Earliest known drawing of Peter, 4th Century Rome
Peter, Fisher of mankind
1 Peter 3:15
In your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect
1 Peter 2:9
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins,
the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
the righteous for the unrighteous,
to bring you to God.
He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
What do James Bond, Ferris Bueller and Zeus Have in Common?
When one considers the longevity, luxury and l'amour. Honestly, we run together so many life stories, books, literature and Buckle our seatbelts movie bumpy ride adventures. Zeus had more longevity - rock on in rock, paper, scissors. James, James Bond asurreedly carried scissors. Ferris Bueller, paper, covers the L'amour.
Zeus answers a lot of questions about the eternal elbows out, self/self promotion theology.
Light, Love, Family, Endurance and Rock Solid Love define Jesus Christ, God's Own Nature.
God created, saying, "Let There Be Light." And then God said this to Paul. The last of the Disciples to meet Jesus. And in this magnificence, Paul went blind and could see Jesus Who Heals Us All. Blessed are the eyes who do not see, and yet believe.
God sent forth Peter to the Jews and Paul to the Gentiles. And in reuniting God's Good Creation with Jesus Christ, the protestant world lost something of the outstanding Beauty of Jesus Christ reflected in Peter.
We've looked at Matthew, Mark and John. Some of Luke.
Consider, deeply consider, Jesus said faith is unseen. For 2,000 years we have reflected on God's Love filling Paul with all the amazing love Paul pours forth in God's Beloved. Us. The astonishing Love our Father God has for us - fragile as flowers in history - God finds mankind reflecting God's own Light.
Peter is not passed over as a ninny. Peter is not a Scholar, Peter is told by Andrew (his brother) in John 1 = the Messiah is doing Messiah miracles and The Christ of God has arrived. Peter is told. We need to see what Father God sees in Peter. And we will be blessed, and blessed and blessed. Peter has moved his family
John 1:44
Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.
The Archaeology of Capernaum shows Peter and Andrew owned the largest home in Capernaum and the only house with plaster walls. Where the House Church put up graffiti to give Glory to God. Peter found in Capernaum a place to feed the Roman grown Judea.
This was great reasoning because the fertile fields of Capernaum and Northern Galilee would feed Israel undisturbed until 1300 A.D. Northern Galilee is the Land of Milk and Honey for fields and fishing. Peter has shown wisdom with Andrew to move Peter, Andrew, Peter's wife and Peter's wife's mother. Peter and Andrew nourish each other as family.
Peter's life explains immediately Peter is not a Scholar, yet he is like Simeon, (Luke 2) Peter expects to see God. He is prepared to see God's Purpose. Peter encounters God in his own chosen Hometown.
Peter becomes like the Shepherds of Luke 2. He moves to be part of God's Plan. He is like Abraham, Peter moves to Rome to live in God's Purposes for Peter. He follows Jesus' Plan for Peter to build His Church upon the Rock in Rome. Peter wants to live and move and have God's Word dwell in him. The Words, Peter tells Jesus, have Life. David explained in the Psalms, he had come to do the Words of Jesus.
Psalm 40:7
Then I said, "Here I am, I have come-- it is written about me in the scroll.
Peter, like the Brothers of Jesus, travel with his wife. And Peter, doing the Commandment of Jesus to Love one another finds a son in Mark.
Peter is like Hezekiah, yet Peter knows enough to be diligent and be Jonah putting a place for Jesus while vanishing. What is seen is transient. What is unseen is eternal. Jonah knew to complain to God when Jonah didn't understand. Peter if found complaining to the incredibly Risen Messiah of God in John 21. Glorious Jesus Christ and Graciously preparing fish for a meal, Peter acts as Job and asks Jesus, "Why Your Plan?"
Would there be a worse time to complain? EVER? God interweaves all things for Good. We learn the Scriptures are real, so real. The Blind men calling out to Jesus were told to sit down and be quiet. Peter explains Peter's purpose in the middle of explaining his audacious questions. The Disciples would turn children away from Jesus Christ. Tell Blind men to hush. Bother Jesus at the Glory of Returning from the Transfiguration. And not one of them asked Peter to be quiet.
Peter is asking the questions they want to know. Peter has just displayed his own wisdom in not trying to walk on water to Jesus for the second time, but he is displaying his gift to be able to help mankind know what God's Purpose is. God displays His Goodness in not letting Peter sink, but immediately has always helped a sinful Peter. Peter is not a rock star Scholar, but Peter explains mankind and the needs of regular people.
