The Rock

Welcome to this additional PowerPoint was just a little later in the program will tell you of Dr. Graham's Jerusalem bundle first hears the message that your Bibles and turn with me to John's gospel chapter 1 now Jesus change the world and he did it by his cross and resurrection, but he also use men and women people like you and me to bring the message so that others can know him and he did it by calling common men and women to live on common life, not people with impressive resume, but typically ordinary people who were willing to leave their own life behind and follow Christ with all of their hearts.

One of the most well-known of the early followers of Jesus was the man that is been called St. Peter or Simon Peter.

The most well-known of all of the disciples of Jesus certainly you would have to say that this man Simon Peter rocked the world with the message of Jesus. St. Peter, not just how does God make a site say Patrick for example, Patrick was a young man who had a dream he literally had a dream and in his dream he heard the Irish people saying we appeal to you, holy servant boy come and walk among us and for young Patrick.

That dream became his destiny. This young man heard the call of God. He was obedient to the word of Christ and as a result, he went to Ireland and he traveled all across Ireland, telling both commoners and chieftains and kings of the love of Jesus Christ. As a result, an entire nation was converted. Someone wrote of Patrick that he saved civilization. So how did he become St. Patrick, how did Peter become St. Peter is in the call of God that we are separated under him and call for him call to him. I want to say that if you're a Christian. If you're a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are a saint. So let's take a look at how God shapes the saints through the lens through the life of Simon Peter, who was and is the rock that in chapter 1 of John verse 41 of the two heard John speak, and follow Jesus was entry, Simon Peter's brother, and he first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, we have found the Messiah, which means Christ, and he brought him to Jesus and Jesus look at him and the words looked at him there means that he looked not only just add him, but right through. Can you imagine seeing the eyes of Christ piercing you through the looking right at him and he looked on the inside. He saw his heart and he said so you are signed, the son of John. You shall be called Cephas, which means Peter so now he had to make Simon Peter. Now he was a follower of Christ, he could never have imagined where this call would take.

But God did some incredible things in this big fisherman's life. I want to remind you that whoever you are, whatever you do, you may be selling widgets or computers working in schools teaching school you may be a minister. You may be a missionary. You may be an attorney. What ever you do if you do it for him following the call of God for your life, you will find purpose. You will find satisfaction and fulfillment. If you will simply do what this man Simon Peter did when he began to follow Christ you love Simon Peter. He must be the patron saint of so many others because he was a kind of larger-than-life personality.

A leader is always mentioned among the leadership of the band of believers known as the disciples he was an extrovert. He was bold confidence, courageous, but he was also a classically human personality because you see his boldness sometimes became brashness and arrogance. There were times when he was willing to take on the world for Christ. He was so courageous and so committed and yet there was a time when he denied the Lord three times in a overlord so miserably is a coward. He often spoke up when others were silent. He was the one willing to go online. What he believed about Jesus and yet at other times he said some of the dumbest. Sometimes Simon Peter liked some of us was running his mouth while before he had engaged his brain in gear that was Simon Peter.

He was at times impetuous as well as infectious. He was irresponsible and sometimes inconsistent, but other times he stood so tall and so bold and so strong for the Lord Jesus. So we look at Simon Peter.

And we say I can relate to this guy because the fact is, Simon was no say when Jesus first met, and it took a while before Christ could really shape this man's character is commitment know his name says so much about him his name.

Simon means listener or hearer, but Jesus gave him a nickname in the Aramaic as we read it in the Gospel of John. That nickname is Cephas, but you know it. In the Greek language as Peter which means the rock Jesus looked at Simon and said Simon I'm giving you a noonday and that new name is Barack that Simon's good friends must've laughed when they heard that because at this time, he was anything but a rock what you think when you think of a rock you think of stability you think of security permits you you think of strength and in so many ways. Simon Peter was not stable.

He was not strong and yet Jesus looked at him and said you are my rock. This will be like looking at a bald guy and calling him curly because he was not a rock. As I said sometimes so inconsistent and and insecure and impetuous. He was up and down.

He was not solid as a rock. They were times the over promise and under delivered but Jesus saw something in this he saw his potential. He saw him, not for what he was. But for what he could become.

He saw the promise of this man's life because Jesus looked beyond the surface all the roughness and the rawness of this man's life and he saw a heart that could be shaped, made as a follower of Christ Jesus knew everything about this man. When he looked right through it. He knew him instant. He knew his character, a lack of character times. He knew his strength. He knew his weaknesses. He knew something of his faith, and of his fears. PE knew something obvious failures. He knew the best about Simon Peter and he knew the worst about Simon is like he does with all of us. He knows all about me and so in one sense Simon Peter is a picture of every one of us is any eight we got we got the old man with the old nature. He was Simon and we got the new man with the nickname the new man, who is Simon Peter. So throughout life.

