COME TO THE LORD’S SUPPER

COME TO THE LORD’S SUPPER

By Jeannie Horton Life Christian University student

INTRODUCTION

Taken from the book Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul, some lighthearted humor regarding Communion:

• While visiting his aunt in Columbus, Mississippi, a second-grader attended the local Methodist church with her. After they knelt at the altar and partook of the Communion, bread, and wine, the boy asked, "Aunt Audrey, is that all we'll have to eat up in heaven?" 
•  A boy overheard his parents talking about going to the Lord's Supper and told his brother, "I hope we have chicken!" (Canfield, Hansen, Aubery, and Mitchell 225, 226 )

In my home, as our kids were growing up, I always prepared dinner for my family, and we ate at the kitchen table together every night. As my two girls grew into their teenage years, life has been busier, but we still eat together most nights. It’s always been our way of getting together to eat a meal, enjoying each other’s company, and discussing the day’s events. Every week, churches around the world partake in a meal together, the Lord’s Supper. It has a few different names, but the meaning is the same. It is a special time for the Body of Christ to fellowship with one another in remembrance of Christ and all that He has done for us. In my church, we partake of communion the first Sunday of each month. We eat a gluten-free cracker and drink grape juice from a small cup. Communion is a way the Body of Christ shares together, prayerfully remembering the reason of partaking of the elements: Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and all that He has done for us in a manner that honors Him.

I. WHAT IS THE LORD’S SUPPER

“Do this in remembrance of me.” Every time we partake in communion, we should remember the words of Jesus to His disciples. Communion is more than eating a gluten-free cracker and having a small amount of juice at church. It’s a sacred act to remember all that Christ has done for us. It is a time to come together with the Body of Christ in remembrance and thanksgiving with a heart full of love for Christ and each other.  

The word Communion means “a sharing of the Body of Christ by eating and drinking the bread and wine together, discerning the physical body of Christ as our sacrifice and as members of His Body, individually, honoring one another” (Wommack 6).

Communion has several different names: It is called the Lord's Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:20, from Mathew 26:27 it is called giving thanks or the Eucharist, breaking of bread in Acts 2:42, cup of blessing in 1 Corinthians 10:16, and the Lord's Table in 1 Corinthians 10:21.

Communion was instituted (set in motion) at Passover, on the night that Christ was betrayed and arrested. He told His disciples that He is the bread of life and that whoever comes to Him would have eternal life. He commanded His disciples to partake of communion in remembrance of Him, and His promise of eternal life and His second coming:

Then He broke it in pieces and said, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me.” In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and His people-an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:24-26).

The bread represents Christ’s body that was given to us. The cup represents His blood and the new covenant that is between God and the body of Christ. Communion represents the forgiveness of sin; His blood has brought salvation to us. He is asking us to remember Him and His sacrifice often with thanksgiving for all that He is and has done for us.

II. REASONS WE CELEBRATE THE LORD’S SUPPER

We celebrate the Lord’s Supper, partaking of the bread and wine, as a way to remember and proclaim the death of Christ. We remember Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the new covenant between God and us. In the book of Jeremiah, the new covenant was prophesied:

“But this is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord. ‘For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know Me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” (Jeremiah 31:33-34).

This verse is saying that we no longer have the old covenant. The days of the animal sacrifices that only covered our sins are now gone. We now have a new and better covenant; we have right standing with God because of Jesus’ death on the cross and remission of sin. With the new covenant, our sins are forgiven and forgotten, and we are now in close fellowship with God through His Spirit.  His written word is no longer written on stone tablets but is now written on our hearts. Gone are the days of disunity for we are living under a new and better covenant. It has all been banished with Jesus’ death. Our sin nature is gone, and our debt is paid.

We partake in communion with each other as the body of Christ as a way to fellowship with one another. Fellowshipping was important to the early church as we see in the book of Acts “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, and to sharing the meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). The scripture goes on to say that the people met together daily, breaking bread and praising God.

We also partake in communion in anticipation of Christ’s return. Jesus promises to come back in John 14:1-3, stating that He has prepared a place for us. But, only the Father knows of when Christ’s second coming will be. We are to be ready, alert, and watchful of His return, living a life that is holy, and pleasing to God.

III. HOW TO COME TO THE LORD’S SUPPER

Communion is such a special time with the Lord that we share with our family in Christ. When we come to the Lord’s Table, we should do four things:

BE IN REMEMBRANCE

 Remember the reason why communion is important. Remember the reason that Christ commanded it: as a way to remember His sacrifice, His bloodshed so that we can have forgiveness of our sin and be in right standing with the Father. Remember His promise that He is coming again soon and we are to prepare for His return. Be reminded of His love for you. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). God’s Spirit dwelling on the inside of us is a gift bought by a price for the redemption of sin. He indwells believers to intercede with the Father, ministering to us, teaching, helping, giving power, producing good fruit (attributes of a person), and gives gifts all for the good of the body of Christ.

