“PETER – A ROCK (PART 1)”
SELECTED SCRIPTURES

I. Introduction
During the 1980’s and 90’s one of baseball’s best pitchers was the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser. He was a three-time all-star, and in 1988, his best year, he won a Gold Glove award, the Cy Young award as the National League’s best pitcher, and closed out the year by being named World Series MVP. On top of all of that, Sports Illustrated named him the Sportsman of the Year.

By the mid 80’s Hershiser had become a fierce competitor on the field. But he hadn’t started out that way. As a young ballplayer in the Dodgers’ minor league system he was quiet and timid. He obviously had a strong arm, but he lacked the fierce competitive spirit that great pitchers need to be really successful. That just wasn’t his personality.

So the Dodgers’ manager, Tommy Lasorda, gave Hershiser a nick-name that was the complete opposite of the young man’s personality. He started calling him “Bulldog.” It took a while, but that’s exactly what Orel Hershiser became. “Bulldog” was a constant reminder, not of what he was, but of what he was supposed to be.

When Jesus chose His apostles, He had twelve of what you and I might call “diamonds in the rough.” The young man who would become the leader of the apostles was among the “roughest.” He was overeager, brash, impulsive, and outspoken. His name was Simon, a common Hebrew name (Shimon) meaning, “he who hears the Words of God.”

Now I don’t know if Tommy Lasorda got his idea to call Orel Hershiser “Bulldog” from Jesus or not, but he could have. This morning we are going to see how Jesus took Simon, gave him a nick-name, and turned him from what he was – one of many followers of Jesus, into what he was supposed to be – the leader of the apostles, the first of the great preachers of the gospel, and a man who would write two of the books of the NT.

Jesus gave Simon the nick-name Peter. The Greek is “Pĕtrŏs,” meaning “Rock.” Simon was anything but a rock, but Jesus would turn him into one.
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II. Text
Jesus had the raw material for a leader in Simon. That may seem a little strange when you first see who the man was and compare him to God’s standards for leadership in the Church of Jesus Christ.
*1 Timothy 3:2-7
2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, tem-perate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, (and) free from the love of money.
4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?);
6 and not a new convert, lest he become conceited and fall into the condem-nation incurred by the devil.
7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he may not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

In v. 2 the word “overseer” is the Greek “ĕpiscŏpŏs.” It refers to one who watches over the church. In the parallel passage in Titus, Paul uses the Greek “prĕsbutĕrŏs,” which is commonly translated “elder.” An elder’s task is to stand before and rule over the church. So “overseer” defines the duties of church leaders, and “elder” speaks to the dignity of the office. It is the elders whom God calls and raises up to lead and protect His church.

The ultimate goal for all Christians, not just elders, is to be perfect, isn’t it?
Matthew 5:48 (Jesus speaking)
48 Therefore, you are to be perfect, (even) as your heavenly Father is perfect.

When we are chosen and God saves us, we are far from perfect. Over time God perfects all of His children as He sanctifies us. As we grow in the grace and knowledge of God, He makes us worthy to enter into His presence. This is true of every Christian, not just the leaders and elders in the church. None of us are useful to God until He makes us so.

He must be the One to make us perfect because, as should be readily apparent to all of us who are willing to be honest with ourselves, we cannot even approach perfection in our own strength. So God chooses unqualified and unworthy people, and turns them into servants for the purpose of accomplishing His perfect will in us and those around us. He did that with the apostles and turned them into leaders.

In the NT the clearest example of how God builds leaders is seen in what Jesus did with Simon, the one He renamed Peter – the Rock. He can do the same thing with you if you will let Him. It matters not in the least if you have made mistakes, experienced failures, or lack strength as the world defines it.
2 Corinthians 12:9
9 (God says) “My grace is sufficient for you, for (My) power is perfected in (your) weakness.” (Paul says) Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Your weakness is the very point at which God begins His transforming work in you. He took a weak man, Simon, who merely heard the Word of God, and turned him into Peter, a man who did the Word of God. But it was a rough start. Simon had a long way to go before he became Peter. Yet at their very first meeting, Jesus told Simon that he would become a rock.
Last week we saw that Andrew, one of John the Baptist’s followers, met Jesus. The first thing he did was tell his brother.
John 1:41-42
41 (Andrew) found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).
42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which translated means Peter).

It is interesting to note that Jesus continued to call him Simon when referring to his past life or when he failed to act like the man Jesus was making him. As we look at various passages in the gospels, we’ll see that Jesus calls Peter “Simon” quite a bit. But as weak and as flawed a character as Peter was, underneath it all, there was a sensitive and tender spirit regarding his own sin.

A case in point was in Luke 5 where Peter, James, and John had been fishing all night but had caught nothing. In the morning Jesus told them to go back out and let down their nets again. They did so and immediately netted so many fish that their boats were nearly swamped. This had a profound effect on Peter.
Luke 5:8
8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “De-
part from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

Peter falls down before Jesus and calls Him “Lord.” He knows that Jesus is more than a wise man or a teacher. We need to get the full impact of what Peter is saying. The word “Lord” here is “Kúrios,” the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Adonai,” which speaks of God’s absolute mastery over all, and our need to submit ourselves to Him.

