PT-3 “Common Men, Uncommon Calling—Part 3” (Luke 6:14a)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/16/2026 8:45 AM

My Worship Time                             Focus:  PT-3 “Common Men, Uncommon Calling—Part 3”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 6:14a

            Message of the verse:  “Simon, whom He also named Peter,”

            In last evening’s SD I ended up in a section from John MacArthur’s introduction where he was copying a section that he wrote from his book “Twelve Ordinary Men,” a book about the apostles of Jesus Christ.  It is my desire to finish this quote this morning.

The second category of references where he is called Simon is seen whenever Peter was displaying the characteristics of his unregenerate self—when he was sinning in word, attitude, or action.  Whenever he begins to act like his old self, Jesus and the Gospel writers revert to calling him Simon.  In Luke 5:5, for example, Luke writes, ‘Simon answered nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.’’ That is young Simon the fisherman speaking.  He is skeptical and reluctant.  But as he obeys and his eyes are opened to who Jesus really is, Luke begins to refer to him by his new name.  Verse 8 says, ‘When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’

We see Jesus calling him Simon in reference to the key failures in his career.  In Luke 22:31, foretelling Peter’s betrayal, Jesus said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.’  Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Peter should have been watching and praying with Christ, he fell asleep.  Mark writes, ‘[Jesus] came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you sleeping?  Could you not watch one hour?  Wach and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak’’ (Mark 14:37-38).  Thus usually when Peter needed rebuke or admonishment, Jesus referred to him as Simon.  It must have reached the point where whenever the Lord said ‘Simon,’ Peter cringed.  He must have been thinking, Please call me Rock! And the Lord might have replied, ‘I’ll call you Rock when you act like a rock,’

It is obvious from the Gospel narratives that the apostle John knew Peter very, very well.  They were lifelong friends, business associates, and neighbors.  Interestingly, in the Gospel of John, John refers to his friend fifteen times as ‘Simon Peter.’  Apparently John couldn’t make up his mind which name to use, because he saw both sides of Peter constantly.  So he simply put both names together.  In fact, ‘Simon Peter’ is what Peter calls himself in the address of his second epistle: ‘Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ’ (2 Peter 1:1).  In effect, he took Jesus’ nickname for him and made it his surname (cf. Acts 10:32).

After the resurrection, Jesus instructed His disciples to return to Galilee, where He planned to appear to them (Matthew 28:7).  Impatient Simon apparently got tired of waiting, so he announced that he was going back to fishing (John 21:3).  As usual, the other disciples dutifully followed their leader.  They got into the boat, fished all night, and caught nothing.

But Jesus met them on the shore the following morning, where He had prepared breakfast for them.  The main purpose of the breakfast meeting seemed to be the restoration of Peter (who, of course, had sinned egregiously by denying Christ with curses on the night the Lord was betrayed).  Three times Jesus addressed him as Simon and asked, ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?’  (John 221:15-17).  Three times, Peter affirmed his love.

That was the last time Jesus ever had to call him Simon.  A few weeks later, on Pentecost, Peter and the rest of the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit.  It was Peter, the Rock, who stood up and preached that day.

Peter was exactly like most Christians—both carnal and spiritual.  He succumbed to the habits of the flesh sometimes, he functioned in the Spirit other times.  He was sinful sometimes, but other times he acted the way a righteous man ought to act.  This vacillating man—sometimes Simon, sometimes Peter—was the leader of the Twelve. ([Nashville; W Publishing Group, 2002], 33-37. Emphasis in original.)

           As noted earlier, how God dealt with Peter is a prime example of how He builds a leader.  An examination of Peter’s life reveals three key elements that combine to make up a true spiritual leader: the right raw material, the right life experiences, and the right virtues.”

           Those elements will be the subject we will look at over the next few days, beginning with this evening’s SD.

Spiritual Meaning for my life today:  I am trusting the Lord to continue to work in my life in order to make me what He desires me to do and to be.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Follow the things that the Lord desires me to follow in making me who He wants me to be.  I know it is a process, and takes time as the Lord has been working in my heart for over 52 years.