EXAMINE YOURSELF

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 27-32 to examine ourselves before we partake in communion. Ask God to show you any areas of your life that are not pleasing to Him, then ask for forgiveness and repent of those things. Ask yourself if you are in unforgiveness toward anyone and repent of that. We should examine our faith and the reasons we are partaking in communion. God warned us about partaking in communion in a mindless, empty ritualistic way. Instead, we should intentionally set aside time, examine our faith in Christ, and remember the reason Jesus called us to partake of the elements.

PARTAKE WITH LOVE

Communion in the early church was being done in the wrong spirit. Paul warned them about coming together for communion in an unworthy manner. The people were getting together but were being neglectful toward one another. People had been getting together for “Love Feasts.” They were having potlucks but only bringing food only for themselves and not sharing with others. People, who were poor, didn’t bring anything and they went hungry. While others were overeating, and even getting drunk on wine. They were in division and being neglectful towards the body of Christ. Paul was telling them that their actions were dishonoring God. He wanted them to learn that the Lord’s Supper was about sharing and fellowshipping with one another together in unity. “When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body” (1 Corinthians 10:17). We have been united together through Christ and are to love one another just as Christ loved us for we are one body in Christ. Partake of communion in unity: be in forgiveness, be merciful, looking out for one another, putting each other’s interests above our own. We are all the same in Christ, and He called us to love one another.

PARTAKE OFTEN

Communion was done frequently in the early church, 1 Corinthians 11:25-26 says to do it often in remembrance of Christ. We too should do as the early church did and partake of communion often. When we do, remember all that Jesus did for us, the reason that he died, and we should be in thanksgiving towards His provision.

CONCLUSION

Come to the Lord’s Table in remembrance with love, joy, awe, sincere gratitude, and high esteem for Christ. Communion is truly a special and sacred time. It’s more than eating a gluten-free cracker and a little juice. The next time you partake in communion; don’t be in a hurry to take the elements. Instead, slow down. Take the time to remember its true meaning, the reason Jesus commanded us to partake. Remember all that Christ did for us so that we could have right standing with God and be in fellowship with Him. God is love, and Christ willingly died for us. Take the time to examine your Christian walk, and search your heart. Ask God if there is anything in your life that is not pleasing to Him. Think of those you are in a relationship with and ask yourself if you have any unforgiveness towards anyone. Is there anyone that could use more of your love, mercy, and grace that God so freely bestows to you? Think of Jesus and His love for you. Remember all of His goodness. Jesus didn’t have to die, He could have come down from the cross, but He chose to die for you. He took on the sins of the world so that we could have right standing with the Father once again. That is love; He is love. He loves you. Thank Him for His mercy and His grace.

SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

1/20/2019 By Jeannie Horton Life Christian University Student

Title: SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN

Topic: Forgiving Others So You Can Be Forgiven

Introduction:

1.  How many of you have read the book the Bait of Satan by John Bevere? It’s an excellent book on forgiveness, and I suggest everyone take the time to read it. As I read the following excerpt taken from the book, I don’t want you to run away thinking you’re in big trouble with the Lord. But, I want you to think about the message and take what I’m about to say seriously. It reads: I heard an unusual testimony about a minister in the Philippines. Friends of mine who had known him from a previous ministry showed me an article telling about his experiences. The man had resisted the call of God on his life for several years because of his business success. He was making a large amount of money. His disobedience eventually caught up with him, and he was rushed to the hospital because of heart failure. He died on the operating table and found himself outside the gates of heaven. Jesus was standing there and dealt with him about his disobedience. The man pleaded with the Lord that if He would extend his life, he would serve Him. The Lord consented. Before sending him back to his body, the Lord showed him a vision of hell. He saw his wife's mother burning in the flames of hell. He was amazed. She had said the "sinner's prayer," confessed to being a Christian and had attended church. "Why is she in hell?" he asked the Lord. The Lord told him that she had refused to forgive a relative and therefore cannot be forgiven.

2. Everything in the Bible is true and should never be taken lightly. If you stop and think about it, how many of you would want God to forgive you in the same way that you forgive those who wronged you? Be honest. There are so many people in this world, even in the church that are in unforgiveness towards someone. You don’t need to raise your hands, but how many of you can honestly say that you are mad at someone right now? Forgiving someone can be difficult. It forces us to think about and deal with something that is painful or upsetting. It forces us to be gracious towards someone who has been unkind. It also forces us to walk in forgiveness towards someone when we’d rather turn away in avoidance. But, God forgave us of our sins so we could have right standing with Him. So, He has called us to do the same and forgive others.

