SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/4/2021 10:09 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-1 “The Right Attitude”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
10:2a
Message of the
verse: “The first, Simon, who is called Peter,”
We
begin in today’s SD to look at a third element in Jesus’ training of Peter and
that was teaching him the principles of godly leadership. One of the issues that leaders have is that
they can become domineering, and so they have a special need to learn
submission. Let us think about something
that happened to Peter and Jesus described in the 17th chapter of
Matthew as while they were in Capernaum the tax collector there asked Jesus if
He and Peter were to pay a two-drachma temple tax. Jesus told Peter to go fishing and in the
first fish he would catch he would find in the mouth of that fish enough to pay
the tax for He and for Peter. Now we
want to go to Peter’s first letter and look at 2:13-17 to show exactly what
Peter learned from this experience with Jesus.
“13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,
whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him
for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For
such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of
foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for
evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the
brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”
We can see that Peter learned from the experience with Jesus that not
only in submitting to Jesus but to human authorities, and so he passed that on
to his readers.
The
next thing that Peter needed to learn was restraint, and of this he needed a
double portion. We have already talked
about what Peter did on the night that Jesus was arrested, and that was to
begin to fight in his own power as he cut of the ear of the servant of the
chief priest. I have to believe that
Peter was aiming for his head but by the grace of God only cut of his ear, to
which Jesus healed it. Jesus told Peter
to put away his sword and to let God’s divine plan take its course.
Thirdly,
Peter needed to learn humility, and again he needed a double portion. This also has to do with something that we
have recently looked at and that is the boasting of Peter that he would never
fall away from our Lord, and although Peter did not understand what was going
to happen, this was about the crucifixion of Jesus. We find out that Peter denied that he knew
Jesus’ name three times and the last time it was with a curse. Peter eventually learned his lesson as seen
in 1 Peter 5:5 where we read “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your
elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS
OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
We
will look at one more, the fourth and that was that Peter needed to learn to
sacrifice, and Jesus promised him, “Truly, truly, I say to you when you were
younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you
grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and
bring you where you do not wish to go.’ Now this He said, signifying by what
kind of death he would glorify God. And
when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me!’” (John 21:18-19). When Peter became concerned that John might
not have to pay such a costly sacrifice, Jesus told him sternly, ‘If I want him
to remain until I come, what is that to You?
You follow Me!” (vv. 21-22). This
is the second time we see here that Jesus emphasized that Peter follow Him, and
this would be the last time that Jesus would tell Peter to follow Him. From then on, Peter obeyed whatever the cost,
and that cost would eventually be great.
Peter even learned to rejoice in his suffering, for Christ, as he wrote
the following in 1 Peter 4:13-14, 16, and 19.
“13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on
rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with
exultation. 14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because
the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you…16 but if anyone suffers as
a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name…19
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust
their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: It is wonderful to learn about how the Lord
changed Peter’s life as I can see it through the Scriptures.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I trust that the Lord will also change my
life in order that I will become the man that Jesus wants me to be.
8/4/2021 10:41 AM
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