Title: Peter's Faith Experience (Matt. 16:21-28)
Contents
Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? What will a man give to change his head? The Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of the Father, and at that time he will repay each one according to what he has done. Truly I say to you, among those standing here, before they die, they will see the Son of Man coming with his kingship. (Matthew 16:21-28)
1. Peter worked hard.
One day as Christ was passing by the seashore, he saw Peter fishing and commanded, "Follow me." At that time, Peter immediately abandoned all nets, apostasy, laborers, occupations, and households and followed the Lord. In other words, Peter is a man of great dedication.
When Peter fell into despair after failing to fish on the Sea of Gennesaret, the Lord commanded him, "Go into the depths and cast your net." The fisherman, Peter, was well aware that there is no fish in the deep. But, Peter answered, "I will cast," says the Lord. Peter, a fisherman who lived in this sea, unconditionally obeyed the words of Jesus Christ, the son of a carpenter of Nazareth. He showed absolute obedience that transcended all circumstances, circumstances, and experiences.
Another time, in the midst of a storm, when I saw the Lord walking on the Sea of Galilee, I asked, "Lord, if it is you, command me to walk." When the Lord called, "Come," Peter heard the voice and immediately jumped out of the boat and walked on the water. How long is this? He was truly a man of great faith who had the faith to move mountains.
In a quiet place near Caesarea and Philippi, the Lord said to his disciples, "Who do you say I am?" asked. Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." He also confessed his great faith.
To see the young carpenter Jesus, the Son of the living God, was truly an inspired man of marvelous spiritual insight. All the more, Peter was ready to die with the Lord. He was a brave disciple who followed the Lord with the spirit of martyrdom.
Peter also personally witnessed a glimpse of heaven on the Mount of Transfiguration, albeit briefly. He also had a wonderful experience when he heard God's voice with his physical ears. He was a person who experienced a mystery like the experience of the three heavens experienced by the Apostle Paul.
Not only that, he healed the sick. He healed a demon possessed man. He was a man of various abilities. Peter is such a wonderful man and a holy saint.
2. Peter lived a self-centered life.
Peter received many graces and gifts. As the most zealous and most pious disciple in his own way, he followed the Lord with the determination of martyrdom. So, he set himself as a great disciple who did not blame himself. Others thought so too. Yet they are still completely unaware of the one thing they must experience as disciples of Christ.
One day the Lord professed to be the Christ and prophesied that he would suffer many things and be killed by the scribes. Then Peter grabbed Jesus and said, "No, Lord, for this will never happen to you." said. Then Jesus turned to Peter and rebuked him harshly, "Go away, Satan!" Verse 23 says, “You are a stumbling block to me; you do not think about the things of God, but rather the things of men.” You said.
And Jesus said to his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." These words clearly taught that Peter was not yet saved from his fleshly self, so he was a man who depended on himself and only thought of his own will. Also, we remember that Peter and the other disciples were jealous and quarreled with each other over the question of 'who is the greatest?' and the Lord rebuked him. We can see Peter's self-seeking character in these things. In the past, Peter had abandoned his boat to follow the Lord. They left their nets, laborers, wives and wives, and many other things. However, Peter has not yet abandoned himself for one thing. That is why Jesus, knowing the heart of Peter, said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
Indeed, Peter relied on him.
Peter followed his will.
Peter made him happy.
Peter lived a life seeking his own glory.
So, he made Jesus, the church, and the business all for himself. For example, he was a man who only changed his coat. Peter has not yet been freed from himself. That's why I had no choice but to fall. And I couldn't follow the Lord completely. He came and went as he wished. In order for anyone to become a true disciple of Jesus, he must first deny himself. However, Peter still did not understand this truth. I couldn't even obey it. Also, I thought it was just foolish to live like that.
So, in the end, Peter ran into a dead end on the last night of the Lord's arrest. That night the Lord prophesied to Peter, who led a self-centered life.
"Tonight, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."
Hearing the word of the Lord, Peter was very upset and believed in himself and said,
“Even if I forsake them all, I will not forsake them.” he predicted. Also, Peter said, "Even if I die with the Lord, I will not deny it." Indeed, Peter thought so at the center.
But, the truth is, Peter did not know himself well. Peter only thought that he was not evil, as the Lord had said. However, in the end, Peter swore a curse that he did not know the Lord and denied it three times. This is the final destination of a person living a self-centered life.
The Lord used the word 'wife' only twice. First he said, "I will deny myself," and then he said, "I will deny myself." In other words, if we do not deny ourselves, we will deny the Lord. We must choose between denying ourselves or denying the Lord.
3. However, Peter has changed.
It was the night that Jesus was arrested. Peter denied his Lord three times as the Lord had said. It was then. The Lord turned his face and turned to Peter. At that moment, the eyes of the Lord and the eyes of Peter met each other. In that moment, Peter felt the Lord's gaze pierce his heart. So Peter saw the terrible sin he had just committed and the deep pit he had fallen into. Peter went outside and wept. It was the bankruptcy of the self, the complete defeat of the self.
Peter watched as Christ was crucified, died, and was buried. Also, on the Sabbath the next day, Peter fell into such hopeless despair. And how embarrassed I passed that day. He would probably say, "Oh my Lord is gone, my hope is gone. I denied my Lord and the blessing was three years later, I finally denied the Lord of my life. I am ungrateful Oh! He would have said to himself, “Have mercy on sinners.” No, he must have repented and prayed with mourning.
To the resurrected Jesus, graciously told Peter, "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the Holy Spirit whom the Father has given you. In a few days the Holy Spirit will come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After the promise, he ascended to heaven in glory. After that, the apostles and many saints gathered in the upper room of Mark in Jerusalem to cooperate with each other and always focus on prayer. Indeed, I prayed while praying and prayed during supplication. I prayed in the rain. 10 days later, suddenly, a voice came from heaven, and the house was filled with it, and they saw to them tongues like fissures of fire, and they fell on each of them. And they all knew the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in tongues and perform various works as the Holy Spirit commanded them. has been The day of Pentecost has come.
1) You cannot fully receive God's grace.
2) We cannot properly obey God's will.
3) He was a saint who denied God and lived his life against God.
Aren't you doing the work of crucifying Jesus Christ a second time by living as godly saints? This is all because of the fleshly self within you.
That is, we must first of all deny ourselves. You must forsake yourself and be crucified and buried.
1) A man of godly flesh;
2) the holy selfish,
3) You must try not to live with the contradictory name of a divine egocentr.
For our own salvation, we must mourn and repent like Peter and experience the Holy Spirit.