After we are converting that we come to Christ. There's there's this constant struggle between the own life in the new life in that is the work of God's spirit to make us more and more like Jesus and more like a Christ follower and only Jesus can do what he has called us to do you know why Simon Peter became such a great man, a saint for God.

A leader in the church a powerful preacher, a man who wrote the portions of the New Testament it was because he was in the hands of Jesus Christ and what God starts. He finishes and when we come to faith in Jesus Christ. He assures us that he is beginning to get a brand-new work in us and he will completed unto the day of Jesus Christ. Jesus looks at you, sir. Jesus looks a year later and he sees you as you are, but he also sees you for what you can become your listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message the rock you have a God-given calling to take the gospel to the world. That's why we put together a special bundle of resources to help you grow in your love of the gospel and share it with others.

This evangelism bundle includes three Pastor Jack Kranz books the help of Eastern life, but in God's promises for doubtful days. This evangelism bundle is our thanks for your gift today and thanks to a generous matching grant your gift today will be doubled. So call now to request your evangelism bundle when you give call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. He can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give the gift online for sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie Ellis Québec. Today's message the rock he began his walk with Christ. Simon Peter when he calls us. He calls us to follow him. You know there's some people delay some brands of psychology that tell us that man cannot change that we are who we are.

We have our basic personalities and temperaments and character structure that is some hot in the DNA. It is said that we are who we are. We can't really change. But Jesus can change you, man can't change a human being cannot change. But God can change.

Don't let anybody tell you that you can't change when the power of Jesus Christ transforms your life. He was converted he was changed.

All because I love this.

In the story of Simon Peter, all because he was captivated by Christ. What would compel a man who was officially a apparently a good fishing business was a family business. He was doing quite well there on the Sea of Galilee in an was somewhat well known in the region. He was married at a family so so what would compel a man a man's man like Simon Peter to walk away from his career. Say goodbye to his lucrative business and start tracking with Christ as he followed Jesus all the way to the cross and beyond. Think about that. He, along with others like him when they met Jesus just walked away from everything they knew they said we have found the Messiah. We have met the Lord is come to change the world. He was a simple man official money was uneducated, even when later he spoke so powerfully. Thousands were converted to him. He was arrested for his faith. A noted that Simon Peter was an unlearned and uneducated man and yet they also observed that he had been with Jesus, so some in some fashion. This man saw in Jesus the greatness and the glory of God, and he knew that if somehow Jesus could call him and compel him to follow him, that he was also destined for some kind of greatness. Now he could never imagine that you never know just how great he would become no one would have figured the fishermen for great man, except Jesus. One of the things that I want to mention in this message is Jesus is so majestic and so powerful and so great that he has compel men through the centuries.

The following thank God for every woman.

We talked about Mary. The last time we were together reset at the feet of Jesus said those women who ran with the new good news of the resurrection by God for every one of them, but you also need to remember that Jesus, Jesus, the Savior of the Lord of life there something so compelling about Jesus that calls men to follow him. And yet, I think we come through a time and a season in the church at large. I'm talking about now in which we have so often feminize the Christian faith where told that 60% of church attenders in America today are women so the manner falling behind their Lotta guys.

They seem to think well this following Jesus.

This church thing that's best for women and kids and that that's great for the little lady that's great for mom but I'm a man's man. I don't have time for this church. The will. Simon Peter was a man's man but he became God's man and you will never be more of a man they when you lay down your life as a man and began to follow Jesus and you can be strong like Simon Peter.

You can be a man who is given and prone to some mistakes in life and yet the powerfully used of God.

We have to be very careful that we make sure that men know the right thing to do. The best thing to do is to follow Jesus Christ with all your heart, we need a more muscular Christianity in our generation the week, we men will know who we are. Half the time will know if were supposed to be the macho man of the metal may and then were told and this is confusing where told were told where to get in touch with our feminine side, let me tell you something I got in touch with my feminine side I married her 37 years ago and I've been in touch with our every sense. I felt like it. By the way, you never hear women say oh I need to get in touch with my masculine side.

So what is all of this and that somehow you go to follow Jesus. You gotta give up your masculinity. You gotta give up your manhood.

You got you got to give up your strength and become a weakling. No Simon Peter was a man's man. The big fisherman, but he followed Christ and he became God's man is destined for greatness is destined for glory. You see is not how the world sees you is how Jesus sees you, the world might look in USA. You aren't good enough.

