Jesus and disciples go to Mount of Olives. Jesus with Peter, James, and John go to the garden of Gethsemane.
10. Mark 14:32-42 - What did Jesus ask Peter, James and John to do? Watch and pray. Did they do it? No. Of the three, who does Jesus single out for their success or failure? Peter. Why him? Peter had been vocal about his devotion to Christ. Jesus is not seeing it. Peter is suppose to be a leader. The other disciples follow his example. If he prays, they pray. If he sleeps, they sleep. If they sleep and he’s awake praying, Peter is to wake them up and encourage them to pray. Peter is letting Jesus down when He needs Peter the most.
11. John 18:10-11; Matthew 26:52-54 - When Jesus was betrayed, what was Peter’s immediate response? Defended His friend and Master from the mob. What was Jesus’ reaction what Peter did? Disapproval. Peter still didn’t understand that Jesus had to go through all this.
12. Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50 - When Jesus was arrested by the mob, what did Peter NOT do? Stand by Jesus and say “Arrest me too. If Jesus must go to prison/death, then I Peter must also go to prison/death.” Instead, what did he do? He ran
The Denial
Peter and another disciple, perhaps John, followed Jesus to where He was to be put on trial by the high priest. After midnight. Cold. Peter went to the courtyard to warm himself by a fire.
13. Luke 22:54-55 - What do you think Peter is feeling at this moment? Fear; uncertainty.
14. vs. 56-59 - What were Peter’s responses to the bystanders’ accusations? Repeatedly denied knowing Jesus. Other Gospels say that Peter used expletives to punctuate his denial. Why did he do this? Fear of being caught, placed on trial, and death.
15. vs. 60-62 - When Peter heard the rooster crow, how do you think he felt? When he saw Jesus looking straight at him, how do you think Peter felt? Overwhelming guilt. Jesus perhaps being transferred from the home of the high priest to the Sanhedrin. What did he do next? Fled the courtyard and wept bitterly.
This is the last we see of Peter during the last hours of Christ’s life. He is not at the Sanhedrin. Not before Herod. Not before Pilate. Not being beaten and flogged. Not carrying a cross. Not dying on a cross. The same man who made a point to express his devotion to Jesus … the man who said “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” …Who emphatically said “I will never forsake you” …Was nowhere to be found.
APPLICATION:
1. Do you know yourself the way God knows you? Do you believe the image you or others created of yourself? Or do you accept what God’s image of yourself … how He sees you? We tend to see only our strengths/positives and ignore/discount our weakness/faults. Gets us in trouble. God sees it all and still He loves us. He gives us warnings regarding our weaknesses. Do we heed these warnings?
2. When making a commitment to God, how certain are you that you will follow through with it, particularly during times of testing by the Enemy?
If you fail to follow through with your commitment, how do you respond?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Walking with Peter: The Road to Denial pt. 1
Read John 13:1-17
Jesus and disciples share their last meal together. Sometime during the meal, Jesus got up, took off his robe, put a towel around his waist, poured water in a basin, and proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet.
1. As Jesus was about to wash Peter’s feet, Peter questioned Him. Why? Peter was astonished; taken aback by what Jesus was doing. The master is not to perform menial tasks for the servant.
Jesus explained to Peter that he does not understand what He is doing now, but Peter will in the future.
2. vs. 7-9 - How would you characterize Peter’s responses to Jesus? What does his responses say about Peter? Two interpretations - a) expression of unworthiness (similar to the second meeting between Jesus and Peter when told Jesus to go away from him for he was a sinful man); show of loyal devotion. b) hint of pride/arrogance - Dictating to Jesus. Telling Jesus what He could and could not do. Hearkens back to Peter’s rebuke of Jesus. “This will never happen to you!”
Perhaps a mixture of both. What you do hear from Peter’s lips is a desire to be totally one with Christ. Peter’s words were heard by Jesus and the other disciples.
Reason why Jesus washed the disciples feet – Teach them humility. To be a leader you must be willing to serve others no matter how trivial/menial it may seem.
The footwashing lesson was perhaps prompted by a dispute among the disciples that occurred during Jesus’ last meal with them. (Luke 22:24-30). The twelve argued among themselves over whom would be the greatest when Jesus established His kingdom … who will be Jesus’ number one guy in the kingdom. After explaining and showing the disciples what it means to be the greatest, Jesus shares something with Peter.
Read - Luke 22:31-34
3. vs. 31 Read Amplified, NASB, & NIV - What did Jesus say to Peter? The “you” in this verse is plural. Sift – to shake in a sieve - an instrument with a meshed or perforated bottom, used for separating coarse matter from fine parts of loose matter. Example Jesus used – separating coarse/hard grain from fine grain. What imagery comes to your mind? What did Satan want to do? Separate Peter and the other disciples from Jesus.
