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The Ups and Downs of Peter Following Our Lord
By Rev (Dr) Timothy Tow
(Preached at Life BPC, 10.30 am service, Apr 6 2003)
Text: Matt 16:13-28
When Jesus entered the third year of His
ministry He began to test His disciples if they were qualified and
as usual Peter was their spokesman. The first question, "Whom do men
say that I the Son of man am?" The disciples answered, "Some say
that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias,
or one of the prophets." Jesus asked again, "But whom say ye that I
am?" Peter, full of enthusiasm, declared, "Thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God." This I believe was what every other disciple
said except Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus.
Jesus commended Peter, "Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven." Everyone who attends Life Church, week
after week, to worship our Lord Jesus Christ is blessed like Peter,
because it is the result of Divine revelation.
Jesus continues to say to Peter, "You are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church." In the Greek, Peter is
addressed as Petros, a little rock, but upon this Petra (Jesus
Himself) He will build His Church. As for the keys to the Kingdom of
heaven whereby Peter shall bind or loose on earth and it will be
bound or loosed in heaven, this power is shared by the other
apostles (Matt 18:18; John 20:23). But Roman Catholics make it
exclusive to Peter, so he becomes the first Pope. According to II
Pet 5:1 Peter humbles himself to an ordinary elder only.
From that time forth began Jesus to show His
disciples how He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many persecutions
by the elders, chief priests and scribes (theologians) and be killed
and be raised on the third day. This shocked Peter because he loved
His Master. Immediately Peter was sharply rebuked, "Get thee behind
me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the
things that be of God, but those that be of men."
Then said Jesus to His disciples, "If any man
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and
follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and
whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is
a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own
soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Why did Peter forbid his Master to die? In order
to save himself! As a disciple he must follow through thick and
through thin. If Christ was to die so must His disciples. In the
case of Jesus, He has the power to live again by rising from the
dead. By following Him to death we also will rise with Him from the
dead.
We may gain the whole world in our strength but
die outside Christ. That will be a greater loss.
Did the eleven disciples learn the lesson of
dying with Christ? Tradition tells all of them died a martyr’s
death. Thomas who brought the Gospel to India has a church in Madras
commemorating his martyrdom there. By God’s grace I had the
privilege of visiting this church when preaching the Gospel in
Madras. Scripture records Peter’s death for Christ in his evening
years and Paul, chosen Apostle to the Gentiles, predicted his own
death and his victory to the very end (II Tim 4:7-8).
The second lesson which is harder to learn, we
ordinary Christians must also learn. As Christ was willing to die
for us, we must also be willing to die for Him. Every missionary to
a foreign country must not look to his own comforts and pleasures,
but for Christ’s sake must be prepared for every trial, even to
death. He is prepared to be killed in order to preach Christ. He is
prepared to live frugally and use the money saved to build God’s
House.
William Burns who brought the Gospel to Swatow
to my great-grandfather offered back to the English Presbyterian
Mission a year’s salary that they might send another to take his
place. For the sake of the Gospel, he did not get married. For a
life of hardship he died in Manchuria at a young age for the Saviour
Jesus Christ.
Every one of us owes our life to the Lord. "For
whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose
his life for my sake shall find it."
The ups and downs of Peter following our Lord
are truly also our experience.
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