6/16/2026 9:22 AM

 

 

 

 

PT-2 “Common Men, Uncommon Calling—Part 2” (Luke 6:14a)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/15/2026 9:12 PM

My Worship Time                             Focus:  PT-2 “Common Men, Uncommon Calling—Part 2”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 6:14a

            Message of the verse:  “Simon, whom He also named Peter,”

            I began this section in this morning’s SD, and now I want to continue to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary in this evening’s SD.

            “Peter’s birth name was Simon Barjona (‘son of Jonas,’ or ‘John’; (Matt. 16:17).  Simon was a very common name in Israel; the New Testament lists several other men by that name, including another one of the apostles, Simon the Zealot, (Luke 6:15), one of Jesus’ brothers (Matt. 13:55), a leper (presumably healed by Jesus) in Bethany (Mark 14:3), at whose house Mary (the sister of Martha) anointed Jesus with costly perfume (John 12:1-3), a Pharisee who invited Jesus to eat with him, and at whose house another anointed Jesus (Luke 7:36-50), a man from Cyrene, pressed by the Romans into carrying Jesus’ cross (Mark 15:21), the father of Judas Iscariot (John 6:71), the false prophet Simon the magician (Acts 8:9-24), and Simon the tanner, at whose house in Joppa Peter stayed (Acts 9:43).

            As noted in the previous chapter of this volume, Peter’s name heads all four New Testament lists of the apostles.  Emphasizing his primary position among the Twelve, Matthew 10:2 calls Peter the ‘first’ of the apostles.  Protos (‘first’) does not refer in this context to being first in sequence, but rather first in importance; it has the sense of ‘chief,’ or ‘most important.’  He was by trade a fisherman, along with his brother Andrew (Matt. 4:18).  They were originally from the small village of Bethsaida (John 1:44), but had moved to Capernaum, the most significant town on the northern tip of the Sea of Galilee (Luke 4:31, 38), where Jesus had settled after leaving Nazareth (Matt. 4:13)  Though it is impossible to be certain, a church building found in the ruins of Capernaum may have been built on the site of Peter’s home.  Peter was married, since Jesus healed his mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39), and Paul noted that his wife accompanied him on his missionary journeys (1 Cor. 9:5).

            “That Jesus  named Simon Peter is significant, as I explain in my book Twelve Ordinary Men:

Luke’s choice of words here is important.  Jesus didn’t merely give him a new name to replace the old one.  He ‘also’ named him Peter.  This disciple was known sometimes as Simon, sometimes as Peter, and sometimes as Simon Peter.

‘Peter’ was a sort of nickname.  It means ‘Rock.’ (Petros is the Greek word for ‘a piece of rock, a stone.’)  The Aramaic equivalent was Cephas (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Galatians 2:9).  John 1:42 describes Jesus’ first face-to-face meeting with Simon Peter:  ‘Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, ‘You are Simon the son of Jonah.  You shall be called Cephas’ (which is translate, A Stone).’  Those were apparently the first words Jesus ever said to Peter.  And from then on, ‘Rock’ was his nickname.

Sometimes, however, the Lord continued to refer to him as Simon anyway.  When you see that in Scripture, it is often a signal that Peter has done something that needs rebuke or correction.

The nickname was significant, and the Lord had a specific reason for choosing it.  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.  He was usually the first one in; and too often, he was the first one out.  When Jesus met him, he fit James’s description of a double-minded man, unstable in all his  ways (James 1:8).  Jesus changed Simon’s name, it appears, because He wanted the nickname to be a perpetual reminder to him about who he should  be.  And from that point on, whatever Jesus called him sent a subtle message.  If He called him Simon, He was signaling him that he was acting like his old self.  If He called him Rock, He was commending him for acting the way he ought to be acting….

The young man named Simon, who would become Peter, was impetuous, impulsive, and overeager.  He needed to become like a rock, so that is what Jesus named him.  From then on, the Lord could gently chide or commend him just by using one name or the other.