To whom do you think Satan was making these demands? God the Father. Why? He wanted to make it harder for Jesus to follow through with the Plan. Similar to Job’s story. “God, if you take this from Job, this from Job, this from Job, … he’ll curse you to your face.” Perhaps same with Jesus. “God, if you let me remove Jesus’ closest companions, I’ll bet then He won’t obey you.”
4. vs. 32 - What did Jesus say He was doing? The “you” in this verse is singular referring to Peter. Jesus is praying for Peter that his faith would not fail, that it would not die. Faith in what? Peter’s faith in Jesus. That no matter what Peter would see and hear Jesus experience in the coming hours. No matter what Peter himself would experience in the coming hours, Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God and faith in himself would not completely vanish.
What did He say would happen to Peter? Turn back from what? At some point, Peter would fall away. He would fail in keeping his commitments to Jesus. The Enemy will jump all over him. Despite all that Peter, as we’ll see later, will not lose faith in Jesus or himself. Peter will have doubts about himself. Am I still worthy of Christ? Am I really a rock? But, Peter will never completely lose faith in Jesus or himself. (Unlike Judas, who after betraying Jesus, regretted his decision. Rather than seek God’s forgiveness and forgiving himself, Judas gave in to his despair, lost all faith in himself to be redeemed, and chose to take his own life.) At some point, Peter would get back on track. What did He want Peter to do afterwards? Strengthen/renew the faith of his fellow disciples.
5. Why did Jesus share all this with Peter? Giving Peter warning, encouragement, and instructions. Why not James, John, or Andrew? Peter was his man to lead the church. Peter’s responsibility to lead and look after the brothers. Did Jesus believe his prayer would be answered? Absolutely! Jesus says “when you turn back”, not “if”.
6. vs. 33 - What was Peter’s reply? Do you think Peter meant what he said? Yes.
7. How would you characterize Peter’s response? Why did he respond this way? Jesus seemed to be questioning Peter’s loyalty/devotion to Him. There would be no need for him to “turn back” because Peter would never turn away from Jesus. Peter - “I know me better than you know me, Jesus!”
8. vs. 34- What did Jesus say Peter would do? Why do you think Jesus tells Peter this? Perhaps to show Peter the real Simon Peter. Peter had this image of himself. Believes himself to be fiercely devoted to Christ. Very vocal about it. But when the time comes to act, will he stand strong or fold under the pressure? What did Peter believe? Jesus knew the true Peter. When the pressure is on, Peter will crack. Ex. Walking on water incident. Do you think Peter was the type of person you could sit down and explain/share things about himself to? He couldn’t explain it to Peter because he was too thick-headed. Peter had to learn the truth about himself the hardway. Peter had to look at himself in the mirror, see his faults/weaknesses. A lesson that he would never, ever forget. This lesson would further mold Peter into the rock Jesus knew him to be.
9. Mark 14:31 - What was Peter’s response? Read NIV, NASB, Amplified. Peter repeatedly told Jesus in a determined voice that he would never deny Jesus. The disciples? Followed Peter’s example. Did Peter and the disciples mean what they said? Absolutely yes!
Jesus and disciples share their last meal together. Sometime during the meal, Jesus got up, took off his robe, put a towel around his waist, poured water in a basin, and proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet.
1. As Jesus was about to wash Peter’s feet, Peter questioned Him. Why? Peter was astonished; taken aback by what Jesus was doing. The master is not to perform menial tasks for the servant.
Jesus explained to Peter that he does not understand what He is doing now, but Peter will in the future.
2. vs. 7-9 - How would you characterize Peter’s responses to Jesus? What does his responses say about Peter? Two interpretations - a) expression of unworthiness (similar to the second meeting between Jesus and Peter when told Jesus to go away from him for he was a sinful man); show of loyal devotion. b) hint of pride/arrogance - Dictating to Jesus. Telling Jesus what He could and could not do. Hearkens back to Peter’s rebuke of Jesus. “This will never happen to you!”
Perhaps a mixture of both. What you do hear from Peter’s lips is a desire to be totally one with Christ. Peter’s words were heard by Jesus and the other disciples.
Reason why Jesus washed the disciples feet – Teach them humility. To be a leader you must be willing to serve others no matter how trivial/menial it may seem.
The footwashing lesson was perhaps prompted by a dispute among the disciples that occurred during Jesus’ last meal with them. (Luke 22:24-30). The twelve argued among themselves over whom would be the greatest when Jesus established His kingdom … who will be Jesus’ number one guy in the kingdom. After explaining and showing the disciples what it means to be the greatest, Jesus shares something with Peter.
Read - Luke 22:31-34
3. vs. 31 Read Amplified, NASB, & NIV - What did Jesus say to Peter? The “you” in this verse is plural. Sift – to shake in a sieve - an instrument with a meshed or perforated bottom, used for separating coarse matter from fine parts of loose matter. Example Jesus used – separating coarse/hard grain from fine grain. What imagery comes to your mind? What did Satan want to do? Separate Peter and the other disciples from Jesus.
