I, Simon Peter

I, Simon Peter, am a servant and apostle of

Jesus Christ.  I write this to you whose experience

with God is as life-changing as ours...

2 Peter 1:1

Simon Peter has always been one of my favorite biblical characters.  We know he was the son of Jonah, and that he, along with his brother, Andrew (and also Philip), was from Bethsaida, on the western coast of the Sea of Galilee [John 1:39-44]. He was married or a widower [Mark 1:30], and was a fisherman by trade [Matthew 10:2].  Peter comes across as an impetuous fellow who so very often opened his mouth before putting his brain in gear.  His life as recorded in Scripture was full of highlights and low lights.  Let's take a look at some of the bright moments.

• Simon Peter was one of the first disciples called by Jesus.  He readily left everything behind to follow Christ, after his brother, Andrew, told him that they had found "the Messiah."
• Peter was the first disciple to reach the tomb after Mary told the disciples that the stone was rolled away.
• Luke lists Simon Peter as the owner of the boat from which Jesus would preach to the multitudes on shore.
• After a fruitless night of fishing that produced no catch, Jesus asked Peter to go back out on the lake and throw out their nets.  Peter reminded Jesus that they had caught nothing in the previous hours, but because it was Jesus asking, he would go out again.  The net was filled with so many fish that it began to break; when the catch was hauled up, it was so great that it filled Peter's boat and another boat almost to the point of sinking.
•  When Jesus asked the disciples who the crowds thought that He was, several of the men spoke up with various answers.  When Jesus then asked, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter immediately replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of God."
• When several of His followers turned away from Him, Jesus asked the disciples if they would also leave.  Peter replied, "You have the words of life.  Where would we go?"
• When Jesus began to wash the disciples' feet at the Last Supper, Peter declared that Jesus would never wash his feet.  When the Master replied that Peter would then have no place with Him, Peter cried out, "Not just my feet, Lord, but my head (thoughts) and my hands (actions) as well."

Peter loved Jesus passionately, and believed that He was the promised Messiah.  Even with that belief, however, his impulsive, argumentative nature often got him into trouble.   [to be continued]