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Now, let's dive into today's teaching from Pastor Skip Heitzig. 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. Heron 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 Zebedee 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. Rocky. 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 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 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. 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, sinful. 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 a 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, apostolos, 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. Now here's what you need to know about an apostle.
Because you might hear that term even these days in certain circles and in certain churches. The Bible will use the term apostle in two ways. Most frequently, in a very strict sense, a very narrow sense, referring to the original twelve. who follow Jesus. They were the first generation hand-picked followers.
Personally commissioned by Jesus Christ to go out. There are no more of them. They died with the twelve. Yeah. Those are the ones who saw him, heard him, followed him, and were commissioned personally by him.
It was those 12 that had miraculous power. Paul the Apostle will say, I am an apostle because I work the works, the signs of an apostle. Was the apostles or those associated with the apostles who wrote the New Testament? You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig Weekend Edition. Before today's message continues, there's a special offer for your family this Christmas.
Hey, this is Nate Heitzig. And if you're like me, one of the best parts of the Christmas season is gathering your kids to share the story of Jesus in a way that makes it come alive. That's why I wrote Christmas Under the Tree. a beautifully illustrated book and companion audio experience for families of all ages. My hope is that this story helps you and your kids connect the cradle to the cross and treasure the true meaning of Christmas for years to come.
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Now, let's get back to today's teaching. Paul says in Ephesians 2, the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets.
So in a very strict, narrow sense, there are no more apostles. There's a secondary sense, however, in which that term is employed. It refers to people like Barnabas and Paul. And Silas and Timothy. Andronicus And Junia, all people who were not the original followers.
But they are also called apostles in the New Testament. Because They went out as missionaries. And did you know in Eastern churches to this day, Missionaries are still called Apostles. Sent out representatives.
So The stages were this: convert. Disciple Apostle. And I think that's a healthy progression. for any Christian. It was Jesus who said, as my Father has sent me, so I'm sending you.
I have a book in my library called Why Churches Die. Hollis Green is the author, and he said, Churches die when converts don't become disciples and when disciples don't become apostles. That's when churches die, that's when people die. Spiritually. Three levels.
Are you truly converted? Has there been genuine repentance? And a surrender of your life to Christ. That's number one. Number two, after conversion, have you become a disciple?
One who denies yourself, takes up your cross daily, and follows after Christ. And number three, Are you Discovering your sphere of influence into which you are sent out to represent him. Three very important stages of growth. But this personal friend of Jesus, and this one personally commissioned by Jesus. also failed Jesus.
Three times He denied him. And that brings us to the third change in what he would become. And that is a heart change.
Now, this comes after the resurrection of Christ, after Peter had denied Jesus, and the Lord Himself comes to Peter. on the shores of Galilee. and commissions him again. He asks him a question three times. Remember what the question is?
Yeah, Peter. Do you love me? That's the question. Do you love me? And Peter said, Yes, Lord, I love you.
And Jesus said to him, Feed my lambs. Then he asked him a question a second time. Peter, do you love me? Said yes, Lord. I love you.
Jesus said, Tend my sheep. And now, if it wasn't awkward already asking him the same question twice, he asked him the same question a third time. Do you love me? And finally, Peter, I think, hung his head and said, Lord, you know all things. You know that I'm fond of you.
That's literally the word. You know that I love you. And Jesus said, Then, feed my sheep. Feed my lambs. Tend my sheep.
Feed my sheep. Can I suggest those are the most gracious words you could ever tell a fallen leader? Peter, I am entrusting to you. The most precious thing I know and I have, and that is my own flock for whom I died. I'm making you not only a fisher of men, but a shepherd of sheep.
I want you to feed my sheep, my lambs, tend them, feed them. We would understand it if Peter, after the resurrection, was approached by Jesus and Jesus said, You know, Peter, you are a flake. You open your mouth a lot. and you have deep-seated character flaws.
So Yeah, I can forgive you, and you can still be my disciple, but I can never use you again as my apostle. It's just You're just too scarred.
Now Jesus restores him. and entrusts him. And because of that, there's a deep heart change that happens. Because of this, Peter will go on to preach the first sermon on the day of Pentecost and lead 3,000 souls to Christ. Peter will go on after this and approach Cornelius, the first Gentile.
And have him converted to the faith. Peter will go on after this and spread his wings north into Antioch of Syria and oversee the growth of the church there. and Peter will also address the Jerusalem Council. God is patient with leaders. We ought to be patient with them as well.
God is developing them. Anytime you find somebody with leadership capacity like Peter, somebody who initiates, somebody who speaks out, somebody who moves and acts. They're going to make mistakes. Jesus restores them. He goes from Simon To Simon Peter.
to just hear Peter. He goes from disciple to here, apostle. He goes from Um Failure to faithful. clay to rock. That's what he became.