To whom do you think Satan was making these demands? God the Father. Why? He wanted to make it harder for Jesus to follow through with the Plan. Similar to Job’s story. “God, if you take this from Job, this from Job, this from Job, … he’ll curse you to your face.” Perhaps same with Jesus. “God, if you let me remove Jesus’ closest companions, I’ll bet then He won’t obey you.”
4. vs. 32 - What did Jesus say He was doing? The “you” in this verse is singular referring to Peter. Jesus is praying for Peter that his faith would not fail, that it would not die. Faith in what? Peter’s faith in Jesus. That no matter what Peter would see and hear Jesus experience in the coming hours. No matter what Peter himself would experience in the coming hours, Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God and faith in himself would not completely vanish.
What did He say would happen to Peter? Turn back from what? At some point, Peter would fall away. He would fail in keeping his commitments to Jesus. The Enemy will jump all over him. Despite all that Peter, as we’ll see later, will not lose faith in Jesus or himself. Peter will have doubts about himself. Am I still worthy of Christ? Am I really a rock? But, Peter will never completely lose faith in Jesus or himself. (Unlike Judas, who after betraying Jesus, regretted his decision. Rather than seek God’s forgiveness and forgiving himself, Judas gave in to his despair, lost all faith in himself to be redeemed, and chose to take his own life.) At some point, Peter would get back on track. What did He want Peter to do afterwards? Strengthen/renew the faith of his fellow disciples.
5. Why did Jesus share all this with Peter? Giving Peter warning, encouragement, and instructions. Why not James, John, or Andrew? Peter was his man to lead the church. Peter’s responsibility to lead and look after the brothers. Did Jesus believe his prayer would be answered? Absolutely! Jesus says “when you turn back”, not “if”.
6. vs. 33 - What was Peter’s reply? Do you think Peter meant what he said? Yes.
7. How would you characterize Peter’s response? Why did he respond this way? Jesus seemed to be questioning Peter’s loyalty/devotion to Him. There would be no need for him to “turn back” because Peter would never turn away from Jesus. Peter - “I know me better than you know me, Jesus!”
8. vs. 34- What did Jesus say Peter would do? Why do you think Jesus tells Peter this? Perhaps to show Peter the real Simon Peter. Peter had this image of himself. Believes himself to be fiercely devoted to Christ. Very vocal about it. But when the time comes to act, will he stand strong or fold under the pressure? What did Peter believe? Jesus knew the true Peter. When the pressure is on, Peter will crack. Ex. Walking on water incident. Do you think Peter was the type of person you could sit down and explain/share things about himself to? He couldn’t explain it to Peter because he was too thick-headed. Peter had to learn the truth about himself the hardway. Peter had to look at himself in the mirror, see his faults/weaknesses. A lesson that he would never, ever forget. This lesson would further mold Peter into the rock Jesus knew him to be.
9. Mark 14:31 - What was Peter’s response? Read NIV, NASB, Amplified. Peter repeatedly told Jesus in a determined voice that he would never deny Jesus. The disciples? Followed Peter’s example. Did Peter and the disciples mean what they said? Absolutely yes!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Walking with Peter: From Rock to Stumbling Block
Read Matthew 16:21-23
1. Read vs. 21. A) What did Jesus tell His disciples?
Jesus lays it all out. What He would be experiencing in the next few weeks. Didn’t hold anything back. How He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders. He would be ridiculed, cursed, beaten, spat upon. He would be handed over to the Romans, put on trial, flogged, beaten, ridiculed at the hands of Gentiles. Rejected by the Jews. Crucified. Die on the cross. On the third day, He would rise again.
B) Why did He share this information with them? They were his friends. His closest companions. Jesus wanted them to be in the loop. Not surprised by what will happen in the days ahead.
2. What do you think was going through the disciples’ minds as Jesus was telling them all this, particularly Peter based on what he did in vs. 22?
Shock! Peter - shock then anger. As Jesus was sharing what He would be experiencing, I can picture Peter getting more and more upset. His blood pressure reaching the boiling point. After Jesus finished, Peter took Jesus aside and confronted Him. He rebuked Jesus. Image - Peter, a human, a created being confronting/rebuking God, his Creator.
3. Define rebuke. Webster - to criticize sharply; an expression of strong disapproval; reprimand.
4. Why did Peter respond in this way? What was he critical of? What did Jesus say that Peter strongly disapproved? What Jesus said was not the plan. The Messiah is not suppose to suffer and die. He isn’t suppose to lose. Jesus seemed to have a defeatist attitude. Hurting the morale of disciples. We gave up our jobs, our families for this?
5. What qualities do you see in Peter in the way he approached Jesus? Assertiveness, boldness, temper, anger, impulsiveness. Do you think Peter heard the end of Jesus’ words to the disciples about being raised on the third day?
