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Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip. One of the most famous landmarks in the world is a little tower. over in uh Italy called the Leaning Tower of Peace out. Yeah. It's pretty cool.
I had the privilege of seeing it. It's famous not because of its height, it's only 179 feet tall. It's not famous because of its architecture. There's plenty of examples of Romanesque architecture around the Tuscany area. It's famous for one reason.
It's because it leans. It leans and it falls every single year It began to be built in 1173, so it's been around 840 years. And it falls one. 20th of an inch. Every year.
They're predicting that it's going to fall. In fact, they predicted that it was going to fall in the year 2007. It didn't. And I'll tell you why later. But I want to talk to you today about.
having the right kind of foundation. By the way, the word pisa, leaning tower of pisa, The word pisa means marsh or marshy ground.
So if there's any indication as to why it's teetering, there you go. Its foundations are weak. It's got very unstable foundations. My dad was a builder in Southern California, and he would tell you that a building is only as good as the foundations. And when he would build homes for people, he would give them options.
You can have this kind of carpet, or this kind of tile, or these kind of doors, or those kind of lights. or this kind of sink. But never on the list of options was a foundation optional. Here's the house with the foundation, and it'll cost you this much. With and without.
The foundation was never optional. It is the most important part of a building. Our Lord Jesus taught the importance of building our lives on solid foundation. He talked about two men who built homes in Matthew chapter 7. One built on the sand, Jesus said, and the other built on the rock.
Both looked good. They both had great curb appeal. The difference was what's underneath. The foundation. And Jesus put it this way.
The rains descended. The floods came. The winds blew. and beat on that house and it fell. and great was its fall.
That was the house that didn't have a foundation. as opposed to the one that did have a foundation. We begin, we launch into a study on 1 and 2 Peter today. We call it rock solid. It was written by a man whose name means rock.
Peter. Simon Peter, aka Rocky. Let's call him. Jesus gave him that name, as we'll see. He was one of the earliest followers of Jesus.
To sum up Peter's life, Peter was a pebble. Who put his trust in a boulder? and taught others how to build on a solid foundation. Yeah. I've always felt it beneficial that whenever you study the life of Christ, you should study also the life of a follower of Christ.
Because you ought to know how a person did it. Paul said, follow me as I follow the Lord. I think it's helpful to look at the lives. Of men such as Peter to find out what to do and what not to do. And so we're going to examine his background and his calling and the changes that took place in his life.
So With your Bible open, let's look at 1 Peter. Chapter 1 And let's take today all of verse 1. Peter An apostle of Jesus Christ. To the pilgrims of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia. Using that verse, I want to look at with you who he was.
What he became. and what he wrote. Who was he?
Well, his name is given as Ancient letters always gave the first name. Peter. Now that was not his original name. Do you remember his original name? Simon was his birth name.
Simon. Interestingly, the name Simon means one who hears. which I always thought was an odd name for him. Because, yeah, he heard everything Jesus said, but he didn't always listen to it. As we have noted several times.
But that's who he was. That was his original name, Simon. Most people know of Peter inaccurately, incorrectly. For some, Peter has become more than really what he should become. He's become the first pope.
For most people, Peter is simply the victim of bad jokes. All of the stupid, lame jokes about two guys who died and went to heaven, and there was. Peter at the gate telling him this or telling him that. Let's look at the real Peter. Let's meet Peter.
Who was he?
First of all, Peter was a fisherman. He was born in a town called Bethsaida on the lakeside of Galilee, and he moved later to Capernaum, where Jesus was. As a fisherman, that being his occupation. He had a brother named Andrew, and his dad was named Jonah, or Jonas, or John, depending on what translation you have. His Hebrew name was Shimon Baryona.
Simon Son of Jonah. Even Jesus referred to him as such. We know that Peter was married. He had a wife. He had a mother-in-law who lived with him, according to Mark chapter 1.
And his wife is also mentioned not only in Mark chapter 1, but in 1 Corinthians chapter 9.
So Peter was married. Had a wife. Married to his wife, obviously, and he had a mother-in-law.
Now If you are making Peter out to be the first pope, that's just an interesting fact you're going to have to deal with. that the first pope was married. He was also a leader among the twelve. Every time there's a list in the New Testament of the earliest followers of Christ, the names of them, and there's four lists, by the way, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the book of Acts. The names are not always in the same order, with one exception, Peter is always listed.
as number one on the list.
So evidently he was The leader of the 12. And he is the leader in the book of Acts, the first 12 chapters of the book of Acts. Peter is the dominant figure. He's the one who starts things, he's the one who initiates things. He was the leader of the pack, leader of the twelve followers of Christ.
There is more written about Peter. in the four Gospels than any of the other Followers of Christ. In fact, the only other person that is written more about in the four Gospels is Jesus Christ himself. But Before Peter Was ever a leader? before anything was ever written about him.
