In disarming Peter, Christ disarmed all Christians. Tertullion 2nd Century AD.
The disciple Peter was a hothead. He was boisterous, arrogant, proud, and stubborn. He was the unspoken leader of the twelve disciples. He was the first to jump into a situation, first to defend Jesus, and subsequently, he would often times, be the first to fail. Peter was the prototypical fundamental evangelical Christian. Like all Christians, Peter had his trials, and his failures. It is through his life, that we can learn how to get up when we fall.
Peter was always ready to protect and defend Jesus. He didn't want Jesus to go into Jerusalem, for he know that Jesus was a wanted man, and that entering Jerusalem meant certain death. Then, on a certain day in the Garden of Gethsemane, it happened. Peter's biggest fear was being realized, they came after Jesus to take him away. Peter had to leap into action, to help Jesus, to save Jesus. He drew his sword ready for a rumble. Then Jesus with a harsh rebuke, disarmed Peter for the third time, “Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, 'Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?'” (John 18:10,11 NIV)
How many times do Christians prematurely draw their swords ready to defend Christ, yet fail in the process? Many times, Christians will jump to the wrong conclusion, start quoting the Scriptures, trying to make everything right, but end up making a bigger mess of it. Though our hearts are in the right place, the timing is not what God wants. We must be patient and allow God to work in us, and then work through us. When Peter drew his sword the priest's servant's heart became full of fear and possibly hatred. When Christians attack non believers, how many do it in a ruthless way, as to put hatred in the heart of the person. When Christians start quoting the Scriptures, and telling non believers they will burn in Hell, you're not winning them to the Lord, you're pushing them away. Love them as Christ loved them.
One example of Christ's love for the sinner is the adulterous woman. Jesus knew she was a sinner, the whole world basically knew she was a sinner. When the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought her to Jesus to trap him, Jesus could have consented to their actions and condemned the woman. He could have gone with the crowd and said, “You're a sinner, you must die.” Yet, he didn't. He had compassion upon her and did not condemn her. He did warn her to change her life, but he did not condemn her. Not once throughout the Holy Scriptures did Jesus emphatically tell someone they are going to Hell. He warned them by telling them they are in danger of going there, but he never condemned someone to an eternal punishment. Since Jesus did not condemn the adulterous woman, why should we condemn sinners for their actions.
There is a difference between condemning and warning. Condemning is emphatic and permanent. Warning is attempting to turn the person away from their sin. People are more open to change, when warnings are done in love and respect. They are not open to change with an emphatic and permanent condemnation. When coming to Jesus defense, we must understand that Jesus is bigger than us. He doesn't need us to defend him, but he does want us to show our love for him by promoting him and his actions. We must remove our own anger, malice, and condemning attitude and look at people the way Jesus looked at people. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31,32 NIV) “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 NIV)
When Jesus took away Peter's sword, he was removing the one thing that would harm Peter's witness. From this point on, Peter's sword was God's Word. Peter gave the sermon at Pentecost, that led to thousands coming to salvation. Peter witnessed before the Sanhedrin, even defying their order not to mention Jesus name. Peter witnessed to Cornelius. All of these things Peter did, knowing that death was not far behind, and knowing he had a sword, just not the one he used in the garden.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Friday, June 06, 2008
Disarming Peter II: Spirituality
In disarming Peter, Christ disarmed all Christians. Tertullion 2nd Century AD.
The disciple Peter was a hothead. He was boisterous, arrogant, proud, and stubborn. He was the unspoken leader of the twelve disciples. He was the first to jump into a situation, first to defend Jesus, and subsequently, he would often times, be the first to fail. Peter was the prototypical fundamental evangelical Christian. Like all Christians, Peter had his trials, and his failures. It is through his life, that we can learn how to get up when we fall.
Peter was a spiritual person. He knew the Scriptures and their meanings. He was the first to accept and state Jesus was the Messiah. Even though Peter knew the Scriptures, he wasn't going to allow what was written to take place, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3 NIV) “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:21-23 NIV) Peter knew the Scriptures and he knew what was going to happen, yet he felt he could stop it, because of the great love for Jesus that he had. Jesus disarmed Peter spiritually with his rebuke, that Peter had the things of men in his heart, and not the things of God.