6. Vs. 23. What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke? “Thank you for straightening me out Peter. I had no idea what I was saying.” No. Jesus turned and looked Peter straight in the eye and said. “Get behind me Satan.” What do you think Peter’s reaction was to Jesus words? I can picture Peter jumping back and looking around him to see if the devil was there. But Jesus was looking at Peter when He said those words, why? Why did Jesus say “Satan” instead of “Peter”? Jesus recognized the words of the Adversary in Peter’s rebuke. Peter was not Jesus’ enemy. Satan was. When Jesus looked at Peter, He saw Peter in the flesh. He also saw in the spiritual realm, Satan.
7. How was Satan able to get a hold on Peter? Satan took advantage of Peter’s anger in order to tempt Jesus. Peter was unable to control his anger. That allowed the Adversary the opening he was looking for. The opportune time to strike. He got a foothold into Peter’s heart. Ephesians 4:26-27. As Jesus was sharing with the disciples about suffering and dying, Peter was getting upset/angry. The Enemy swooped in and whispered to Peter “You called Him the Messiah, the Son of God? Is what He saying to you sound like a Messiah? Is what Jesus telling you sound like what the Messiah was to come here and do? Look at the faces of your friends. See how demoralized they are. Say something to Jesus. Talk Him out of this. He doesn’t have to go through all that suffering and death.”
Just as Satan used the serpent in the Garden of Eden to tempt Eve, he used Peter in an effort to tempt Jesus. What was his goal? To prevent Jesus from going to the cross. If Jesus made it to the cross and died, game over for Satan. His scheme didn’t work. Jesus knew it was Satan behind Peter’s words. Jesus told the Enemy to get lost.
Point - Who is your enemy? The friend who stabbed you in the back? Are Muslims our enemy? Is your spouse? Have an argument over something serious or something silly? In the heat of anger, say things that are harsh, unkind. Is he or she your enemy? No. Your true enemy is the one who takes advantage of the anger, bitterness, frustration, etc., in an effort to promote division, chaos, havoc. Goal - disrupt our relationship with one another and with God. Ephesians chapter 6 - Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is with the dark forces of this world led by Satan. They are our true enemy. Not Muslims, not people who mistreat us, not our spouses.
8. a) What did Jesus tell Satan? “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind (Greek “phronea” - understanding) the things of God, but the things of men!”
b) Were these words directed at Peter as well?
c) When Peter rebuked Jesus, did he have in mind/understand the things of God or the things of men? What was God’s understanding of who the Messiah was? What would he do and how would he do it? Bring salvation through suffering and death. Excruciating pain/suffering/death. What was Peter’s understanding of who the Messiah was, what he would do, and how he would do it? Restore Israel to glory through political/military means. He would inflict pain/suffering/death on others.
Satan, who was right there, saw in Peter’s rebuke (his anger/his words) an opportune time to tempt Jesus.
9) How did Satan use Peter’s understanding of the Messiah create a stumbling block for Jesus? Define stumbling block - Greek word “skandalon” - a) trap, snare b) impediment placed in the way & causing one to stumble or fall. What was the snare laid by Satan? Temptation - turn away from the road leading to the cross. No pain, no suffering, no death. What or who was the impediment/obstacle? Satan & Peter. The Enemy used one of Jesus’ closest companions in an effort to get him to stumble and fall. Jesus was able to overcome the temptation, but it wasn’t easy. How quickly did Jesus respond to Satan’s temptation? Immediately. He did not dwell on the temptation. The longer you do, the easier you will fall prey to the temptation.
10) Peter allowed himself to be a stumbling block to Jesus. In what ways can we be a stumbling block to others? See Romans 14:1-23. Origin - self-interest. Have in mind the things of men, i.e., what we believe, what we want, what we desire.
Disciples Study Bible - “Christians need to know that behavior can have destructive consequences on fellow believers. Further, we should accept other Christians without passing judgment upon the centralities of their faith. We can still love one another even while disagreeing so as not to give Satan a foothold through division.
11) How does the Peter in Matt. 16:13-20 contrast with the Peter of Matt.16:21-23?
Matt. 16:13-20 - Peter said something good and was blessed by Jesus.
Matt.16:21-23 - Peter said something wrong and was rebuked by Jesus.
What happened? In Matt. 16: 13-20, Peter had in mind the things of God. He allowed God to reveal to him the answer to Jesus’ question. In Matt.16:21-23, Peter had in mind the things of men. He allowed Satan to use him as a stumbling block to Jesus.
12) In vs. 24-25, what was the point Jesus was making to Peter and the other disciples? Jesus had told the disciples the path He’s taking leads to death. Peter said “No it doesn’t.” In rebuking Peter, Jesus said yes it does. Not only for me, but for those who are my true followers. Those who follow Jesus must deny there self-interests, pick up a cross, and follow Jesus where? To death. That’s hard stuff.
