Peter – A Fool or a Rock for Christ?
Matthew, Acts 2 - selected verses
Rev. Fred Rhines
(Sermon begins with the story of a charge-ahead, impetuous, boy scout in Rev. Rhines’s troop years ago.)
Peter certainly strikes one as a kind of impulsive, shoot-from-the-hip kind of guy.
If the circumstances weren’t so serious for Jesus, we could just laugh at Peter’s bold insistence that he would stand by Jesus no matter what. In chapter 26 -- after Jesus’s warns all the disciples that they will desert him. Jesus knows it; Jesus expects it; and Jesus informs the disciples with and assurance that what is going to happen bigger than all of them. For here is Peter, impetuous, optimistic sense of humor in gear, assuring Jesus that he is wrong! Where has this guy been, you ask? Doesn’t Peter understand. A few verses later we see in graphic detail that what Jesus said comes true and Peter looks like the real fool (idiot) if there ever was one! And Peter’s embarrassment is recorded here for all to read, including his dramatic moment of truth—when he broke down and wept deeply!!! Peter realized how terribly wrong he had been. It finally “hit” him!
Part of Per’s experience, too, is resisting Jesus in Mathew 16, for he must think he is being helpful to say that Jesus’ death in this way should not happen. But Peter does not understand. So Jesus expresses some determined anger here and says – Get thee behind me, Satan!”
Now he was not comparing Peter to “the devil.” But was saying, “get out of my way—get out of the way of “God’s action.” Satan here literally meant “adversary”—so Jesus was telling Peter to stop being an adversary, or obstructionist and come around, even if it’s unpleasant.
Peter is one of these people who could benefit by the old saying “Before you open your mouth, don’t forget to put your brain in gear!” Well Peter may have had trouble getting his brain in gear, but didn’t have a problem getting his heart in gear.” For all of Peter’s impulsiveness, his heart was in the right place—his heart was with his Lord Jesus Christ.
In chapter 16, when Jesus asks the disciples to identify him, Peter’s boldness, impulsiveness, pays – off as he says to Jesus “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God! Jesus immediately rewards Peter with an equally bold support. But the other disciples must still have been ready to laugh at Peter’s “outlandish statement.” After all, the others were way off out of line, too, naming John the Baptist, and Old Testament prophets, like Elijah and Jeremiah.
Jesus, certainly saw Peter’s loyalty and his leadership qualities in Peter’s quickness to speak from the heart of act in a flash. Jesus used Peter’s impetuousness to make his points –using Peter as the goat or the fall guy, if you will.
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Jesus commands Peter to walk to him on the water, knowing Peter will come right away. Then when Peter gets frightened, he had to call out to Jesus to save him. And Jesus does, saying “Ye of little faith, Peter, why did you doubt?” When Jesus is teaching about forgiveness, he uses Peter again to illustrate his point. Peter thinks he is being pretty generous when he says we should forgive seven times. After all, it was the Rabbi’s teaching the Jewish faith that a person must forgive three times. So, I’m sure Peter thought that seven times was a stretch. Imagine Peter’s surprise when Jesus says no to Peter on this one. We must forgive seventy-times-seven. There is no reasonable limit to forgiveness. Poor Peter, he is Jesus’ fall-guy, again.
Famous New Testament commentator, the late William Barclay says, “we owe a great deal to the fact that Peter had quick tongue. Again and again, he rushed into speech in such a way that his impetuosity drew from Jesus’ teaching which is immortal.”
There is not a lot of physical detail of just who Peter is. Peter’s father is referred to as both Jonah (in Matthew) and John (in John’s gospel). Peter had a brother Andrew and the two of them were partners in a fishing business on the sea of Galilee. Andrew was also a disciple of Jesus. The gospels are not clear as to who joined Jesus first – Mark says Jesus called first Simon and Andrew then others (putting Peter’s name first of the two.) John’s gospel talks of Peter and Andrew first being disciples of John the Baptist with Andrew joining up first and then bringing his brother Peter along. At any rate, they both joined Jesus early on in his ministry. The two brothers apparently lived together (according to Mark 1:29-31) a bit unusual because it’s clear that Peter was married. (clear also from Matthew and Luke too, as each refers to Jesus’ healing Peter’s mother-in-law).
Well, one thing that comes through clearly is Jesus’ power here and his “catching” of Peter and the others. A remarkable catch of fish while Jesus is in Peter’s boat led Peter to confess his own unworthiness, but Jesus promised him and the sons of Zebedee, that hence forth they would be catching people. A real over-awing sense of a mysterious greatness in Jesus comes through here. Peter and the others saw this! Whatever the exact circumstances of their calling Peter and the others were committed to Jesus right there by the Sea of Galilee. They saw Jesus’ power – the power of love.
