Peter

As I was studying this week,
I discovered a few things.
When you grow up in a Christian home, like I have,
maybe some of the stories you hear all of the time,
get lost in the context.
I learned the whole story this week.
This is just my interpretation tho...

When I think of the disciple Simon Peter
I think of big, gruff, mouthy, opinionated, fisherman.
I read a book years ago....Joshua by Joseph Girzone
... and there was a beautiful description of Peter
that I have treasured ever since.

The story of Peter walking on water, is one story I never tire of.
My friends and I did a study called,
If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat.
by John Ortberg

Peter had a great faith, no fear to step out, and a great love for his friend Jesus.
Peter also denied Christ three times
which I believe he felt such shame and remorse for, that it crippled him.
Most Christians know this story.

What I learned this week was, after Jesus rose again,
He not only visited the upper room and ate with His friends,
He ate with them a second time, and dispelled the doubt of Thomas.
Not only did He appear to many people,
but He was hopping around town so much, that if the stories were all written down,
they would fill another Bible sized book.

The one story I found surprising and thought provoking was in John 21.
I had heard this story many times, but never knew it happened after Jesus rose.

It had been a few weeks,
and the disciples were to meet up with Jesus on a mountain in Galilee.
However, Peter decides to go fishing.
He still has not forgiven himself.

What do we do when we are working something out...
something bad about ourselves that we don't even really want to think about?
We check out.
We distract ourselves.
We drop off the grid.
Peter went fishing,
something we don't read about him doing
since he began to follow Jesus two years earlier.
Peter's good friends decide to go with him.
Maybe they see that he has been struggling with something.
He hasn't seemed his old self,
especially since their Lord is back from the dead.
They decided he needed some shoulders.
Off they go into the boat.

They don't catch any fish though.

Some wise guy calls out to them from the shore
and asks if they caught anything.
Must have made an already tense mood even more so.
Can you imagine the response they had when this guy
tells them to throw the net over to the other side of the boat.
Yea right!
OK buddy.... we'll try it your way...har de har har.

Lo and behold, they catch 153 fish!
Why we know that it was 153, I don't get...but apparently that was quite the haul.

Then it hits them.
John says, hey look guys, it's Jesus!  Of course it is!
Peter gets so overwhelmed that he grabs his coat
and jumps in the lake, swimming for Jesus.
Why did he grab his coat?
Usually we strip of heavy clothing before swimming.
But in he goes!
Again, following after Jesus without thoughts of himself...
just wants to get to his friend as fast as he can.
Can you just see Jesus on the shore, laughing at his big friend?
What a sight!
But how it must have swelled Jesus' heart.

From the story, Peter hops in the boat when it gets to shore
and pulls out the net and fish.
Possibly hauls it by himself, but the net doesn't rip from the load.

I imagine a kid pulling the mesh bag full of beach toys out of the car toward the ocean.
So excited to just get there and play.
It would go much faster and with less spillage if his parents were to help,
but he is ready to build that sand castle!

After they have their breakfast of fish and bread cooked on the fire made by Jesus,
on this third visit from their risen friend,
Jesus and Peter take a walk.
Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him more than these friends.
Of course I do Lord!
Jesus says feed my lambs.
Jesus asks again, do you truly love me?
Peter's response is the same.
Then take care of my sheep.
A third time Jesus asks if Peter loves him.
At this, Peter is hurt.
His answer is more sharp.
"You know all things, you know I  love you."
Is he hurt because maybe Jesus doesn't believe him?
Maybe Peter is thinking of the other three times when he should have loved Christ,
but his love was overcome by fear.
Was Jesus making a point by asking him three times?
If He was, it was in a forgiving way,
as He was asking Peter to take are of His loved ones.
Love the people He died for.
Feed my sheep.

Then He tells his friend that he will have a death that he doesn't want.
I believe He told him this because He was comforting His friend,
and letting Him know that He was forgiven, was loved, and was trusted.
As you would tell a good friend of an upcoming bad thing about to happen.
There is nothing to do to stop it,
but you can lift your friend
and let him know that you will be there with him.

Peter would do great things for the Lord after this, and never again back away.

Thank you again Kristen for leading me to this study by Max Lucado.
Experienceing the Heart of Jesus
I am getting oh so much out of it!