APPLICATION:
1. Our enemy is not flesh & blood. The enemy is the demonic forces in the spiritual realm led by Satan.
2. Be careful not to be a stumbling block to others. Do not allow the Enemy to get a foothold in your life in order to snare others to sin or to be an obstacle that hinders the spiritual walk of fellow believers.
3. Do you have in mind (an understanding) the things of man or the things of God? In order to understand the things of God:
a) Make God’s will a priority, not your will.
b) Read the Word.
c) Seek understanding of the Word.
1. Read vs. 21. A) What did Jesus tell His disciples?
Jesus lays it all out. What He would be experiencing in the next few weeks. Didn’t hold anything back. How He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders. He would be ridiculed, cursed, beaten, spat upon. He would be handed over to the Romans, put on trial, flogged, beaten, ridiculed at the hands of Gentiles. Rejected by the Jews. Crucified. Die on the cross. On the third day, He would rise again.
B) Why did He share this information with them? They were his friends. His closest companions. Jesus wanted them to be in the loop. Not surprised by what will happen in the days ahead.
2. What do you think was going through the disciples’ minds as Jesus was telling them all this, particularly Peter based on what he did in vs. 22?
Shock! Peter - shock then anger. As Jesus was sharing what He would be experiencing, I can picture Peter getting more and more upset. His blood pressure reaching the boiling point. After Jesus finished, Peter took Jesus aside and confronted Him. He rebuked Jesus. Image - Peter, a human, a created being confronting/rebuking God, his Creator.
3. Define rebuke. Webster - to criticize sharply; an expression of strong disapproval; reprimand.
4. Why did Peter respond in this way? What was he critical of? What did Jesus say that Peter strongly disapproved? What Jesus said was not the plan. The Messiah is not suppose to suffer and die. He isn’t suppose to lose. Jesus seemed to have a defeatist attitude. Hurting the morale of disciples. We gave up our jobs, our families for this?
5. What qualities do you see in Peter in the way he approached Jesus? Assertiveness, boldness, temper, anger, impulsiveness. Do you think Peter heard the end of Jesus’ words to the disciples about being raised on the third day?
6. Vs. 23. What was Jesus’ response to Peter’s rebuke? “Thank you for straightening me out Peter. I had no idea what I was saying.” No. Jesus turned and looked Peter straight in the eye and said. “Get behind me Satan.” What do you think Peter’s reaction was to Jesus words? I can picture Peter jumping back and looking around him to see if the devil was there. But Jesus was looking at Peter when He said those words, why? Why did Jesus say “Satan” instead of “Peter”? Jesus recognized the words of the Adversary in Peter’s rebuke. Peter was not Jesus’ enemy. Satan was. When Jesus looked at Peter, He saw Peter in the flesh. He also saw in the spiritual realm, Satan.
7. How was Satan able to get a hold on Peter? Satan took advantage of Peter’s anger in order to tempt Jesus. Peter was unable to control his anger. That allowed the Adversary the opening he was looking for. The opportune time to strike. He got a foothold into Peter’s heart. Ephesians 4:26-27. As Jesus was sharing with the disciples about suffering and dying, Peter was getting upset/angry. The Enemy swooped in and whispered to Peter “You called Him the Messiah, the Son of God? Is what He saying to you sound like a Messiah? Is what Jesus telling you sound like what the Messiah was to come here and do? Look at the faces of your friends. See how demoralized they are. Say something to Jesus. Talk Him out of this. He doesn’t have to go through all that suffering and death.”
Just as Satan used the serpent in the Garden of Eden to tempt Eve, he used Peter in an effort to tempt Jesus. What was his goal? To prevent Jesus from going to the cross. If Jesus made it to the cross and died, game over for Satan. His scheme didn’t work. Jesus knew it was Satan behind Peter’s words. Jesus told the Enemy to get lost.
Point - Who is your enemy? The friend who stabbed you in the back? Are Muslims our enemy? Is your spouse? Have an argument over something serious or something silly? In the heat of anger, say things that are harsh, unkind. Is he or she your enemy? No. Your true enemy is the one who takes advantage of the anger, bitterness, frustration, etc., in an effort to promote division, chaos, havoc. Goal - disrupt our relationship with one another and with God. Ephesians chapter 6 - Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is with the dark forces of this world led by Satan. They are our true enemy. Not Muslims, not people who mistreat us, not our spouses.
8. a) What did Jesus tell Satan? “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind (Greek “phronea” - understanding) the things of God, but the things of men!”
b) Were these words directed at Peter as well?
c) When Peter rebuked Jesus, did he have in mind/understand the things of God or the things of men? What was God’s understanding of who the Messiah was? What would he do and how would he do it? Bring salvation through suffering and death. Excruciating pain/suffering/death. What was Peter’s understanding of who the Messiah was, what he would do, and how he would do it? Restore Israel to glory through political/military means. He would inflict pain/suffering/death on others.