We as Christians, though we know the Scriptures, we have a hard time allowing the Scriptures to work in us. We don't want to follow and obey what the Scriptures say, though we know it is what is best for us. We have a hard time applying the very Scriptures that we live by, when the time gets rough. When things become spiritually tough what should we do to overcome the burdens.
The first step is to keep in mind the things of God. We need to seek after His kingdom first, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV) When we line up our heart first with God, everything else will fall into place. God will cover all of our needs, if we only have the trust to put into Him, and not doubt that He will fulfill his promise.
The second step is to continue to get our spiritual batteries recharged. This is done through fellowship with other believers. Attending a church is a start, but maintaining a relationship with people outside of the church walls is better. God stated it is not good for man to be alone, not just in a physical sense, but also in a spiritual sense. We must have healthy relationships with other people who can encourage us as we walk with the Lord.
The third step is to accept rebuke when we are wrong. The hardest thing for anyone is to admit they made a mistake, and even harder to listen to someone else as they tell them they made a mistake. Jesus didn't pull any punches with Peter, he told it like it is, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block.” When we are wrong, we need to be able to open our hearts and our minds, and accept when someone is rebuking us. In this instance, did Peter argue back. It doesn't say, but Peter recognized that Jesus had authority over him, and accepted the rebuke. If we close our hearts to rebuke, we are closing our hearts to spiritual growth.
While Jesus disarmed Peter spiritually, he was also teaching him a lesson. Peter became one of the strongest leaders in the early church, and was very strong spiritually. When we begin to learn from Peter's lessons, we will begin to grow spiritually.
Have a blessed week.
Daniel V
The disciple Peter was a hothead. He was boisterous, arrogant, proud, and stubborn. He was the unspoken leader of the twelve disciples. He was the first to jump into a situation, first to defend Jesus, and subsequently, he would often times, be the first to fail. Peter was the prototypical fundamental evangelical Christian. Like all Christians, Peter had his trials, and his failures. It is through his life, that we can learn how to get up when we fall.
Peter was a spiritual person. He knew the Scriptures and their meanings. He was the first to accept and state Jesus was the Messiah. Even though Peter knew the Scriptures, he wasn't going to allow what was written to take place, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3 NIV) “From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." (Matthew 16:21-23 NIV) Peter knew the Scriptures and he knew what was going to happen, yet he felt he could stop it, because of the great love for Jesus that he had. Jesus disarmed Peter spiritually with his rebuke, that Peter had the things of men in his heart, and not the things of God.
We as Christians, though we know the Scriptures, we have a hard time allowing the Scriptures to work in us. We don't want to follow and obey what the Scriptures say, though we know it is what is best for us. We have a hard time applying the very Scriptures that we live by, when the time gets rough. When things become spiritually tough what should we do to overcome the burdens.
The first step is to keep in mind the things of God. We need to seek after His kingdom first, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV) When we line up our heart first with God, everything else will fall into place. God will cover all of our needs, if we only have the trust to put into Him, and not doubt that He will fulfill his promise.
The second step is to continue to get our spiritual batteries recharged. This is done through fellowship with other believers. Attending a church is a start, but maintaining a relationship with people outside of the church walls is better. God stated it is not good for man to be alone, not just in a physical sense, but also in a spiritual sense. We must have healthy relationships with other people who can encourage us as we walk with the Lord.
The third step is to accept rebuke when we are wrong. The hardest thing for anyone is to admit they made a mistake, and even harder to listen to someone else as they tell them they made a mistake. Jesus didn't pull any punches with Peter, he told it like it is, “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block.” When we are wrong, we need to be able to open our hearts and our minds, and accept when someone is rebuking us. In this instance, did Peter argue back. It doesn't say, but Peter recognized that Jesus had authority over him, and accepted the rebuke. If we close our hearts to rebuke, we are closing our hearts to spiritual growth.
While Jesus disarmed Peter spiritually, he was also teaching him a lesson. Peter became one of the strongest leaders in the early church, and was very strong spiritually. When we begin to learn from Peter's lessons, we will begin to grow spiritually.
Have a blessed week.
Daniel V
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