Tag: peter

Follow Me

And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishers.
And Jesus said unto them, “Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
And straightway they left the nets, and followed him. And going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him (Mark 1:16-20).

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the place of toll, and he saith unto him, “Follow me.”
And he arose and followed him (Mark 2:14).

For Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi, it seemed like a usual day. They went to work as they always had. Everything was normal. The fishing for Simon, Andrew, James, and John was probably little different than usual. Levi probably had a usual day at the tax booth.

And then, out of nowhere, everything changed.

They had, no doubt, heard of Jesus of Nazareth, and the mighty works which He had done. They would have heard the whisperings and suggestions: is this the Messiah who is to come? Are God’s promises finally coming true? The prospect was, no doubt, exciting. But these were simple fishermen and a tax collector– what could the Messiah want with them?

And yet, here He is– and He summons them. He tells Simon and Andrew that He will make them fishers of men. He summons James and John and Levi with a clear and simple message– follow Me.

The call was uttered, and it was heard– what would these men do? Simon and Andrew have their own fishing business. James and John work for their father. Levi is the one manning the toll booth. They have responsibilities– Levi to Herod, James and John to their father, and Simon, if to no one else, his wife (cf. Mark 1:30). How would they survive? What about those for whom they are responsible?

These and perhaps other questions might have been on the minds of these five men. Yet notice their decisive actions– they get up and follow Him. Simon and Andrew leave their net as it is. James and John abandon their work to their father and his hired servants. Levi rises and leaves, perhaps leaving the toll booth empty. There is no hesitancy here and no looking back. The Lord has summoned them, and they follow the call, no matter where it may lead them.

Jesus would ultimately die on a cross for the forgiveness of sins, be raised in power on the third day, and ascend to the Father, where He now rules as Lord (cf. Matthew 26:29, Acts 1:1-11, Acts 2:38). His summons now goes out to every person on earth through His Gospel: follow Me (cf. Mark 16:15, Romans 1:16, 1 Timothy 2:4)!

The call has been uttered. Do you now hear it? You may stop and think about all of your obligations, all of the things that you may hold dear on the earth, and consider the many possible difficulties and dangers of the life of a disciple of Christ. You are not alone in those concerns. Nevertheless, we ought to have the same faith as Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi. We should rise up immediately and follow Jesus!

Jesus may not be calling you to leave your occupation, family obligations, and other such things as He did to these disciples, but He does call you to set aside the ways of sin and death in order to be conformed to His image, walking the path that He walked (Romans 6:1-10, Romans 8:29, 1 John 2:6). That will require leaving behind our old ways of thinking, our old attitudes, and many of our old habits. That will more likely than not be uncomfortable. It certainly requires faith.

Simon, Andrew, James, John, and Levi took that fateful step of faith on that day so long ago, and in earthly terms, many of them would pay dearly for it. Simon and James would eventually die for the cause of Christ, and John would suffer persecution for Jesus. Their eternal reward, however, far outweighed the difficulties they experienced on earth (Romans 8:18), and that same reward can be ours if we will take a similar step of faith.

Jesus calls you to follow Him. Will you renounce the ways of the world and serve Him today?

Ethan R. Longhenry

Our Common Suffering

Whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world (1 Peter 5:9).

During times of great difficulty– be it physical, emotional, and/or spiritual– it is easy for believers to get the impression that they are alone in what they are experiencing. They may feel that they are alone because it seems that no one else is suffering quite like they are. Others may feel that they are the only ones left who truly stand for God’s purposes and that everyone else has stumbled.

These feelings of isolation are normal and represent part of the temptations that go along with suffering. The Bible is very clear, however, that no matter how we suffer, we are not alone!

Peter demonstrates here in 1 Peter 5:9 that the sufferings the brethren in Asia Minor were experiencing were shared by their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world. Paul indicates in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that all the temptations we face are those common to mankind– there is no sin with which we are tempted that has never tempted anyone else before. If we stopped and thought about it– or communicated with fellow believers in other places– we would soon learn that most of the challenges, difficulties, and sources of pain that we experience are quite similar to those experienced by others. We are all in the same boat!

When it comes to feeling like we are the only ones left standing for God’s truth, the example of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 is instructive. After defeating the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, and the message of Jezebel’s wrath, Elijah was distressed and fled. Consider what he says to God:

And he said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Kings 19:14).

