Peter: A Lesson in Leadership B

He was transforming this man by letting him know that God could speak through you. Given the experience of revelation because one day he was going to stand up on the day of Pentecost, and he was to preach the revelation of God and one day his affinity with the revelation of God and Jesus prepared it with a revelatory experience takes over and over.

You wonder how God can use you if you've ever asked that question, I urge you to stay here on grace to you today. John's going to show you how God can work through anyone, even a man of weaknesses and faults like the apostle Peter, and as you see how God transformed Peter, you'll see that he can do the same thing for you the current series is titled the Masters men. If you have your Bible nearby turned to the gospel of Matthew.

And here's John MacArthur, the Lord recognize and theater the right raw material for leadership now. We learn a little bit about them about that raw material by considering his name.

His name was Simon very, very, very commonly, it was a son of Jonas or Jonah or John. He was a fisherman by trade and he lived with his brother Andrew in a village called Bethsaida and later they moved to Capernaum. He was married because the Lord healed his mother-in-law in first rent is nine is a most interesting word Paul is saying there. He says the apostles or the preachers have a right to lead about a sister as a wife. That is a Christian sister as a wife even as Cephas. He was married and was a fisherman named Simon, name, and trade common marital status, but the guy just had some raw material of the Lord saw, but because of his nature, he tended to be so shifty and he was vacillating. I think the Lord changed his name to try to force into his subliminal thinking what he wanted them to be, and he turned his name into Peter which means what stone so at first it must've been kind of a contradiction stone stone come over here and every time he said that he was think I got to be solid. I gotta be firm, I gotta be a stone because that basically was what he was, but I think the Lord gave him that name just to begin to force his thinking down a certain path every time the Lord wanted to speak to them. He could designate what he wanted to say by just how you address them if he said stone Peter got one message. If he said Simon another message. If you said Simon Peter, Simon stone, there was little ambivalence. Now he's call Simon is called Simon Peter and is called Peter, and it's interesting.

Just as a general overview.

It's not always consistent. But he's he's always called Simon into cases. Number one in the secular case like it'll say in Mark one, Simon's house or in Luke four Simon's mother-in-law or in Luke five verse three Simon's boats or in the Luke five think is verse 10 it says Simon's fishing partners. It also says and asked him that Cornelius found his way to Simon's location. In other words, when you just want to designate him in a secular way.

You just want to identify him with a boat or a house or a place or whatever, he's just Simon, that's his earthy secular name now Simon is also used when he is being reprimanded for sin so he is secular, Simon, and he sinful Simon when the Lord wanted to focus on his sinfulness.

For example, he was out there in the fishing boat and he was doubting the Lord, and he was probably mumbling under his breath. In Luke five saying this is ridiculous in all this is ridiculous. And the Lord says cast your net on certain side of the boat bring the fish and you can just see them mumbling oh man that's ridiculous as you think.

We don't know what we're doing. We fish for profession. He's going to tell us, and he pulled in so many fish and immediately set apart from me oh Lord, for I am a what sinful man the Lord on mass dissent: Simon, so he is Simon in his sinfulness. Simon and his secular identity.

That's just who he was, what the letter is to make him stone rock firm foundation, a living stone he he says he is in his own epistle. First Peter Nadia take a guy with this kind of raw material and make him a leader. First of all, you recognize that raw material recognize what is there in our Lord saw that in him and was willing to do what had to be done to get in where one of the memories of the second point, Lord build a leader number one by choosing the right raw material and number two by bringing about the right experiences he brought in his life the right experiences you learn most of all, from experience, and he allowed Peter to have some life changing experience as if he was going to transform the guy. He had to bring some things to pass in his life.

First of all what I call his revelation is great revelation.

The Lord gave to Peter the greatest revelation in John chapter 6, Jesus had presented the tremendous message on himself as the bread of life up in Galilee and some people couldn't understand at all and so some of his disciples left some of just walked away and followed him no more.

Verse 66 says and Jesus then asked the disciples will you go away, and Simon Peter says, Lord, to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the son of the living God. I think when he said that he grabbed his mouth and said where did that come because I was some state. I believe that was a revelation from God. I believe he started opened his mouth and God just walk right through his mouth and he did that. Also again in the 16th chapter of Matthew, the Lord said, in whom say you that I am and immediately peers, if thou art the Christ, the son of the living God from in the state.