He was first and foremost A disciple. The term disciple appears two hundred and forty-five times. in the Gospels referring to those 12 early followers of Christ, disciples of Christ. You know what a disciple is? Technically, it means a student, a pupil, a learner.
Somebody who has a teacher or a mentor. And almost all rabbis had disciples, people who would follow them around, take notes, listen to what they had to say, apply it to their lives. But when Jesus describes discipleship, Anybody who would follow him, listen how he narrowly describes it. This is Luke chapter 9, verse 23. If anyone desires to come after me, Let him deny himself.
Take up his cross daily and follow me.
Now, how many people do you know that do that? Anyone who desires to come after me. He must deny himself.
Now, just stop with that. We live in America. How many people do you know that live with self-denial? We live in an entitlement culture. We live in a culture of personal rights.
It's my right to do this. Denying yourself is foreign to our thinking. Take up your cross. Man, that sounds painful. Take up your cross daily?
That sounds fanatical. That's why I ask you: how many people do you know that are really disciples? of Christ. But that's where we must all begin and ask ourselves, am I truly a disciple? That's where we begin.
Because we will never experience the thrill of God working through us until we have the experience of God working in us. As true followers of Christ. That lifelong process, here's what discipleship is: it's a lifelong process of conformity to an alien will. His will. His will.
Not my well.
Well, there's more things we know about Peter. And these are all reasons that we actually love Peter. He was impulsive. He was impetuous. He was strong-willed.
Yeah, he was the guy who, when Jesus said, I'm going to Jerusalem and they're going to kill me, said, It's not going to happen to you, Lord. This is Connect with Skip Heitzig Weekend Edition. Before Pastor Skip continues, check out this special resource for your family this Christmas. Here's Nate Heitzig. Teaching my kids about Jesus is one of the greatest privileges of my life.
And I wanted to create a book that connects the story of Christmas and Easter in a way that kids, parents, and grandparents will truly cherish. In Christmas Under the Tree, you and your family can experience God's love seen through a unique perspective. And my hope is that this story becomes a treasured family tradition for years to come. Request your illustrated book and audio experience at connectwithskip.com slash offer with your gift of $25 or more to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Again, that's connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888.
Let's return now to today's message. He was the guy who, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when they came to arrest Jesus, drew a sword and cut off the ear of a guy named Malchus, the servant of the high priest. Can I suggest to you that he wasn't aiming for the year? That he was just a bad aim. He was reacting to what was happening.
He was trying to cut his head off. And being a fisherman rather than a swordsman, he missed and got the ear. We also know that Peter was self-confident. John chapter 13, he said. I will lay down my life for your sake.
And even if all are made to stumble this night, Not me. He was also prideful. Peter was the guy who said, Look, Lord, we have left everything. to follow you. And when Jesus tried to wash his disciples' feet, It was Peter who said, you're not going to wash my feet.
acting like super holy and spiritual. It was just pride. We know that Peter struggled. He struggled with legalism. He struggled with hypocrisy.
Read Galatians 2 some other time, not right now. and you'll discover the kind of legalism that he struggled with. And all of these are reasons that we relate to Peter.
So much is written about him, so many conversations where he is talking to the Lord, and so many mistakes, and he is just so human that we all relate to him. Also, Peter was very tender-hearted. At the transfiguration of Jesus, Peter suggested: let's build three tabernacles: one for you, Jesus, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. There's a lot of ways to look at that, but. I look at that as him wanting to honor them all.
Tenderhearted. Jesus spoke more to Peter. Than to any of the other disciples, at least. recorded in scripture.
Now, why is that important? Because all of those lessons that Peter learned. From Jesus will be written about in 1 Peter chapter 1. One, two, three. Four.
We're going to look at it also in 2 Peter. All of the lessons he learned from Christ are seen in these books. Peter died around sixty-seven, sixty-eight AD. And most of you know that he died upside down. We've talked about that before, that Peter died in Rome.
And they crucified him. And he felt like he was unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord Jesus.
So they took and turned the cross upside down. And that's how he died. Most of you know that, or a lot of you know that. What you probably don't know is tradition also says his wife died. the same way.
At the same time. One thing about Peter and about his death is that Peter lived knowing that he wouldn't die until he was an old man. Did you know that? Remember after the resurrection, when Jesus came to Peter and restored him, and he said, Now, Peter, when you were younger, you got dressed and you went wherever you wanted to go, but when you are old, Others will take you where you do not want to go, and John said Jesus was there predicting his death.
So Jesus tells Peter, you're going to die when you're an old man. That's why in Acts chapter 12, when Peter is imprisoned, chained between two Roman guards. And the Bible says Herod had just killed James with a sword, and the next morning he was going to kill Peter with a sword. In Acts chapter 12, we find Peter in prison. Get this.
Sleeping. Between two Roman guards. Can I just ask you a question? How do you sleep at night when you know the next day they're going to chop your head off? Easy.