Proposition: God’s commandment to forgive others as He forgave us isn’t always easy, but the rewards are significant to our Christian walk.

Interrogative sentence: What does it mean to forgive someone and what are the steps?
Transitional sentence: As we dig deeper into this topic of forgiveness, we are going first to discuss what forgiveness is, what it isn’t and then finally your steps to take.

I. WHAT FORGIVENESS IS

            a. Forgiveness is the foundation of the Bible and a pillar of Christian character. It says in Matthew 6: 14-15, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” When God says to forgive others, or He will not forgive you, this needs to be taken pretty seriously. God has forgiven us for our wrongdoing by sending His son who was completely innocent, to die on the cross so we could be in right standing with the Father. This is forgiveness, and we are to forgive like He does. Mathew 18 tells the story of the unforgiving debtor. The story teaches us about how God forgives us: graciously, mercifully, and quickly. It also shows us the effects of being in unforgiveness. The first debtor in the story owed the man 10,000 talents which is millions of dollars. The man could not pay, so the master ordered that his wife and children be sold into slavery to pay back the debt. But the man begged the master for forgiveness. The master forgave him, released him, and the debt that was owed.  The second debtor owed the first debtor just a few thousand dollars. The first debtor would not forgive the man. In his anger, he even had him thrown into prison where he couldn’t even work to pay back what he owed.   When the master found out what the first debtor had done to the man, he became furious, calling the man evil. He says to the man in starting in verse 32, “I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?” The master then threw the man in prison.

God knew that we could not buy back our debt of sin, so He bought it back for us in His mercy and grace. He forgave us while we were still sinners by sending His only Son Jesus to redeem the world of their sins so we can have right standing with Him again. We can never repay Him.

            b. Forgiveness is taking the time to heal. You do not have to forgive quickly. Forgiveness can be difficult, and some offenses can be harder than others. If someone cuts you off in traffic, it might be easier to forgive them than a friend who has hurt you badly. Just because I want to take the necessary steps to forgive doesn’t mean I’m going to be able to do it overnight. Depending on the offense, I’ll need to work with God in faith to help me properly and fully forgive someone who has hurt me. I remember when I was hurt by another, in my steps to forgive; I had someone harshly say to me, “Why don’t you just get over it already?” But, the pain doesn’t usually go away immediately. But if you work with God, over time the effects will lessen, and you will be on the path to healing, wholeness, and true forgiveness.       

c. Forgiveness is recognizing that being in unforgiveness is a sin. God commands us to forgive. Ephesians 4:32 says: “Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Being in unforgiveness only hurts you, not the other person. My pastor Jared once said, “Being in unforgiveness is like swallowing a whole bunch of rat poison but expecting the rat to die.”  Don’t waste your life being angry. Do what God has instructed you, forgive, and be blessed. Ephesians 4:26 says not to let the sun go down on your anger. I always used to think this verse meant you wouldn’t sleep well because you are so mad, thinking about what happened instead of sleeping. I mean perhaps that's very true, but it also has to do with the fact that you are opening a door for the devil and his attacks through anger and unforgiveness. Because unforgiveness breaks fellowship with God, work with God to be able to repent of it and let it go.

Transition: Forgiveness is a pillar of our Christian character, it is a commandment of God, and being in unforgiveness is a sin. Now we will look at what it isn’t.

II. WHAT FORGIVENESS ISN’T

            a. Forgiveness is not forgetting the offense. Some people think that if you’re going to forgive, then you need to forget. This isn’t fair, and it’s impossible. Only God is able to forget. It says in Isaiah 43:25, “I yes, I alone will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.”  Forgiveness is spiritual. Just because we remember the wrong done, doesn’t mean we should allow our thoughts to keep us in bitterness. You need to work with God to forgive another. He is the only one who can bring true healing, repentance, and restoration of the relationship.

b. Forgiveness does not need to reconcile. We are all human, and we are never going to have a perfect relationship with anyone. Just because you have worked with God to forgive someone, doesn’t mean that you will have your relationship reconciled and that’s okay. You need to forgive them, but you don’t need to continue the relationship. You can never force someone to reconcile with you. I was hurt by a family member whom we were once very close. We both were unkind to one another. When we chose to get together and talk about the problem, we did forgive one another. However, our relationship is not the same now, and we only see one another on holidays, and that’s okay. Sometimes God allows for relationships to end perhaps for a season or longer. Matt. 18:15-17 says:

If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.  