After Christ’s first encounter with Simon Peter, we find two distinct  contexts in which the name Simon is regularly applied to him.  One is a secular context.  When Scripture refers to his house, for example, it’s usually ‘Simon’s house’ (Mark 1:29; Luke 4:38).  When it speaks of his mother-in-law, it does so in similar terms; ‘Simon’s wife’s mother’ (Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38).  Luke 5, describing the fishing business, mentions ‘one of the boats, which was Simon’s’ (v.3)—and Luke says James and John were ‘partners with Simon’ (v. 10).  All of those expressions refer to Simon by his given name in purely secular contexts.  When he is called Simon in such a context, the use of his old name usually has nothing to do with his spirituality or his character.  That is just the normal way of signifying what pertained to him as a natural man—his work, his home, or his family.  These are called ‘Simon’s’ things.”

That is all I am going to quote from MacArthur’s commentary at this time as this is a good place to take a break, and then I think I will finish this section, which comes from MacArthur’s book on the Twelve Apostles, which he is quoting here.

6/15/2026 9:50 PM

“Common Men, Uncommon Calling—Part 2: Peter” (Luke 6:14a)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/15/2026 9:36 AM

My Worship Time                           Focus:  “Common Men, Uncommon Calling—Part 2: Peter”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                     Reference:  Luke 6:14a

            Message of the verse:  “Simon, whom He also named Peter,”

            In this morning’s SD we begin looking at the first apostle, and in the different lists of the apostles we always see the name of Peter first.  Now as we begin to look at what John MacArthur has to say about Peter, I can say that it will take a lot longer to look at him than the other apostles as he is the one that Christ chose as the leader of the apostles, and the one that perhaps He had to do much work on him too.  I will begin quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary to see the things that he writes about Peter.

            “Our society and its laws set standards and requirements for almost every enterprise.  People have to demonstrate their qualifications for everything from jobs to driver’s licenses to credit cards to loans.  Doctors must be licensed, teachers credentialed, and lawyers admitted to the bar.  Students must meet certain standards to be admitted to a college or university, and meet still other standards to receive their degrees.  Many positions also require intangible qualifications, such as character, experience, self-motivation, and social skills.

            “As the Bible makes clear, God’s standards for those who lead His people are extremely high.  An elder must be

Above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.  He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.  And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:2-7)

Leaders must be exemplary, since the standards their lives are measured against are the same ones all believers are to meet; God doesn’t lower the standards for everyone else.  Thus the writer of Hebrews exhorts believers to ‘remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith’ (Heb. 13:7).  Th3 ultimate standard Christians are called to meet is ‘to be perfect, as [their] heavenly Father is perfect’ (Matt. 5:48).

            “Such a lofty standard is, humanly speaking, impossible to meet.  No one qualifies on his or her own merit to enter God’s kingdom or to serve Him.  Since there are no qualified people, God, in His grace, had to choose unworthy and unqualified people to minister for Him.  Saving and sanctifying grace transforms them into useful servants.  The Twelve, like all believers, were unqualified sinners saved by God’s redeeming grace and sovereignly chosen by Him for service (John 15:16)  They were not stain-glass saints, to be put on a pedestal, or worse, worshiped; they were like Elijah, who ‘was a man with a nature like ours’ (James 5:17).  In spite of all their human limitations, God used the apostles to turn the world upside down (cf. Acts 17:6) because the surrendered completely to Him whose power is perfected in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).  The gospel, not those who proclaim it, ‘is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believer’ (Rom. 1:16; cf. 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:4-5; 2 Cor. 4:7).”  Now I will take time now to quote these different verses that are listed above beginning with Acts 17:6.

(cf. Acts 17:6)

6  And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,”

(2 Cor. 12:9)

“9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

(Rom. 1:16; cf. 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:4-5; 2 Cor. 4:7)

“16 ¶  For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

“18  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

“4  and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5  so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

“7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

            “Spiritual leadership differs markedly from natural leadership.  Natural leaders trust their judgment and make their own decisions; spiritual leaders humbly seek God’s will.  Natural leaders are ambitious and driven; spiritual leaders seek God’s will and glory.  Natural leaders enjoy exercising authority over others; spiritual leaders seek to serve others (Matt. 23:11).  Natural leaders are motivated by success; spiritual leaders by love for God.  Natural leaders are independent; spiritual leaders are totally dependent on God.”

(Matt. 23:11)

“11  The greatest among you shall be your servant.”

