Portrait of Peter - Lesson 3

Portrait of Peter.

November 18, 2020. Grace-Vail.

Lesson 3 - Peter’s Training

Some training involves valleys of failure before peaks of success. Often this is true of the spiritual training we receive from Jesus. Today we’ll observe and learn from some valleys and peaks in the training of Peter.

Read ​Luke 22:31-34 The Lord said, “Simon, Simon, pay attention: Satan has asked to have you all, so that he may sift you as wheat. 32 But I prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brothers.”

33 He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

34 But Jesus replied, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you deny three times that you know me.”

1. “Pay attention, Satan is up to something.” How would you react if a friend gave you that kind of warning?

2. Finish the sentence: Just hours before his agony leading to death; Jesus prayed for Simon.

That’s……..

3. Agree or Disagree: Peter had good motives when he said, “I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

Read ​Matthew 26:36-41.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He told his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and distressed. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to the point of death. Stay here, and keep watch with me.”

39 He went a little farther, fell on his face, and prayed. He said, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

40 He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter, “So, were you not able to stay awake with me for one hour? 41 Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

4. Agree or Disagree: Jesus doesn’t need me to stay with him and keep watch with him, because he’s not in agony anymore.

5. Nonverbals are huge. When Jesus found his disciples sleeping and spoke a word of rebuke to them, do you think he was mad, disappointed, sad, concerned, something else?

Read ​Matthew 26:69-75 Meanwhile Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came to him and said, “You were also with Jesus the Galilean.”

70 But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

71 When Peter went out to the entryway, someone else saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”

72 Again Peter denied it with an oath and said, “I do not know the man.”

73 After a little while those who stood by came and said to Peter, “Surely you are also one of them because even your accent gives you away.”

74 Then he began to curse and to swear, “I do not know the man!” Just then the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

6. How could Peter be so confident with Jesus only hours earlier, and so cowardly in the courtyard?

7. What did Peter learn about himself as the bitter tears came down?

8. Agree or Disagree: Bitter tears are necessary to learn some lessons.

Read ​John 20:3-9 So Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. 5 Bending over, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter, who was following him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 The cloth that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths, but was folded up in a separate place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, also entered. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.)

9. Peter’s emotional state when the morning began had to be a hangover of bitterness, grief, and regret. What do you think the empty tomb experience did to his emotional state?

Read ​John 21:1-11 After this, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how he showed himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”

They replied, “We’ll go with you.”

They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.

5 Jesus called to them, “Boys, don’t you have any fish?”

“No!” they answered.

6 He told them, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast the net out. Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish.

7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard, “It is the Lord!” he tied his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about one hundred yards.

10. This story happened after Peter had seen Jesus alive from the dead at least twice. Why do you think Peter wanted to go fishing?

11. Why do you think Peter put on his clothing, jumped in the water, and swam to Jesus?

John 21:15-22 15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I care about you.”

Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 A second time Jesus asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

He said, “Yes, Lord, you know that I care about you.”

Jesus told him, “Be a shepherd for my sheep.”

17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you care about me?”

Peter was grieved because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you care about me?” He answered, “Lord, you know all things. You know that I care about you.”

“Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Amen, Amen, I tell you: When you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will tie you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

20 Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them. This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? You follow me.”

12. Why do you think Peter was grieved that Jesus asked 3 times if he loved or cared about him?

13. On a scale of 1-10, how confident do you think Peter was in his 3 answers to Jesus?

14. How do you think Peter felt when Jesus told him to feed and care for Jesus’ lambs and sheep?

15. Peter was empowered to follow Jesus even if death came because of it. Finish the sentence: I will follow Jesus even if ______________.