Do you not strong about you not big enough and maybe you feel obscure and insignificant, but God sees you in a different way. The Bible says in first Corinthians chapter 1 that we are to consider our calling that not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is clueless in the world to shame the wise God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong non-core Simon Peter knew that there was something so strong, but something so supernatural about Jesus, the Holy Spirit party in John 668, when many were leaving Christ because it was becoming demanding and difficult to follow him.

Jesus looked at his man and said when you also go away. Simon Peter spoke up and said, Lord, whom which should we go. You have the words of eternal life, and on another occasion Jesus said who do men say that the Son of Man Simon Peter spoke up and said you are the Christ, the son of the living God on another occasion, after a miracle. Simon was involved in the miracle they caught so many fish at the command of Christ the boat couldn't contain Simon had been arguing with Jesus a bit about how to catch fish typical Simon Peter, Jesus told him throw the nets on the other. They were catching anything. So Jesus, that though the nets on the other side of the boat. Simon Peter says something like this look on the fishermen you're a carpenter, why don't you just you know your preacher. You do the preaching of the fish that he said nevertheless Lord at your will and so he did it anyway. Even though he didn't believe in what he did. They caught so many fish that the net was ready. Jesus told him to throw the nets on the other side of the boat.

He threw one net. As a result nearly sunk the whole ship could just obey Jesus and set out many nets is Jesus said they would have the problem that they have. So when when Simon Peter saw this miracle when he when he saw his own failure in the presence of Christ. He says in Luke chapter 5 in verse eight that he fell down a Jesus knees and said, depart from me all God. For I am a sin greatness cheese and seeing the greatness and the glory of Jesus. He was so humble and he was so broken by his own sinful behavior and bad at.

Ultimately he saw the risen Christ. Even though he had failed the Lord and denied him three times Jesus went to him and personally restored him and he found after he met the risen Savior. He found a great purpose and passion for his life. You know every person on earth including you and me especially you and me. We need to discover why God put us on her. Why are you here that is to live a life of significant life of significance is to know and to do the will of God, that significance and that's why Simon Peter, who could've spent the rest of his days in a lucrative fishing business along the Sea of Galilee made some money that his family and then die and no one would have ever heard of.

We began to follow Christ everything. Shame we began to do the will of God for his life. The ordinary was transformed listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message the rock 3.2 billion people in our world still no access good news of Jesus, and we must do what ever it takes to reach the lost, but the hope of Christ. That's why were excited to tell you about a matching grant that will double what ever you give today to help reach more people to PowerPoint your support will help broadcast the gospel into some of the most spiritually dark corners of the earth will say thanks for your gift by sending you three of Pastor Graham's books share the gospel right where you are. This evangelism bundle includes the help of Easter life and God's promises for doubtful days. So call now to have your gift doubled by the max and requester evangelism bundle: 800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint to 59789 that's PowerPoint to 59789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.award*what is your PowerPoint for today. Well I want you to think about what Jesus today when Jesus looked at Simon called him Peter which means rock. Most of Simon's friends were shot maybe a snicker to because Peter wasn't anyone who could be referred to as a rock. Someone who was stable, strong source of strength but Jesus, you see Saul so much more in Peter that even his closest friends could see in the exact way when Jesus looks at you. He doesn't see you as others see you, or even as you see yourself. He sees you for what you can become. He sees the potential of your life.

Now that's a real encouragement.

But here's a problem. A lot of Christians are letting God move them into their full potential into their future. The reasons are so numerous, but the most common reason is because most people are afraid to really get out of their comfort zone.

In order for you to reach your full potential and to fulfill your mission as a follower of Christ, you need to be willing to take risks, to get out of your comfort zone and get into his own. But here's the great thing about the call of Jesus upon your life. He doesn't ask you or command you to do anything that he doesn't give you the power to accomplish. So when you face trials or times of uncertainty.

It may be hard to trust God. But if you just keep following after him, trusting him with every step you will be amazed at how your faith in your character will grow. I love the Scripture which says the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and though we fall. He will not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholds him with his strong right hand, you will be able to handle so much more than you think. If you walk with God. Each step of the way you'll be able to forgive when you thought you could forget you'll be able to trust God and wait patiently when you thought you couldn't wait any longer and you will have a hope when it seems everything around. And that is today's power. Remember when you give a gift PowerPoint. Your gift will be doubled by a matching grant call one 800-7954 627-1800 795-4627 can also text the word PowerPoint 259 79. Join us again next time. Stuck, Graham brings a message about the adventure.

Your life becomes when you surrender to God's. That's upon PowerPoint with Jeffrey PowerPoint with Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint ministries