            “There is no clearer example in Scripture of how God builds a spiritual leader than Peter.  He was chosen and equipped by the Lord to be the spokesman for the Twelve, and as such is the most prominent of the apostles.  Peter is mentioned more often in the gospels than anyone else except Jesus.  None of the Twelve spoke as often as Peter did, nor did the Lord address anyone else as often as Peter.  None of the disciples was so often rebuked by Jesus as Peter was, and no disciple had the temerity to rebuke the Lord except Peter.  No one confessed Christ’s true identity more boldly and explicitly than Peter, yet paradoxically, no one denied Him as vehemently and publicly as Peter.  No one received higher praise from Jesus than Peter, but neither did He address anyone else as Satan.  Yet God took this common man with an ambivalent, vacillating, impulsive, unsubmissive personality and molded him into the unquestioned leader of the Twelve and the boldest, most powerful preacher in the early years of the church.”

            I will stop here and Lord willing pick up from here in this evening’s SD.

Spiritual meaning for my life today:  Perhaps we all have some of the qualities and also the issues that Peter had in his life, and so I believe that I can learn from what Peter did that was good, and also learn from some of the things that he did that were not good.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am asking and trusting the Lord to see my wife through having one of her teeth pulled this afternoon, realizing that there are special circumstances because of her cancer.

6/15/2026 10:18 AM 

 

 

PT-3 “Their Significance”

 

EVENNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/14/2026 8:54 AM 

My Worship Time                                                                     Focus:  PT-3 “Their Significance”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                            Reference: “None”

            In this evenings SD it is my desire to finish this section, one I began last evening. As mentioned I am just quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary, and also mentioned that I will be in this section, probably until the end of the summer as in this section John MacArthur will go in debt with all of the twelve apostles that Jesus chose, and perhaps there will be some surprises to be seen as we go through this list.  I have been challenged to memorize all of the Lord’s apostles and it is easy to remember Peter, James, John, and also Matthew, but the others are a bit mysterious because there is not much said about them.  I suppose that Judas and Thomas are also easy for people to remember.

            “Finally, the apostles lacked power.  Puzzled by their inability to cast out a demon they asked Jesus, ‘Why could we not drive it out?’ (Matt. 17:19).  Jesus remedied their lack of spiritual power by sending them the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).”

(Acts 1:8)

“8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”

            “Humanly speaking, then, the Twelve hardly seemed qualified for the momentous task to which Jesus had called them.  But God uses less than adequate people, because that is all He has to work with.  After being delivered from the unprecedented catastrophe of the worldwide flood, Noah got drunk and disgraced Himself (Gen 9:20-21).”

(Gen 9:20-21)

“20  Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21  He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.”

“Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel and spiritual father of believing Gentiles, lied about Sarah.  Fearing that the Egyptians would kill him and seize her if they knew she was his wife, he pretended she was his sister (Gen. 12:12-13).”

(Gen. 12:12-13)

12  and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13  Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.’’

“Later, his son Isaac did the same thing with his wife Rebeka (Gen. 26:7).”

(Gen. 26:7)

“7  When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, "She is my sister," for he feared to say, "My wife," thinking, "lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah," because she was attractive in appearance.”

“Jacob extorted his brother Esau’s birthright from him (Gen. 25:30-33).”

(Gen. 25:30-33)

“30  And Esau said to Jacob, "Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!" (Therefore his name was called Edom.) 31  Jacob said, "Sell me your birthright now." 32  Esau said, "I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?" 33  Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.”

“Moses’ prideful disobedience of God’s command kept him from entering the Promised Land (Numbers 20:10-12).”

(Numbers 20:10-12)

10  Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" 11  And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. 12  And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’’

“Aaron, Israel’s first high priest, led the people into idolatry and immorality (Ex. 32:1-24).” (I will not quote these verses because of the length of them.”

“Joshua made a treaty with some of the inhabitants of Canaan, which the Lord had forbidden Israel to do (Josh. 9:3-27).”  (Same thing as you will have to look up and read these verses, because of the length of them.)

David, Israel’s greatest king, the ‘man after [God’s own heart’ (1 Sam. 13:14), and the ‘sweet psalmist of Israel’ (2 Sam. 23:1), committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1-4) and then murdered her husband in an attempt to cover up her resulting pregnancy (vv. 14:15).