This verse is saying if someone has wronged you, go to them in private and talk to them one on one about your hurt and try to reconcile. This scripture doesn’t say to go and tell someone else in gossip. I think when our flesh is hurt; we always want to tell someone about it. This may temporarily make us feel better, but in the long road, it only makes us feel worse and causes more damage. Don’t even go to another and ask them to pray for the other person. It says to go to the person who has sinned against you, making it between the two of you. But, if that person refuses to listen, get a couple of believers to go with you as witnesses, and if that doesn’t work, get the church involved. If the person still refuses to listen, let them go. But let’s be real, it’s uncomfortable to go to someone who has hurt you and admit there’s a problem. I’ve been in the position of being hurt by another, and I knew that I needed to go to them and talk it out, but it didn’t feel right. I tried telling myself that what they did was no big deal and I’ll get over it. But, the truth is, the problem will always linger if not confronted, hurt feelings can get worse, and bitterness sets in. By this point, you’ve given the devil a foothold. So, it is essential if you’re going to have a relationship with anyone, learn to be good at communication and forgiveness.

            c. Forgiveness doesn’t release the person of responsibility. There will always be accountability for sin. The person who hurt you is still responsible for the damage caused by their sin. It’s important to forgive them, but this doesn’t mean they’re off the hook. For example, if a person is married with children, has an affair and gets a divorce. This person still will need to take care of the children. Give the situation over to God and leave it with Him. Psalm 34:19 says, “The righteous person faces many troubles, but the lord comes to the rescue each time.”  And Psalm 138:7 says, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.” Allow God to fight your battles for you.

            d. Forgiveness is not a onetime event. You may need to forgive someone more than once especially in close relationships like family or co-workers. The bible says in Mathew 18 that we should forgive someone 70 times 7. This may sound like a lot, but God has forgiven us probably more than that, and He will continue to do so. We’re only human, and humans make mistakes. In our sin nature, we say things we don’t mean in anger, and we do things without thinking about the consequences: all only to regret later. It’s important as a believer to be diligent learners and doers of the Word and to grow in Christ. In order to be effective Christians, you can’t just read the Bible as quickly as possible. You need to study it and apply it to your life. Ask God to show you anything that isn’t pleasing to Him and work with Him to change as He is the only one who can change you: You cannot change on your own strength, it will not work.

Transition: Forgiveness doesn’t mean you need to forget the offense, it doesn’t mean you need to reconcile, it doesn’t release the person who did you wrong of responsibility, and it isn’t a onetime event. So what are the steps to forgive? We’ll look at that next.

III. STEPS TO FORGIVE

            a. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for help. We are anointed for hard things in the Lord, and He will help you through this. Admit that you have a need and that you need help in forgiveness. God likes a humble heart. Pray for those who have hurt you. You can’t stay mad at someone you’re praying for. Others have hurt me, and it took me quite a long time to fully forgive a few individuals, but I did. With one person, I knew that I was supposed to pray for them, but I was furious, hurt and bitter. This person’s attack went on for too long, and repeatedly. I honestly couldn't say anything in prayer. But I heard God say tell me to say the Lord's Prayer over their life. I did that as a first step, and that's all I could do for quite a while. I still remember what this person had done to me, but I choose not to let the offense have any control over me. I gave it to God, and I let it go.

b. Pray and ask the Lord to bless them. It says in Mathew 5:44 NKJV “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” God is instructing us to pray and ask for our enemies to be blessed. Obey God: repent, forgive (even over and over again), and pray for the other person to be blessed. What do you mean pray for them to be blessed? They hurt me very badly; I don’t want them to be blessed! Yes, pray for them to be blessed because what happens when you pray that they'll be blessed (and mean it), you’re opening the door for God to work through them. God will show them what they did wrong in conviction. God is a restorer. He ultimately wants all relationships to be restored. God forgave us through Jesus, and we are to be imitators of Him.

c. Don’t speak negatively about the person who hurt you. You’re not in true forgiveness if you’re still speaking negatively about the person who hurt you. If you’ve prayed over them, asked the Lord to bless them, and believe you’ve forgiven them, you’re only opening up old wounds if you speak negatively about them. And the more you do, the more old wounds resurface, and you’re just causing damage again. Don’t do it. Negative words, hurtful words wound and it takes many more kind and loving words to make things right again. Negative and unkind words hurt us, the person you are speaking about, and they grieve the Holy Spirit. Every time a negative thought surfaces, push it aside and say something positive. I wonder how many marriages could be saved if instead of condemning, finding fault, and criticizing one another, you made deposits of kindness? If your spouse does something kind for you, say
“thank you, I appreciate what you did.” If they look nice, tell them. If you can’t think of one positive thing about the person who has hurt you, then give thanks to God. Thank the Lord for his goodness, grace, and mercy. Thank Him for restored relationships. Thank Him for forgiving you every time you do something wrong.

