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It Is Written

John Bradshaw

Great Characters of the Bible: Peter

Coming up next, please stay tuned for It Is Written, presented by Pastor John Bradshaw.

And frequently, success follows repeated failure.

After working on a whaling ship, Roland started a business with his brother in California.

So then he went all in, moving to New York City and opening yet another store.

After his death, that store was moved to 34th and Broadway, where Macy's became 1 of the largest department stores in the world.

Henry Ford's success in the auto industry is the stuff of legend, but that success wasn't instant.

His first venture folded without producing a single car.

His second attempt was just as unsuccessful as the first.

He quit his next company, but Ford eventually revolutionized not only the vehicle manufacturing industry, but industry himself.

He said, failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.

How many people fail at faith before making a success of their spiritual life?

Today we're continuing our series, Great Characters of the Bible, and we're looking at someone who took a long time to get it right.

His experience has to be an encouragement to anyone who knows the feeling of blowing it as a follower of Jesus, of falling short, of wondering if you'll ever get the hang of being a disciple of Christ.

Well, he was violent, he was a racist, he made promises he didn't keep, and was even referred to as Satan by none other than Jesus himself.

When we're introduced to Peter in the Bible, he's a fisherman.

And Jesus gave him the surname Peter, which is why he's sometimes referred to as Simon Peter.

When we read of his call to follow Jesus in Matthew 4, we get the impression that he'd been acquainted with Jesus for some time.

Jesus called to Peter and Andrew his brother and said, "'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And they straightway left their nets and followed him." Now, it's significant that Jesus called Peter of all people.

He hadn't graduated from the best religious schools in the land.

But it's not that Peter hadn't been educated.

The schools in that day were riddled with pride and bigotry.

Jesus was looking for someone genuine, teachable, humble, someone with moral worth who had a desire to see God honored.

If you have that, God can use you no matter what you do in life.

And there's another reason it's significant that Jesus called Peter.

And that's because Peter was… Peter was Peter.

And it was going to take a lot of sanding before Jesus could smooth those rough edges out.

He once said to Jesus, see, we have left all and followed you.

Peter would ask questions that other people wouldn't ask, and he'd say the things that others wouldn't say.

When Jesus was going to wash the disciples' feet, Peter said, "'You shall never wash my feet!' before telling Jesus to wash not only his feet, but his hands and his head also.

When he saw Jesus on the shore of the lake 1 time, he was so excited, he dived in and swam for shore.

That was Peter, impetuous, in a hurry, an action man.

I will lay down my life for you, he told Jesus.

And Of course, we know how that turned out.

And that's who Jesus calls to be His disciples.

If you feel God is calling you, and He is, don't wait until you're ready to accept that call.

He was honest, honest about his feelings, honest about his love for God, and honest about himself.

So let's take a look at several episodes from the life of Peter.

We'll see what we can learn, not only about Peter, but about ourselves, and how we can have a successful relationship with God in spite of our failings.

1 of the most memorable Peter moments occurred on a lake late 1 night.

Jesus had fed the thousands with just 5 loaves and 2 fish.

Then he sent the disciples on ahead by boat to the other side of the lake.

The Bible says the boat was tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

And based on what John writes, it seems like the disciples were about 3 quarters of the way across the sea when Jesus appeared, walking on the water.

The disciples were initially afraid, not certain of what they were seeing.

But Jesus said, Be of good cheer, it is I, do not be afraid.

He called to Jesus and said, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.

And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

And Jesus gave Peter a unique experience.

No other disciple ever did what Peter did that night.

Something he would forget when he really needed to remember it, he began to sink.

Evidently, he took his eyes off Jesus and looked instead at the stormy sea.

When you look at the storms of life, that's what happens.

When you focus on the problems more than on the solution, when you forget that God is able, That's what happens.

Peter sank into a stormy sea, in the dead of night, with no life jacket.

But he had the presence of mind to do the right thing, and he called out to Jesus.

There was no time for eloquence or oratory.

He cried out from the heart, just a three-word prayer, Lord, save me!

He reached out to Peter, took him by the hand, and got him back in the boat.

Matthew 14, 32, And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

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Great Characters of the Bible: Peter

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