It has been rightly said that the more clearly you see Jesus, the more clearly you see your-self. Have your ever been struck with a sense of your own sinfulness when you catch just a glimpse of Jesus as He really is? This was one of those moments for Peter. He was overwhelmed with a sense of personal sinfulness when he realized he was in the presence of God Himself. Oh, how you and I need to come to such a place in our own lives!

What specifically did Jesus have in this fisherman named Simon? He had the right building blocks, the right raw material, if you will. In John MacArthur’s book, Twelve Ordinary Men, he says Simon had three qualities of leadership right from the start. He had inquisitiveness, initiative, and a desire to be involved.

Peter was inquisitive. He was always asking questions. Quite frankly, if you are con-tent with what you don’t know and don’t really care about what you don’t understand, you probably wouldn’t make a good leader. Now I did not say you weren’t a good Christian, I simply said you may not be a good leader. That is because leaders are by nature curious people. They want answers to their questions.
Just consider two of the things Peter wanted to know about. He questioned Jesus about how much he had to forgive those who had offended him.
*Matthew 18:21-22
21 Then Peter came and said to (Jesus), “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Peter questioned Jesus about the eternal rewards for those who would follow Him.
*Matthew 19:27-30
27 Then Peter answered and said to (Jesus), “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”
28 And Jesus said to them. “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration (Millennial Kingdom) when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, shall receive many times as much, and shall inherit eternal life.
30 “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”

Those are just two Peter’s questions. But there were others. He asked Jesus to explain a parable (Matthew 15:15). He asked Him why He cursed a fig tree (Mark 11:21). He wanted to know what Jesus meant when He spoke of Jerusalem’s destruction (Mark 13:3).

Peter was always curious, he always wanted to know why, when, where, how, and so on. Some of you can relate to that. I can relate to that. When I was a new Christian I had so many questions that I had to write them all down to keep track of them all. I filled three sheets of paper, gave them to the pastor, and made appointments to meet with him to get answers. Then as questions were answered new ones arose.

Are you like that? Do you have questions about God and the Bible, church history, theo-logy, future things? Don’t hesitate. Ask. That’s what Peter did. The man was really inquisitive. Such curiosity is one of the marks of a leader.

More than that, Peter was also one to take the initiative. When Jesus asked questions of His disciples Peter was usually the first to respond. That was never more powerfully seen than when Jesus asked them who the crowds thought He was. The disciples gave Jesus a variety of answers and then He asked them who they thought He was.
*Matthew 16:15-18
15 (Jesus) said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered and said, “Blessed are you Simon Barjona (son of John), because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.”

Jesus’ question in v. 15 is the most important question any human being could ever be asked. And Peter’s answer in v. 16 is the most important answer that could ever be given. In v. 17 Jesus says that such knowledge can only come from God Himself. But I think it’s the last verse here, v. 18, that requires some explanation.

The name Peter is “Pĕtrŏs.” It means “a stone or boulder.” When applied to a man it means “strong like a rock.” Apparently Peter was a large and strong man whose person-ality matched his physical size and strength. When Jesus called Simon “Peter,” it was like you or I calling someone “Rocky.”

But the Greek word translated “rock” in v. 18 is not “pĕtrŏs.” It’s “pĕtra,” meaning a huge rock, a rock the size of a mountain. This is a play on words. Compared to the Mountain of God (Mount Sinai in Exodus), Peter was a mere pebble. A paraphrase in modern English might be something like this: “You’re a pebble Peter, but what you’ve said (your confession of faith in Me) is the mountain upon which My church will be built.”

Notice what Jesus didn’t say to Peter. He didn’t say, “You will build My church.” He didn’t say, “I will build your church.” What He did say was, “I will build MY church.” If the church had been built on Peter himself, as opposed to his confession of faith, how long do you think the church would have survived?

When Jesus asked a question Peter took the initiative and answered. And out of his mouth came a great testimony of faith.

Leaders are also found right in the middle of things. Peter was no exception. He just couldn’t sit on the sidelines. He was involved. Do you remember the incident on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus walked on the water?
*Matthew 14:26-30
26 And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were frightened, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
29 And (Jesus) said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
30 But seeing the wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” (Wile E. Coyote)
People often hear of this incident in Peter’s life and say that he must have lacked faith.
It is true that he began to sink because of his lack of faith. But ask yourself: Where was he when he began to sink? And where were the other eleven? Peter may have had weak faith, but he had enough faith to get out of the boat, didn’t he? And then when his faith wavered, what did he do? “Lord, save me!” Is there an application there for you?

Peter had the raw material for leadership. He was curious, he took the initiative, and he involved himself. And although he kept sticking his foot in his mouth, he learned from his experiences, and he grew. The Peter we see in Acts, and the Peter whose writings we read in 1 and 2 Peter, is not the same rough fisherman we meet in the gospels.