d. If the person has a need, meet it. Romans 12:21 says that we overcome evil with good. We fight Satan when we do something good for another. Satan would love it if you got mad, stayed mad and went out and hurt someone else. Don’t! Be a blessing to someone else, even the person who hurt you. If it wouldn’t be wise to do good to those who hurt you, perhaps in situations of abuse, go out and do good to someone else. But, don’t just sit at home being angry, overcome evil with good! Luke 6:33 talks about doing good to those who are good to you that even sinners do that. That’s easy. It’s easy to do good to those who are our friends and who are kind to us. Be like Jesus and do good to those who are not kind to you. Verse 35 goes on to say, “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be great, and you will truly be acting like children of the Most High.” Wow! This verse is saying to love your enemies. Do good to them without expecting anything in return, and in doing so, God will reward you. In the book of Proverbs verse 21-22, it says, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.”

Conclusion

1. Let’s be victorious Christians. Let’s not be like the world, but let’s act like Jesus. Let’s go around looking to be a blessing to everyone, even to the people who use and hurt us. If you follow a few principles of forgiveness and loving others as Christ would, we can be a Light to this lost world. In Jesus’ final moments on the cross, He cried out to God to forgive them for they know not what they do. He demonstrated the greatest act of forgiveness, and we are to follow in His footsteps. Forgiving someone can be very hard, but God has commanded us to do it. Act like children of God and forgive others as He has forgiven you.

2. Say this prayer with me. Dear Lord Jesus, I repent of being in unforgiveness, and I want to make things right with you. I do not want to give the devil a foothold in my life. So I take authority over Satan and take back his power in the name of Jesus. I stand firm in my faith in Jesus. I want to be in obedient to Your word, and I don’t want to break fellowship with You. I truly forgive those that I haven’t forgiven yet. I release them, and I give them over to You. I ask that You would bless them, and give them joy, peace, health, and love. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

SIMON PETER’S CALL OF FAITH

SIMON PETER’S CALL OF FAITH
By Jeannie Horton 

Life Christian University Student

INTRODUCTION

The Apostle Simon Peter’s life is one of the greatest redemption stories ever recorded in the Bible. Like all of us, Peter was Christ’s follower, and through his walk with Jesus, identified himself with Him. He spent many close years with Jesus as His apostle. Peter’s faith grew through his time with Jesus. He learned from Him, watched Him perform many miracles, and healed those in need.  This bold and headstrong fisherman became a fisher of men. He became humble in Christ so that many would come to know Christ through his ministry. Peter was completely heartbroken over his denial of Christ, but this didn’t cancel his identity. His stumble ultimately caused him to come back stronger than ever. Peter’s story is our story. His stumble is our stumble. Peter made a bad mistake, but he sought the Lord’s forgiveness with great humility. Because Christ is love, the Lord only looked at Peter with love. After his fall, the Lord pursued Peter to come back to Him. Peter was able to rebound from his wounds. In his boldness and renewed strength, he went on to do great things in the name of Christ.

I. PETER’S BACKGROUND AND CALL OF FAITH

Peter is the son of John from Bethsaida. In his adulthood, he was a sinful and uneducated fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, now living in Capernaum. His Brother, Andrew was also a fisherman. In John 1:42, Jesus renamed him “Cephas.” Cephas is translated Peter and means “rock.” God knows the beginning from the end. He sees our lives where we will be, not where we are currently if we continue our walk with Him. He knew Peter was not yet a “rock,” but through his growth and maturity he would live up to his name.

The call to follow Jesus is about faith. Whoever Jesus prayerfully chose to follow Him would be in an intense, loving relationship with Him. These twelve chosen apostles’ would have to be willing to suffer persecution and even die for Christ. Jesus wanted Peter to follow Him as His disciple. There are a few examples in the bible of Jesus calling Peter to follow Him. We see this in Mathew 4:19. Here, Jesus told Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him as His disciple. In Luke 5, Peter knew that he was a sinful man, and even told Jesus to go away because he was unworthy to be in His presence! Jesus knew Peter’s heart and called him to follow Him, stating he will be “fishers of men.” His final call was in John 21:19. Jesus called for Peter to follow Him again after His third appearance succeeding his resurrection.

Early in Peter’s walk with Jesus, situations where his faith grew through his maturity:

·         We read from the gospels that Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law from a fever. When Jesus touched her, she instantly got up to serve Jesus.

