Peter Beforw and After Pentecost

Peter Beforw and After Pentecost PETER, BEFORE AND AFTER PENTECOST
By JOHN C. TAYLOR.

It is recorded in the fifth chapter of Lnke that Jesus came down by the Sea of Galilee, which is also called Tiberius and Gennesaret, and there were some fisherman who had left their vessels and were washing their nets.

Jesus entered into a ship belonging to Simon Peter and prayed him to thrust out a little from the land; and when He had sat down, He spoke to the multitude that stood upon the shore. The record says when He had left speak­ing, He said to Simon: ‘‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught.” Peter said unto Him: “Master, we have toiled all night, and have nothing; nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net." They let down the net where they had fished all night and had met with nothing but failure, and were able to get so many fish their nets were breaking; they hailed their companions telling them to come to their assistance. Now just here I am made to think of the disposition that should characterize the people of God. Here is a man who had fished all night, and considered himself an ex­pert fisherman too, but he had failed to catch anything at all; in the early morning there came along a charac­ter with whom he had probably a passing acquaintance, Jesus Christ, who said, “Let down your net,” and Simon was willing to lot down his net and try again notwith­standing the failure that had attended his efforts.

If you have tried a thing an hundred times on your own initiative and met with failure each time, then you find the Bible, the Word of God Himself, commands you to do that, if you go in obedience to that Word of God, He who was able to cause these characters to meet suc­cess where they had failed before, will cause success to attend your efforts. When Simon Peter saw the great draught of fishes, he fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, 0, Lord!” Jesus said unto him: “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” From that day on for three years Simon Peter anchored his hope in the Son of God and believed in his heart that He was the Christ of whom the prophets had spoken and of whom the psalmists had sung. During these three years he walked with Christ and saw Him do many mighty works. I want you to remember the things which were characteristic of the night preceding the morning when Jesus called Simon—they had fished all night on the Sea of Galilee and had caught nothing; Jesus, early in the morning after that toilsome night, came down the coast and told them to try again; they did so and met with success. After this Christ was able to induce them to become His followers and learn the lessons He had come to teach the human family.

Three years passed by and Jesus the Christ attracted so much attention by the signs and wonders wrought by Him that all the powers of earth and hell became alarmed and the hosts of evil gathered desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art con­verted, strengthen thy brethren.” Simon answered, Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death.” Christ said, “I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.” In other words Peter simply meant—“Master, when they come and arrest you, carry you off to prison and put you in the cell; when they close the doors and lock them, I will be with you; I will be with you when that Roman army comes, if it does, and lays hands on you to lead you away; I will follow you on to the cross—I will go with you into the prison-house of death.” This is Peter’s attitude, and I believe he meant every word when he an­nounced his intention there.

But, did his faith fail? It did. Now, some one has asked: Well, when the Master prayed for Simon was his prayer answered? He said, “I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.” Then the question is, Did his faith fail? And for me to ask that question is to answer it in the mind of every Bible reading character. Then, was Christ’s prayer answered? No. But bear in mind the reason it was not answered was not because it was not a good prayer, for it was; it was not because God was not willing to answer, for He was. Why then was it not answered? This is the reason: Before whom the prayer was made failed to meet the implied requirements.

Just because a good man prays for one is not proof that the petition will be answered. Christians are commanded to pray for sinners, and God is anxious to answer; but He will not save sinners until they meet the terms of pardon. Paul, in Romans 10, prayed, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer for Israel is, that they might be saved.” Has that been answered? Go to Israel today as it stands in open rebellion against God, see them as they still reject Christ, and ask yourselves the question. It will not be answered- until they return and accept Christ. Jesus prayed (John 17:20) : “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their words; That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in TUee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.” Has that been answered? Or rather is it answered today? Let me suggest that it was a wonder­ful prayer; it was well prayed, and God is anxious to answer; but those characters for whom it was made have not, and are not, meeting the conditions which will bring about an answer.

So, when Jesus prayed for Simon the reason that prayer was not answered is, Simon failed to meet the implied requirements.

"When Christ had made this statement to the Apostle He turned away and went to the Garden. After His prayer there, He came back to His disciples and then a great company came, a multitude, the Bible says, and they had swords and staves. How many are in the company with Peter? Only twelve, including their lead­er, for be it remembered that Judas at this time had de­serted. When this company came Simon Peter gave evi­dence of his loyalty to Christ in no uncertain way. There were only two swords; and Simon drew one of them and made an attack, cutting off the ear of the servant of the High Priest. You know if you credit this man with com­mon sense and sagacity, he was bound to know that with only two swords in his company, and only twelve men in their number they could not run a successful attack on the enemy which was multitudinous and with swords and staves many.

