Living Examples - Peter - Rock Solid
Pray – (1/2 minute)
Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter).” (John 1:40-42)
Passage: Psalm 125:1-5
Peter was not the given name of the best known apostle of Jesus. His parents named him Simon, which means “to hear or to be heard.” Jesus gave him the name Peter, which means a small rock cut out of a large rock. He is the only one of the twelve who Jesus gave a special name. I think he liked the name and saw himself as stronger and more solid in his faith than others. One indication of that is the way he boasted that he would never fall away from Jesus and then, when Jesus predicted he would deny him, Peter boldly claimed he would die with Jesus. He didn’t. Before the morning of His crucifixion, Peter denied Jesus three times and found out that he was not solid like a rock.
Peter felt like a failure on Friday after he denied Jesus, but Sunday changed everything. He saw the empty tomb and encounter the resurrected Lord Jesus personally. He experienced the grace and mercy of Jesus and received the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. He became a living example of his names, both the one given by his parents and the one given by Jesus. He preached the gospel boldly and He stood rock solid for Jesus through his life. God wants you to be a rock solid testimony for Christ. It’s not something that is found in your own strength. It is found in His. Be rock solid in Christ today.
Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)