3 Callings to Peter
Posted on: 2011/01/19 | Author: System Administrator - 0 Comments
We often hear the story of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew dropping their fishermen's nets and fearlessly following Christ when called in Matthew 4:18-20. This was Peter's first calling and though the Bible does not go into depth with the details, we know that it was not an easy decision to make. Peter had to leave his job, his family, and his friends, dropping everything to follow Jesus. How often are we called to give up what we have in order to more fully follow our Messiah? For Peter, nothing and no one got in his way when he first made the decision to follow Christ.
In Luke 5:1-11, a short time later, we see that Peter has been out fishing again. Notice here that Peter is going through trials just as we often do, saying, "we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing." After following Jesus for a little while, we can understand how Peter might have started to become disappointed and discouraged regarding the situation that he was in. He had left everything to follow Christ but so far, he had gained nothing. Struggling financially and lacking in motivation, Peter doubted Jesus and decided to take care of things himself. Nonetheless, Jesus came to call Peter again.
We too may be suffering from financial difficulties, persecutions, and other hardships, but like Peter, we must realize that trusting and following Jesus is the best calling we could ever have. Jesus tells the fishermen to let down their net one more time. Peter responds doubting, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net." "And when they had this done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake." [Luke 5:5,6] Realizing his great distrust in light of Christ's miracle, Peter falls to his knees in awe and surrenders to his Master.
Before we go on to talk about Peter's third calling, we must first take a look at John 21:1-14. This account takes place when Jesus appears to His disciples after dying and being resurrected from the dead. Confused and still mourning His death, the disciples do not recognize their Master.
Peter was in despair. Before Jesus went to the cross, Peter had been confident in giving all for his Master, but he nonetheless ended up denying his Lord three times that night. "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly." (Matthew 26:75) He gave up hope as an apostle and went back to his occupation as a fisherman. But Jesus, alive and well, had been watching His disciples fish all night. Calling from the shore, He tells them to throw the net over the side one last time. As a "multitude of fishes" swarm the nets, Peter recognizes the familiar miracle of his Master. Overjoyed, he jumps off the boat toward the beach to kneel down at the feet of Jesus once again.
If this Jesus whom Peter followed is the same God that we serve today, Can we also have that same hope he had in the Lord? I don't know where you are in your Christian experience, but in any case, let us have faith in the Lord for He calls us today and tomorrow the same. Just as Christ prepared breakfast for the work-weary disciples that morning, He is preparing heaven for His weary Christian followers. Would you like to dine with Jesus after this long walk on Earth? Let us be ready so we can sup with Him, receiving the eternal glories of heaven that He has prepared for us.
