To Whom Shall We Go?

Such a pertinent and crucial question from Peter. He rightly understands that apart from Christ we have no hope. Apart from Christ to whom shall we go to for salvation? Who will cleanse us from our sins? Who is able to make us right with God? Who can solve the desperate broken nature of the world? None but Christ. In this incredible moment, Peter understands. Christ has the words of eternal life. Christ alone.

"Then Simon Peter answered him, "Lord to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of eternal life" (John 6.68,KJV)

Boisterous Winds

I love the way the KJV translates Matt 14.30 where Peter walks on water—for a second or two. The KJV says, when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid. Whether or not the term "boisterous" should be in the text is not that crucial (the ESV does not have an adjective about the wind). I think it is a fantastic description of exactly what gripped Peter at the moment. He—in his all too human way—became more concerned about the boisterous winds and waves around him, then he did keeping his eyes fixed on Christ. (I'm not throwing stones here, I read this story and Peter is me!).

I also find it interesting that Peter only starts to sink. Even though his doubts have overcome his faith for the moment, Christ still saves him. It's a beautiful picture of grace.

May boisterous winds and waves not prevent us from keeping our eyes on Christ!

Revealed by the Father

In Matthew 16.16,17, this morning. When Peter declares you are the Christ, the son of the Living God. Jesus tells him that this knowledge did not come from men, it was revealed by my Father who is in heaven.

Quite a profound statement here. I take from this that, if we are to reach people with the gospel, the drawing back of the curtain that leaves them in darkness must come from God the Father. We have no power in ourselves for people to understand this because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you. O that we would beseech God the Father to open the eyes of the blind to see the truth!

Grace Bears Us

In contrast to the Mosaic law which was, as Peter said, A yoke neither we, nor our fathers could bear; Christ's yoke is easy and his burden is light. This is because the construction material of Christ's yoke is grace.

As an anonymous commentator on Matt 12.30 put it so well, We do not bear grace; grace bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid us.

Which recalls to mind lyrics from one of Derek Webb's songs, Awake My Soul: This grace gives me fear, and this grace draws me near, and all that it asks it provides.

I'd say he got that right.

Eyewitnesses to the Resurrection

So Peter describes both himself and the rest of the disciples in Acts 2.32. Christ has been gone only about 50 days and central to the testimony and preaching of his followers is that he rose from the dead; that he is not in the grave, but ascended into heaven and will return. Christ's followers will never change their testimony. He has risen; they were eyewitnesses of that fact.

Called to Suffer

Peter is quite clear in 1 Pet 2.21, we are called to suffer if we are true followers of Christ. No one wants to suffer. We are not Christian masochists. This is simply the reality of being who we are. The world hates us. We will suffer. As one commentator puts it:

Peter does not ask us to view suffering as inevitable in the world under the curse. He does not ask for stoic resignation. A life of suffering is our calling, not our fate. It is our calling just because we are God’s people. It is our calling because it was Christ’s calling. He calls his disciples to follow him.