moving and then you have an group to couple of interesting fellas. There was Nathaniel with all of you.

Nathaniel believed everything he accepted the fact John one just wide open just didn't seem to doubt anything just willing to receive everything in his group was Thomas who believe anything was. He could see it that you feel skeptical and you had Matthew who work for the Roman government extorting taxes and you had Simon the zealot and the zealot was one. It was a radical revolutionary trying to overthrow Rome. I can promise you one thing if Simon had gotten this close to Matthew anywhere but among the disciples, he stuck a knife in so you had the political differences you had the spiritual differences you had the basic emotional differences in all of this conglomerate of people thrown together and the Lord was going to make some out of this cash to change the world wonderful story as they didn't fail.

They didn't fail a front-end. I just want to look at the first Peter Simon Peter, and I want us to focus on this thought. How does God build a leader. How does God build a leader because the sky is the key first 12 chapters of acts revolve around him. He is the key preaches the sermon at Pentecost.

He does the first great miracle of the temple the face of the Sanhedrin. He is the key to how does God build a leader very important. How does he do this because the Lord today is building leaders in his church, and how does he do that Peter is really the key to understanding that lesson the four Gospels are literally filled with Peter Amini's every place after the name of Jesus. No other name is used as much in the Gospels is the name of Peter nobody speaks as often as Peter and nobody is spoken to as often as Peter by the Lord.

No disciple is so replete by the Lord as Peter and no disciple reproves the Lord would Peter no disciple ever so boldly confesses and so outspokenly acknowledges the Lordship of Christ, and no one denies it so boldly as Peter is a constant conundrum. No one is so crazed and blessed as Peter and no one else is called Satan but Peter. He had harder things to say to Peter than he ever said anybody else that was part of making and the many wanted to be.

How does God take such an ambivalent character. Such a contradiction in human flesh and make them a leader. I think there are several elements we just give you three basic number one gift of the right raw material, the right raw material Lord, recognizing Peter the right raw material for leadership. I mean, I'm convinced that Peter was the leader before anybody acknowledged, I think he just took over is just the way he was. He had whatever it is that that is the raw material. The raw stuff of leadership know what is the raw material. Look for leader. First of all, does he ask questions. Does he ask questions. People who don't ask questions. Don't wind up as leaders because they're not concerned about problems and solutions you want to find a leader look for somebody who asks questions in the gospel record Peter asks more questions than everybody else combined. Always ask questions. Is Peter who asks the meaning of a difficult saying in Matthew 1550, Lord, will you explain that to me some of the other guys were just standing there absolutely didn't understand things rock back and forth in their sandals every mother asked, but Peter can't handle that he has to ask explain this to me. I got to know it was Peter who asked how often he had to forget the Lord's time of forgiveness and eases how many times advisable summary of seven times. Lords is no order 90 times by the way in all of his questioning. He really got the answer he expected, it was Peter who asked what is the reward of those who left all to follow Jesus in Matthew chapter 19. Now we left all the file is what's going to be our war we got. I'd like to know? Peter who asked about the fig tree when it withered away. Would you please explain Mark 11 was Peter who asked the meaning of the things that Jesus said about the approaching end in Mark 13. He wanted a full explanation and after Peter was told he was going to die as a martyr.

He said well what about John the Lord says, know your business to belittle a second coming and then the rumor spread throughout the church of Jonathan Libby the second coming in the Lord at his straighten that out, but right in a few extra verses in John 21 is always asking question, but that's the raw material.

The leadership is made out of. See leadership seek solutions asks questions. And the Lord saw that in Peter is a second element of leadership that I think is important and that is it takes initiative. It takes initiative leadership always takes initiative and you see that with Peter when the Lord asked the question who answers it. Always Peter who touched me. Peter answers only me asking a question like that would result once people pushing all over here. We just took initiative will say that I am not the Christ, the son of the living God. Will you go I will go always replying, always taking initiative. I would say the third thing that you see leadership raw material is that there always where the action is always right in the middle of the action.

They go through life with a cloud of dust around is just part and parcel of leadership they create things they make yawning of all the disciples who jumped out of the boat, walked on the water, Peter, Marcello, Peter, you have no faith you sunk. You think Peter had no faith because he sunk theirs 11 guys who never even got out of the boat.

So before you get on Peter's case realize where he was. People say, well, Peter denied the Lord right but he was in the place where he was confronted with that because he had enough courage to follow all the house I freeze the other guys had split me was always in the middle of the action. It was always where it was going on when the resurrection came, who was the first one there. Peter and John down there and Peter just roared past John stood outside when writing the place. John knows her slow down as he got there Peter right on right in the military. I think the Lord saw that raw material that inquisitiveness that initiators kind of spirit and that being where the action is it just it happened when Peter was there just took place when you see him in the book of acts 412 chapters everywhere he goes, amazing things happen all over. That's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary with a look at the Unique Way, Christ used Peter despite his many shortcomings and weaknesses and how the Lord can use you to. It's part of John's current series on grace to you titled the Masters men now basically this study is about everyday people, people who in God's strength. Do amazing things in John. I know you have a few words for some people we know who are just like that ordinary men and women who are helping us accomplish something extraordinary. Yeah, how about this extraordinary that you could literally purchase friends for eternity. Just imagine the fact that we as human beings. Finite human beings can purchase friends for eternity. In other words the Lord is saying that my life in your life can matter. To the degree that because of it. Somebody is going to be my friend in heaven who has that kind of influence.

Paul even said thinking about that who is adequate for such things whose life could matter that much that your life is a savor of life on to life, but that in fact is true then what I'm driving at with this is there are many people that will not be known as radio personalities will not be known for any kind of public ministry, but behind-the-scenes. They are purchasing friends for eternity by their faithfulness to the Lord in one category of such people are those who support the work of grace to you.

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