(1 Sam. 13:14)

“14  But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.’’

(2 Sam. 23:1)

“1 ¶  Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:”

(2 Samuel 11:1-4)

“1 ¶  In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2  It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3  And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4  So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.”

(vv. 14:15)

14 ¶  In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15  In the letter he wrote, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.’’

“After his triumph over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah fled in abject fear from one woman (1 Kings 19:1-3).

(1 Kings 19:1-3)

“1 ¶  Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2  Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." 3  Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.”

“Isaiah confessed himself to be ‘a man of unclean lips’ (Isa. 6:5). Jonah disobeyed God’s command to go to Nineveh and proclaim judgment (Jonah 1:1-2), and instead fled in the opposite direction.  After being cast overboard in a raging storm and spending three days in the stomach of a huge sea creature (vv.15-17) the reluctant prophet obeyed God’s original mandate (3:1-3).  But when the people of Nineveh repented instead of rejoicing, Jonah became angry and wanted to die (4:1-3).”

(Jonah 1:1-2)

“1 ¶  Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2  "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

(vv.15-17)

“15  So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16  Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. 17  And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

(3:1-3)

“1 ¶  Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2  "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you." 3  So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.’

(4:1-3)

“1 ¶  But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2  And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3  Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’’

“Even the apostle Paul proclaimed himself to be the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) and ‘the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called and apostle, because [he] persecuted the church of God’ (1 Cor. 15:9).

 (1 Tim. 1:15)

15  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

(1 Cor. 15:9)

“9  For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”

            “Jesus knew the apostles’ weaknesses, faults, and shortcomings.  But He also saw in them the potential under His power to change the world.  These twelve common men received the most noble of all callings, the ministry of the New Covenant, proclaiming the glorious truth of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.  But like all ministers of the New Covenant, they had  ‘this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power [would] be of God and not from [themselves’ (2 Cor. 4:7).”

6/14/2026 9:41 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PT-2 “Their Significance”

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/14/2026 9:54 AM 

My Worship Time                                                                     Focus:  PT-2 “Their Significance”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                            Reference: “None”

            There is no Bible Reference in this SD that comes from John MacArthur’s commentary, and perhaps this will not be the only time when he does not use one in this series on the twelve Apostles, we will see.  MacArthur writes: 

            Second, the apostles lacked humility.  They were, frankly, egotistical, self-centered, and proud, focused on who among them was the greatest.  On one occasion Jesus ‘began to question them, ‘What were you discussing on the way?’ But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another, which of them was the greatest’ (Mark 9:33-34).  On another occasion

an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.  But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, too a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, ‘Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is last among all of you, this is the one who is great.’ (Luke 9:46-48).

Even the Lord’s dramatic announcement at the Last Supper that He would be betrayed was followed by ‘a dispute among [the apostles] as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest’ (Luke 2:24).  James and John angled for the most prominent places in the kingdom by having their mother approach Jesus on their behalf (Matt. 20:20-21).  Jesus responded to the apostles’ self-seeking pride by setting an example of humility for them to follow (John 13:1-15).”

(Matt. 20:20-21)

“20 ¶  Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.”

(John 13:1-15)

“1 ¶  Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2  During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4  rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7  Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8  Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9  Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10  Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11  For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12  When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? 13  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another ’s feet. 15  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

            “Third, the apostles were weak in faith.  Fearing that their boat would be swamped, they cried out, ‘Save us, Lord; we are perishing!’ (Matt. 8:25).  Jesus’ response was a rebuke for their inability to trust: ‘Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?’ (v. 26).  When Peter began to sink after joining Jesus in walking on the Sea of Galilee, ‘Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’’ (Matt. 14:31).  The Lord also rebuked the apostles’ lack of faith in Matthew 16:8, demanding of them, ‘You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread?’’ Jesus responded to the  apostles’ doubt by performing miracles to strengthen their faith (cf. John 20:30-31).”

(cf. John 20:30-31)

“30  Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31  but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

            Fourth, the apostles’ (especially Peter [Matt. 26:69-75]) deserting of Jesus when He was arrested (Mark 14:50) demonstrates their lack of commitment.  The Lord’s answer for that sinful weakness was to pray for the apostles to remain faithful (Luke 22:31-32; John 17:11-26).”

