Sermon Notes

Matthew 4 18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 16 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
John 21 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.”
2 Peter 14 Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him . . . 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
(New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, NRSVue)
Matthew 4 18-20 Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.
Matthew 16 16 Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17-18 Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
John 21 15 After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.” 17-18 Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.”
2 Peter 14-15 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, refers to this in all his letters . . . Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes! (The Message, MSG)

Peter, the brother of Andrew and son of Jonah, is one of the most colorful, gregarious, and consequential characters within the canonized New Testament. He is debatably the most well-known of Jesus’ twelve disciples, his spirit-filled leadership within the post-Pentecost Jerusalem Church is unchallenged, and Christian tradition credits him as the pillar upon which Christendom rests—after all the Roman Catholic Church honors him as the first bishop of Rome, and the literal foundation of the papacy. However, Peter is also remembered in text and tradition as the disciple who rebuked Jesus for predicting his own execution on the cross, denied Jesus three times on the night he was arrested, and cussed while doing it; and abandoned the Messiah and ministry he pledged himself to when he went back to fishing after Jesus died.
Without question, Peter is a central figure of early Christianity. And depending on whose perspective you subscribe to—canonical gospels, apocryphal gospels, or church tradition—Peter is either the most devoted of disciples or the most unlikely person to continue Jesus’ work. Perhaps that’s why people like him so much. He is so human. He is conflicted, brash, impetuous, boisterous, and often speaks before thinking, just like us. But, Peter also has a sincerity of spirit and hunger for God that his character flaws cannot diminish, just like us.
Above all, Peter is the personification of what it means to go through the stages of Christian maturity. In the beginning, he is a babe without footing or wisdom, carelessly tossed back and forth by ignorance, a lack of faith, his embedded theology, and a misunderstanding of the scriptures and Jesus’ identity and purpose. However, by the end of his life, he is a bold, courageous, powerful proclaimer of the gospel, undeterred by circumstance and full of mature faith that has been tested and found resolute. He is the epitome of Christian growth and mature Christian discipleship.

The biblical texts that provide us a glimpse into Peter’s process of Christian growth for this week’s lesson hail primarily from the Gospel of Matthew, and the Gospel of John. (The 2 Peter text is a concluding thought). According to the late New Testament scholar Dr. Matthew Joseph Brown, Matthew constructs the story of Jesus through several thematic thrusts that focus on discipleship. First and foremost, Jesus is presented as a master teacher—emphasizing teaching as the foundation which forms and matures productive disciples who understand that nurturing God’s kingdom/kindom is paramount.
Second, Matthew employs miracle stories as a framework for key aspects of discipleship functioning as an outgrowth of God’s kingdom/kin-dom. Third, Matthew emphasizes “superabundant righteousness” meaning the words and deeds of disciples radically exceed normal expectations. For Matthew, Christian maturity is the byproduct of a journey that evidences an ongoing commitment to Jesus that not only stands the test of time, but also works to make God kingdom/kindom a reality.
In the Gospel of John, Christian growth is signified by a willingness to recognize and believe in Jesus Christ, and then act on that belief. According to New Testament scholar Francisco Lozada Jr., John can be understood as a “journey that leads Jesus, the protagonist in the story, from one event to another while moving characters to various responses of recognition and nonrecognition of his role as the Christ. A key aspect of recognizing Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ is not only belief, but also the willingness to take up the task of feeding God’s people, whom the Johannine writer characterizes as “lambs and sheep.”