Jesus had them flesh and blood and reveal that to my father in heaven and another was. He said that's a revelation he was transforming this man by letting him know that God wanted to use his mouth that God could speak through it. He gave them the experience of revelation because one day he was going to stand up on the day of Pentecost, and he was going to preach the revelation of God and one day he was to take a pen and he was gonna write the revelation of God and Jesus prepared him with a revelatory experience gave him the sense that God was moving and God was there is great revelation. One experience and then I call it is great reward. The Lord give them a great reward tremendous promise in Matthew 16 after this confession.

Jesus said in verse 18, I say unto you, your Peter, thou art stone but upon this bedrock use a different term. There upon the rock of your confession.

I will build my church and the gates of Hades should not feel gets know what and I'll give him the deed the keys of the kingdom of heaven all men. He says Peter I want to give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven was that you my friend are going to unlock the kingdom really who preached the first great apostolic sermon, Peter. They Pentecost whom the preach to the Jews who led the first Gentile to Christ Peter who was asked in Cornelius. He unlocked the Jews. He unlocked as were the kingdom to the Gentiles.

He was the opening of the door and the Lord also get that same promise by the way to the rest of his apostles and extended all through the ages to all those who by the proclamation of the gospel open the door to the kingdom.

Every time I preach the gospel. I hold that key in my but Peter was the first great revelation and a great honor great reward. But you gotta see his great remission. Also, same chapter Matthew 16 verse 21 what Peter's feeling his oats.

Now, man.

He's got revelations when he opens his mouth he might be speaking of God might be speaking. And that's pretty exciting. Not only that the Lord says you got the key you can unlock it and he is feeling like a leader and so from that time forth began Jesus to show his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief reasons right and be killed, and raise the third day Jesus time is going to die, to suffer.

I like this were true then Peter took him away to took him.

That's right, and began to rebuke him, took who the Lord, the creator of the universe.

He said come with me. We gotta get you straightened. Unbelievable. The guy was mean he was feeling and I'm not the leader I got the keys. Now I'm gonna start using your first is always the danger leadership is in a dozen words limits are a took him.

I don't whether grabbed by the arm and yanked him into the bushes or what, but he said rebuking him. Far from the Lord, shall not be under the as long as I'm in charge isn't going to happen. I'll promise you that they must've also stuck his chest into his tunic and the Lord looked at him and said get the behind me Satan. Wow that is a very clear lesson. You are on the fence on the me for you save are not the things that are of God, but those that are of men you do not know the plan of God. But you are thinking from the human viewpoint, get behind me Satan's mouth had just been used for God, and now his mouth was used for Satan and now he was doing exactly what Satan had done in the temptation he was trying to derail Christ from the cross and Peter was just as available, the devil, as he was to God, and that is a great lesson to learn for leader. You get yourself in a position where God can use you and the greater the potential to be used by God, the greater the potential to be used by state as a great lesson he taught them about the revelatory capacity she taught him about the power and the reward of having the keys he taught them about the potential to be used by Satan tremendous experience learning while doing then we come forth with what I call his great rejection. Verse 33 of Matthew 26 Peter answered and said unto him, Lord, just told about the prophecy regarding the shepherd being smitten in the sheep scattered and he was saying all the disciples are going to leave me and they're all gonna run away. Peter answered and said no. All men shall be offended because of the yet will I never be a fun not like all men, I'm a cut above the rest. They may offer so you never do that. Verily I say unto the that this night before the car close, you will deny me three times and Peter said in him though I should die with the yet will I not deny the I will do that confidence like this.

Likewise also said all the disciples is like rubber ducks. If Peter said we greet. He was the leader.

He was a leader. Peter's right we will do that is great, great confidence, but he rejected the rejected and he denied Jesus. Chapter 26 were 69 he was outside the court the maid came to him saying doll also was with Jesus of Galilee denied it before the mall saying I know not what thou sayest what he was going out of the porch. Another made Simon seven. To him that were there. This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth and again he denied with an oath.

I do not know the man.

After a while came on to him. They that stood by and said to Peter shortly. Thou also are one of them for thy speech betray if the he began to curse and to swear saying I know not the man immediately cocked crew and Peter remembered the words of Jesus went out and wept bitterly think that was a lesson all men was adolescent. What a lesson one experience he had an experience of a great revelation of the great reward of a great remission of a great rejection and then ultimately had an experience I call great recommissioning in the 21st chapter of John just quickly. John 21 the Lord restored him to love me verse 15 yes you love me. Verse 16. Yes, you let me verse 17 then feed my lambs and feed my sheep and feed my sheep, and finally at the end of verse 19 he says follow me Peter, follow me and Peter did finally follow. That was his recommissioning and it was in a variance exciting experience. Gone fishing in the Lord and let them catch any fish and he came to the shore and the Lord gave him an experience he would never forget as long as he lived, as he confronted him with the lack of love that was demonstrated by his disobedience. You can add all that together is great revelation is great reward remission, rejection, recommissioning all those those were the key experiences of his life they led to what I like to call his great realization, he became the man God wanted him to be. He really did become that man and those experiences were part of making him that man but there was 1/3 of Jesus to make a leader needs the right raw material, the right experiences and thirdly the right lessons the right lessons wasn't just experiences. Peter also had to be taught certain principles.