·         The Sea of Galilee is located in Northern Israel. It is about 8 miles wide and 12 miles long. It is about 700 feet below sea level and is surrounded by hills: the highest point is about 2000 ft. Because of its location, the cold air clashes with the warmer air and creates intense storms. In the book of Mathew, with Jesus in the boat, the disciples made their way to the other side of the Sea of Galilee when a storm came upon them. They were suddenly so afraid and cried out to Jesus to save them. They thought they were going to die. Jesus replied to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?”(Mathew 8:23).

·         After the disciples fed the five thousand in Mathew 14, Jesus ordered the disciples into a boat to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus headed up the mountain to pray alone. In the meantime, the boat was caught in a storm. Jesus saw this and walked on water to the boat. The disciples saw Him and at first were afraid, thinking He was a ghost.  But Jesus spoke to them and reassured them. From the boat, Peter spoke first. “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Hearing Jesus’ voice and encouragement, he stepped towards Him. But, Peter began to be afraid and started to sink. Jesus catches him and says, “O you of little faith, why do you doubt?” (Mathew 14:31). The disciples worshiped Him and were in full faith that it was indeed Jesus.

II. PETER’S STUMBLE AND REBOUND

By the time Peter stumbled, he had a strong relationship with Jesus. They were very close like brothers; Peter’s faith in Him had grown. Jesus loved and admired Peter very much and would do anything for him, and Peter felt the same way. But, Peter makes a heartbreaking mistake that temporarily wounded him. He denied knowing Jesus in a moment of fear.

In Mathew 26:69-75, we read about Peter denying Jesus. Jesus told Peter earlier that he would, even prayed over Peter saying: “That your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith]” (Luke 22:32 AMP). In Jesus’ prayer, He was restoring Peter even before his denial. He is instructing him to strengthen and support the faith of his brother’s in Christ. After spending so much time with Jesus as His apostle and friend, his love for Jesus was very strong. In Peter’s thinking, he could not possibly comprehend the idea that he would deny His Lord and Savior. Peter could not believe that he would ever deny Christ, so he denied what Jesus said. He told Jesus that he was willing to go to prison or even die for Him. But because of his uncontrollable fear in the face of his own safety, that is what Peter did. He had denied Jesus, his Lord, and friend. He immediately felt a lot of pain and sorrow over his actions. After Peter denied Jesus for the third time, Jesus turned to look at Peter. Jesus looked at Peter with only love because love is who Jesus is: 

In that look, Peter saw forgiveness and infinite love. He saw a revelation of Christ that he had never seen before, and it broke his heart to pieces. He wept bitterly but not in despair. It was at that moment that the new Peter began to come forth, the Peter who would less than two months later, preach a sermon on the day of Pentecost that would bring three thousand souls into the kingdom (Lindsay Pg. 194).

In Luke 24:12, Peter was still not only grieving from the death of Jesus, but he was also still wounded from his denial of Him. He felt so much shame over what he had done. When news got to Peter that Jesus was no longer in the tomb, but had been resurrected, Peter ran to the tomb to see for himself. Peter knew from Jesus’ teachings that He would die and would be resurrected.  Peter needed to confirm for himself that it was true.

During Jesus 40 days on the earth after His death and resurrection, there were ongoing appearances of Him. In John 21, after breakfast with the disciples, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Each time Jesus questioned Peter, Jesus replied: “Feed My sheep.” After the third time, Peter was upset that Jesus had asked him for the third time. He finally said to Jesus, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, then feed My sheep” (John 21:17). Jesus had asked Peter three times if he loved Him because Peter denied Jesus three times. Peter was grieved after the third time, not because Jesus asked him if he loved Him three times. He was grieved because of his earlier denial. I believe in Peter’s eyes this was his confirmation that Jesus truly forgave him. His forgiveness gave Peter the strength he needed to continue as Jesus’ apostle to do great things in the name of Christ. Peter’s ministry thus began, and his relationship with Jesus rebounded.

III. PETER IS STRENGTHENED TO SAVE MANY

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He told the disciples to stay and wait for the Promise of the Father. On the day of Pentecost, there was suddenly a loud and violent sound of wind. It came from heaven and filled the whole room in which the disciples had been waiting for the past ten days. Each person received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were strengthened and began to speak in tongues. 