But for their lives to become active in Christ’s ministry, this was still not enough. Peter’s faith as genuine as it was here, had still not yet been tested. As Peter was to find out, ministry for Christ is not like training to run a race. Ministry for Christ is much more complicated—about training to know yourself-faults and all. Ministry is abut failing, being defeated, then learning how to handle it. Learning how to pick yourself up by the bootstraps and go on. Try again using what you learned the first time, failing again, because circumstances change, or your own weaknesses keep coming back, to bringing together the experience, the fortitudes, the faith, the love of Christ, and going out and accomplishing your calling. And as you do you, you surprise yourself.
Well, we can ask – “What could Jesus possibly see to focus his ministry in such a bumbling, impetuous character like Peter.” What kind of “rock” does he see in Peter? Could he possibly see strength, steadfastness, solidarity, such as lasting qualities in Peter? Jesus needed someone who would last
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throughout all of eternity and he found that person in Peter! This “rock” was the first founding rock of the church!
Peter is the first member. Peter is a key witness to the resurrection-a strong leader in the early church and confessor of his own sins, lover of the Lord, J.C. Jesus knew Peter thoroughly and had been training him for leadership---to take over after Jesus’s own death. Peter went from loyal, energetic, impulsive Christian to loyal, energetic self-confident Christian with full self—control. Yes, Peter is now ready! He has been singled-out to be spoke’s person for the other disciples who are mentioned as a group associated with him. A natural leader! Peter was the one to rally these disciples after Jesus’ arrest had scattered them.
Well, following Christ’s Ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter comes to full flower. Peter’s strong-powerful preaching in Act’s 2 became his hallmark. “Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God, by signs and wonders ---you crucified—but God raised him up.” You are witnesses. He ascended to heaven, was exalted at God’s right-hand, and sent the Holy Spirit.” Peter preached the Cross—said it was no accident but part of God’s plan. But those who committed the crime of crucifixion never the less, stand guilty, must confess their sins, be baptized and be forgiven. And the resurrection is the final proof of Jesus’ messiahship. The resurrection is what changed Peter (and the others) from bumbling fools, into heroes. (It was that “big” a change!).
During the period of approximately 15 years (cover by the first 12 chapters of the Book of Acts,) Peter was the dominant leader of the church in and near Jerusalem. Peter’s powerful preaching on repentance brough many new believers into the church. The church was forward looking. It listened and learned. It became a close supportive, and indeed, happy fellowship that worked together. It was faithful, reverent, praying church where things happened. Signs and wonders from God. Miracles happened; healing happened!! Peter spoke the word that healed the lame beggar in Ch. 3, thus was powerful in working miracles, as well as in preaching. His ministry brough resistance from the Jewish authorities, so much so that Peter was arrested, but still spoke out with “boldness.” Peter was active in healing and preaching, which later led to the arrest of all the apostles, and the rebuke before the Jewish law court—the Sanhedrin. This is where Peter gave his strongest witness for Christ, and determination to “obey Gold rather than men.” Through intervention of a pharisee Gamaliel, Peter and the rest were let go after his, now the second time they were arrested. Later Peter was arrested a third time.
Peter admitted Cornelius of Caesarea into the church, He was a soldier, a centurion and a devout and God-fearing man. But Cornelius was a gentile to the horror of the Jewish leaders at the time. Now the Apostle Paul was noteworthy for letting gentiles into the church, but Peter did it first.
There are other stories of Peter in Acts carrying his ministry even beyond Palestine, but you get the idea—Peter keeps going with his powerful, consistent ministry for Christ. Peter was jus an ordinary man, not a great theologian, but his addressed the needs of the times.
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Today it’s our turn to speak for Christ for what we face. Affirming the Jewish people in this age of antisemitism yet fairly supporting Israel’s neighboring people, Palestinians and others. Holding to account self-centered and autocratic politicians pushing their will on others, and willing to take away their rights. Constantly fighting racism in a society where it keeps coming back. Protecting special creative and wonderful people, such as LGBTO+ who are targeted by narrow-minded critics that do not understand them, nor want to.
Well, we now know, Peter is both a fool for Christ, and also a rock for Christ. His strongest qualities of Leadership came out, but only through the foolish bumbling, impetuous behavior that makes the total person that is Peter. And isn’t it the same with us?
We are here to serve God with all our strengths but only as they come through our own faults and failures. Peter is no longer here, but we are! And we have one big advantage that Peter did not have—we have his model-his example as a servant of our Lord, J.C. Let us truly make use of it in this Easter season and beyond. Amen.