He knew the next morning he wasn't going to have his head chopped off. Herod could do and say what he wants, but Jesus gave me a promise that I'm going to die as an old man. Good night. Sure.
Now that is trust in the promise of Christ. That's Peter, that's who he was. Let's look at what he became. Notice it says Peter, an apostle. Jesus Christ.
He wasn't always an apostle. He became an apostle.
Now let's sort of look at the changes in Peter's life. in three stages. First of all, there was a name change. Second, there was a status change. Third, there was a heart change.
First of all, there was a name change. By the way, it's not uncommon in the Bible for the Lord to change the name of one of his own. all the way back to the time of Abraham. That wasn't his original name. What was his original name?
Abram God changes his name to Abraham because that's what he would become. He would become the father. Of a multitude of many nations.
So God gave him the name before that actually happened. Jesus also liked to change names. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Jesus changes their name to the sons of what? Thunder.
Why the sons of thunder? Because it was James and John who suggested nuclear proliferation for the city of Samaria that denied the entry of Christ. He said, let's just nuke them all.
So Jesus affectionately calls them Sons of thunder, not sons of Zebede anymore, sons of thunder. Here come thunder boys. I believe it was Jesus who changed Levi's name to Matthew. And here we have Simon being changed to Peter.
Now, let me read to you the account of the name change. This is John chapter 1. I'm going to read to you three verses beginning in verse 40. It says And one of the two who heard John the Baptist speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which is translated the Christ.
And he brought him to Jesus.
Now when Jesus looked at him. He said, You are Simon. The son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas. which is translated as stone.
Cephas is the Aramaic equivalent of Tetras, Same name. Stone. Rocking. You are Simon, you shall be called Rocky. You shall be called Peter or Cephas.
Now first notice that Jesus saw him and it says he looked at him. It's a very important word. It means to gaze at. or to look at intently upon. or to consider as you look.
It's as if Jesus was looking right through Simon Peter. Seeing not only who he was, But seeing who who he would become. Simon, that's who you are naturally. Peter, that's what you will become. Supernaturally.
Jesus saw people differently. You know that. I love that scripture when God spoke to Samuel and he says, For the Lord does not see as man sees. Man looks at the outward appearance, but it's God who looks at the heart. Jesus saw into the heart of Peter and he saw all the failures.
All the frailties. He saw who he was naturally, but he also saw what he would become supernaturally. And so he renamed him. Peter. Ah, but get this, this is interesting.
Even after the name change. We frequently See Peter referred to by his original name and often by Jesus himself. He changes his name, but he calls him by the old name, Simon. For two reasons. Reason number one, that was his historical identity.
Everybody would know him as that. That was his birth name. But number two, When he acts like his old self, then Jesus calls him by his old name. Yeah, he's Peter, but he keeps acting like Simon, so Jesus will say, Simon. Example.
Peter swore that he would never deny Jesus, that he loved Jesus. You can count on me, Jesus. I'm going to be there to the end. Then he denies Jesus.
So after the resurrection, Now, having been caught in disobedience, Jesus approaches him and says, Simon.
Son of Jonah. Do you love me? In Luke chapter 22, After Peter has been bragging that he is going to be faithful to Jesus, and after the disciples have been arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus said, Simon, Simon, twice. Sinful, simple.
Old man, old man, Simon, Simon, Satan has asked for you that he might sift you like wheat.
Now here's another interesting fact. In John's gospel, He is often referred to by both names, Simon Peter. Not Peter, not Simon, Simon Peter. Simon Peter said this, Simon Peter went there, Simon Peter did that. And I think that's just because John knew Peter.
And half the time he didn't know if he was sinful or spiritual.
So just Simon Peter. And so those names sort of represent Two sides of his character where he struggled. You know, sometimes he listened, sometimes he didn't.
Sometimes he was strong as a rock, sometimes he was as weak as sand. He just struggled like all of us do. That's the name change. Then there was the status change. from disciple Follower, learner, pupil, student to apostle.
The word apostle means somebody who's sent out.
Somebody who's commissioned. In classical Greek, the word apostle, apostolus, Speaks of an expedition or a fleet of ships that would go out and represent a kingdom.
So it means somebody who is sent out on a mission.
So the disciples will become apostles. Let me give to you that change. This is Matthew chapter 10. Jesus called his 12 disciples to him and gave them authority.
Now, these are the names of the 12 apostles.
So they go in one sentence from disciple to apostle. These are the names of the twelve apostles. First, Simon, who is called. Peter. Um We're so glad you joined Connect with Skiff Heitzig today.
Don't miss Christmas Under the Tree, a special resource to help your family center on Jesus this season. It's yours when you give $25 or more to help take the gospel to even more listeners through this program and the ministry of Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-8888 or go to connectwithskip.com slash offer. And while you're online, be sure to sign up for Pastor Skiff's weekly email devotional and stay encouraged all year long. We'll see you next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect the Skip-Heitzig Weekend Edition.
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