Elijah felt like he was the only one left. Yet consider what God has to say to him:

“Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18).

Elijah might have felt as if he were alone, but God knew that there were seven thousand others who stood for Him and His truth. Just because we are not aware of others who are doing God’s will does not mean that they do not exist. We can be confident that God will always make sure that there is a remnant of His people, and that they are never really alone (Romans 11:5). After all, even if one were the last one standing with God, there is greater power on God’s side than that which is opposed to Him (1 John 4:4)!

Despair, isolation, and feelings of being alone happen quite naturally in times of distress, challenge, and/or suffering. Yet they are lies. We are not alone. There are other Christians out there who are suffering the same things we are. There are others out there striving to serve God. And, regardless of what others may do, if we seek to serve God according to His will, He will provide strength and comfort (cf. Romans 8:31-39). Let us not be deceived into thinking that we suffer alone– let us pray to God for strength and be encouraged by our fellow believers in Christ!

Ethan R. Longhenry

To Whom Shall We Go?

Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, “Would ye also go away?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God” (John 6:66-69).

Jesus never intended for Christianity to be easy. He has spoken and commanded many difficult things. Many of His teachings and practices are counter-intuitive and entirely against the grain of “conventional wisdom.”

Most people can accept, or at least tolerate, much of what Jesus said and did. Most people have no difficulty accepting the teachings and practices of Jesus Christ that come easily for them. After all, it is easy to keep avoiding the sins you have been avoiding and to keep doing the good things you have been doing!

But then there are the more challenging commands. “Deny [yourself], take up [your] cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). “The greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 20:27). Be crucified to self, live for Christ– no longer me, but Him (Galatians 2:20). Love your enemies; do good to those who would hate you and do evil to you (Luke 6:27-36). Do good at every opportunity, even when inconvenient (Luke 10:29-37). The list can go on and on, and the list will be different for each person!

Jesus had taught many difficult things in John 6 (John 6:60). He told people that they needed to eat His flesh and drink His blood if they were to have eternal life (John 6:53). While Jesus was speaking spiritually (cf. John 6:61-63), the image was quite disturbing for these good Jews, and it was difficult to wrap their heads around the idea of “consuming” the Incarnate Word (cf. John 1:1, 14). Because of these difficult sayings, many disciples no longer walked with Him (John 6:66).

Jesus turns and asks the Twelve if they would go away in John 6:67, and we then have Simon Peter’s excellent confession in John 6:68-69.

Notice what Peter does not say. Peter does not say that the teachings are easy or that they are entirely in line with the way the disciples already think. No– Peter recognizes that Jesus’ words are challenging and difficult. They were as counter-intuitive and against “conventional wisdom” then as they are now!

Instead, Peter demonstrates his faith and the faith of the other eleven disciples. Their faith is in Jesus Himself. They have come to believe and know that He is the Holy One of God, the promised Messiah that the prophets anticipated (John 1:41, 45). They have seen His work and know that no man can do what He does by His own strength (cf. John 9:30-33). Therefore, even if what Jesus of Nazareth teaches is difficult to swallow, it must be swallowed, because He has come from God and He speaks words of eternal life, and no such words can be found elsewhere!

If we are going to be effective servants of Jesus Christ, we must have the same starting point of faith as Peter and the disciples. It is not enough for us to believe in Jesus Christ for the things we like about Him, or that we should be attracted to Him because He taught some “good things.” Our faith must be rooted, first and foremost, in the belief and knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Holy One of God, Lord of heaven and earth, and His words are the words of eternal life (John 6:68-69, Matthew 28:18, Acts 2:36). If we first believe that, then we will be able to accept all things that He has taught, not necessarily because we think that they are all wonderful and lovely, but instead because we know that they are true and lead to eternal life, and that we cannot find such life anywhere else.

It will not be easy. Jesus’ deeds challenge us and force us out of our comfort zones. Jesus’ teachings overthrow some of our cherished beliefs and perspectives. We will be compelled to change the way we think, act, and how we present ourselves to others (Romans 6:16-18, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 10:5). It may be difficult, but, in the end, where else can we go? Jesus is the Holy One of God, the One who teaches words of eternal life. Let us learn from Him, accept both the easy and the challenging, and be found as faithful servants of God!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Maturity

But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).

