We all have our favorite stories and people in scripture, especially those we look forward to meeting someday. Obviously, God would be at the top of everyone’s list. But many would also love to hear what it was like for David to look in the eyes of a 9’6” champion of the Philistines and tell him that he was going to have his head. What was it like to spend the night with hungry lions? Some would like to ask that of Daniel. The line to have a chat with Paul will certainly be a long one when we get to heaven. Good thing we’ll have plenty of time to get our turn. 

It is also true that there are people in scripture many identify with on a more personal level. Busy Martha would be one, doubting Thomas another. It seems likely that similar to Paul, Peter will have a long line of those who’d like to meet him simply because so many of us are like him. We have all tried to help God out at times, attempting to be His counselor or at least offering advice as to how “we think” He should handle things.

The conversation at Caesarea Philippi is a scene we have all experienced in one way or another to some degree at some time:

Matthew 16:13-19 KJV – “When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

What a moment this was for Peter! The Lord Jesus had just told him in front of all the others that God had spoken to him. Mark 9:34, Luke 9:46, and Luke 22:24 all record that the disciples argued among themselves about which of them would be the greatest. This event had to secure the position for Peter, at least in his own mind.

However, the conversation at Caesarea Philippi didn’t end there:

Matthew 16:21-23 KJV – “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, 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.”‬‬

Talk about having the wind knocked out of you! From being told the Father spoke to you to being called Satan and accused of being an offense to the Lord! The truth is we have all done what Peter has done, though not in the same context. We’ve all wondered why the Lord allowed this or that or hasn’t done what we’ve been earnestly praying for. We’ve all “told Him” what we think He ought to do, even if only in our minds.

The one great thing about this is that the Lord is true to His word. He told Peter he was going to use Him at the dawning of the church age, and He did even after Peter had a major “blow it”.

Maybe you’ve hit a low point recently. Maybe you’ve said or done something you shouldn’t have. Maybe you’ve tried to help God out with how things ought to go and gotten out in front of Him or headed off in the wrong direction.

Remember, what was true for Peter is true for you. Peter wasn’t done having low points, as we know from what later happened on the night Jesus was betrayed. If we’re going to learn anything from Peter, let it be that God is God and we are His servants, not the other way around. He doesn’t need our help. He wants to help us become all that Jesus died to make us.

Peter learned this the hard way, but we don’t have to.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

We all have our favorite stories and people in scripture, especially those we look forward to meeting someday. Obviously, God would be at the top of everyone’s list. But many would also love to hear what it was like for David to look in the eyes of a 9’6” champion of the Philistines and tell him that he was going to have his head. What was it like to spend the night with hungry lions? Some would like to ask that of Daniel. The line to have a chat with Paul will certainly be a long one when we get to heaven. Good thing we’ll have plenty of time to get our turn. 

It is also true that there are people in scripture many identify with on a more personal level. Busy Martha would be one, doubting Thomas another. It seems likely that similar to Paul, Peter will have a long line of those who’d like to meet him simply because so many of us are like him. We have all tried to help God out at times, attempting to be His counselor or at least offering advice as to how “we think” He should handle things.

The conversation at Caesarea Philippi is a scene we have all experienced in one way or another to some degree at some time:

Matthew 16:13-19 KJV – “When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

What a moment this was for Peter! The Lord Jesus had just told him in front of all the others that God had spoken to him. Mark 9:34, Luke 9:46, and Luke 22:24 all record that the disciples argued among themselves about which of them would be the greatest. This event had to secure the position for Peter, at least in his own mind.

However, the conversation at Caesarea Philippi didn’t end there:

Matthew 16:21-23 KJV – “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, 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.”‬‬

Talk about having the wind knocked out of you! From being told the Father spoke to you to being called Satan and accused of being an offense to the Lord! The truth is we have all done what Peter has done, though not in the same context. We’ve all wondered why the Lord allowed this or that or hasn’t done what we’ve been earnestly praying for. We’ve all “told Him” what we think He ought to do, even if only in our minds.

The one great thing about this is that the Lord is true to His word. He told Peter he was going to use Him at the dawning of the church age, and He did even after Peter had a major “blow it”.

Maybe you’ve hit a low point recently. Maybe you’ve said or done something you shouldn’t have. Maybe you’ve tried to help God out with how things ought to go and gotten out in front of Him or headed off in the wrong direction.

Remember, what was true for Peter is true for you. Peter wasn’t done having low points, as we know from what later happened on the night Jesus was betrayed. If we’re going to learn anything from Peter, let it be that God is God and we are His servants, not the other way around. He doesn’t need our help. He wants to help us become all that Jesus died to make us.

Peter learned this the hard way, but we don’t have to.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.