Meeting Peter and John

By Gary C. Hampton 2012

I. Introduction
A. If you were charge of starting a new nation and you would have great leaders, who would you choose?
1. Renowned people or ordinary men?
2. Jesus chose common men.
B. Peter and John
1. Peter and John were present at the transfiguration and saw Jarius’ daughter raised.
2. In the garden of Gethsemane they were there. They were present during Jesus’ trial.
II. Peter
A. Son of Jonah
B. Fisherman (Matt. 4:18)
C. Andrew brought Peter to Christ (John 1:41). If Peter was the bonfire of the church, then Andrew was the match.
D. Called Cephas (John 1:42)
E. Called to be fishers of men (Matt. 4:19)
F. He made two most significance words to the Lord:
1. John 6:68-69
a. He was the first to declare that Jesus has the words of eternal life.
b. He believed and knew it.
2. Matt. 16:16
G. He had failings; he was just a man.
1. Matt. 14:30 he sank because of doubt.
2. Matt. 16:22 quite a contrast between his good confession and bad transgression.
3. Matt. 26:33 he boasted about his loyalty.
a. He cut the ear of Malchus
b. He stood a far and was with the unbelievers, and in front of them he denied whom he confessed.
c. In the shores of Galilee in John 21, he did not speak anything until the Lord spoke to him for three times.
H. Peter: great man, but still man.
III. John
A. The unnamed disciple. He must be the unnamed disciple together with Andrew.
B. He was a fisherman.
C. Son of Zebedee.
D. Sons of Thunder with James.
E. John like Peter had failings:
1. Mark 9:38 He questioned those who cast out demons. Lesson: even the very small thing done for His name is even praise worthy.
2. Luke 9:51 he was quick-tempered. The Samaritans opposed Jesus because Jesus was not going to Gezirim but in Jerusalem; “I’m
not a destroyer, but a Savior.”
3. Mark 10:35 he was ambitious, desiring to sit at Jesus’ hand
4. Mark 10:41 he incited jealousy.
F. John: great man, but still man.
IV. It is Peter and it is John
A. Peter
1. Who was the first to announce the gospel in its fullest to the Jews and the Gentiles.
2. Who was an apostle and an elder, serving as a shepherd and under Shepherd of Jesus.
3. Who wrote to the 12 tribes of Diaspora.
4. Who anticipated the day of scoffers, and declared that the Lord will come.
B. John
1. Who was the son of Thunder and also the apostle of love.
2. Who deals with a very few days with the Lord and brings us John 20:31
3. Who writes so tenderly in 1 John 2:1-2
4. Who said very clearly that he wrote epistles that people may know they have eternal life.
5. Who was exiled in the island of Patmos and set forth clearly the glory of Christ.
6. Who let us know that there is a fountain of which we may drink freely.
V. Conclusion:
A. Jesus used ordinary men, there’s no doubt about it, in extraordinary ways.
B. You and I may consider ourselves ordinary people; God can use us in extraordinary ways.
C. Eph. 3:20-21; Peter and John are exemplars of that passage.
D. Did Jesus go beyond whatever they could ever imagine concerning themselves? I suspect He did, and for us, I believe, that he will.

Rizaldy M. Ferrer
Feb. 7, 2012