Satan, who was right there, saw in Peter’s rebuke (his anger/his words) an opportune time to tempt Jesus.
9) How did Satan use Peter’s understanding of the Messiah create a stumbling block for Jesus? Define stumbling block - Greek word “skandalon” - a) trap, snare b) impediment placed in the way & causing one to stumble or fall. What was the snare laid by Satan? Temptation - turn away from the road leading to the cross. No pain, no suffering, no death. What or who was the impediment/obstacle? Satan & Peter. The Enemy used one of Jesus’ closest companions in an effort to get him to stumble and fall. Jesus was able to overcome the temptation, but it wasn’t easy. How quickly did Jesus respond to Satan’s temptation? Immediately. He did not dwell on the temptation. The longer you do, the easier you will fall prey to the temptation.
10) Peter allowed himself to be a stumbling block to Jesus. In what ways can we be a stumbling block to others? See Romans 14:1-23. Origin - self-interest. Have in mind the things of men, i.e., what we believe, what we want, what we desire.
Disciples Study Bible - “Christians need to know that behavior can have destructive consequences on fellow believers. Further, we should accept other Christians without passing judgment upon the centralities of their faith. We can still love one another even while disagreeing so as not to give Satan a foothold through division.
11) How does the Peter in Matt. 16:13-20 contrast with the Peter of Matt.16:21-23?
Matt. 16:13-20 - Peter said something good and was blessed by Jesus.
Matt.16:21-23 - Peter said something wrong and was rebuked by Jesus.
What happened? In Matt. 16: 13-20, Peter had in mind the things of God. He allowed God to reveal to him the answer to Jesus’ question. In Matt.16:21-23, Peter had in mind the things of men. He allowed Satan to use him as a stumbling block to Jesus.
12) In vs. 24-25, what was the point Jesus was making to Peter and the other disciples? Jesus had told the disciples the path He’s taking leads to death. Peter said “No it doesn’t.” In rebuking Peter, Jesus said yes it does. Not only for me, but for those who are my true followers. Those who follow Jesus must deny there self-interests, pick up a cross, and follow Jesus where? To death. That’s hard stuff.
APPLICATION:
1. Our enemy is not flesh & blood. The enemy is the demonic forces in the spiritual realm led by Satan.
2. Be careful not to be a stumbling block to others. Do not allow the Enemy to get a foothold in your life in order to snare others to sin or to be an obstacle that hinders the spiritual walk of fellow believers.
3. Do you have in mind (an understanding) the things of man or the things of God? In order to understand the things of God:
a) Make God’s will a priority, not your will.
b) Read the Word.
c) Seek understanding of the Word.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Walking with Peter: Who do you say I am?
Read Matthew 16:13-20
Jesus and his disciples maybe are sitting around the campfire or walking along the road to Caesarea Philippi. Talking about this, that, and the other. Jesus asks the guys a question. “Who do people say I am?”
1. Who did people living in Jesus’ day say He was?
Andrew - “Some say you are Elijah.” Matthew - “Some say you are Jeremiah.” Bartholomew - “Some say you are John the Baptist.” James - “Other say you are a prophet.” Not to mention what the Pharisees called Jesus - drunkard, glutton, follower of Beelzebub, and probably worse. People of Jesus’ day had a lot of opinions on who He was.
2. Who do people today say Jesus is? Good man who said and did a lot of good things. A great religious leader like Gandhi, Buddha, Mohammed.
Jesus turns the question on to his disciples. “What about you guys? Who do you say I am?”
3. Who answered Jesus’ question? Peter. What was his answer? You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. How long do you think it took for him to respond? Instantly. What insight do you get into the disciple’s character based on his response? Boldness, assertiveness.
Peter acknowledged two things about Jesus.
1) Jesus was the Messiah - the Anointed One of God. The One promised by the prophets who would restore the glory of Israel.
2) Jesus was the Son of God - He acknowledged the divine nature of Jesus … the unique bond Jesus and God shared. Jesus was of God.
4. How did the disciple reach this conclusion? Did he reach this conclusion on his own? Did Andrew whisper the answer to him in his ear?
Revealed to Peter by God the Father. How did God reveal this knowledge to Peter? Thunderous voice from heaven? Handwriting on the wall? No. By walking with Jesus. Spending time with Him. Hearing His words. Meditating on His words. Seeing Jesus in action. All the while, God the Father revealed truth to Peter concerning Jesus. Opened Peter’s eyes to the truth. Point out something – Although Peter answered quickly, his revelation was not instantaneous/out of the blue. The truth about Jesus was revealed to Peter over time through experience.
5. Who do you say Jesus is? Who is He to you? Savior, Lord, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellor, Immanuel, the Good Shepherd, etc.