How did God change him? He gave Peter experiences and placed him in circumstances that would teach him submission, restraint, humility, sacrifice, courage, and love. As we look at one example of each of these, consider what God is doing in your life right now.

Submission is not a natural quality of a leader. Leaders tend to be aggressive, confident, and eager. So do you see why leaders need to learn submission? Peter learned. A tax-collector demanded the two-drachma temple tax from him. Since Peter knew that mem-bers of the royal family were exempt, he refused to pay it.
*Matthew 17:25-27
25 …and when (Peter) came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?”
26 And upon his saying, “From strangers,” Jesus said to him, “Consequently the sons are exempt. (He’s saying, “Peter, you are a member of a royal family, so technically you are correct.”)
27 “But, lest we give them offense, go to the sea, and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a stater. Take that and give it to them for you and Me.”

Did Peter learn submission? Thirty years later he wrote…
*1 Peter 2:13-15
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority,
14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.
15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the igno-rance of foolish men.

Peter learned submission. He also had to learn restraint. Like submission, restraint is not a natural quality of a leader. When the soldiers came for Jesus in the Garden of Gethse-mane, Peter was ready to take on all the Roman soldiers as well as the officers who were sent by the priests and the Pharisees. There may well have been hundreds of armed men.
Clearly, restraint was not one of Peter’s strong characteristics.
John 18:10-11
10 Simon Peter therefore having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.
11 Jesus therefore said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

Did Peter learn restraint? Thirty years later he wrote…
*1 Peter 2:21-23
21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;
23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

Peter learned restraint. Have you? Have I? It isn’t always easy. But it is a mark of leadership. Contrary to what the world usually thinks, a good leader is humble before God and men. Just as Peter lacked submissiveness and restraint, so too did he lack humi-lity – at least in the beginning.

Think about this for a moment. There’s a fine line between self-confidence and personal pride. But a leader needs self-confidence balanced with humility. That can be a difficult balance to find and maintain. Just ask Peter. When Jesus told His disciples that they would fall away before His crucifixion, it was Peter who protested and said, “Not me!”
*Matthew 26:33-35
33 But Peter answered and said to (Jesus), “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a cock crows, you shall deny Me three times.”
35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You…”

Did Peter learn humility? Thirty years later he wrote:
*1 Peter 5:5-6
5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
6 Humble yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time…

One thing I have learned in this life – if you do not humble yourself before God, even-tually, sooner or later, one way or another, He will do it for you.

So a leader is to be submissive, learn restraint, and be humble before God and men.
Another thing that is critical for a leader is a willingness to undertake personal sacrifice.
After His resurrection Jesus told Peter that the day would come when Peter would be called on to make the ultimate sacrifice. Peter’s response was, “But what about John?”
John 21:22
22 Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come (return), what is that to you, You follow Me!”

Did Peter learn anything about personal sacrifice? Thirty years later he wrote…
*1 Peter 4:14, 16, 19
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

16 …if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God.

19 Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.

When God teaches us about personal sacrifice, I think He also teaches us about courage. In Acts 4 the same Peter who had fled in terror the night Jesus was taken was brought before the Sanhedrin and ordered to stop preaching the gospel. (Keep a marker in 1 Peter.)
*Acts 4:18b-20
18b …they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;
20 for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard.”

Did Peter (and the apostles) learn anything about courage? A short time after this confron-tation they were brought before the Sanhedrin a second time.
*Acts 5:28-29
28 “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
29 But Peter and the apostles answered and said, “We must obey God rather than men.”

Doesn’t the Bible teach us that we are to obey all lawful authority? Yes! Romans 13:1-7 is explicit. But there are exceptions. If they demand we do something contrary to God’s Law, or if they tell us not speak of Jesus, Acts 5:29 makes it clear that in these God’s Law supersedes men’s laws. But it will take courage. Leaders must be courageous.

Finally, Peter learned about love. Jesus taught him about real love when He said…
John 15:13
13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
Peter saw that love demonstrated when Jesus was nailed to the cross. Thirty years later he wrote…
*1 Peter 4:7-8
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.

Before the Lord took him home, Peter became the first great leader in the Church of Jesus Christ. God taught him, and instilled in him, all the qualities he needed to fulfill the role God had for him. Simon the fisherman, who had merely heard the words of God became Peter – the Rock, who learned submission, restraint, humility, sacrifice, courage, and love.
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III. Conclusion
Those are the qualities God builds into the men He calls to lead His church, but they aren’t limited to leaders. Every Christian needs to grow and develop them. All of them – submission, restraint, humility, sacrifice, courage, and love – are the marks of every one who is being sanctified, who is being made holy, and who is growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Next time we’ll take a one-sermon excursion into the Book of Acts and 1 and 2 Peter. We’ll survey the first sermon preached in the church, and take a more in-depth look at Peter’s writings. What God did with Peter He will do with you. Will you let Him?

~ Pray ~