One of the things a leader needs to know what, let's look at Peter and use them as our pattern what it was, a leader need to learn. You tend to be confident tend to be outward over tend to be eager aggressive. The first lesson, the leader needs to learn his submission and so we taught Peter that in Matthew chapter 17 the Lord set up Peter you go down the fishing and you catch the fish in the first fish you bring in your region's mouth on the be a coin there and that so you and I can pay our taxes unknowing.

Peter, you might assume that Peter wouldn't pay any attention to taxation you and pay any attention to the Roman system he would say hey we're in this kingdom business were moving on a track I don't have time to mess with my taxes. I don't have time before this passing world. But Jesus taught him to be submissive to the powers that be that are ordained of God, and he learned his lesson because in first Peter chapter 2 he wrote this, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king is supreme or governors under them were sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the will of God as free and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness honor all men love the brotherhood, fear God, not of the king be subject to your masters with all fear.

In other words, he learned submission. He learned that there were institutions of God that you have to submit to important for leaders to learn that there are limits. A second lesson that a man like Peter needed to learn was restraint he needed to learn restraint. The Loretta put a bit in his mouth and teaching restraint because he was so unrestrained in John 18 he's in the garden and the disorders come to take Jesus remember and Peter grabs a sword. He's looking at 500 soldiers, probably from Fort and Tony and all the servants of the high priest. He's Texas or the Bible says, was a fellow learning Malka's and Peter cut off his ear. You know as well as I do, was going for his ear.

Amini wasn't a surgeon. He wasn't going to exhibit will ear off. I mean he was going for, said the guy had reflexes. He docked in Austin here in the Lord restored to give him a newer and said put that sword away you live by the sword you what you die by the sword. You have to learn restraint.

Let God's plan, operate, let God take care of these matters did you learn restraint. Yes he did. First Peter chapter 2, he says this we have been called to suffer as Christ suffered, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps. Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again when he suffered, threatened, not in other words I saw with Jesus.

He accepted it is God's will.

He restrained himself and left his life in the care of God. I learned that lesson I'm teaching it to you. Learn restraint.

Another thing a leader needs to learn is humility loaded. He learned that I'll never leave you all may forsake you.

But I'll die before I forsake. But he did and he learned his lesson because he wrote in first Peter these words, God resists the proud but gives grace. What to the humble.

Learn also leaders sometimes need to learn the lesson of sacrifice.

Sacrifice you know he had to be told someday. Peter John 21 verse 19 somebody going to come and bind you and take you where you don't want to go and I'm speaking about the death you're gonna die from your to be a martyr. Peter you be martyr.

Are you ready for that.

And that's when he saw little one about John as you get off the hook when the Lord said none of your business and use the emphatic pronoun he said you follow me, that's the last time your headset learned his lesson. The lesson of sacrifice and learned it so well that he wrote in first Peter blessed, blessed. If you can imagine happy are you who are reproached for the name of Christ, if any man suffer as a Christian chapter 4 verse 16. Let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God and let them who suffer commit their selves to God's care learn sacrifice. I think two.

He needed to learn love you see leaders tend to be task oriented rather than people oriented and they could just plow people under and you needed to learn love Jesus said to him in John 20.

Would you love me you love me the that's what I want Peter what you love me and I think probably that's why Jesus hooked up John with him to teach about the remember in John 13 where the Lord is washing.

Feeder becomes a Peter and peers as you wash my feet lots is trying to teach a lesson Peter you don't understand it now but you will still take a bath.

Go ahead afterwards alerted love one another as I have loved you, given him a great lesson on love and Peter got the lesson and later on in first Peter chapter 4 she repeats the lesson he learned, above all things have fervent love among yourselves or love shall cover a what multitude of sins learned I think you need to learn courage to John 21 Jesus said you can follow me will cost you your life you will by then he learned and asked for he goes in front of the Sanhedrin Ace is unclear what you say I'll preach because I will obey God, not men and they said well you can't preach anymore, and he went into a permit. He prayed to God to give her more boldness, they went preach even greater needed to learn submission the Lord taught in needed, learn restraint, the Lord taught them is learn humility. The Lord taught him that he needed to learn grace and sacrifice and love and courage and all of those lessons. The Lord gave the house Lord make a leader he takes the right raw material puts into the right experience with the right teach and he came out with Peter. Oh what a leader he was first 12 chapters of acts. He is the leader of the church.

