Peter's House

As I said earlier, I chose Peter based totally on who he was and who he became. Who else could render such insights in to our
lives than someone whose been through as much, and experienced as much as Peter.

Peter was just a fisherman, not to many aspiring thoughts coming from that. He knew his trade, knew how to mend nets, but
as far as his education, Peter would have been on the lower end of our scale of measuring employment possibilities. Peter had
a very loving brother, who by his own very nature pushed Peter to aspire. My own thought on this, it was probably Andrew
who got Peter to go into partnership with the Zebedee father and sons team, working along side his brother. Why it was even
Andrew, who introduced Peter to Jesus, when they first met.

Peter was pretty much, what you see is what you get, very protective of himself and his friends, had a deep love for whatever he
was doing at the time and for friends, and was loyal, when untested. He could 'talk' a good game, but when it came down to it,
Peter would look after himself first. REMIND YOU OF ANYONE?

The Church is full of pre-resurrection Peters, churchgoers that go about doing good deeds in the Name of the Jesus, believing
that they are going to go to heaven based on their doing good works. They even believe that 'JUST' being a good person will
get them into heaven. Most churchgoers will believe anything that comes from the pulpit as gospel, without even studying the
Word (Bible), to see if it is even the word. WHY is that?

Why indeed? I was watching a documentary on Jesus' last days on earth, in which at least 4 persons from differing seminaries
and schools of theologies were trying to explain 'Who Jesus was'. What I walked away from that documentary with was that
NONE of the 4 had anything to say about any decision of 'Faith' in Jesus, it was all based on science facts. The 'who' Jesus
was, was left listing in the breeze with a watered down explanation of a man who challenged the 'standing religious system',
and failed miserably.

When you have theologians and scholars who try to rationalize the phenomenon of Peter walking on water or the life of Jesus;
when preachers and teachers trivialize, ridicule, and plain joked about Peter and this miracle; rather than accepting the fact
that faith in God works, it is no wonder churchgoers 'buy' anything that comes from the pulpit. These people are supposed to
represent the educated in God, and His Kingdom to come. Those 4 experts in the documentary couldn't even explain His
Kingdom in the first place.

Jesus did come, born of a virgin. He did challenge the standing religious system, pointing out the hardness of heart it had. He
reiterated and instituted His Father's teachings from the beginning, showing us the way, the truth, and the life, with love as
His banner. Jesus took twelve disciples, set them apart to be leaders and teachers. HE chose Peter, and I am sure, even though
Peter bumbled his way through training each day he walked with Jesus, his character was being honed into his redeeming
glory, and would later prove out to be his standing achievement for his Godly life. Still why Peter?
This Peter, who seems to be the vexation to theologians, Bible scholars, and divinity experts, examples more of the reflective
light and power of Jesus Christ than most listed in Biblical history, other than Jesus Himself. Peter's bumbling, shows us
God's grace for us! Have you ever walked on water? Have you ever got to have a glimpse of Heaven? Have you ever denied
Jesus before men? Have you ever gone fishing, instead of being faithful? If you answered yes or no to any of these questions,
count yourself in good company!

Peter, notably, was one of the first followers of Jesus, and it was Peter, John & James who were present when Jesus was
transfigured on the mount. Still again it was Peter who gave God's revealing statement of who Jesus was (You are the Christ),
and again, when Jesus asked if they would desert Him also, it was Peter who gave the answer, 'Lord to whom shall we go?'
Peter & John were entrusted to set up the room for all of them to celebrate the Passover, and with James, were the three
consoling friends Jesus relied on during His prayer time in Gethsemane. It was Peter, 'Wash all of me Lord!', when the Lord
was washing the disciples feet at supper; it was Peter who vehemently denied Jesus THREE times; and it also was Peter, whom
Jesus lovingly reinstated with 'Feed my lambs, take care of my sheep, and feed my sheep!' despite his denial of Jesus.

Still the greatest evidence of transformation in Peter's life was to come when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Apostles in
that upper room in Jerusalem on Pentecost. Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:
"Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not
drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: "'In the last days, God
says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions; your old
men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will
prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun
will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone
who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God
to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed
over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to
the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep
its hold on him. David said about him: "'I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the
grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your
presence.' "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see
decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received
from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven,
and yet he said, "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."
"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

That account was from the uneducated fisherman Peter, quoting Joel the Prophet. Peter had just assumed his course as both
the spokesperson and leader of the Apostles. Along with this anointing and pouring out of the Spirit, came the signs and
power to back it up. God's power was shown in Peter's brokenness (for denying Jesus), his humbling (crying bitterly for the
denial) before God, and in his humanity. Peter's greatest example to us is his natural being, his vexation of theologians, his
less than adequate aptitude, attitude, proper education, and status in life. God therefore exalted Peter, lifted him up, and
graced him beyond his wildest belief.

Paul writes in 1 Cor 2:1-5, 'When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed
to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I
came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive
words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.'
The power Paul was describing, Peter walked in, 'people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so
that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around
Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.' Acts 5:15-16

Does that sound like someone who has let down, disappointed or humiliated Jesus in any way? God's grace was indeed
sufficient for Peter, just as it is for all that are reading this message. If Jesus was able and capable of forgiving Peter of his
discretions, don't you believe that He is able and capable of forgiving you of your transgressions? The Bible says, Peter wept
bitterly after he denied Jesus. Peter had done all he could to break Jesus' heart, yet Jesus stands at the door of your heart and
knocks, looking for a repentant heart, saying, 'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the
door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,
just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.'

Peter knows this oh so well. Do you?