Why was he willing to make an attack under such conditions? It was his loyalty to Christ. And, too, he had seen the Lord change water into wine; had heard the voice of God say, “This is My son;” had seen Christ upon the sea when the Storm King was raging, and had heard Him speak a word which caused the storm to cease and the ship to be rocked to sleep on a quiet sea. No doubt, he thought, He, whom I have seen perform mira­cles, will work another and determine the victory in our behalf. When the Lord healed the servant’s ear and told Simon to put up his sword, the multitude led Him away— Peter followed afar off.

They carried Him first to Annas, then to Caiaphas, then to Pontius. Pilate, then to Herod, and to Pilate again. It is in the house of Caiaphas, however, that Peter makes his denial. Pie took his seat among those who were the enemies of the Son of God. These are some of the mis­takes made by Simon: He walked afar off; he stood in the way of sinners; he satin the seat of the scornful. David said in Psalms 1, “Blessed is the man that walk- eth not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Simon violated every principle there announced. No one can remain among those who are scornful of the religion of Christ and not lift a voice in His behalf without becoming a victim of sin. Simon violated every principle announced by David.

After a while a maid sees Simon and says, “This man was also with him.” And he said, “'Woman, I know Him not.” After a while, another saw him and said, “Thou art also of them.” Simon said, “Man, I am not.” After about an hour another confidently affirmed, “Of a truth this follow’" also was with Him; for he is a Galileean.” Simon said, “Man, I know not what thou sayest.” While he yet spake the cock crew, and Simon, remembered the words of the, Lord, Jesus turned and looked at Simon and Simon turned and looked at him. In this last denial Peter began to curse and swear, then went out and wept bitterly. Am I going to criticize him severely? God forbid. Instead of being an objection of criticism, he is one entitled to pity; for he knew not what to do. He went out and Avept because of what he had done. It may be you have done thmgs in your life for Which you afterwards hated your­self. They led his Lord aw av to Calvary .and nailed Him to the Cross ; they placed it in its resting place and left Him there.

I want to ask and answer some questions: What was it that caused the Jews to reject Christ? Why was it that the world at large did not appreciate Him?

There were some things characteristic of the human family which caused them to fail to value the greatest teacher the world had ever known. What were they? The were not looking for the Christ who came; they were expecting some man to come with shield of brass and a sword of steel ; flay the enemy, release them from their bondage to the Reman world, and reestablish the temporal throne of David. They were asking, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Isra­el?” (Acts 1:6).

Christ did not come that way, nor for that purpose. Instead of having a shield of brass, he preached the shield of faith; instead of having a sword of steel, he used the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The men of that generation had a perverted idea regarding true greatness. They thought the man who could draw his sword, command his army, lead them from conquest to victory and from victory to victory in carnal warfare until he became the monarch of the world was really the greatest man. That was why Philip of Macedon was considered a great man; he filled the measure of their conception of greatness; Alexander the Great did like­wise ; and when the Caesars came and caused the earth to tremble beneath their war-like tread, they too fulfilled the conception of greatness—of the perverted idea re­garding greatness—at that time. Christ was rejected because he did not come up to their expectations. But where, now, is Philip? Where is Alexander? Where are the Caesars? They are cold and lifeless clay, stand­ing upon their crumbling pedestals in the silent halls of history. But where is Jesus? He lives and reigns in glory, and in millions of human hearts who are glad to own Him as Lord. When the world hungers and thirsts after righteousness, Christ will come into His own; and when men realize what true greatness is, Christ will be­come their Hero of the Ages. When they crucified Christ and laid him in his tomb, Peter and the other disciples knew not what to do. Three days and nights passed, and at the end, early in the morning—the First Day of the week—a woman brought the news that He was not in the tomb. Peter and John go to the sepulchre and find the message true. Peter went into the grave first; then the record says, went in John also, “and he saw, and believed.” For as yet, they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead” (John 20:8-9). From this we see they did not believe, for they did not understand that He must rise from the dead.

After his resurrection He is seen by them twice, but does not disclose anything concerning His purpose. One day Peter said, “I go a fishing,” others say, “we also go with thee.” This time they fished all night and caught nothing. They were on the same sea where Jesus found them three years before and called them to the ministry. They toiled all night again and caught nothing. In the early morning through the mists that were lingering, not yet dispelled by the rays of the rising sun, they saw some one coming down the coast, avIio stopped on the shore and cried to them, saying, “Children, do you have any meat? They answered Him, No. And He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved, said unto Peter. It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, lie girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.” How similar this night to the one immediately preceding their call to the ministry three years before. When Simon came to shore, he found a fire kindled and fish laid there­on, and bread. Jesus said unto them “Come and dine.” They sat down and ate.