Peter’s quality of being bold and outspoken made him a natural at public speaking. Having been anointed and strengthened in the Holy Spirit, he preached his first sermon to the Jews in Acts 2:14-47. In his sermon, he started by correcting their accusation of saying the disciples who were speaking in tongues as being drunk. He also quoted Joel’s prophecy from Joel 2:28-32. In Joel’s prophesy, he was telling about a time when God will pour out His Spirit upon mankind. Joel said that men will dream dreams, and will prophesy. In Peter’s sermon, he also told of signs and miracles that will happen on the earth as a sign that the Lord is coming. He also boldly accused them of killing Jesus.  He then stated that Jesus has been resurrected and is now at God’s right hand. The words that Peter spoke in his sermon caused remorse and anxiety, and they asked what they should do. He then told them to repent and be baptized: “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away. All who have been called by the Lord our God” (Acts 2:38-39). After Peter’s first sermon, 3000 people were saved. After his second sermon, 5000 people were saved. He was shepherding the others as Jesus requested in John 21.

In Acts 10, God had shown Peter in a vision that he should no longer think of others as unclean: that all people should be treated the same. Peter then preached to his first Gentiles: Cornelius, his family, and friends. He said, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism” (Acts 10:34). He went on to say that God accepts all people who hear and accept the Good News of the gift of salvation. Peter showed the world that non-Jews can be Christians. And the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentiles while Peter was preaching.

Throughout the remainder of Peter’s ministry, he performed miracles and healed people. He was later put in prison during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Even though he was chained to two soldiers, he was miraculously freed by an angel.  The whole time that this was happening, Peter thought it was only a vision, he didn’t think it was actually happening. But, he and the angel kept passing guards on the way out of prison. When Peter was in the clear, the angel left him. Peter then realized the truth, that an angel sent by the Lord had freed him.

During Peter’s ministry, he wrote two letters. The first letter was written about 63-64 AD. He is writing to both Jewish and Gentile believers. In the first letter, he is offering hope and encouragement in the face of their persecution. He’s shepherding his readers so they can live Godly lives as the letter is full of instructions. The second letter of Peter was written in 64-66 AD. In this letter, he writes about becoming mature in Christ, warns about false teachers, and encourages his readers to be ready for Christ’s return. He also warns about all the events that will occur at the end of time. A key verse out of the two letters is: “But you must not forget this one thing dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, he is patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9). The Lord is extraordinary patient. He is love and wants everyone to have the chance to come to repentance and be saved. And this is what the Apostle Peter is saying.

Not much is written in the Bible about Peter’s death. According to Christian tradition, Peter was crucified like Christ was except upside down. Peter requested to be crucified this way because he felt he wasn’t worthy to die the same way as Jesus. The only thing written in scripture about his death is in John 21. Jesus was speaking to Peter:

I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go. Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, Follow me (John 21:18-19).

CONCLUSION

At the conclusion of his writing in 2 Peter, he wrote to his readers to grow spiritually mature in the Lord: this is Peter’s life; he grew and matured in his faith walk with the lord. Peter proved himself. He proved that he was worthy of Christ calling him to follow Him. Peter lived up to his name as the “rock.” Peter’s story is our story. We are all like him. When we accept Christ, we choose to believe the Good News, but we will stumble. God knows that none of us are perfect, but He still chose us. He knows the beginning from the end. God in His great love and mercy is there to pick us back up and place us on our feet. He forgives us! In our walk with Him, we grow in our maturity, and if we align our will with His will, we will go on to do awesome things in the name of Christ. Just like Peter.

Testimony of Jeannie Horton

Jeannie Horton Testimony

Growing up, my parents attended a Methodist church. I never liked going to church because I thought it was boring. I would often pretend that I was sleeping to try and get out of it. But my mother would eventually force me out of bed. My parents made me get baptized when I was 10, along with my two older siblings. At the age of 14 I was a freshman in high school. I was bullied by a group of kids. One girl would not let up. I had so much hatred for her that I lost my peace and joy. I even wanted her dead. I went to sleep one night and God spoke to me in a dream. He said, “It is over!” From then on, I was never bullied again. God was showing me His love. At 15, I started going to a Foursquare Church with my sister and her fiancé and I really enjoyed it. I could feel God’s presence; I felt such peace and joy when I attended church. I was also meeting caring people my age who were passionate about Christ and life.  One evening when getting a ride home, I asked my sister and her fiancé how I could get saved. They led me in the sinner’s prayer in the car. After that I had such a burning passion for God. I started reading the Bible and I got involved in the church's high school group. We would meet weekly and we would head downtown to feed the homeless once a month. I was baptized again at the age of 17. This time it was my choice. After high school, I started going to their college-age group and I was still actively involved in the church, attending at least 2-3 times a week.