6. a) How did you come to this conclusion? Through reason? Words of people? By the Spirit of God. Through a consistent walk with God, He reveals even more of Jesus to you.
b) Can a person reach the conclusion that Jesus is ________ or confess that Jesus is ______ without a revelation from God? See I Corinthians 12:3
Can I, Greg Crawford, convince an unbeliever that Jesus is Lord/Son of God on my own? No. What I can do is plant the seed. I can share the Gospel with someone. Explain to that person who Jesus is. Holy Spirit takes over from there. He reveals the Truth to that person. It’s up to the person to listen to the Holy Spirit’s revelation. When they believe what they’re hearing, they will be able to confess that Jesus is Lord/Son of God. By continuing to walk with God, the Holy Spirit reveals more about who Jesus is.
Jesus commends Peter for his confession. Goes on to say … read vs. 18-19.
7) What is Jesus saying to Peter in vs. 18-19?
My thoughts on these verses - To me, this is a symbolic passing of the torch. Or, in Biblical terms, it’s like Elijah giving his mantle to Elisha. As we’re going to see in vs. 21, Jesus is not long for this world. He’s leaving soon. Jesus needs someone to give the keys of leadership to before he goes … a shepherd to lead the sheep. From the first time Jesus met Peter, He had tapped Peter to be the one who would lead His Church. If you recall their first meeting, that’s when Jesus gave Simon the name Peter. Never really explained to Simon why. Here Jesus does so. “Simon, you are Peter/the Rock and upon this Rock, I will build my church and the gates of Hades (death and the forces of evil) will not/shall not prevail against it. Think about that imagery for a moment. What comes to mind?
Giving the keys - Again, it symbolizes the passing of the torch. After Jesus leaves this world, Peter would be the leader/shepherd of His church.
8) What are the keys to heaven? Prayer. Prayer unlocks the door to heaven and locks the door. Example - Elijah - I Kings 17:1. Tells King Ahab there will be no dew nor rain for the next few years except at my word” No rain for 3 ½ years. Mt. Carmel - prayed fire from heaven. Afterwards prayed for rain. Another example - During a battle, Joshua prayed that God would stop the sun and moon. Prayer is powerful.
9) Was the authority to bind and loose given only to Peter? Read Matthew 18:15-20.
The “you” in these verses is plural. Refers to the Church. From what I gather, the Church as a body has the authority to bind and loose. For more on this, see the addendum below.
APPLICATION
1) Ask yourself “Who is Jesus to me?” Write out your answers.
2) Seek to find out more about who Jesus is. He is your Savior and so much more. Look up Scriptures that deal with Jesus as Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellour, the Good Shepherd, Healer of broken hearts, etc.
3) Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal more of Jesus to you this week.
4) When witnessing, you are not going to convince an unbeliever that Jesus is Lord. That is the Holy Spirit’s job. Your job is to plant the seed and water it. Let the Spirit bring forth the fruit.
5) Prayer is a powerful, powerful tool that is very much underused. Don’t let prayer be that tool that just sits on a shelf. Put it to use. I recommend reading Jim Cymbala’s book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire.
Addendum
The authority of the Pope, the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church, is found in Matthew 13:18-19. The Roman Catholic church teaches that Jesus gave to Peter and Peter alone the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. Consequently, only Peter and not any of the other disciples were given the authority to bind and loose things on earth and in Heaven. According to Roman Catholic tradition, Peter was the first bishop of Rome. The bishop of Rome over the centuries became known as the pope, the leader of the Church in western Europe. When Peter died, the keys and the authority that came with them were passed down to the next bishop of Rome/pope and when he died they were passed to his successor and so on and so forth up until today. According to Roman Catholic tradition, if someone wants to make a request to God, they must first go through the pope/Roman Catholic Church, because the pope has the keys to the kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus and his disciples maybe are sitting around the campfire or walking along the road to Caesarea Philippi. Talking about this, that, and the other. Jesus asks the guys a question. “Who do people say I am?”
1. Who did people living in Jesus’ day say He was?
Andrew - “Some say you are Elijah.” Matthew - “Some say you are Jeremiah.” Bartholomew - “Some say you are John the Baptist.” James - “Other say you are a prophet.” Not to mention what the Pharisees called Jesus - drunkard, glutton, follower of Beelzebub, and probably worse. People of Jesus’ day had a lot of opinions on who He was.
2. Who do people today say Jesus is? Good man who said and did a lot of good things. A great religious leader like Gandhi, Buddha, Mohammed.
Jesus turns the question on to his disciples. “What about you guys? Who do you say I am?”
3. Who answered Jesus’ question? Peter. What was his answer? You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. How long do you think it took for him to respond? Instantly. What insight do you get into the disciple’s character based on his response? Boldness, assertiveness.
Peter acknowledged two things about Jesus.