Matthew 4 18-20 Walking along the beach of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw two brothers: Simon (later called Peter) and Andrew. They were fishing, throwing their nets into the lake. It was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions, but simply dropped their nets and followed.
In the opening verses of the lesson text, we explore Peter from the Matthean perspective. In this version of the disciples’ call story, only four “would-be” disciples are mentioned two pairs of brothers: Simon and Andrew, and James and John. When Jesus calls out to Simon and Andrew, they immediately drop their nets and follow Jesus. This is a key characteristic of someone who is ready to grow in their faith—they follow the Lord without question.
Normally, in Jewish culture disciples chose their Rabbi. However, in this case, Jesus initiates the “choosing.” Jesus calls the men from their chosen profession of fishing into a ministry where they will fish for men and women. Their collective call illustrates the disruptive and restorative impact of God’s kingdom/kin-dom. As Jesus initiates his public ministry he invites the “roughest of the rough” to become part of his work. Whereas Peter and Andrew were originally engaged in a subsistence fishing economy that fueled the Roman Empires’ imperialistic and socio-economic interests, Jesus invites them into a new community and new purpose that seeks to “catch” people who will fuel a new heavenly reign.
Jesus called persons who were willing to learn what he had to teach them, and were ready to leave everything behind in order to accept their call to ministry. On their journey to mature disciples, both Peter and Andrew evidenced an openness to God’s move in their lives, even though it disrupted their lives. The brothers were doing important work—fishing put food in mouths and earned them a living. However, Jesus disrupts their agendas, their professions, their lives to call them to something greater.
This reminds us that God will interrupt, even disrupt our lives to call us to our Divine purpose and assignment. When we receive that call, we must respond in the affirmative. Matthew presents Peter and Andrew as people who already have a kernel of faith that fuels their obedience. This is the radical faith—radical righteousness—that Matthew’s Gospel seeks to illuminate. When we are called by God to follow, like Peter and Andrew, we must say, “Yes, Lord!”
Matthew 16 16 Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17-18 Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.
It is important to note that Matthew 16:17-19 is unique to the Gospel of Matthew—meaning these verses do not appear in the other gospel writings. This fact is crucial to understanding what the Matthean writer is saying about Peter that the other gospels do not say. As revealed in earlier chapters of Matthew, Peter plays a significant role in Matthew’s gospel. Therefore, it does not come as a surprise that Matthean writer presents his confession as the foundation upon which Jesus will build his ekklesia—or church. This means the “called out” ones. In Greek, Peter’s name is petros, which is similar to “petra,” the word for rock. Thus, Jesus affirms that he will build his ekklesia upon Peter’s confession that Jesus of Nazareth is the expected Messiah. It is important to note that Matthew is the only gospel writing to employ the term ekklesia for followers of Jesus.
Some scholars see Peter as a New Testament parallel to Abraham in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament—whose name was changed from Abram once he became the father of nations. Like Abraham, Peter becomes a father of many peoples as he becomes a bedrock of the early church. However, it is important to note that while Peter is the “rock” upon which the church will be built, Jesus is the builder. When Jesus says, “on this profession will I build my church and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it,” he makes it clear that this is his church. Further, because Hades is considered to be the realm of the dead and the gateway from which Satan emerges to attack the church, when Jesus affirms the “gates of Hades will not prevail against it,” he declares the Church cannot be defeated by any earthly or Satanic forces. Although earthly and hellish kingdoms may seek to thwart the kingdom/kin-dom of God, they are doomed to eternal failure.
John 21 15 After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Master, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.” 17-18 Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.”
In these verses of the lesson text, is Jesus asks Peter three questions that plumb the depth of his commitment as a disciple and his Christian growth: ”do you love me?” The theme of love dominates this narrative through the use of two words, agape and phileo, which both mean “love.” Jesus’ command to “feed my lambs” and “shepherd my sheep,” describe the instructions that Jesus is leaving for Peter—as the pastoral leader of the early Church—the disciples, and everyone who will come to proclaim the name of Jesus and become part of the ekklesia.
In verses 15, 16, and 17, when Peter answers Jesus’ queries with “you know,” his responses evidences the spiritual knowledge and maturity that he has gained while journeying with Jesus from Caesarea Phillipi to now. As a matured believer, his mind is on the responsibilities and cost of discipleship. Further, Peter’s affirmations of love for Jesus, coupled with his pastoral assignment, demonstrate that Jesus has forgiven him for his denial. With this act, Jesus models to the burgeoning church that forgiveness is a non-negotiable requirement of everyone who is an authentic disciple of Jesus.
2 Peter 14-15 So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace. Interpret our Master’s patient restraint for what it is: salvation. Our good brother Paul, who was given much wisdom in these matters, refers to this in all his letters . . . 18 Grow in grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Yes!
In the final verses of the fourth lesson text, a pseudonymous author invokes Peter’s apostolic authority to address issues concerning Christ’s delayed second coming. This was not written by Peter the apostle because it post-dates Peter’s martyrdom by decades. It was written well after Peter’s death. As with many New Testament writings, people wrote in other people’s names so their message would be read and positively received.
Because Jesus had not returned, some early Christians were becoming lax in their ethical behavior. In verses 14-15, the writer says Christians should interpret Jesus delay as an opportunity for growth, not a license to do whatever they want. The writer then insists that Paul teaches something similar in his letters. Verse 18—a final encouragement to remain strong in faith, concludes with a doxology to Jesus. This underscores the writer’s concern that Christians should exhibit growth in their maturity and knowledge.

i. Michael Joseph Brown, “Matthew” in Brian Blunt, et al, True to Our Native Land: An African American Commentary, (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007), 86.
ii. The Westminster Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition with the Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books (Westminster John Knox: Kindle Edition), 4727.
iii. Warren Carter, “Matthew” in Gale A. Yee’s Fortress Commentary on the Bible: Two Volume Set (Kindle Edition), p. 2385-2386.
iv. Mary L. Coloe, John 11-21: Wisdom Commentary Series Book 44 (Liturgical Press: Kindle Edition), 397