Fast forward to 2013; I am now married and have two children with my second husband. I am not actively going to church but would go on occasion. I am a runner, running distances between a marathon up to 50 miles. My husband is a Native American and had been offered a job with his tribe in Crescent City, California. He had accepted the position, so we moved the family from Hillsboro, Oregon (15 minutes from Portland) to the small beach town. I didn’t necessarily want to move six hours away, leaving my family. I didn’t want to leave my father. He had already suffered his first stroke, and was also beginning to suffer from dementia. Because of his condition, he was difficult to speak to.

Depression began to set in after we moved to California, I became almost lifeless. I’d stare at the wall, I was bored, I was angry, I cried often, and I took it out on everyone around me. I was still running and I felt that running was my comfort. I decided to train for my first 100 miler. I was very confident in my running. Because a lot of people on social media were telling me that I was good at running and I was an inspiration, I became prideful. Running had been my comfort to help me through my depression, but now it had become an idol. 
Running was a gift from God and I was putting it above Him.

My husband was let go from his job with his tribe in 2013 and we moved back to Portland. Two weeks after moving back, I had made two arrangements. I was going to take my car over to my friend’s house so her husband could fix a minor repair. Also, my mother agreed to babysit our oldest dog Boogie. Boogie often acted up and Grandma had a way to make him behave. Knowing we were coming over to drop Boogie off, my mom planned for the whole family to get together. When I saw my dad, I gave him a big hug and the family had a wonderful time together that day.

The next day, I called to check up on my dog. My mom answered and is crying very hard. She told me that my dad was not waking up and the paramedics were there. My dad had suffered a second major stroke. He was on life support for three days. On the 3rd day, I watched the doctors take him off life support. As he took his last breath, I held him. God knew that my father was going to suffer this stroke and God arranged for us to move back to Portland just in time, and He arranged for the family time the day before my father’s stroke. God was showing His love.

After the death of my father, I was still depressed but started training for a triathlon. I kept seeing the number 316 and I thought of John 3:16 which was one of the few Bible verses that I knew. I saw 316 so often that I was certain God wanted my attention. I cried out to God and asked Him to help me; I was tired of being so sad. God began showing me what to do. The first thing He showed me was to listen to only Christian music. I obeyed. He then gave me step by step instructions which included what I was watching, reading, listening to, and of course He told me to go to church. I didn’t want to go to church because I didn’t want to dress up or put on makeup. But God said to me, “Come as you are.” I did that. I wore my Oscar the Grouch “scram” t-shirt, I wore running clothes, piled my hair into a bun and barely put any makeup on. God also told me to read the Bible. I tried to read through the churches “read through the Bible list” but, I ended up getting behind and became frustrated. God told me to go at my own pace and just mark off what I finished. Since I liked Joyce Meyer, I decided to trade in my easy to read student Bible from high school to Joyce’s amplified Bible. This Bible was very challenging for me. I asked God to help me understand it. He told me to stop reading other reading material and to read only the Bible. God also told me to attend Theology school at a university. This request took me awhile to obey. It was an expense that I wasn’t sure my family could afford and a little funny since at a recent Bible study through church, I ended up throwing the study material across the room and then into the garbage.  I did obey and school has been a blessing. We have always had the money for classes and in time that I needed the funds.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in me”] (Mathew 16:24). In 2016, during a long training run, God asked me to give up all the training for him. I thought about it for a few miles and then said yes. My pastor spoke on Mathew 16:24 the very next weekend. I’ve tried to enter events since then, but there is always something that stops me from competing in them. I still run, bike, and swim, but the distances are kept short.

In 2017, my friend Steve spoke to my daughter Naomi about going on a mission’s trip to Chacalte, Guatemala. He had already been a few times and was extremely blessed by going. This upcoming trip was 9 days and with our church. I was going to let Naomi go by herself. But it was during a church service that I heard from God. He told me that I needed to go with her. Initially, I absolutely did not want to. But, I was obedient and agreed. I was stretched out of my comfort zone and tested emotionally, physically, and spiritually. God used several moments during the trip that completely touched my spirit. When we were back on the plane, on our way home, I had every intention of not returning to Guatemala, but I heard from God. He said, “You’re going back.” My daughter heard the same thing and will be returning in a few weeks for a ten-day trip. The people of Guatemala have huge hearts. They are hospitable, have so much love for their families, and are very kind. Our church is the only group of people that come back twice a year. The people of Guatemala are like family. My heart has completely opened up to them and to missions. We are now the proud sponsors of two kids in Chacalte and cannot wait to see them again. 

In writing my testimony, I look at it as a love story from God. Looking back, before I was saved, I can see moments where God was reaching out to me, and caring for me. I know how much God loves me. He has never given up on me. I know He has a plan and purpose for my life. I may have gotten a little sidetracked throughout the years, but he gently led me back to Him. And His plan for me is still mine.