(Matt. 26:69-75)

“69 ¶  Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70  But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71  And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72  And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73  After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74  Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75  And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”

(Mark 14:50)

“50  And they all left him and fled.”

(Luke 22:31-32; John 17:11-26)

31  "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,” 32  but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

“11 ¶  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12  While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13  But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14  I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  17 ¶  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18  As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19  And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 ¶  "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21  that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22  The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23  I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 ¶  Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25  O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26  I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’”

            There is one more of these examples coming from John MacArthur and I will save that for this evening’s SD.

Spiritual Meaning for my Life today:  Now as I look at theses incidents that MacArthur brings up about Jesus and His apostles there is one thing that I think about and that is that at this time in their lives they did not have the Holy Spirit in their lives as Jesus had not yet given the Spirit to them, and would not until after He returned to heaven.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Ever since the second chapter of Acts when the Lord gave the apostles the Holy Spirit to the apostles, that all who come to faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord receive the Holy Spirit in order to walk with the Lord, doing His will and fulfilling the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given to them.  It is my desire to do the things that the Lord has set aside for me to do through the power of the Holy Spirit.

6/14/2026 10:28 AM

 

 

 

 

PT-1 “Their Significance”

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/13/2026 9:20 PM 

My Worship Time                                                                     Focus:  PT-1 “Their Significance”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                            Reference: “None”

            There is no Bible Reference in this SD that comes from John MacArthur’s commentary, and perhaps this will not be the only time when he does not use one in this series on the twelve Apostles, we will see.

            MacArthur writes:  “Despite their crucial role in the church and their proclamation of the saving message of the New Covenant, the apostles are often not given their due honor. Peter, James, and John, the three closest to the Lord, are the most familiar.  Matthew (because of his  gospel), Andrew and Philip are less well known.  Thomas, regrettably, is remembered chiefly for doubting Christ’s resurrection (though there was far more to his story than that, as will be seen in Chapter 7 of this volume), while Judas Iscariot, of course, is infamous for betraying Christ.  The rest of the apostles are largely unknown; in fact, many Christians could not even name Bartholomew (Nathanael), James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.  Yet all the apostles deserve respect for the vital ministry they performed—and they will be honored throughout eternity by having their names inscribed on the gates of the glorious city of New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14).

            “The apostles were important for at least six reasons.  First, as noted above, they were the foundation of the church.  In Ephesians 2:20 Paul wrote that the church was ‘built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone.’

            “Second, the apostles received revelation ‘which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has not been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit’ (Eph. 3:5).  The entire New Testament was written, the believers ‘were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching ‘(Acts 2:42).  That teaching, as recorded in the New Testament, is still the only authoritative source of doctrine.

            “Third, the apostles were given to edify the church.  According to Ephesians 4:11-12 God ‘gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.’

            “Fourth, not only was their doctrine authoritative, but also their lives were exemplary.  Ephesians 3:5 calls them the ‘holy apostles,’ leading Paul to exhort believers to be imitators of him (1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6).”

(1 Cor. 4:16; 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6)

“16  I urge you, then, be imitators of me.”

“1 ¶  Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

“6 ¶  And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,”

            “Fifth, the apostles were given miraculous power to confirm their message.  The marks of a true apostle, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians, were ‘signs and wonders and miracles’ (2 Cor. 12:12).  He reminded the Romans that he had carried out his ministry ‘in the power of sings and wonders’ (Rom. 15:19).  The writer of Hebrews noted that the message of salvation ‘was confirmed to us by those who heard [the apostles], God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will’ (Heb. 2:3-4).

            “Finally, the apostles were greatly blessed (Luke 18:28-30) as they will be in eternity (Rev. 21:12-14).”

 (Luke 18:28-30)

“28  And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29  And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30  who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.’

“12  It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13  on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14  And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”

Are you still lacking in understand also? (Matt. 15:16)

Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up? How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?  But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matt. 16:9-11)

Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread?  Do you not yet see or understand? (Mark 8:17).

Do you not understand this parable?  How will you understand all the parables?  Mark 4:13.  (See also Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45; 18:34; John 12:16; 20:9)

(See also Mark 9:32; Luke 9:45; 18:34; John 12:16; 20:9)

“32  But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.”