Let's close by looking at what he wrote. We'll finish off the rest of the verse. To the pilgrims. Of the dispersion, In Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia. If you have a GPS, and you're trying to program those in, good luck.
Those places don't exist anymore. Those are all ancient designations of the Roman Empire. in what was called Asia Minor, all of them in present-day Turkey. But all of them in places where these believers were scattered. dispersed and now a church.
was forming in those areas. To some of them, Paul will write letters. Here Peter writes this general letter. To Christians scattered in these areas, all in these newly formed churches. Question?
The very first time Jesus uses the word church in the New Testament. Do you remember who he's talking to? Peter. It was in a conversation with Peter. At Caesarea Philippi, he said, Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?
And they said, Well, some say you're John the Baptist, others say you're Jeremiah, Elijah, one of the prophets. Second question, Jesus said, Who do you say that I am? Peter said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus said, Blessed are you, Simon.
son of Jonah. Flesh and blood didn't reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. I say you are Peter. And upon this rock I will build my church. And the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
Now, stop right there. In hearing that sentence, Some have actually believed. that Jesus was building his church upon Peter. You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. And they say, Well, his name means rock.
He's building his church on Peter. Can I just say if he built his church on Peter? We're all in hot water. That is not a great foundation to build on. He was not building the church upon Peter, the rock, but upon the rock of what he just said about Jesus.
You're the Christ, the Son of the living God. I'll build my church on that. Let me give you the translation from the Greek and you'll see the difference. I say to you that you are Petros, which means a pebble rock, a tiny little piece of rock. You are Petros.
And upon this tetra, this large massive stone, what you just said about me. I will build my church.
So, when you think of Peter the Rock, don't think like Rocky Balboa. Oh, yo, Jesus. On the rock. Think more like Kebbles and Flintstones. That kind of rock.
Church wasn't built on Peter Pebbles. It was built on Mount Messiah. It's what Peter said about Jesus. You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. I'm going to build my church on that confession.
That's what all that is about. Paul will say later: for no one can lay any other foundation than that which has already been laid, which is Christ.
Now what does he write in this letter?
Well, I'll tell you one of the one of the great themes of 1 Peter. Suffering.
Now, if that causes you to perk up because maybe you're going through an experience of suffering, can I just say this book is going to minister especially to you? 15 times in the book, he mentions suffering. I know because I've read the books both of them through 30 times before this study. 15 times he speaks about suffering, and he uses eight different Greek words to describe it.
So, there's a lot about that. He's going to tell us about suffering and the will of God. He's going to tell us about living victoriously in the midst of hostility without getting bitter. He's going to teach us about how to live now as we wait for the coming of Christ. We're going to learn about God's foreknowledge and God's election.
God chose you before time began. We're going to speak about our eternal inheritance, holiness. Excellent behavior, the word of God causing growth. We're going to learn about our responsibility to human government, the marriage relationship, defending the faith. etcetera.
But let me close by finishing the Leaning Tower of Pisa story.
So Years ago. All the experts were sitting in a little restaurant just below The leaning tower of Pisa. And they in that restaurant predicted that in the year 2007. The leaning tower is going to hit the restaurant they were seated in. They corrected it, they strengthened it.
And they moved it back 18 inches to its Eighteen 73 or 1838 something position.
Now they're predicting it won't fall till the year 2300. But that's not my point. Eventually they say It will fall. They're predicting 2,300. But A storm could blow through.
that could cause it to fall sooner.
So if you ever want to go up it, it's always a risk. Thing about a storm is you never know when it's coming. Jesus said about those two houses, one built on the rock, one built on the sand. The rains descended, the floods came, the winds blew and beat on that house, and great was its fall. You never know when a storm is going to blow through your life.
So all of us. Should make the choice, like the song we began, put it. On Christ, the solid rock I stand. All other Ground. is sinking sound.
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. Thanks for listening to Connect with Skiff Heitzig. Before you go, don't miss your chance to request Christmas Under the Tree, the beautifully illustrated book and audio experience by Nate Heitzig that helps your family see the Christmas story with fresh wonder and excitement. It's yours for your gift of $25 or more to help reach more people with biblical teaching through Connect with Skip. Call 800-922-1888 or go to connectwithskip.com slash offer.
And don't forget to sign up for the free weekly devotional for encouragement from Pastor Skip right in your inbox. We'll see you next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect the Skip-Heitzig Weekend Edition. Make a Connect. Shouldn't have a foot of the crossing. A castle burning.
Insomnia. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of connection communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.
