Through Sunday, September 1st

Do you ever feel “ordinary?”

or·di·nar·y - of no special quality or interest; commonplace;

unexceptional.

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

1 Corinthians 1:28-29, 31 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God . . . so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Through Sunday, September 1st

Today – The Apostle Peter Next Sunday – The prophet Daniel

July 28 – The young pastor Timothy August 4 – The prophet Jonah August 11 – The prophet Elijah

August 18 – Queen Esther September 1st – The Apostle Paul

“Super Saints!”

James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours . . .

The Apostle Peter

Matthew 10:2-4 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Gospel Fast Facts on Peter: - Peter, along with his brother Andrew, appear to be the first disciples to be called by Jesus - Peter’s name is mentioned more than any other name (except for the name of Jesus) - No one speaks as much as Peter (except Jesus, of course)

Gospel Fast Facts on Peter: - No one is spoken to by Jesus as often - No one asks as many questions as Peter - No one expressed as clearly or boldly the lordship of Jesus as did Peter

John 13:22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. John 13:23-24 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

The transformation of the

Apostle Peter

John 1:41-42 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

“By nature Simon was brash, vacillating, and undependable. He tended to make great promises he couldn’t follow through with. He was one of those people who appears to lunge wholeheartedly into something but then bails out before finishing.”

John MacArthur

“When Jesus met him, he fit James’ description of a double minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Jesus changed Simon’s name because He wanted the nickname to be a perpetual reminder to him about who he SHOULD be.”

John MacArthur

Tommy Lasorda

Orel “Bulldog” Hershiser

John 1:42 He (Andrew) brought him (Simon) to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

“You shall be called ROCK!”

Peter’s life is a story of a remarkable transformation!

From Simon (as he was before Christ got a hold of him) – to Peter – the ROCK of

the early church!

As Simon he was . . .

Unembarrassingly self-confident

Unembarrassingly self-confident

Mark 14:27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’”

Mark 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”

Unembarrassingly self-confident

Mark 14:30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows

twice, you will deny me three times.”

Mark 14:31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

As Simon he was . . .

Unembarrassingly self-confident Unquestionably impulsive

Unquestionably impulsive

Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Unquestionably impulsive

Matthew 14:29-31 He said, “Come.”So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Unquestionably impulsive

John 18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)

John 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

As Simon he was . . .

Unembarrassingly self-confident Unquestionably impulsive

Book of Acts Fast Facts on Peter: - it was Peter who preached the first public message - it was Peter God used to introduce the gospel to the Gentiles - it was his counsel that resolved the issue facing the first all church council in Jerusalem

Book of Acts Fast Facts on Peter: - And when Herod decided to attack the church – after executing James the brother of Jesus – his next target was none other than PETER!

Peter’s life is a story of a remarkable transformation!

From Simon (as he was before Christ got a hold of him) – to Peter – the ROCK of

the early church!

Two KEYS to Peter’s transformation

1. Proximity to Jesus

Proximity to Jesus

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Proximity to Jesus

Acts 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

The KEYS to Peter’s transformation

1. Proximity to Jesus 2. Humility that results in teachability

Humility that results in teachability!

1 Peter 5:5-6 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.

The KEYS to Peter’s transformation

1. Proximity to Jesus 2. Humility that results in teachability

Today’s Takeaway

1. Proximity to Jesus

How often are you INTENTIONALY

interacting with Jesus?

Today’s Takeaway

2. Humility that results in teachability

Are you truly humble (and therefore

teachable)?

Today’s Takeaway

Meditate on Isa. 40 – all about the Greatness

of God

Meditate on Eph. 2:1-10 – all about the Grace

of God