“45  But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.”

“34  But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.”

“16  His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.”

“9  for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”

“The Lord remedied the apostles’ ignorance by continually teaching them the truth (cf. Luke 24:45). Even after His resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with them ‘speaking of the times concerning the kingdom of God’ (Acts 1:3)”

(cf. Luke 24:45)

“45  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,”

            I usually do not stop in the middle of things that are numbered, but it looks like I will have to finish this section in tomorrow mornings SD, beginning with MacArthur’s second point.

6/13/2026 10:07 PM

 

“The Sending” (Luke 6:13)

 

MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/13/2026 10:31 AM

My Worship Time                                                                                       Focus:  “The Sending”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                                    Reference:  Luke 6:13b

            Message of the verse:  “whom He also named as apostles”

            I have mentioned in earlier Spiritual Diaries that when I decided to use what is in the book of Luke to describe each of Jesus disciples, or apostles as they were then called to use the material that John MacArthur wrote in his commentary on the gospel of Luke.  I had studied the gospel of Matthew for five years and this kind of material was also found there but I suppose that it is a bit different in Luke so I will just quote the things from MacArthur’s commentary on Luke that speaks of all of the apostles.

            “Having chosen the Twelve, Jesus named or designated them apostles. Apostolos (‘apostle’) refers to a messenger, ambassador, or representative invested with the full authority of the one who sent him.  The concept of an apostle can be traced to the Jewish concept of the shaliach, which also referred to a messenger sent with full authority to act on behalf of another.  Some rabbis, for example, were sent to the Diaspora (Jews living outside of Palestine) with authority to act on behalf of the Sanhedrin on various matters.  A shaliach could also act on behalf of an individual, similar to the modern-day legal concept of power of attorney.  Thus in Jewish practice, the shaliach was the same as the one who  sent him (cf. John 13:20; Gal. 4:14).”

(cf. John 13:20; Gal. 4:14)

“20  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.’”

“14  and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.”

“David, for example, proposed marriage to Abigail through messengers, and she signified her acceptance of his proposal by washing their feet (1 Sam. 25:40-42).”

(1 Sam. 25:40-42)

“40  When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, "David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife." 41  And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, "Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." 42  And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.”

“Jesus’ designating the Twelve to act on His behalf would thus have been understood by everyone in that culture.

            “But before being sent out by Jesus, the Twelve needed to be personally mentored by Him.  Mark 3:14 notes that the Lord chose them ‘so that they would be with Him.’  Only after that time of preparation did He ‘send them out to preach.’  Their call to the apostles was not an end in itself, but merely the next step in the sequential process of preparing them to carry on Christ’s gospel ministry after His death.  First, they believed in Him (cf. John 1:35-51).”

(cf. John 1:35-51)

“35  The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36  and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”37 ¶  The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38  Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39  He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40  One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41  He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42  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).43 ¶  The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46  Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48  Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49  Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50  Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51  And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.’”

“Second, He called them to leave their occupations and follow Him full time (Luke 5:6-11, 27-28).

(Luke 5:6-11, 27-28)

“6  And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7  They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8  But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10  and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11  And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

“27 ¶  After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28  And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.”

“Third, He chose them to be apostles.  Fourth, He sent them to preach the gospel to Israel (Matt. 10:1-6).”

(Matt. 10:1-6)

“1    And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2  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; 3  Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4  Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.  5    These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6  but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’

“Finally, He sent them out to evangelize the world (Acts 1:8). Because of their central role in the ministry of the gospel to Israel, Luke mentions them six times in his gospel.  But emphasizing their foundational role in the church, he mentions them almost thirty times in Acts.”

(Acts 1:8)

“8  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’’

Spiritual Meaning for my Life today:  It is my desire to continue to write my Spiritual Diaries and to put them onto the internet where I pray most everyday that the Spirit of God will use them to bring salvation to the lost and also to cause believers to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

My Steps of Faith for Today:  I am continuing in prayer to the Lord that He will have mercy on my wife as she is suffering with the cancer that she is battling at this time, and in considerable amount of pain.

6/13/2026 11:05 AM