1) Jesus was the Messiah - the Anointed One of God. The One promised by the prophets who would restore the glory of Israel.
2) Jesus was the Son of God - He acknowledged the divine nature of Jesus … the unique bond Jesus and God shared. Jesus was of God.
4. How did the disciple reach this conclusion? Did he reach this conclusion on his own? Did Andrew whisper the answer to him in his ear?
Revealed to Peter by God the Father. How did God reveal this knowledge to Peter? Thunderous voice from heaven? Handwriting on the wall? No. By walking with Jesus. Spending time with Him. Hearing His words. Meditating on His words. Seeing Jesus in action. All the while, God the Father revealed truth to Peter concerning Jesus. Opened Peter’s eyes to the truth. Point out something – Although Peter answered quickly, his revelation was not instantaneous/out of the blue. The truth about Jesus was revealed to Peter over time through experience.
5. Who do you say Jesus is? Who is He to you? Savior, Lord, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellor, Immanuel, the Good Shepherd, etc.
6. a) How did you come to this conclusion? Through reason? Words of people? By the Spirit of God. Through a consistent walk with God, He reveals even more of Jesus to you.
b) Can a person reach the conclusion that Jesus is ________ or confess that Jesus is ______ without a revelation from God? See I Corinthians 12:3
Can I, Greg Crawford, convince an unbeliever that Jesus is Lord/Son of God on my own? No. What I can do is plant the seed. I can share the Gospel with someone. Explain to that person who Jesus is. Holy Spirit takes over from there. He reveals the Truth to that person. It’s up to the person to listen to the Holy Spirit’s revelation. When they believe what they’re hearing, they will be able to confess that Jesus is Lord/Son of God. By continuing to walk with God, the Holy Spirit reveals more about who Jesus is.
Jesus commends Peter for his confession. Goes on to say … read vs. 18-19.
7) What is Jesus saying to Peter in vs. 18-19?
My thoughts on these verses - To me, this is a symbolic passing of the torch. Or, in Biblical terms, it’s like Elijah giving his mantle to Elisha. As we’re going to see in vs. 21, Jesus is not long for this world. He’s leaving soon. Jesus needs someone to give the keys of leadership to before he goes … a shepherd to lead the sheep. From the first time Jesus met Peter, He had tapped Peter to be the one who would lead His Church. If you recall their first meeting, that’s when Jesus gave Simon the name Peter. Never really explained to Simon why. Here Jesus does so. “Simon, you are Peter/the Rock and upon this Rock, I will build my church and the gates of Hades (death and the forces of evil) will not/shall not prevail against it. Think about that imagery for a moment. What comes to mind?
Giving the keys - Again, it symbolizes the passing of the torch. After Jesus leaves this world, Peter would be the leader/shepherd of His church.
8) What are the keys to heaven? Prayer. Prayer unlocks the door to heaven and locks the door. Example - Elijah - I Kings 17:1. Tells King Ahab there will be no dew nor rain for the next few years except at my word” No rain for 3 ½ years. Mt. Carmel - prayed fire from heaven. Afterwards prayed for rain. Another example - During a battle, Joshua prayed that God would stop the sun and moon. Prayer is powerful.
9) Was the authority to bind and loose given only to Peter? Read Matthew 18:15-20.
The “you” in these verses is plural. Refers to the Church. From what I gather, the Church as a body has the authority to bind and loose. For more on this, see the addendum below.
APPLICATION
1) Ask yourself “Who is Jesus to me?” Write out your answers.
2) Seek to find out more about who Jesus is. He is your Savior and so much more. Look up Scriptures that deal with Jesus as Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counsellour, the Good Shepherd, Healer of broken hearts, etc.
3) Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal more of Jesus to you this week.
4) When witnessing, you are not going to convince an unbeliever that Jesus is Lord. That is the Holy Spirit’s job. Your job is to plant the seed and water it. Let the Spirit bring forth the fruit.
5) Prayer is a powerful, powerful tool that is very much underused. Don’t let prayer be that tool that just sits on a shelf. Put it to use. I recommend reading Jim Cymbala’s book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire.
Addendum
The authority of the Pope, the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church, is found in Matthew 13:18-19. The Roman Catholic church teaches that Jesus gave to Peter and Peter alone the keys to the kingdom of Heaven. Consequently, only Peter and not any of the other disciples were given the authority to bind and loose things on earth and in Heaven. According to Roman Catholic tradition, Peter was the first bishop of Rome. The bishop of Rome over the centuries became known as the pope, the leader of the Church in western Europe. When Peter died, the keys and the authority that came with them were passed down to the next bishop of Rome/pope and when he died they were passed to his successor and so on and so forth up until today. According to Roman Catholic tradition, if someone wants to make a request to God, they must first go through the pope/Roman Catholic Church, because the pope has the keys to the kingdom of Heaven.
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