Think of the difference in the environments here and those in which Peter had found himself a few days before. Back yonder in the house of Caiaphas he sat among the enemies of Christ and warmed at a fire kin­dled by the hands of wicked men. Here he sits down with Jesus and warms at a fire kindled by the hands of his Master. When they have eaten Jesus says to Simon, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto Him, Feed My lambs. This ques­tion is asked three times as though the Lord would re­mind him, “You denied me thrice.” Being seen of them forty days and nights after His resurrection, and speaking with them concerning the kingdom of God, He led them out to the Mount from which He ascended, and after telling them to tarry in Jerusalem till power came from on high, he ascends to Glory. They went went back into the city and there remained until the day of Pentecost came. On that day the promised Spirit descended. But says one, “The promised spirit did not come. These men just misrep­resented the facts. Christ does not live.” Well, if that be true, what do we have? We have men fifty days after the death of Christ—not in some far-off country like Galilee where most of his mighty works were done, where they might the more easily obtain a following; but in Jerusalem—within a stone’s throw of his grave, and almost in the shadow of the cross on which he died —telling those who killed him that God had raised him from the dead. Some said, “These men are drunk;” but Peter, standing up with the eleven, preached a ser­mon which made them realize that it was the mighty work of God. What was the effect of what he said? He told them that the one whom they had killed had been raised from the dead. Did they go to the grave, 0 Sun of Righteousness! Historians have been too eager find the body of Christ and bring it as proof that he was dead? They did not. Why did they not? They could not. Why could they not? He was not there, he was risen. They are made to believe that Jesus is the Christ, and want to know what to do to be saved from sin. Could the attitude and sermon of this obscure man have been such as to produce this effect had he been unaided by divine power? We know they could not.

“But,” says one, “I do not believe the things which are said to be characteristic of that day ever took place.” Well, if not, how do you account for the fact that we have that sermon? Christianity is in the world. That is a fact. How did it get here? When Christ died he left no influential men in the world to take up and carry on his work. If Christ is still dead, and Peter did not have the Holy Spirit and never preached a ser­mon on Pentecost, how do you account for the rise and progress of Christianity? What mighty power enabled it to live when Jewish hate and Roman authority bade it die? Little did Rome realize that she had met a cause which would spread its influence to lands where the name of Rome at that time was unknown. It was Peter who stood over the grave of this seemingly lost cause and bade it come forth and begin its glorious march through the ages. The world can never go back to what it was before the Pentecost when Peter an­nounced the great message of life and salvation which had its beginning there. While the miracles of that day are not seen now, yet its message is still ringing down the halls of time.

“The outward hath gone, but glory and power,
The Spirit surviveth the things of the hour;
Unchanged, undecaying, this Pentecost flame
On the heart’s secret altar is burning the same.”

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer and saw a poor man at the gate who asked alms of those who entered. He asked an aim of them. Peter said, “I do not have any silver or gold; but I will give you such as I have,” and he healed him. The man went leaping and bounding through the tem­ple, praising God. The people knew the man and were filled with wonder and amazement at what was done. When Peter saw their wonder he preached a sermon in which he tells them again that they have denied the Son of God, and calls upon them to repent. When the priests and captains of the temple heard of it they came together, being grieved that they taught the peo­ple. When they demanded an explanation, Peter said: “Ye rulers of the people, and elder's of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good, deed done to the impo­tent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known to you all, and all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you whole” (Acts 4:9-10). In his letter to those who had obtained like precious faith with him, he said: “For we have not followed
cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16). He says it is not a fable. Christ had told him in the 21st chapter of John how and by what death he should glorify God. Peter remembered that and in this connection said: “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tab­ernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me” (2 Peter 1:14).

Between the day that Peter denied the Lord and the day of Pentecost and the sermon of Acts 3, 4, some wonderful change had come over him. On the one oc­casion we see him trembling for his life in the presence of those who had his Master arrested; and, on the other we see him walking the mountain ranges of moral power and displaying a sublime courage before which the robed and mitred power of the temple stood silent. This change is accounted for by the fact that he had been “begotten again to a lively hope by the resurrec­tion of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3). He was now filled with the Holy Spirit.