Physical development, for the vast majority of people, is a given. Most children, as long as they are continually nourished, will experience physical maturation. Those are trying times for themselves, their parents, and everyone else who has contact with them! Nevertheless, the maturation process is essential if life will continue. Ideally, the child will be mentally and emotionally maturing while he or she is physically maturing. This is the process by which small children become responsible adults.

Spiritual maturity has the same imperative but is not a “given.” In fact, the Hebrew author is chastising the Hebrew Christians for not maturing spiritually as they should have– even though they should be teachers by now, they still need someone to teach them the basic truths of the faith (Hebrews 5:12-6:4)! It is entirely possible for a believer to live 20, 30, 50, or even 60 years without spiritually maturing.

But this is not what the Lord wants! We are commanded in 2 Peter 3:18 to grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ. The servant who did nothing to advance his Master’s purposes in Matthew 25:14-30 was cast into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth– who wants to experience that fate?

Therefore, it is important for us to grow and mature spiritually. Unlike physical maturity, we must make the determination to mature and to grow in our faith. On the other hand, this means that a believer can mature more rapidly, and reflect a spiritual maturity “greater” than his spiritual “age” as reckoned by human time!

Spiritual maturity is a challenge. It requires us to know God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17). How can we grow if we do not know how to grow? How can we learn to do the will of our Lord if we remain ignorant of His will? The growing and maturing believer in Christ will truly be His disciple, sitting at his Master’s feet, learning what he or she should do (cf. Luke 10:38-42).

Maturity requires much more than just “book learning.” Christianity is not a mere intellectual exercise– it is designed to be a lived belief. We demonstrate that we are of Jesus Christ by walking as He walked (1 John 2:6). As the Hebrew author demonstrates, we train our senses to discern good and evil “by reason of use.” It is one thing to know that Jesus teaches us to love our enemy, to turn the other cheek, to do good to all men, and so on (cf. Matthew 5, Luke 6); it is quite another to practice such things and to be enriched through our experience. Just as “hands on” work experience has practical value and provides lessons unable to be fully gleaned through “book learning,” so practicing Christianity has value and provides deeper understanding of what can be gained from studying the Scriptures.

Let none be deceived, however: spiritual maturity has its cost, just as physical maturity does. We grow in faith when our faith is tested– when we are called upon to defend our beliefs in front of a hostile audience (1 Peter 3:15), when we must decide whether we will succumb to temptation or escape (1 Corinthians 10:13), when we experience persecution or suffering (James 1:2-3, 1 Peter 1:6-8), and other such challenges. Sadly, many times we will fail (1 John 1:8); we must then get up, confess our wrongs, learn from them, and allow those experiences to help us grow (1 John 1:9). Furthermore, just as we obtain greater responsibilities as we mature physically, so more is expected of us as we grow spiritually (cf. Matthew 25:14-30, Romans 15:1). As we grow, we can see just how much more growth and maturity is required– there is never a point in this life when we can feel as if we have matured enough or grown up enough, for we can always abound more and more in the work of the Lord (cf. Philippians 3:13-14, 1 Thessalonians 4:1-9).

Growing and maturing in the faith is a challenge, indeed, but failure to grow and mature might very well lead to eternal torment. Growth and maturity come at great cost, but so did our salvation (Philippians 2:5-11)! Let us seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, constantly striving to be more conformed to His image!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Jesus and Our Weaknesses

“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat: but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not; and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren.”
And he said unto him, “Lord, with thee I am ready to go both to prison and to death.”
And he said, “I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, until thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me” (Luke 22:31-34).

We appreciate the enthusiasm and bravado of Simon Peter. As a disciple, he is a bit impetuous; you can always count on him to chime up when something needs to be said (or doesn’t need to be said). He may not have the best understanding of how Jesus is the Messiah, but he certainly believes it.

We can only imagine how devastating this idea was to him. He was going to deny the Lord? Never! He was going to go even to death for the Lord! He had come this far with Jesus, and he was not about to abandon Him!

The story, however, is all too familiar. Peter sees Jesus taken away by the guards. Initially, his strength does not fail him, for he follows Jesus afar off (Luke 22:54). And then, the moment of crisis! As he sits around the fire, three individuals notice who he is and recognize him as being with Jesus. Satan is sorely testing Peter. Peter knows that if he confesses Christ now, he likely will end up right next to Jesus in front of the Jewish authorities, and will share the fate of His Lord.