He is the one who makes the move to replace Judas with Matthias chapter 1, of acts, he becomes the spokesman of the church on Pentecost asked to he would John heal the lame man asked three he defied the Sanhedrin ask for he dealt with the hypocrisy of Ananias is a fire, acts five. He dealt with the problem of Simon the magician and Samaria acts eight he healed Aeneas and raised Dorcas from the dead. Acts nine. He took the gospel to the Gentiles. Acts 10 and 11 and he wrote to marvelous and glorious epistles in which he repeated all the lessons of Jesus. It taught pass them on to us.

What a man he was a man whom God touched with his grace we could say with the hymn writer wrote to grace how great a debtor daily. I'm constrained to be let thy goodness like a feather bind my wandering hearts of the prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the Lord. I love take my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above. He was the wandering heart that finally the grace of God captured out of them for him. Tradition says cruelly came his way and his death and tradition tells us that he was crucified, but before he was crucified.

He was forced to watch the crucifixion of his wife. The traditionalist Eusebius historian writing in his ecclesiastical history, said he stood at the foot of his wife's cross and kept repeating to her. Remember the Lord.

Remember the Lord and after she had died. He himself was crucified and pleaded to be crucified upside down because it was unworthy to die like his Lord. He was a leader in you and I are here today because he was faithful to his calling.

God wants to take the raw material of some of you put it to the right experience teach the right lessons make the right leaders.

I believe Peter's life can be summed up in the last words he ever said they recorded in the last verse of the last epistle that he wrote second Peter 318.

Here is his word to you, but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

They could tell you to grow because that's what he had. That's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary your own grace to you with a compelling look at well 12 ordinary guys that God chose to be the Masters men. That's the title of John's current study, the Masters men John you've talked in this study about the privileges the disciples had how they received divine revelation. They wrote much of the New Testament and they led the early church. They performed miracles and with everything that set the disciples apart. You might assume that they were uniquely talented men, but that really isn't the case that one of the interesting statements of Jesus made to them at the beginning of his time with them and again at the end is this he said to them, O you of little faith. It was as if they were the same.

After three years as they worth pinning so you could you could argue that there wasn't a whole lot of spiritual progress going on with them.

You could certainly argue that if Peter was their leader, and you realize that in the crux of his greatest hour of temptation. Peter was a disaster right he deny the Lord on three separate occasions three separate locations in that courtyard, denying his Lord. He essentially did what Judas did on the he repented of it so there's no question about the fact that the Lord can use flawed people you remember after Peter had done those denials, the Lord came to him and said when you are turned around, you're going to strengthen many brothers. It was as if the Lord needed him to go through the trial, the other side of it to be as useful as he could be in the future so we don't want to ever be discouraged because we might think we are somehow under the under the bar of acceptability or usefulness. That's just not true. And to show that to you. We have a new book were excited about title 40 lives in 40 days and this is going to give you an insight into the lives of the 40 key figures including disciples and others personalities familiar to you.

Approachable everyday characters in the Bible that we can identify with and most importantly, we can learn from. As we learn from their lives both their victories and their defeats Jonah, Sarah, Mary, Martha, Rahab, Eve Sampson, Joseph Gideon, the prodigal son, Pauline, Nick and others in the book concludes with a focus on the most precious person of all in Scripture, the Lord Jesus Christ. So each short chapter covers one of these memorable Bible characters.

You can read just a chapter a day, but you probably won't be able to stop doing that.

Hardcover 220 pages a great tool for your personal or family devotions 40 lives in 40 days is affordably priced and you can order today.

Yes. And if you've ever wondered if your weaknesses in past failures keep you from being used by God, you will be humbled and encouraged by John's new devotional 40 lives in 40 days to pick up a copy for yourself or for a friend get in touch with us today.

You can call our toll-free number 855 grace or go to our website TTY.org 40 lives in 40 days will help you see how ordinary people in the Bible.

Men and women with the same spiritual struggles you face were used by God in extraordinary ways and pick up a copy of 855 grace or go to TTY.org also know that we would love to hear how John's verse by verse. Teaching is encouraging.

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Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412. You can email us@letterstty.org once more. That's our email address letters TTY.org L4 John MacArthur on Phil Johnson encouraging you to join us at the same time tomorrow when John looks at how God can use you. Even if you've made major mistakes in the past that lesson is a key part of John studied the Masters men don't miss the next 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on race