Peter's life explains why Zeus is a failure as a god. And Peter's life is going to put this all in focus. Peter can complain to God and God will care enough to want to fix a meal for His people and to prepare a Kingdom in eternity. The Scriptures are real. Peter has the God Given ability, the God Given Gift to capture and explain what those near to Jesus long to ask. Peter a Scholar? No. Peter is a Jonah. Peter vanishes, but the life of Peter in Rome propels the people of Rome to want to know Jesus Christ. Peter has build where Hezekiah "Jesus" can remain. Peter is answering the person to on fire person with the Holy Spirit questions. Glory and Heart Felt Recognition of God's Love in Jesus Christ.
The Population of the City of Rome was about a million people. No city would reach this size again until 1900 London. What would the people of Rome need with Jesus? Weren't they filled in all the joy of amazing wealth and trade and power?
What was Peter seeing?
Peter was to bring down the gods. The gods were known to be lukewarm. Surely a Roman lukewarm people would not want to know the Stoic and Judgemental God of The Old Testament. Why know a Fisherman Carpenter Crucified??? The gods understood violence and power. Why not admire the lukewarm gods?
My son Alexander had a wonderful job while at Baylor University. He worked for Professor Nathan Elkins, who recently wrote a book, available on Amazon, on the Emperors of Rome and the Colosseum.
Lukewarm and Power.
Nero destroyed the body of Peter, Disciple of Jesus. But Nero destroyed the homes of inner city Rome. The houses of the elite and powerful. He destroyed Peter who spoke of Love. Nero took the destroyed homes of the long known Romans in the middle of Rome and he built himself a 200 acre palace, even roofing the lakes of Rome. And if one of the goddesses of Fortune Temple didn't burn, Nero roofed the temple and put it in his palace.
Nero had a wooden amphitheater pre-dating the Colosseum. And we find Rome lived in the same manner as the Caste System of India. The Emperor would make sure the sunlight stayed on him. But the caste system made sure that the Senatorial class, the equestrian class and each class did not mingle at all. Even if the priests of the temples invited guests, the guests did not mingle from class to class.
Mary knew of what she was speaking. The Scriptures are so real. The Disciples were asking Jesus in Acts 1 when Israel would be saved. God had more in mind.
Luke 2
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
1 Peter 3:15
In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect
The Slave class in Rome was huge. No hope in life but to know labor and suffering.
1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
1 Peter 2:24
"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."
Jesus cared. Jesus knew we know within ourselves to honor God Himself. When the gods didn't care if someone had divorced, married, been left, betrayed - Jesus would address real issues with mercy. Because Jesus is the Son of God. His exact nature.
In money, power mad Rome, money was the goal. Parenting - not always lasting or caring deeply.
1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
God Himself, believes in the wisdom of His creation - mankind and will remind us to be wise.
1 Peter 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
The muck of maintaining power and place. Jesus wanted those who felt the burden to feel His Love.
Romans knew what it was to be ill, to have deformity, to be limited in health. To be marked. To be lame. To be broken. Jesus was healing All.
1 Peter 4:10
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms
In God's Love, talents and gifts were found and appreciated. To be celebrated and enjoyed.
1 Peter 3:5
For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves. They submitted themselves to their own husbands
Women in Rome had been honored as dignified keepers of family and valor. Now women were traded for money, for governmental alliances. Jesus was restoring what Romans had known of God adorning women. Jesus has always been our advocate.
God would give His Son?
1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Sincerity over gain.
1 Peter 1:22
Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth
so that you have sincere love for each other,
love one another deeply, from the heart.
2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life
through our knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and goodness.
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life
through our knowledge of him
who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Romans competed. For honors, for employment, for inheritance.
2 Peter 3:15
Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
2 Peter 1:10
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.
For if you do these things, you will never stumble
The City of Rome could be very violent.
2 Peter 2:9
If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials
and to hold the unrighteous for punishment
on the day of judgment
Why were the people of Rome interested in what Jesus would say? The same reason Peter followed Jesus.
John 1
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”
48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe?
You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you,[m] you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Peter and the people of Rome really saw Greater Things.
Abba,
You have told us You daily restore Your Mercies. You overcome the world.
Thank You Jesus takes our hearts and we are made unafraid.
You have given us the Words of Life, we will be Justified with Faith and Believe in God in Jesus Christ. God's Peace is complete assurance in the Love, Mercy, Power and Glory of Your Word and Your Kingdom and Your Love.
The Peace of God will Rule our hearts, we will be one Body of Jesus Christ and be thankful.
The Purpose of God will Stand.
In the Forgiveness of God, we will receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The Word of God is complete and Jesus will fill every dot and iota.
We will ask God for His Will to be done on earth as in Heaven. And we will rejoice in His Delivery and The Kingdom of God, His Power and His Glory.
Cover us all in the Name of Jesus. Our families, to bless the people You have given us, filling our loved ones to the Nation - Trusting in God.
Rejoicing with all God's Good Creation to celebrate God's Love as we pray in the Name of Jesus.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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