Peter’s fears get the best of him. He denies his connection with Jesus all three times (Luke 22:55-62). Satan sifted him like wheat, and he did not withstand it. All Peter can do is go out and weep bitterly.

None of this was new for Jesus; He knew that it would happen. Jesus’ petition was for Peter’s faith not to fail, and while his faith proved too weak this time, it was not entirely defeated. Jesus knew that Peter would “turn again,” and His wish was for Peter to establish his fellow believers.

Had the story of Simon Peter ended here, all would seem to be lost. John 21 records how Jesus restores Peter to Himself and His work. The book of Acts shows how Peter stood up and preached the first Gospel lesson before the Jews in Acts 2 and then boldly stood before the very Jewish authorities who killed Jesus and spoke in His name in Acts 4 and 5. At a later opportunity, Peter would again be called upon to confess Christ and risk death. He would do so and pay the ultimate price (cf. John 21:18-19). Satan tried to sift him like wheat again, but this time he failed!

We may not be in the exact same position as Peter was, but many times our faith is tested. Unfortunately, many times we fail the test. Our faith may not be dead, but it proved too weak for the temptation. As terrible as those moments are, they do not have to be the end of our story. We can repent of our failures, get up, and keep trying (1 John 1:9). Over time, our faith may grow and mature like Peter’s did, and the next time the temptation rears its head, we could stand firm!

Jesus knows our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15) and can sympathize with them. He knows that we will not succeed at overcoming every temptation at every time. Nevertheless, His prayer for us is that our faith will not fail, and that we should turn again, encourage one another, and keep growing in our faith (1 John 1:9, Hebrews 10:24-25, 2 Peter 3:18). Let us be like Peter and grow in our faith!

Ethan R. Longhenry

Christ the Lord

And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified” (Acts 2:36).

When we consider Jesus and His life, death, and resurrection, and begin preaching the message of salvation in His name, we make much of the atoning aspect of His death. We preach how Jesus died for our sins, and how His death allows for the reconciliation of God with man.

The atoning power of Jesus’ death is quite significant, and we are not trying to minimize its force or its value. Yet, when Peter stands up and begins preaching to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, his message focused not on the atoning aspect of Jesus’ death but what Jesus’ death and resurrection meant for the power structures of the day: God has made Jesus the crucified both Lord and Christ!

The message was inescapable: Jesus, as the son of David, was the one prophesied to come and sit on David’s throne forever (cf. 2 Samuel 7:16; Acts 2:34). Through His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus accomplished these things, and all authority in heaven and on earth was granted to Him. Therefore, the Jews on the day of Pentecost were to see that Jesus was their Lord, and they needed to serve Him!

Yes, Tiberius was still Emperor of Rome, yet in truth the great Rock had crushed the nations into pieces (Daniel 2:44). All were then made subject to Jesus and His Word, and would be judged accordingly on the last day (John 12:48, Acts 17:30-31), no matter what the Emperor might say.

Rome has passed, along with plenty of other nations and powers, and yet nothing has really changed since that day. Perhaps there may be many who refuse to submit to Jesus as their Lord in life, but Paul makes it perfectly clear in Philippians 2:9-11 that a day is coming upon which every knee will bow and every tongue confess the great power and majesty of Christ the Lord. The only question will be whether you will do so gladly, as one falling before one’s Savior, or mournfully, realizing the folly of sin when it is too late (cf. Matthew 25:1-13).

Americans, especially, have difficulties understanding authority and the need to submit to the proper authorities. Perhaps that is why it seems so much easier to preach Jesus as the Lamb of God: there is something in it for the one who hears. Nevertheless, it is good for us to remember and make clear that because Jesus died and is now risen, Jesus is Lord. And since Jesus is Lord– in fact, Lord of lords (cf. Revelation 19:16)– He deserves our homage and service, even if there was nothing in it for us (cf. Luke 17:7-10)! If we would show proper deference to an earthly ruler or king, how much more obedience should we continually show before the King of kings and Lord of lords? If we would be willing to obey one who has power over our lives, why would we refuse to obey the one who has power over our souls (Matthew 10:28)?

Thanks be to God that we have such a wonderful Lord and Christ, One who loved us so that He was willing to die for us, to provide us with all spiritual blessings, and to provide the hope of the resurrection and eternal life for all who would obey Him (John 3:16, Ephesians 1:3, 1 Corinthians 15). Let us confess that Jesus is our Lord, and be His servants today!

Ethan R. Longhenry